Aug 4, 2012; Canton, OH, USA; A general view of the Pro Football Hall of Fame before the 2012 enshrinement at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

What better way to open the season than having the newly enshrined players to cut the red tape for the official start of the 2012 National Football League season. This month all 32 teams records are equal, but now we can see what our teams may have to offer for our enjoyment through out the year. Every fan and every team have the same goal and at this point any team is capable of being a champion caliber team. The NFL is made up of the best football players in the world and they are all capable of on any day to have one of the greatest performances. Tom Brady can very well pull out a Jamarcus Russell type year, and Sam Bradford could be the next Troy Aikman. These ideas may not be very reasonable but in the NFL anything is possible. That’s what is so great about the NFL. Every year is a new year and no team is the same as they were the year before.

Aug.1, 2012; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) makes a throw during training camp drills. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

I myself cant wait to see what the Dallas Cowboys have to offer us. I can’t wait to see if Brandon Carr is worth the money Jerry gave him. I can’t wait to decide for myself if Mo’ Claiborne can truly be the next Deion Sanders. I can’t wait to see if Tony Romo can keep the streak of getting better every year alive. I can’t wait to see if DeMarcus Ware can be the single season sack leader that we all know he is capable of. And most importantly, I can’t wait to see if this is finally the year for the Cowboys to get back to the familiar, yet recently unfamiliar, category of world champion. Unfortunately I, as everyone else, will have to wait. But at least we can say good bye to the 2011 highlights, and welcome in 2012 with open arms (unless you are a N.Y. Giants fan, then you might want to hold on to 2011 for many, many years to come).

With all that said, congratulations to the new members of the HOF. The testimonies they release unto the world could be life changing for many young fans. I especially appreciate Curtis Martin for his honesty, he let the world know that anyone can be great regardless of the background they grow up in.  And although I may not care much for the Saints or the Cardinals, I hope they give us a show that is worthy of being HOF honoring. Welcome back football, we missed you and we are ready.

Amani Toomer when on to say “For me, if I wanted a guy that is going to throw less interceptions, more productive, higher completion percentage, I’m going to go with Tony Romo. At crunch time, he’s not as good as Eli, but every other time, he’s pretty darn good.” With the comments Amani made, he managed to spark the yearly debate of NFC East Quarterbacks Tony Romo and Eli Manning.

 Amani Toomer believes that Tony Romo is statistically the best Quarterback in the NFC East, but is there really a debate to be had here? Eli Manning managed to win his second super bowl title in five years and yet there are still comparisons between Manning and Romo. This is starting to look in many ways like the Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady debates; it’s a debate that has been going on for many years without a conclusion in sight. The Tony Romo vs. Eli Manning Debate has its similarities with the Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady Debate. There was a point in time where Tom Brady had three super bowls and Peyton Manning had none. Statistically Peyton Manning was the better Quarterback, but when it came to the playoffs Peyton Manning couldn’t seem to put it together, in the other hand Tom Brady always looked well put together in the playoffs.

Now the reason I bring up Peyton and Tom is for the similarities of debate; Tony Romo is statistically a better quarterback than Eli, Romo has his inconsistencies but so does Eli Manning, Eli has the two rings well Tony has none. If statistics is what makes a Quarterback great than Romo is the better quarterback, but quarterbacks are measured by what they accomplish and there’s no arguing against Eli manning two rings. At this point in both their careers I believe Eli Manning is the better quarterback do to the fact that he has accomplished more than Romo. Furthermore this debate is far from concluded and I doubt there is an end in sight. Who do you think should be rightfully crowned the king of the NFC East: Eli Manning or Tony Romo?

December 17, 2011; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers mascot, Caption Fear, dressed up for Christmas during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

Around the rest of the NFL there’s barely a story behind Peyton Manning and the
Broncos.  No one is talking about the ridiculously huge mansion that Tom Brady
moved into let alone how much longer Brady plans to play.  There is some
interest in the ‘conspiracy’ that is Drew Bree’s contract talks, but its just
some.  Even the Tebow / Sanchez tandem story has died down.  Everyone in the
sports world prepared to endure the quiet wait before the NFL training camps
open in late July.

Then out of the quiet, some unassuming positive comments get made supporting
Tony Romo from Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin and others.  Then
Brett Favre tells Deion Sanders in an interview what most fans have been saying
for years, Tony Romo reminds Favre of himself.  My thought here was, good to
here some positive praise.

Then, the backlash.  Why on earth would sports media outlets seek out rebutle to
positive praise? But they did and they found it in the likes of Steven A Smith
of ESPN and Chris Canty of the New York Giants among others.

Mr Smith was so riled up about Brett Favre’s comments, which were Favre’s own
opinions about himself, that he felt the need to blast those comments and Romo
in the process.

While i dont agree with Steven, I understand he has a job to do and he does have
to counter Skip Bayless, which has to be annoying.  Chris Canty’s comments, on
the other hand, pissed me off quite frankly!

The former Dallas Cowboy team mate flat out blamed Tony Romo for Dallas not
getting to a Superbowl in an interview recently. Really? You and the rest of the
Cowboys D had no hand in our failures each year? I guess we are going to forget
about the Dallas Cowboys defense, that you were a part of, letting the Giants
score a touchdown (arguably the deciding points) with less than 50 seconds left
in the first half of that infamous 2007 playoff game? Were you taking a breather
on the sideline Canty? Or were you right there  letting the Giants march?
Please.  Maybe we should of stuck with Drew Bledsoe? Or Drew Hensen maybe?

I’m gonna go as far as to say to Canty, that Tony Romo’s talent and popularity
allowed a national showcase for you to display your talents which enabled you to
cash in for more than you were worth with when signing with the New York Giants.
Don’t think they aren’t  regretting it.

Listen folks, we were having such a nice dead zone. Quiet time before training
camp, filled with hopeful anticipation for the season. Not unlike the night
before Christmas. Why all the piss and vinegar all of a sudden?  On the other
hand, I guess we could thank Chris Canty for the extra bulletin board material,
like an early Christmas present.

Artie Cappello