IRVING, Texas (AP) - The last time the New York Giants visited
Texas Stadium, Tony Romo was a backup quarterback whose only time
on the field had been as a holder and in some mop-up duty.
Still, before that Monday night game last October, coach Bill
Parcells had a message for Romo: "Stay ready."
At halftime, the Cowboys were trailing and starter Drew Bledsoe
was struggling. Parcells decided he'd seen enough of the old guy
and was ready to give the kid a chance. So off went quarterbacks
coach Chris Palmer with the news.
Things have been looking up for the Cowboys ever since.
Now Romo is on the verge of beginning his first season in
charge. It begins tomorrow night under eerily similar circumstances
to his first big outing: Against the Giants, at Texas Stadium, in
prime time, before a national television audience, and with recent
comments from Tiki Barber giving announcers something else to talk
about.