Last year, Romo's life—and that of his team—was an embarrassing and not very entertaining soap opera. He was dating an incredibly untalented tabloid star, fighting with his wide receivers (while secretly holding late-night trysts with his tight end) and the Cowboys missed the playoffs after he folded like a cheap suit during the stretch run. (Plus, there was Hard Knocks, Pacman Jones, Roy Williams, etc...) After a promising start to his career, it was looking like he might become the answer to a bar trivia question 10 years from now that would make people say, "Tony Romo? Whatever happened to that guy?"

Since then he dumped Jessica, Terrell Owens got run out of town and the Cowboys have returned to first place. Romo has found a new, less complain-y target and the giant video board is too distracting for anyone to notice his shaky footwork. Without all that drama in his life, Romo is a pretty solid quarterback. Solid enough to outsmart Andy Reid and the Eagles anyway. (Seriously, between the failed challenges and sissy field goal in the final minutes, I don't think there's any big game the Eagles can't find a way to screw up.)

Oh, there's still plenty of time for that late season collapse (despite two games against Washington and Oakland at home) and he still has a grumpy and terrible Roy Williams to deal with. Plus, you know ... Wade Phillips. But right now no one really cares about what Tony Romo is up to anymore and that should be just the way he likes it if he wants to keep winning.

Tony Romo, minus the flash, has pushed Cowboys atop of NFC East [USA Today]
Tony Romo delivers another complete performance in win over Eagles [Fort Worth Star-Telegram]

* * * * *

Here are some other big winners, who did not win quite as big:

Marmalard: That'll show those Giants for trading you for that pretty boy. Now let's get fucking druuuuunk. [Newsday]

The Indianapolis Colts: All they do is win! (*Regular Season Only) They'll be undefeated when the Patriots come to town next week. Then we'll see what's what. [Yahoo, Toronto Star]

SEC Championship Game Ticket Brokers: Another SEC game, another poor officiating job in favor of the undefeated team. They will get their Alabama vs. Florida, but not without another bit of generosity from the referees. [Mobile Press-Register, Wetzel]

Big Ten Haters: The conference's last best hope for respectability lost their quarterback and their undefeated season and now Ohio State will get yet another chance to lose the Rose Bowl. At least all our games are out of the way before Thanksgiving! (Sigh.) [Chicago Tribune, The Lantern]

Vince Young: 2-0 since taking over the reigns of the Titans. So everything's cool now, right? [Tennessean]

Finally, the Weekend Loser?: Matt Leinart: Seriously, the guy came into a no pressure, can't lose blowout and still got pulled from the game for being worse than ineffective. (One attempt, one interception.) Have you considered a career in the exciting field of electronics repair? The brochure is free!

Glazer's MMA enthusiasm has been written about numerous times and after he spent last season kicking the crap out of the Minnesota Vikings' Jared Allen, Leinart asked him for some assistance this year to shake-up his routine and knock some the skank bait out of him. Glazer spoke about Leinart's intense training on the DP Show last week and emphasized that he's doing everything possible to make Leinart "throw up and quit everyday."

The Mighty Matthew J. Darnell over at Shutdown Corner has the video evidence in case anyone thought this was part of some elaborate Fox Sports ruse. There is no puking in this video, but plenty of sweaty Leinart and shimmery Glazer.

Good for Leinart. I'm glad he decided to go to Glazer instead of some of the other football reporter-run offseason training boot camps like the slightly less popular EXTREME! water calisthenics with Len Pasquarelli. It probably wouldn't have the same effect.

Matt Leinart Looks To Toughen Up With Jay Glazer [Watch Kalib Run]
Matt Leinart's New Plan: Beat The Hell Out Of Kurt Warner [Shutdown Corner]

The easy theory was that Ken Whisenhunt turned to Warner during the preseason because Leinart just wasn't mature enough to handle the job. Beer bong photos or not, his preseason performance, specifically the three interception game against Oakland, pretty much sealed his fate a as back up.

In every interview Leinart has done so far since losing his job, he's made it a point to assure everyone that this whole process has been a learning experience he can build upon and he's not bitter at all. He has to be tired of repeating himself so much.:

• The New York Times: “I think I’ve definitely grown up a lot the last couple of years. Everyone’s made mistakes in their life. It just so happens my mistakes are out in the open. But you learn.”

• Interview with Bill Plaschke at the LA Times: "I guess you can say all of this has made me grow up. I guess you can say I've learned."

• AP: "I've definitely grown up the last couple of years. I think it's because of my son, becoming a father, looking at life from a different perspective. It's been a humbling experience, it really has."

But one of the most telling observations about how Leinart is handling all this Super Bowl media drama comes from The Sporting Blog's Chris Mottram:

Not that he did anything that was intentionally funny, but seeing him wandering aimlessly amongst the sea of reporters was humorous. He basically got the same treatment as the back-up center. Even the punter Ben Graham had his own podium. Later, while sitting up in the stands near the end of the session, I overheard Tom Jackson and Chris Mortensen in front of me pondering what the most asked question of Leinart was. Jackon’s was the winner: “What does it feel like to be drafted 10th overall, be considered the future of the franchise, and have to look up and see this old guy [Warner] getting all the attention?” Buuurn.

