What happens in Vegas ... shouldn't happen during the stretch drive of the playoffs.
That's not some dorky sportswriter talking. That's the gold-standard opinion of a guy possessing two Super Bowl rings, a bust in Canton and the best reputation of any athlete to ever play in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo jets off to Las Vegas alongside Miles Austin with the New York Giants looming and - presto - controversy. Last time Romo sneaked off before a big Giants game - to Cabo with Jessica Simpson in '08 - he reasoned that "I thought I was making a good decision not going to Vegas and drinking ... " Right or wrong, this latest excursion opens Romo up for more harsh criticism in the event he pratfalls Sunday at New York.
Big deal or much ado about nuthin'?
Roger Staubach, your thoughts ...
"I'm a Tony Romo guy, but from a fan's standpoint it's a mistake," Captain America told me yesterday from his commercial real estate office at Jones Lang LaSalle in North Dallas. "Perception is reality, and it just doesn't look good. I don't agree with needing to get away from football for a couple of days. I think there's crucial value in keeping the football mind-set. Coach Landry would have never given us three days off at this time of year. This is the playoff drive, and time is precious. He would have us at the facility doing something, maybe just running around in shorts. But something to keep us together, to keep our minds on football."
Staubach, whom I'll feature in a Dallas Observer cover story later this month, also talked about Jerry Jones' firing of Tom Landry, his potential involvement with the Texas Rangers and the outlook for this year's Cowboys.
Follow me ...
*On his name being mentioned as a potential investor in a new Rangers' ownership group that would allow Tom Hicks to continue as the club's majority voice:
"It's getting complicated. If anything I'll wind up as a sort of local board member. But a minority co-owner or savior? No, I'm not that guy."
*On Jones firing Landry in 1989:
"I've forgiven him, sure. Because it wasn't totally Jerry's fault the way it happened. He gets a lot of blame and a lot of fault that is undeserved. People forget that (former owner) Bum Bright wasn't happy with Tom at all. A change was going to be made regardless."
*On this year's Cowboys:
"In the NFC you've got the Vikings and Saints clearly at the top, but the Cowboys are right there. They've got the talent and the ability to get to the Super Bowl. They can be this year's Arizona Cardinals."
