Ok so I had to take a jab with that one, but for those of you that really wish the Cowboys would get rid of Romo, compare some numbers first. Romo may not be a flashy QB, he may not be a great leader, and no he has not won a Super Bowl yet.So exactly what is Tony Romo?

He is a starting QB on at least 20 NFL rosters, high completion rating (64.7 career), good TD to INT ratio (177 TD-91 INT), and he can put up the yards. One thing he can’t do is, what the rest of the team should be doing, playing defense, and catching the ball! It takes more than a QB to win games let alone a Super Bowl. If it took just a QB, how many rings would Marino have?

I will put you guys to a challenge, compare Tony Romo’s numbers against Tom Brady’s number in the same time frame, meaning both of their first 7 years STARTING! Here they are;

Tony Romo attempts 3240 complete 2097 completion % 64.7 yards 25737 TD 177 INT 91

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RomoTo00.htm

Tom Brady attempts 3639 complete 2293 completion % 63.0 yards 26364 TD 197 INT 86

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BradTo00.htm

One more quick fact: Tony only played 6 games in the 2010 season, 13 in 2008, and 10 in 2006 that’s 17 games less than Brady, Brady did not start 2 games in 2001 season. So in essence you could add an average of 4000 more yards, 20 more TD’s and 12 more INT’s to Romo.

What does that mean? Simply put, you can compare Romo to Brady, problem is, Romo doesn’t have the team, the coach, nor the owner that Brady has.

Cowboy fans, stop trying to run Romo out of town and quit putting the blame on him, put in on the shoulders of Jerry Jones, the man that won’t hire a GM to put the right players around Romo. If you don’t want him, I would guarantee he starts somewhere else that will give him a support cast so he can win a Super Bowl.

Although this is satisfying to a point, we are still left with that football void. Yes we have the combine, free agency and the draft to keep our attention, but where is the hitting, the excitement of watching the QB launch one down to his favorite target or the LB coming in to lay that huge hit on the RB? It seems to be lost in the abyss somewhere.

Well that is not true! For us die hard football junkies there is the CIFL, AFL, and semi pro leagues throughout the USA. My home town, back in Erie PA is home of the CIFL Erie Explosion and semi pro Erie Express. Both of which will fill that void. Both are championship caliber teams, with hard hitting action that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Erie Explosion are off to a fast start this year, starting the year off 5-0! This is their first year in the CIFL, but have many years in different leagues with some pretty good talent. As it stands right now, in my mind, they are the front running to winning the championship. Coach Shawn Liotta is a master mind at running an offensive scheme that can easily put 70+ points up on the board in any given game.

The defense, though suspect in the past, has made one of the great turn a rounds in the last 2 years. They are currently #1 in the league. A tough nosed D that is very stingy about giving up yardage, lead by my favorite player, Jon D’Angelo a line backer that reminds me so much of former Miami Dolphin Zach Thomas. His supporting cast is nothing to laugh at either, all hard hitting and willing to lay you out where you stand. Basically, Don’t try to go across the middle, it’s very bad for your health.

Bill Stafford, Explosion owner, is a man after my own heart. His dedication to the city of Erie is unbelievable. He consistently has the team doing some kind of charity work, visiting schools, and meet and greets with the fans. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty either. I’ve said this for a long time now, “If Bill was in charge of BTF Radio, we would be the biggest internet radio show on the net!” (Too bad we can’t afford him!)

The Erie Express has just starting preparing for the 2013 season, with a lot of return players heading up the way, it sure seems like they are on their way back to the championship as well. I’ll post again later on in the season to how well they are doing.

The point is, just because the NFL is in their off season, doesn’t mean there is no football. Indoor leagues and semi pro leagues are all over this country, just look in your local paper or watch the local news sports report. They are out there, but not too many fans pay attention to what they have in their own back yards. For what it would cost you to go to one NFL game, you could get season tickets to an indoor or semi pro game. The talent is there as well, you wont be disappointed. You can easily afford to take the family to a game and maybe bring along some of the kids friends, giving them that football experience that will last them a life time! Just another way of planting the seed.

I will compare this logo change to plastic surgery. Imagine your wife telling you one day that she is planning on getting a little plastic surgery, but wont tell you what she is having done. As a man, your first thought is breast implants, maybe a face-lift, a tummy tuck or some botox. Maybe she just wants to lose a few years or a few pounds, but your thinking I love the way you are right now, you don’t need any work done. (It must be said that my wife has NEVER altered her appearance or body in any way shape or form! I am very happy to say that, because she is perfect!)

