Tony Romo ... Earning His Spurs

HE HAS SHREDDED the vaunted Bears defense and thrown an NFC-best 13 TD passes, and despite his five interceptions against the Bills on Monday, Tony Romo's Cowboys are 5--0. In 15 career starts Romo has had some majestic highs—a five-TD game, a Pro Bowl selection—and one devastating low: His fumbled snap during a last-second field goal try last January against Seattle may have cost Dallas a playoff win. That was then. Now the 27-year-old bachelor leaves the placeholding duties to others.

On his MySpace page
That's not me! Someone made it up, and I don't know how to get rid of it. They did research and got some things right. But they say I do a Brett Favre impression. That's a fabrication.

On his ancestry—his dad (Ramiro, a contractor) is of Mexican descent; his mom (Joan) has Polish and German roots
We didn't celebrate anything—no heritage holidays. Growing up [in Burlington, Wis.], I didn't feel I related to one particular race or culture.

On country star Carrie Underwood
I've been lucky to get to know her. We're friends. We've gone through similar walks in life, and we enjoy hanging out. Last year I watched American Idol for the first time.

His football obsession
I think about the game a lot. When I go home after practice, sometimes I'll throw a football into the couch for 20 minutes to work on a certain release. And I'll jot down notes. Say if suddenly something comes into my brain and I'm throwing really good—maybe I felt like the ball was coming out in front of my head and the release was later—I write that down and try to get the feeling back when stuff isn't going well.

His favorite hobby
Movies. We have a place in Dallas called the Studio Movie Grill where you sit and they serve you food while you watch a movie. I go anytime a new movie comes out. My favorite movie ever? The Natural.

On how he got started in another favorite sport, golf
My mom worked at the local golf course; she was the waitress lady who ran the eatery. She would take me in to work when she opened up the place, around 5:30 in the morning. I'd help rent out the carts, play a couple of holes, then go to school.

His golf game today
A couple years ago I shot 69 in a local U.S. Open qualifying tournament in Texas—I missed going to the sectional by one [stroke]. I've never thought what would happen if I ever actually qualified, whether I'd be able to compete [given his Cowboys obligations].

The YouTube clip of him singing Don't Stop Believin' at a rock concert
I was in L.A. this off-season, and a buddy was like, You've got to come with us to this club. I was dreading it. It ended up being fantastic. This group Metal Skool played Journey, Guns N' Roses. They tried to call me up a couple of times, and I was like, No, no, no. Finally I was like, You only live once. I don't think I'll ever be a rock star, so....

On T.O.
He's a little older, he's been around the league, and I think he wants to win now. He wants to play well, but at the end of the day it's about winning and losing for him. We get along well because we're both very competitive.