Topic: EIU In The Pros
ROMO WATCH - THE ROMO PLAYOFF LIVEBLOG.
Update 10:41 central
How bad is it? I'll leave you with this thought from an alum posted on MySpace.
Ya know, you go to college with a guy, he finally gets his shot in the NFL. I really want to defend some off the rookie mistakes he makes. But when you fumble the game winning field goal snap???? What the fuck!!!! I mean a sack, INT, those things you can understand. This guy has been getting paid how much money for the last 4 years to do nothing but hold the ball for a field goal….then fumbles it in the biggest game of his life????? Are you fucking kidding me??!!!??!?! Ok, I’m done complaining. I was just really hoping for a Chicago vs. Dallas game.
Will the sun come out tomorrow?
Update 10:25 p.m. central.
I could not have imagined a worse ending. Nothing. As Romo lay on the ground clutching his helmet after the botched field goal. A teammate came over to help him up. It would have been better if the teammate would have shot him. Right there. In the head.
We're going to see that replay constantly for the next few days - if not months.
Forget everything that happened this season. All of it. The five-touchdown game on Thanksgiving. Dating American Idols. It's all gone. Romo, who a couple weeks ago was the Cowboys' starting quarterback for next season and then some, is now likely going to be fighting for the backup spot agian next season. If the forest-fire like flameout continues, he'll own be worthy of one spot: the EIU (Unofficial) Hall of Fame.
He could be the Rick Ankiel of EIU superstars.
The carnage is everywhere. Everywhere. Everywhere. And it's only a few minutes after the game.
Fire them all. This the most inept team in America. Romo was an overnight sensation nothing more. He screwed up the offense and the kicking game tonight. They could have won this game easily.
Update, 10:12 p.m. central
Goddamn you Eastern Illinois University. I can't believe what I just saw. Tony Romo fumbled what would have been the game-winning snap of a field goal. He gets up. He runs like hell. He's inches away from a first down. He gets crushed. His mouthpiece goes flying.
There's no cocky in Romo right now. He's sitting on the sidelines. His head it down. He is barely moving. His ring finger is bleeding. It damn near looks like he's crying. Goddammit Billy is.
We can't catch a break.
There will be eight seconds left in the game for the Cowboys - and Romo - to save something.
Update, 10:10 p.m. central
Dear God.
Update, 9:57 p.m. central
21-20 Seahawks. About 4 minutes to go. It's Tony Time.
Why do we care about the final score?
If not for Romo, Billy wouldn't care if the Cowboys won a playoff game. But if they lose and Romo has an average performance, there's a chance - considering his up and down last few games - that the Cowboys would consider finding another quarter (again) to start ahead of Romo.
If that happens, EIU loses its NFL stud.
So Tony needs to win this game for the team. Now.
Update, 9:50 p.m. central
OK. Maybe I should talk about the game. There are about six minutes left and the Cowboys are up 20-15. Up 20-13 and trapped near the other team's end zone, Romo tosses a great pass to a Dallas wide receiver who go ahead and fumbles into the end zone! Seattle gets a safety and the ball back. Eeeeek.
Romo second half attendance has been as bad as any Eastern student with their 8 a.m. classes - have I used that yet? Well, we're up to 47 sips on top of the full-beer touchdown pass. So I can get away with it.
Update, 9:40 p.m. central
Evil thoughts. Every time I see the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders I wonder how many Romo has hit on.
Update, 9:26 p.m. central
Maybe this liveblog thing is evidence enough, but Billy really lost perspective earlier today. He was at a kiddie park with his own poor children, and some dad showed up wearing a Seahawks hat and his two kids - lets say 8 ish - were both wearing the jersey of the Seattle quarterback.
Billy pushed one of them down the slide.
Update, 9:22 p.m. central
OK, it's 8:01 a.m. You're on Eastern's campus. It's a Thursday. Aw hell, it's any day between Monday and Friday. The class is something realllly interesting, like Earth Science or U.S. Constitution (back when we cared to have that class).
Are you there? Well, neither was Romo in the third quarter. He played like 10 plays or something.
Not all his fault. I'm just saying.
Update, 9 p.m. central
Seahawks score. Seattle leads 13-10. Romo coming back on. Here are some Romo pics. See more in Yahoo's Romo Gallery.
Update, 8:50 p.m. central
Romo gets his ass chewed off for fumbling (it was recovered). The Dallas coach screamed at him and clearly said "fuck." Bad bad bad. No such language used in Charleston.
TonyHomo has a transcript.
"You gotta be fucking kidding me! I told you to protect the fucking ball! Meanwhile you're holding it like a slippery dick! If you're going to act like a dirty cunt I'm gonna treat you like one! YOU UNDERSTAND YOU UGLY PIECE OF SHIT!? DO YOU HEAR ME!? FUCK PISS SHIT PUSSY!"
Really?
