Sports Headlines

Call him what you want but what Tony Romo did Sunday was truly remarkable.

Just one week ago Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was on every sports news cast, newspaper, radio, you name it; everyone was talking about Romo. Talking about Romo and the dramatic loss to the New York Jets on Sunday Night. He was called a choke artist, embarrassment, butterfingers, and they said he couldn’t do it clutch, he couldn’t make it the NFL, he couldn’t win a playoff game, and that he couldn’t win when it matters.

Well one week later in Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California against the San Fransico 49ers the critics were firing away again. The 49ers jumped out to an early 14-0 lead and Romo looked like the Romo that they were calling him. Drive after drive ending in the same result; no touchdown and no field goal.

Then it happened Romo stepped back in the pocket, fired, and hit wide receiver Miles Austin for a 53 yard touchdown. 14-7, 49ers lead. Though just when you thought Romo was back at the top, he let you down yet again.

Romo wouldn’t start the second half due to an apparent rib injury that he suffered on an earlier play during the game. So that meant backup quarterback Jon Kitna was in. Coming in on his first drive Kitna would get two first downs until he would throw an interception. But it would get worse, more news would come out that the rib injury was a fracture and Romo’s return was doubtful. Coming back on the next drive Kitna would redeem himself throwing a 5 yard touchdown to Miles Austin.

Still no Romo…

After stopping the 49ers again Kitna would return to the field only to let Dallas fans down again by throwing another interception; all hope was lost. No Romo meant no win. Responding off of the Kitna interception the 49ers would score off of a 29 yard touchdown 21-14, 49ers.

Getting ready to take the field again Kitna would get the pat on his thigh from Tony Romo; he was coming back out. He was going to play! Fractured rib and all Romo didn’t care as he knew that they needed a win.

Unfortunately it was the same story; three and out, 49ers ball. The 49ers would then drive down the field and would score on a David Akers 55 yard field goal, 24-14, 49ers.

Still fighting the Cowboys coming out on their next drive lead by Romo would drive down the field while Romo, taking hit after hit, after every pass would come through. Romo would throw a 25 yard pass to Miles Austin; 24-21 lead.

Forcing the 49ers to punt the Cowboys trailing by three with four minuets to go would need to drive down the field for at least a field goal, and they would need Romo to do it. Driving up the field pass after pass…play after play…tick after tick…the Cowboys would just maybe do it.

Four seconds to go down by three, the Cowboys would line-up for a field goal. From 48 yards Dan Bailey would hit it! They were heading for overtime.

Standing tall the Cowboys defense would force the 49ers to a three and out giving Romo and the Cowboys the ball back. This was his chance, to prove that he was clutch, that he could do it in the fourth quarter or when it matters, and that he wasn’t a choke artist, but most importantly get the win.

On their first down out Tony Romo would find wide receiver Jesse Holley for a 77 yard gain, putting the Cowboys in field goal distance, and lined up perfectly for a win.

Snap…kick…its good. The Cowboys made the comeback and they did it with Romo. Though, the story wasn’t that Romo finally did it in when it mattered, that he didn’t choke in the fourth quarter, that he didn’t fumble the snap; that wasn’t the story. And the story wasn’t that Romo came back into the game injured and all; with a fractured rib (injury would later become worse)…that wasn’t it either.

What the story was that the Cowboys came back and got the win; that’s what mattered and that’s what the story was to Tony Romo. “I didn’t want to be 0-2,” Romo said. “Getting into an 0-2 hole is devastating in the National Football League.”

The injury would later be released as more than just a fractured rib, but two fractured ribs and a punctured lung.

So call him a choke artist, a choker, a bum, whatever, call him what you want you want. But what you can’t call him is a quitter, bust, or un-manly, because what Tony Romo did on Sunday in Candlestick Park was truly remarkable and unbelievable…now that’s a football player.

Crowd Pleaser

Denard Robinson threw an amazing 16 yard touchdown pass to Roy Roundtree for the touchdown giving Michigan the lead, 35-31 with two seconds left. That was the scene Saturday night in the Big House as the Wolverines who started the drive on their own 20 yard line down 31-28, went 80 yards in three plays in 28 seconds to take the lead, and the win.

It was instant classic.

35 total points scored in the fourth quarter, five touchdowns, and three of them coming with a minute left to play; instant classic.