Yeah. That should still sting a little bit. Leinart has to blow off some steam at some point this week, right? He has the rest of his life to grow up.

This morning's selection comes from Joe Sports Fan, which asks the musical question, are these Arizona Cardinal fans going to hell? Impossible to say, but it is interesting to see that not everyone in Arizona is a Kurt Warner fanatic.

Alternate headline: Jake Plummer Jerseys Make Baby Jesus Sad.

OK, that photo was funny; but not as hilarious as this, which I call "The loneliest guy at the NFC Championship Game." Poor dumb lonely sap.

This year there were plenty of ladies who abused their side-project privilege and became more well known then the athletes who patronize their company would probably like. This is the harsh reality of the internet age: if you want to keep a lady on the side, you better make sure she doesn't have a Facebook account or have some career ambitions beyond the bedroom.

• Jose Reyes probably wishes he never met Bentley Mathews.

• Alfonso Soriano also made a friend

• Alicia Marie was accused of being one of A-Rod's many muscular ladies, but quickly set the record straight.

• Roger Clemens just couldn't escape all the women willing to talk about him

• Antonio Pierce's wife was not happy with this video

• Matt Leinart beer-bonged his way to infamy , then became a Jeopardy! question.

• The ladies discussed this phenomenon

Chris Mortensen reports that Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt will announce the gray-stubbled Kurt Warner as the Cardinals' starting quarterback for Week 1. Warner hasn't dominantly out-played Leinart this pre-season, but Leinart's uninspired quarterbacking and Saturday's dreadful three interception performance against the Raiders didn't help his cause.

Whisenhunt made sure to say that this season isn't a "make or break one" for Leinart and still thinks he could someday be a "good quarterback" in the league. This is only his third full-season and his time on the field has been limited due to injuries (mostly) and inconsistency. But The questions about Leinart's leadership abilities and maturity level will be on full display during this stage of his career. Whisenhunt said he hopes this latest setback makes Leinart "tougher" and benefits him in the long run. So far, however, Leinart seems poised to become the poster boy for NFL mediocrity disguised as greatness; he's a brilliant marketing tool with a handsome face and harem of women who helped the Arizona Cardinals shed some of their nerdiness and gave them gossipy coverage in the national media. But the "good" part, well, that will once again have to wait.

Source: Cardinals Set To Name QB Warner As Starter [ESPN]
Best Player Will Play In Season Opener [Scout]

Lest we forget, by the way, that back before the photos, Leinart actually had sex with Paris Hilton. That's about a million times worse than a beer bong and some coeds. But hey: He loves puppies.

And remember: The Buzzsaw have been asking Leinart to cool it for a while now. I see no reason he can't continue down both paths; insane alcohol exploits AND a Super Bowl title. He'd make a better Joe Namath than that other guy.

But is he a Hall of Famer? Seventy five percent is the threshold for induction. Vote below: Polls will be open until next Monday afternoon. Vote like the wind.

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

Yep, Mr. "I'll Be Up In My Room Masturbating" has become an unofficial Leinart advisor. At least in a PR sense.

"As quarterbacks, we're kind of in our own little fraternity, and he was probably the greatest one to ever play," Leinart said of Montana. "So if I have questions on this or that, or plays, or how to deal with the pressure or anything - on the field or off the field - I know he definitely is there to help me out."

As the lone Buzzsaw booster, we are hopeful than Joe Montana can rub off on Matt Leinart; the man could use someone positive rubbing off on him.

Wait, perhaps that was poor phrasing.

Oh, and we can only assume part of Montana's advise is not to get married.

Leinart Has Golden Shoulder To Lean On [Arizona Republic]

Or, does it mean that somebody on Jeopardy!'s staff lives in Scottsdale and just reads the Dirty.com all the time? It appears this world of ours is becoming smaller and smaller everyday.

(UPDATE: Now With Video!)

Matt Leinart Hot Tub Photos On Jeopardy [AOL Fanhouse]
The Dirty! On Jeopardy [TheDirty.com]

Not so fast, Golden. There's an expert out there named John Grohol, with a seemingly made-up title "editorial board member of the Journal of Online Behavior and CyberPsychology & Behavior," who disagrees with The Dirty's business model.

"You could put up 100 photos of 100 random people who are hanging out with 19-year-old girls and nobody will care until the minute you put up a celebrity's photo," this glorified "expert" tells ABC.

He makes a good point. If said 19-year-old girls are getting their faces eaten by, oh, 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, the site becomes a little more entertaining to scroll through.

Honestly, if I were a professional athlete, I'd be absolutely terrified of this site.

Reality Blogging: No Celebs Allowed [ABC News]
Another "Face" Of The Franchise — 49ers Alex Smith [TheDirty.com]

And, hey, is that David Weathers in the back there?

Christ.

Just when thought it couldn't get any worse [The Dirty]

He is a starting quarterback in the NFL and the face of an entire franchise. He should not be in the same vicinity as a beer bong, much less holding one for a young girl.

