Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons

IRVING, Texas -- Tony Romo pointed here and there, showing receiver Dez Bryant the best way to use a block on the first day of off-season practice. Thats about what he can do for now. The new $100 million quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys cant participate in workouts because of a procedure last month to remove a cyst on his back. So he had a chance Tuesday to show a little bit of what owner Jerry Jones made everyone believe would be an expanded role when he said Romo would be putting in "Peyton Manning-type time" to try to make Dallas a Super Bowl contender again. Romo looked a lot like a coach, even though hes loathe to acknowledge that his presence is anything more than the natural progression of a quarterback getting ready for his seventh full season as the starter. And he certainly rejects the conclusion drawn by many after Jones comments that his dedication has something to do with Dallas missing the playoffs three straight years and him having a 1-6 record in elimination games. "Im here. Im always at the facility," said Romo, speaking publicly for the first time since signing a six-year, $108 million extension with more guaranteed money ($55 million) than Super Bowl winner Joe Flacco of Baltimore. "If you talk to any of the coaches or anybody Im around, Ive been a gym rat since Ive been here." The question of golf always comes up with Romo this time of year, and, well, he hasnt been playing as much because hes been recovering from what he said was a minor outpatient procedure for a cyst that was "kind of annoying" but not cancerous. The procedure was first reported by The Dallas Morning News. The 33-year-old Romo will miss three weeks of practice but could participate in minicamp starting June 11. He will be ready for training camp in July. "Nobody was real concerned about it," coach Jason Garrett said. "We felt like it was better to get it taken care of sooner rather than later. He was doing everything in our off-season program. Hes back to doing a lot of that stuff right now as hes getting better." Backup Kyle Orton will take most of the snaps in Romos absence. He signed as a free agent last year but played in just one game, a blowout loss to Chicago. The Cowboys also have second-year player Nick Stephens and undrafted rookie Dalton Williams on the roster. A healthy Romo, now the highest-paid player in franchise history, will be a huge factor for Garrett, who is unlikely to return if Dallas doesnt make the playoffs in 2013. The last time Romo missed significant playing time, former coach Wade Phillips was fired and replaced by Garrett in the middle of a 6-10 season in 2010. Romo was out 10 games with a broken collarbone. Romo played through a broken rib early in the 2011 season and stayed healthy last year. Both seasons ended with losses to NFC East rivals in finales with playoff berths on the line. "Weve always been very cautious this time of year with our players, making sure theyre 100 per cent healthy and get them back when theyre ready to go," Garrett said. "Theres going to be plenty of work once he comes back, a lot of training camp work prior to that first game." The Cowboys and Romo could have done what the Ravens and Flacco did -- play out the final season of a contract and see how it goes. Baltimore had to pay plenty, giving Flacco $120.6 million over six years with $52 million guaranteed. While the total value of Romos deal is lower, he and the Cowboys were heavily criticized for a comparable deal with more guaranteed money despite Flacco having eight more playoff wins, in five straight trips to the post-season. "We were 8-8 the last couple of years," Romo said. "That doesnt sit well with me. I dont think Im an 8-8 quarterback. I dont think this organization is comfortable being 8-8. Were going to do everything we can as coaches, players and in this building to change that." Romos interpretation of his owners line about Peyton Manning is that Denvers quarterback, a former Super Bowl winner with Indianapolis, has always had an unusually direct relationship with coaches. Its not that Romo and Garrett havent worked closely the six seasons theyve been together. But Romo figures its natural that hell have more to say about the game plan rather than just waiting around Monday and Tuesday for it to show up. "The older you get, you develop that a little bit as a quarterback," Romo said. "If you do some good things in the past that allow you to show, then you can have a little more of that. Thats part of the growth that takes shape." He was showing some of that during his idle time on the practice field. John Shonk Jersey Store . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Cosmo Iacavazzi Jersey Store . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. https://www.chinacheapjerseys.net/peter-shorts-jersey-store/ . Los Angeles star goalie survived those perilous gymnastics with no problem, and he eventually backstopped the Kings to a skid-snapping win. Quick stopped 27 shots in his return from a 24-game injury absence, Jeff Carter scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:55 to play, and the Kings snapped their five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. Bill Baumgartner Jersey Store . JOHNS, N. Dennis McKinnon Jersey Store .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court.ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions have signed safety Chris Hope. The team announced the move Monday along with the release of wide receiver Brian Robiskie. Hope started 113 of 163 games and had 20 career interceptions over 11 seasons with Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Atlanta. He started in four games last season for the Falcons and played in both of their playoff games. The Lions likely added Hope, a Pro Bowl player in 2008, because theyre not sure safety Louis Delmas can stay healthy enough to be counted on next season.dddddddddddd Robiskie had four receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown in six games with the Lions last season. He caught 39 passes for 441 yards with three touchdowns from 2009 through 2011 in Cleveland. ' ' '