So months go bye and your racking your brain trying to imagine what she is having done. Still she is not spilling the beans.

One day you get a text from her telling you to come home right away, she wants to show you what she had done! You anticipate the outcome in your thoughts all the way home. You arrive home, open the door and there she stands in a robe. You look hard at her face not seeing anything different. Small crows feet still around the eyes, the lips are no bigger than they were this morning, she still looks beautiful to you.

You immediately think that she got breast implants or a tummy tuck. She asks if your ready, and with great anticipation you say yes! She opens up her robe and you are left speechless! Your in shock, your in dismay you can’t believe your eyes! You find out very quickly that she had a sex change as she’s swinging her Johnson in your face saying “ I figured that since you like playing with yours so much, you’d like playing with mine!”

That is exactly what Miami has done to their fans. Well maybe not to that extreme, but pretty damn close as they try to cram it down our throats. The new logo has no character or resemblance to the original at all. There is no history or I catching contrast! It doesn’t make you say “ DAMN THAT’S AWESOME !) It’s a disgrace to all Dolphins fans. Well it is to me at least. I have been a Dolphin faithful for 38 years and damn proud of it, but definitely not proud of the new logo. I don’t know who’s idea it was, who created it or who approved it, but they should all be tortured to a slow painful death.

If you want to change the logo, here is an idea, go back to the 1972 perfect season logo. It has meaning and history behind it, and it is something we all can be proud of!

So called new logo

old logo

ESPN’s Adam Shefter joins BTF for another great interview.

Click Here to Listen

As I learned of the passing of Terry Owens today, my heart just dropped. I have seen the struggles that his wife, Alison, has had to endure. Keeping someone by his side so he wouldn’t hurt himself, making sure he had all he needed, but most importantly being the loving caring  and supportive wife. Unable to place Terry in a home, she had to take on all these jobs with little help. Alison has shared her story with good friends of BTF, Dave Pears blog. The sad story that is from the wife’s perspective. I can say I respect Alison and all the wives who have had to deal with these issues, that is why we dedicate a week to these women every year leading up to Mothers Day. Which Alison did partake in this year.

In a perfect world I would not have to write a blog like this, but we all know this is not a perfect world and the NFL is not a perfect organization. It is 2012 and former players still have to fight in order to get any help from the NFL. Terry was on the 88 plan, under this plan the NFL will receive coverage up to $88,000 annually for in-patient care. This plan was designed for players that suffer from dementia. Well that is what they say at least, I think we all know how the NFL determines that, but that is a story for another day.

Terry was born in Jasper, Alabama July 5, 1944. He received a scholarship to the University of Alabama but transferred to Jacksonville State where he played basketball and football. He was an offensive tackle standing 6’6″ 260lbs,

Terry Owens #76

drafted twice, let’s remember the era, we still had the AFL and the NFL. He was the 11th round pick (167 overall) by the Chicago Bears and he was selected in the 11th round (99 overall) by the San Diego Chargers. He chose the Chargers and played 11 years until a back injury forced him into retirement. Terry was a fighter, relentless and all out go getter with a never say die mentality. Although Alison will tell you he was just a giant teddy bear. Terry fought until the end.

I never had the pleasure of interviewing Terry, I wish I had, late timing on my part. I have had some of his former team mates on, and I know for a fact that each and everyone of them would tell you Terry was one of the greats that deserved more than he got and gave all he could give. That is the Terry Owens I will remember, a man of size and strength with the heart of a champion. As we here at BTF say a sad good bye to another member of the family, we will honor his name and what he fought for, getting help for those that suffered concussions while playing in the NFL. May you Rest in Peace Terry.

The Packers Defense has looked the part with Clay Mathews at the top of the sacks list in 2^nd with 9 sacks and the team as a whole, is only giving up 22 points a game, ranking 21st in yards allowed, but it looks as though Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers has the D getting better every week. The message from Head Coach McCarthy, has its similarities as well, hearing nearly every week “someone’s going to have to step up” and that is what the players are doing in the absence of Jennings. We have seen great play from new star WR Jordy Nelson with 5 TDs and 2^nd year player Randall Cobb with another 3TDs. This week is more of the same, with the loss of team leader Charles Woodson, it remains to be seen, but my bet is someone will step up.