The NFL is for men. Beer bongs are for drunk, stupid college kids.

Granted Bickely does have a point, and Leinart hasn't done anything thus far in his short NFL career to prove he's not destined to host celebrity golf tournaments or Hooters hula hoop contests in two years. But has Bickley considered the fact that maybe Leinart is blessed with more self-awareness than most dumber-than-dirt athletes? Perhaps, Leinart knows that his NFL lifespan will be a short, unremarkable one, and he should enjoy it to its fullest extent while he's still there.

2008 will probably be the year that all of those questions are answered. But the Cardinals' marketing department should really embrace this aspect of their quarterback and consider putting out a Buzzsaw Bong prior to the start of the new season. Everyone should enjoy the sunset.

Hey, Matt, It's Time To Grow Up [Arizona Republic]
Matt Leinart Is Taking His Off-Season Film Work Quite Seriously [Deadspin]
(Tip: Brooks)

Yes: This man is the future of the Buzzsaw That Is The Arizona Cardinals. Clearly evolving into the team leader we've all been waiting for. Sheesh.

Looking sharp, though!

Matt Leinart And Nick Lachey [The Dirty]

Leinart Shows Off CPR Skills [Arizona Republic]

Yep, the Heisman Trophy candidate is also just taking one class this year: Billiards.

As with Leinart, we don't see anything wrong with this: The reason Dixon is only taking one class is because he's already set to graduate with a degree in sociology. (Because, of course, the only reason to play college football is to get a degree.) The only downside is that, unlike Leinart, Dixon is unlikely to sleep with his class partners. Which might be for the best, actually.

Oregon QB Has A Lot Of Balls [Sports By Brooks]

Everybody's got a no-no drink in their arsenal. Some people take a whiff of tequila and start gagging. Others can have one sip of gin and start fending off imaginary crocodiles with a bar stool. For me? It's scotch. Every time I've attempted to take part in "grown-up drinking," it's ended with me urinating in my pants. Literally. The three times in my life I've drank scotch, I've completely pissed myself. This is not while I'm sleeping, mind you. It's usually on the walk home from the bar. For whatever reason, scotch disrupts the brain-to-bladder communication mechanism, and I usually end up in a frantic sprint to either find a dark alley or get to the bathroom before I explode. Three times, I've lost and ended up taking a miserable walk home with a crotch area that resembled a Rorshach Test.

For Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart, "sauvignon blanc" appears to be his no-no drink. Hopefully, it took more than one glass for him to open up to Yahoo football writer Michael Silver and bitch about his split-time quarterback situation. But what does Matt Leinart's admission that he wants be front-seat driver really tell us? It's more telling that Mr. Leinart is obviously not that much of a drinker. If I were a beat-reporter covering the Cardinals, I'd make sure to sign Leinart up for a booze of the month club ASAP. And when that happens, he shall spill.

So this week, I'm putting on my drinking pants, bad-touching a sommelier in the desert and placing odds on the other drinks that'll make Arizona's crestfallen quarterback say stupid shit.

Let's go pound some sediment, after this more.

Woo Woo Shots: 2/1

Lucky for Michael Silver, Leinart wasn't drinking this toxic combination of vodka, peach schnapps and cranberry juice, or "Fightin Lightnin," as some regular hardcore imbibers call them. After two Woo Woos, Leinart would most likely become very chesty and aggressive, pawing at women and challenging the stoutest of men to Indian-wrestling competitions. Ken Whisenhunt should make sure Leinart isn't spiking his water bottle a couple drops of "The Woo," or else he could find himself seeing a darker, angrier side of his part-time franchise quarterback.

Appletinis: 1/1

These green menaces have been the downfall of many a virile man's evening. But it's not the two fingers of vodka that usually have a negative affect, but rather the Apple Pucker Schnapps that causes the problem. This mysterious green liquor has been the catalyst for many a night of irrational couple's arguments, inappropriate confessions to best friend's parents and an overwhelming urge to fall asleep to "August and Everything After."

Limoncello: 3/1

Belisimo! Here's a tasty liquor that is very popular with T.J. Maxx-shopping mommies and Hollywood dwarves. The problem with these sickly sweet little numbers is that you can never gauge how many it'll take before it'll get ugly.

Mimosas: 1/4

This high octane mixture of orange juice and champagne is the elixir of choice for many a peacocking debutante. It tends to make most women more garrulous, giggly and orgasmic. Pump a chick full of enough mimosas before 1 p.m., and you'll be beav-chomping in no time. Same thing goes for California-bred quarterbacks, who are also prone to whipping out their own vaginas at the first caress of a champagne flute.

Check out the guest list of Phooson!, an Arizona event at the Pinal County Fairgrounds next Friday.

Starring Enrique Iglesias, Jonas Brothers, Lloyd, American Idol Winner Jordin Sparks, Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Matt Leinart and more....

Matt! Come on! Warner wouldn't even show up to that. Jordin Sparks? Really?

Phooson! [Official Site]