Grrrr

Currently Reading: Shost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex: White Maze by Junichi Fujisaku

Do you hear that gagging sound? If you tilt your head to the northwest, towards Seattle, you can probably just faintly make it out. No, really, even I can hear it and I'm damn near deaf at the moment.

Well, that gagging sound you hear is the inevitable sound of Tony Romo choking yet again. Right now I bet Dallas Cowboys top brass are saying to themselves, "oh yeah, that's why we never made Romo starting quarterback." This is by no means a new experience for Romo. Twice before he's been pushed aside for the starting qb job because he has a really nasty habit of choking when it counts. In pre-season, for example, he would put on an amazing display. He could hit a flea from 80 yards through triple coverage. Come regular season though, he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if he was standing right in front of it.

Tonight was another Romo classic. The boys are fighting hard in the playoffs and much to my surprise, they're actually doing well. True, they managed to squander their lead but they're only down by a point and there's only a minute or so left on the clock. They tried to get the touchdown and failed, they tried for the first down and failed so they have no option left but to kick the field goal. This would put them ahead by two and give Seattle the ball back with about a minute left but Seattle wouldn't have any time outs and the pressure would be on them to score. That's what WOULD have happened had Romo not pulled a . . . Romo.

The center hikes the ball. Gramatika is lined up just right and he's been nailing them all day. So what happens? Do they get the easy 3? Oh hell no. Romo fumbles the ball. Just never gets a hold of it. And you know, it's not like the center hiked it freaky or sideways or too high or anything. It was right to him. He just bobbles it. Never gets it down in time so no kick. He tries to run it in but, of course, he falls short.

Now, I will admit I was surprised they managed to hang in the game at all. Given their recent performance, they should have been blown out big time with the Seaharks coasting to an easy win. But to lose the game like that, ouch. That's the sort of thing that used to only happen to Buffalo in the Super Bowl.

Maybe this will be a lesson to Cowboys staff. Romo's not the quarterback of the future for them, not the way he's been playing. He just doesn't seem to be able to handle the pressure. Looks like Cowboys fans will have to wait a little longer.