Update, 8:44 p.m. central
Billy's going to go lay down to rest up for the second half.
I have to wonder, what was EIU's PR department doing between last week's game and this week's? Couldn't they have found some cheesy angle to sell to NBC, so we could get a little more love on national TV? Couldn't they have put a Romo jersey on the McAfee Gym statue, or sent a couple of those free $200 throwbacks to John Madden and Al Michaels? Or maybe the Alumni Association could have slapped together a Texas-based alumni get-together.
Maybe they're waiting to unveil their plans for when Romo plays the Bears, when most Eastern grads won't cheer for him?
Al Michaels clearly went to Western Illinois University. One of his takes on Romo: "He's gone from annointing oil to needing Penzoil." Say what, Short Bus?
No word on any possibly Romo injury after that hard hit. The ND grad is doing the Rush DVD again during halftime. Why can't Billy afford cable so he could watch the game at home? (Hint: E-I-x)
Drinking Game stats: 31 sips and one full beer. That's about four beers. Billy sleepy.
Update, 8:31 p.m. central
MENSA THIS!!! Touchdowwwwwwwn pass Romo!!!! Romo takes a huge hit as he gets off a pass and a receiver catches it, for a change, and fights his way into the end zone!
One Pabst down the hatch!
We're at the half! 10-6 Cowboys.
Update, 8:30 p.m. central
Man, Romo has been about as visible as an Eastern grad in mensa - thanks in part to his receivers. He's finally marched them down to the goal line with a sweet pass over the top to the tight end. But its been slim pickin tonight, as they townies would say.
The TonyHomo blog is pretty funny. "Drew" claimed to have stolen Tony's Blackberry when he took the field.
Homo just got a text message from his mom!
It said "Relax! You're #1!"
I responded and said "Mom, I think I'm gay. TTY after the game. Bye."
Update, 8 p.m. central
The Dallas Morning News is asking: What's going on with Tony?
Second quarter underway. Not much EIU-related stuff to speak of. Romo's thrown for 16 drinks. But he's not totally on his game. His best highlight was a laser-beam pass that was fumbled a second after it was caught. He did throw one of this too-high throws that plague Tony when he's not in a groove.
John Madden's analysis: "Tony Romo needs to calm down."
The announcers make it sound like the Cowboys success (or failure) we be blamed on Romo and, thus, Eastern Illinois University.
Update, 7:50 p.m. central
Here's the now ubiquitous shot of Romo with a knit cap. A couple years ago he used to always wear his helmet on the sidelines, so I guess this is an improvement.
It's a 3-3 game, and Romo is now 3-7 (12 sips, including the hold for the field goal).
An aside on the night, despite Romo's success on the field, he's still as unlucky as ever for anyone trying to channel his mojo. Billy recently donned his Romo jersey in another poker game and finished second-to-last in a 20 player tourney. That's my worst finish in the past year. Thanks for nothing, Tony.
Update, 7:30 p.m. central
Romo goes 1-4 (five drinks) on the first drive and the wide receivers drop a couple balls. Cowboys tried to establish their running game, so Tony doesn't have to carry the whole squad.
TonyHomo's take.
Cowboy's interception - Romo's back!
Update, 7:22 p.m. central
Romo takes the field!
In his video intro he says, "Tony Romo: EASTERN Illinois" with a very manly snarl. Cowboys down 3-0.
Update, 7:10 p.m. cental
Lots of Romo in what pre-game I've seen. He is constantly being shot on the field in a knit cap. Madden, who basically blew Romo in his first start, is talking about the claim Romo is too cocky.
Dallas defense starts the game.
Billy's is playing the drinking game with some Pabst Blue Ribbon (there's also Miller High Life Genee Cream Ale in the fridge). If Romo runs it in, Billy will reward himself with a shot ofOlmeca Gold tequila.
# # #
Welcome to the Old Main Vein, EIU (Unofficial) Hall of Fame liveblog of tonight's game pitting EIU grad Tony Romo against the Saluki-esque Seattle Seahawks.
Billy's watching the game with graduates from the University of Notre Dame, Youngstown State University and Syracuse (it's the Notre Dame grad's house). So, once again, Eastern is the king of the room. We've got the most notable active NFL alum of the bunch (Syracuse's Donovan McNabb may have challenged Romo, but fortunately he's injured. Go Panthers!)
Bily's not catching much of the pre-game, because the ND grad insists on playing a Rush concert DVD (probably brings him back to the last time Notre Dame won a Bowl Game).
Billy's without the Romo jersey tonight, for reason's he'll explain later. Instead, he's sporting a gray Eastern Illinois University Alumni shirt that's about one size too small.
TonyHomo.com is already mocking our guy.
Remember Billy's prediction: Dallas 27, Seattle 14. Tony throws three TDs and Romo-mania back on! I'll put the over-under on the Romo Drinking Game at 7.5 beers.
Let's go Panthers!!!