Heading into the fourth quarter Notre Dame who had been dominating the Wolverines all game were up 24-7 and were just 15 minutes away from a victory, and then it happened.

With not even ten seconds off the clock in the fourth quarter the Wolverines scored cutting the lead to 24-14. Forcing the Irish to go three and out on their next possession the Wolverines would get the ball right back. Capitalizing on the quick three and out the Wolverines trailing 24-14 would get the ball back going 40 yards in five plays scoring again off of a 14 yard touchdown.

The lead was now cut to three and the Big House crowd which was in silence about five minutes prior was then in insane. Trying to stop the momentum the Irish began driving down the field and once again they couldn’t be stopped; first and goal on the seventh yard line the Irish were about to score yet again and probably lock up the game.

And then it happened…

Tommy Rees hit…balls loose, it’s a FUMBLE! The Wolverines knocked the ball loose stopping the Notre Dame drive and retaining possession. Getting the ball back Robinson completed a 45 yard pass Junior Hemingway to the Notre Dame 30 yard line; it was a ball game. Robinson on the next play stepped back in the pocket throwing to the end zone…intercepted.

The noise in the Big House dropped to a whisper as the Wolverines failed to capitalize on again on much needed score. Though, their defense would back them up forcing the Irish to go three and out. Retaining possession Robinson knew that his team needed a score and he would do that leading them 58 yards in five plays for a touchdown. The Wolverines for the first time in the game had the lead at 28-24.

Everyone was on their feet in Ann Arbor as the Wolverines took the lead.

1:12 to go heading back on offense the Irish who just blew a 21-7 lead within less than 15 minutes knew that they had to score. 3^rd and 5 on the Michigan 29 yard line with 36 seconds left on the clock Rees would throw a 29 yard touchdown over the middle to receiver Theo Riddick giving the Irish back the lead.

Trailing 31-28 with 30 seconds left ball on their own 20 yard line with two timeouts left a comeback for the Wolverines looked just about impossible.

Ball thrown incomplete to Jeremy Gallon, 23 seconds left.

Robinson steps back in the pocket looks…looks, steps up, throws, and wide open is Gallon! Gallon who caught the 30 yard pass managed to pick up 34 yards after it making it a 64 yard gain, putting the Wolverines in scoring territory.

Ball on the 16 yard line, eight seconds left, down by three, Robinson stepped back in the pocket, lobbed up, caught, touchdown Michigan! The Wolverines with two seconds left took the lead at 35-31 and shocked the world and the Fighting Irish, as the luck wasn’t on their side, it was on Michigan’s.

The Irish who lead the game for 58 minutes and 48 seconds gave up 28 points in the fourth quarter and one crucial touchdown in the remaining eight seconds of the ball game. It was an instant classic in Ann Arbor and it ended with a leap into the crowd as it was Michigan 35, Notre Dame, 31.

What did he really say? Was it him?

The NBA has been in a lockout since July 1^st and since going into a lockout there hasn’t been much word of what has been going on. Matter of fact there hasn’t been that much going on at all as both sides met just twice in July. However as the NBA season is approaching and deadlines have to be met the players and the owners have been working “overtime.”

Both sides met for five and a half hours on Wednesday and will meet again on Thursday but again nothing was really said.

“We agreed that we’re going to sit here for as many days as we can to see whether we can make progress, but we agreed not to characterize anything at all,” commissioner David Stern said.

That’s all the commissioner had to say after the five and a half hour meeting; just a couple words. Now there have been rumors by many different sources saying that there will be a season and there have been many rumors by other different sources that there won’t be a season. Believe what you want but that’s thing, no one really knows because the players and owners haven’t said anything…yet.

After the meeting ended on Wednesday New York Knicks guard Roger Mason Jr. an NBA Union representative tweeted “Looking like a season. How U.” Mason would later tweet about 30 minutes later, “Someone just hacked my account. I did not say its looking like a season!”

Now let’s be honest here, who would really hack Roger Mason’s Twitter account? No one would…because it’s just Roger Mason Jr. it’s not like he’s Kobe Bryant or something. Another thing is to; Mason wouldn’t have gotten his account back that fast after he found out that it was hacked.