General Manager Ted Thompson has made his mark in the NFL as one of the top GMs; a simple approach that years ago, was the model for a top NFL franchise, building through the draft and signing your own players with very few veteran free agents other than true professionals that fit the scheme.

Looking back at the 2010 team adversity was at an extreme and it looks to be more of the same for this 2012 team with so many similarities it would not surprise me to see this team go all the way in the NFC but what does it say about the 2011 Packers, was it too easy? It looks to me like the next dimension of the Green Bay way is the hard way and the quote “someone’s going to have to step up” should be the motto of the Green Bay way.

To really embrace the Bronco legacy, we need to start at the beginning. Back in 1960 a new league was born; The American Football League or AFL as we most commonly know it. This league was, well plain and simply put, competition to the National Football League. It was built on different principles to draw attention away from the NFL by passing the ball more, paying players more and giving the fans some excitement. Obviously it caught the NFL’s attention because by 1966 we had the Super Bowl and by 1970 we had a merger of the two leagues.

In 1960 the Broncos were born and along the way we have seen some of the greatest football players grace the field of Mile High. If you look at the Denver Bronco Ring of Fame that surrounds the new stadium, you will see the names of some of the greatest Bronco’s as they are honored as such. As I have gazed over this badge of honor, I have come to the conclusion that there is a name missing. I guess you could say, it’s not missing, it just hasn’t been placed there yet. I’m speaking of Eugene Mingo, you may not know the name, unless you are a historian of the game, or you fall within the age group of 50+ years. Eugene Mingo or Gene as his friends call him, was a halfback for the Denver Broncos in that 1960 inaugural season. He was not only a halfback; he was what I call, “The all around threat”!

If you ponder through the history books, you’ll see what I am talking about, he was also the first black place kicker, there has only been less than a hand full since. To Gene’s credit, he has scored by running, receiving, passing, extra point, field goal, punt return and fumble recovery. So you have a starting halfback, place kicker, special teams kicker, punt returner, kick returner, receiver, cornerback, safety, special teams master and QB all in one. Let’s not forget, he was scalded by his head coach for kicking the kick off and then making the tackle down field as the gunner! In today’s world, he would be on top of everybody’s fantasy draft wish list!! Hence, the all around threat.

Gene only played for the Bronco’s till 1964 when he was traded to the Oakland Raiders, for what we today would dismiss as typical behavior. He was caught with a white woman. He continued playing for the Raiders until he was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 1966. After being released, Gene signed with the NFL’s Washington Redskins. He finished his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1970.

Gene held much animosity against the NFL and the Broncos for the way he was treated. He has since wrote a book; What have you done now, Eugene? The story of Gene Mingo, #21.  I have a signed copy that Gene sent me personally, and I believe if you are a football junkie like me, this is a must read.  I have only told you a small fragment about Gene Mingo, but I think once you do some homework, you will agree, Eugene Mingo #21 belongs in the Denver Bronco Ring of Fame.

History of overtime is a very interesting read, if you get the time to look it over, which now I’m sure you will http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/Overtime_Games_2011.pdf, you will find all the games that have gone to OT and the plays that won the game. We all have heard of the first overtime game played, it was played in New York in the championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants. What was the significance of this game? Nobody knew what was coming next after the Colts tied the game and the clock ran out of time. They waited patiently on the sidelines until the ref’s said to send the captains out for a coin toss to see who would receive the ball. I guess we could say the players had a Donovan McNabb moment. Bye the way the Colts won the game, which has been named “The greatest game ever played”.

Well all of that is true in a sense, with the exception of the fact that it was not the first overtime game played. The first was a preseason game 3 years earlier in Portland, Oregon. That was when the sudden-death rule came into play. Bert Bell, the then NFL commissioner implemented the rule.

The rules have changed over the years. Sudden-death has been moved to the side briefly, but still comes into play. The rule was set as the first team to score, wins the game. Well that is still true as long as it is a touchdown or safety is scored. A field goal no longer wins the game unless the opposing team has already had possession of the ball.

Overtime is great for the game; ties really mess up the playoff scenarios. Plus you never have a winner, there has to be a winner, right? Well what ever the case, it gives us a few extra minutes of football. That in itself is a great thing.