Man Crushing on Tony Romo

By Robert Wilonsky Mon., Nov. 27 2006 at 9:10 AM

Categories: Media

Last night wasn't an easy one for Tony Romo. He has to endure KTVT-Channel 11 sports anchor Babe Laufenberg's cheap-ass come-ons during "The Score": graphic gags involving Romo's head being Photoshopped onto Mount Rushmore and a Hall of Fame bust. (Only days earlier, during a 10 p.m. newscast, anchor Tracy Rowlett accused Laufenberg of having a "man crush" on Romo; the former Cowboys QB turned bright red and then asked if the director could take them to a break.) Romo had to watch KXAS-Channel 5's "Romo on a Roll" segment, which involved the use of Jessica Simpson's DirecTV ad (after a recitation of Romo's impressive stats, Simpson says, "I totally don't know what that means, but I want it").

And he had to go on NBC during halftime of the Philadelphia Eagles-Indianapolis Colts game to talk to Bob Costas, who, we hear, used to be really good at this whole talking-with-his-mouth-hole thing.

Costas asked him a few questions--which all more or less amounted to, "You're so great, why are you so great?"--before Chris Farley got to the inevitable query about just who might Romo be slippin' the pigskin to in his spare time. But Bob, see, was clever about it. No, he didn't ask Romo if he was dating Simpson. And he didn't ask if coach Bill Parcells is dating Simpson, as Fox's you're-so-clever Joe Buck did on Thursday. No, this is what Costas said to Tony Romo:

Bob Costas: "I have just learned that Nick Lachey has dropped you from his fantasy team, so make of that what you will."

Tony Romo, after a second or two of forced fake laughter: "Well, that's why you're the best there is, Bob. That's what makes you you. You're great."

Costas, in man-crushed defeat: "Tony knows how to handle everything."

Yes, even you, Babe Laufnberg--gently, like a newborn kitty. --Robert Wilonsky

Email to Friend