Remember when Paul Pierce’s twitter was hacked? He didn’t get it back in 30 minutes, and that’s Paul Pierce. So this story doesn’t really fit. What really happened was, the meeting probably went really well and owners and players probably came to a bunch of agreements and then it ended. And Mason then posted his tweet out of joy, but then remembered that they weren’t supposed to talk about so therefore to make it look like he didn’t say it, he covered it up by saying that he was hacked.

Now it’s not the real story because no one knows what really happened only Mason does and what he said was that it was a hacker…which doesn’t seem believable but maybe for some odd reason it was…very doubtful but you never know.

So take “his” tweet in anyway; either from his story, my story, or anyway, but that’s what happened. There hasn’t been any news of the NBA reaching an agreement only that the talks are going good. They’ll go at it again on Thursday so keep a twitter tab open and constantly refresh just incase someone gets “hacked” again.

If Manning doesn't play this season that could mean a lot of empty seats this year in Lucas Oil Stadium.

He underwent neck surgery and said that he would recover; but he didn’t play in one pre-season game or one practice, but still said that he would play week one. In response the Indianapolis Colts decided to go out and sign veteran Kerry Collins to a two year deal worth 14 million; but he still said that he would play week one.

That was Peyton Manning during the whole off-season and during the whole pre-season. But today was different; today may have just been the worst. “Peyton Manning may have to undergo neck surgery yet again,” reported John Michael Vincent of ESPN 1070 Indianapolis.

Devastating…devastating news for Colts fans and the Colts organization as the Colts have never had to experience playing without Manning since he came into the league in 1998. Though week one they probably will have to experience it and if this report is true then they may have to experience it for the whole entire season, which wouldn’t be pretty.

Now don’t get me wrong Kerry Collins isn’t a bad quarterback at all but he would be coming into an offense that has been lead by the same man for 13 years, it would be a very hard adjustment; an adjustment that could possibly just cause the Colts the 2011-12 NFL season.

“They’re going as if Kerry Collins is going to be the starter,” said ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “That’s the feeling in the organization.”

Now these are all just rumors that have yet to have been confirmed but they certainly stand as more than just rumors when the name Peyton Manning is involved.

Now the Colts did remove Manning from the PUP list earlier this week so they wouldn’t have done that if they didn’t think that he would play this season so don’t scratch Manning for the 2011-12 season just yet. However, this report coming out today could just mean that the Colts Organization found out some new news about Manning’s neck; some new news that he may need surgery and if it this does get confirmed by the Colts Organization well they may just want to pack up and leave town…again.

Two years, $14 Million is a lot for just a backup quarterback; I think someone knows something that we don’t know, and I think that something just came out.

Rolling...rolling just keep rolling.

Its official the Tennessee Titans and running back Chris Johnson have come to an agreement…finally. But it was definitely worth the wait, four years $53.4 Million making Johnson the highest paid running back in the NFL. The agreement will be an extension instead of a contract meaning that Johnson will remain a Titan for six years and who knows maybe even more.

Johnson isn’t wasting anytime as he will report to camp either today or tomorrow to prepare him for the upcoming 2011-12 NFL season. Now obviously with a lot of missed practice time you could expect some rust, so Johnson would most likely share some carries with Javon Ringer right? No, he most likely won’t for a couple reasons.

One, he’s Chris Johnson. Two, Ringer has been battling a hip injury and hasn’t even played in one pre-season game yet. Even if Ringer comes back to practice this week he won’t have an effect on Johnson as they both have missed time. Lastly, he has about eight or nine days to prepare himself for week one and let’s be honest, it’s highly doubtful that he was just sitting around during his hold out.

Johnson’s deal also includes $30 million in guarantees and a $13.3 million annual salary in the new extension. Johnson got what he wanted; more money and he deserved it, 4,598 rushing yards in three seasons, that’s pretty amazing. Like best running back in the league amazing…just saying its amazing and that four years $53.4 Million is a good deal for all.

Getting Johnson back may have just saved the Titans season from a waste of year to the year that could be as Ringer wouldn’t have been able to fill the spot of Johnson in the running game or the receiving game. See that’s what people forget that he not only can run for a 100 but he can catch for 100 too making him even harder to stop, causing defenses havoc every Sunday.

So don’t worry Titan fans the man is back and so is your season, so pull the jersey out of the closet, put it on and in the words of Chris Johnson kiss da’ baby and maybe even a Lombardi trophy.