Tony Romo

[Dave Gray]

I like Romo as a commentator.  He gets a ton of hate for praising the superstars on pretty much any general message board (Facebook, Reddit, etc), but it doesn't bother me.  He's weighed towards loving offensive players and specifically quarterbacks, but I don't have an issue with it.

I think he's a good analyst and he breaks down things well.  I do laugh at some stuff once in a while, like when we played the Bills, Josh Allen took a sack and Romo said "that's a winning play".  The whole room laughed.  He meant that it was good that Allen didn't force a ball and get a pick and instead took a sack so that he could still try for a FG.  Still, it was funny.

But I get that it's these guys jobs to love players, so that's not it.  I strangely dislike Collinsworth, who also praises players (which is fine) but I don't like his analysis and I feel like he's just filling dead-air with his voice.

Thoughts on Romo?

[AQNOR]

There's a reason why Romo was put on the number one broadcast team immediately after his retirement.  He spent his final year with the Cowboys on IR watching Dak make a case to replace him and had a lot of time practicing his new craft that year.

[CF DolFan]

For whatever reason, I never get bothered by these guys. They all have their own personalities so unless they just seem clueless ... and some do ... I don't pay much attention to them. Most of us see what's going on before they say it anyway. The in between and back room information is interesting some times.

[Dave Gray]

I also think that QBs are just the best analysts, because it's an extension of what they do in their career.  Other offensive guys like WR and RB can add insight into some things, but they have far less depth of importance in terms of understanding systems; they more have to know their specific role.  A QB needs to know everything.  ...or a coach.

[masterfins]

Romo was annoying at first, but I grew to like him.  Overall he does a pretty good job.

[Pappy13]

I also think that QBs are just the best analysts, because it's an extension of what they do in their career.  Other offensive guys like WR and RB can add insight into some things, but they have far less depth of importance in terms of understanding systems; they more have to know their specific role.  A QB needs to know everything.  ...or a coach.

I think you hit the nail on the head here Dave with why you like Romo and why you dislike Collinsworth and I think you are seriously under appreciating players other than the QB or over appreciating the QB however you want to look at it. Especially a guy like Collinsworth who was known to be a student of the game. I think he knows a lot more than you're giving him credit for. Not that I think that Romo isn't a smart guy but the whole offense has to be on the same page or it just doesn't work and Collinsworth was so much more productive in his career as a slow white guy that he had to be pretty technical.

By the way, I think this is pretty typical thought process of most NFL fans. I think MOST fans give the QB WAY TOO MUCH credit and everyone else gets very little when I just don't believe that's the case at all. There's no question the QB is the most important person on the offense, but without a strong supporting cast, he's not doing much by himself and I don't care if it's Tom Brady. Brady got PLENTY of help his entire career from his team and coaching staff. Way more than they are given credit for.

[Dave Gray]

I think you hit the nail on the head here Dave with why you like Romo and why you dislike Collinsworth and I think you are seriously under appreciating players other than the QB or over appreciating the QB however you want to look at it. Especially a guy like Collinsworth who was known to be a student of the game. I think he knows a lot more than you're giving him credit for. Not that I think that Romo isn't a smart guy but the whole offense has to be on the same page or it just doesn't work and Collinsworth was so much more productive in his career as a slow white guy that he had to be pretty technical.

Yeah, maybe.  I don't really think it's under/over appreciation of positions, but more where I find them valuable.

With Collinsworth, I think he's at his best when he can talk about parts of the game that every player understands but that a person at home might not -- like planning for one set of equipment, but once you get out there, feeling the turf is too slippery and then deciding to change into different cleats that might sacrifice speed but give you a better chance to make your cuts.  (I just totally made this up, so I have no idea if this is even a thing.)  These are things from his experience as a player about the game as a whole.  He's fine, there.  This reminds me of Madden near the end of his career when he'd become more of a storyteller and game personality more than an analyst.

Romo is best when he's talking about the game like he's breaking down film.  He's telling you the options that the QB and coach are deciding between, the reads that the QB has to make, etc.  Since he's a QB, he has intimate knowledge and since every play goes through the QB, that's just a natural match for good game commentary.

It's when these guys start cheerleading the players on the field, that gets annoying.  I just think that Collinsworth does that worse/more or in a way that I find more irritating.  Perhaps I'd like him better in a 3-man booth format where he wasn't just filling so much time.

I shit talk the guy, but filling dead air is hard and he has to do a ton of it.  If you had to listen to me talk endlessly for a 4 hour broadcast, I'm sure I'd say some inane bullshit.  He deserves credit.  I just wish that wasn't how these broadcasts were.