When you watch the tape, you find out that he really did a very credible job. Over the course of a...

When you watch the tape, you find out that he really did a very credible job. Over the course of a 60-play game, Tony Ugoh played pretty darned well. If you said to me, 'Is Tony Ugoh as good a player as D'Brickashaw Ferguson?' I'd probably say, 'Yes.' Is he as good a player as maybe some people who have higher profiles in the media? The answer is probably yes. To Tony's credit, when he had to step in and play Sunday night, he played pretty darned well.

Bill Polian on Tony Ugoh. Quote via John Oehser

over 2 years ago AussieColtsFan 27 comments 0 recs |

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My first instinct is call BS on this.

Are they switching to positive reinforcement on Ugoh now?

If Manning didn’t have the quick release Ugoh would have looked even worse than he already did in that game.

Am I alone on this one?

by IBelieve1237 on Oct 13, 2009 8:01 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah

I’m a little shocked reading this…Ugoh looked terrible to me and I wonder if he played so well why did he get pulled?

by Colts Syndrome on Oct 13, 2009 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions

I read that he left because he was injured late in the game.

by tapper on Oct 13, 2009 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions

He is a “darned” good GM, and not a bad psychologist neither, but to be honest, Tony just played awful on sunday (thank god Peyton is an iron man) as well as Pollak.
OK, our backup LT and starting RG are not palying well, and we need to have problems, BUT on the other hand, we are 5-0, we don’t have any serious injuries (beside Gonzo, everybody should be ready to the Rams game, which is simply amazing) so nothing to complain about, it’s a “darned” good and lucky season so far…
(Let’s hope I don’t jinx it.)

by Gio on Oct 13, 2009 8:03 AM EDT reply actions

You're right....

and I think we were lucky not to have Henne playing QB for Miami when they played us. He was looking very ‘Manning-like’ in the game with the Jets last night. I definitely think he’s a rising star in the NFL. Although, hopefully, we still would have won that game with Miami, because even though he was Manning-like, he’s still not Manning.

by Ayrshire on Oct 13, 2009 8:18 AM EDT up reply actions

"Credible job"?

Yes, I know the rest of his statement is an attempt to buck Ugoh’s confidence up, but really, “credible”?? That sounds like damning with faint praise to me.

by aldctjoc on Oct 13, 2009 9:11 AM EDT reply actions

how about a backhanded compliment?

"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."

by psvirsky on Oct 13, 2009 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Polian. and PLEASE for the love of god bench Pollack.

Call me "Sir" goddamnit!

by danorocks17 on Oct 13, 2009 9:42 AM EDT reply actions

I just realized I was unfair while bashing Ugoh alone, since Pollak was also a friggin

"We’re only going to score 17 points? haha...OK" - Tom Brady

by BlueMark1821 on Oct 13, 2009 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions

a friggin screen

"We’re only going to score 17 points? haha...OK" - Tom Brady

by BlueMark1821 on Oct 13, 2009 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions

Im tired of bashing Ugoh

But Polian is a friggin liar. Tony was AWFUL, HORRENDOUS.
With this kind of statements, how can we say “In Polian we trust?”

Just kidding, I do trust him and respect what hes doing to motivate his players, but its still unbelievable…for things like this, we have players who turn into busts since they feel they are doing things right

"We’re only going to score 17 points? haha...OK" - Tom Brady

by BlueMark1821 on Oct 13, 2009 9:43 AM EDT reply actions

"we" don't all say that

I only say it when making fun of people that trust him blindly. He has made many mistakes and is not flawless. He is one of the best GMs in football, no doubt, but to act like all his decisions are beyond question is overboard and puts a huge homer sign on your head and we all have to question whether those people are any worse than extreme pats fans.

by tapper on Oct 13, 2009 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions

of course he's not perfect

Most people surely joke about it…but to compare all of us Polian’s “fans” (I couldnt find any other word) with Patriots fans is an insult..

"We’re only going to score 17 points? haha...OK" - Tom Brady

by BlueMark1821 on Oct 14, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Like many of you

I think this statement is a way of Polian taking the heat off Ugoh and giving his confidence a boost. I don’t think we should read too much into it.

"The critics can criticize but we're the crème dele crème,
Me and P-Dela we blend what they're calling the standard,
Still standing while they're screaming when will it end?"
- Standing Still, Hilltop Hoods

by AussieColtsFan on Oct 13, 2009 9:49 AM EDT reply actions

What game was Bill watching?

I am a huge Polian admirer and in no way do I think that this means CJ sees the bench now, but seriously…Ugoh was a waste of space in that game. He did two things very well. He completely missed a block that got Peyton pummelled, and another he missed well enough to make Peyton’s knee sore (any feeling of discomfort in Peyton as a result of poor LT play is unforgiveable…well, that’s a little extreme, but you catch my drift). And when I say “Very well” I mean for the Titans. He helped them more than us.

Now I will say this in BP’s defense. You don’t want to come out after a game you win 31-9 against a division rival (don’t care what their record is, still a rival) and bash any player. That shows no class. Polian doesn’t do “no class.” And maybe he meant Ugoh has Ferguson/high profile player POTENTIAL, but there is no way in HELL he is half the player guys like Ferguson, Matt Light, and even Jake Long are right now. He may have that potential, but has yet to reach it.

Maybe Polian was drunk or being sarcastic. Nah, just kidding. But seriously, even though I entirely disagree with this statement he made, it is good to see he is trying to put confidence in Tony Ugoh’s head. The starter is CJ and that likely won’t change this season, but Ugoh may still be the long term solution in BPs mind and he wants to give the young guy confidence. As long as he doesn’t start over CJ, this Polian quote doesn’t really bother me.

by npb1985 on Oct 13, 2009 9:56 AM EDT reply actions

My 2 cents

This is not Polian “motivating” Ugoh. Polian doesn’t do that. If you sucked in a game he will indeed make note of it during the radio show.

Polian is a fan of saying “We see what’s real and you fans see things through a network TV filter.” Maybe, in this case, he’s right.

Ugoh was also playing with a bum knee and he twisted his ankle during the game, which is why Dan Federkeil played the 4th quarter.

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by Brad Wells on Oct 13, 2009 10:01 AM EDT reply actions

i dont get it

“We see whats real”, I mean, its pretty clear that Ugoh played horrible. About the injury, I really dont know. If that was the case, then he shouldnt have started nor played at all.

"We’re only going to score 17 points? haha...OK" - Tom Brady

by BlueMark1821 on Oct 13, 2009 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions

My gut reaction is also to slam Ugoh. However, it really does make a big difference to watch only Ugoh for all 60 plays instead of watching the game as a fan. We are unlikely to notice anything other than bad plays unless the network specifically chooses to highlight a good job by an o-lineman. Again, this isn’t to disagree because I didn’t see much out of Ugoh, but watching the film closely might help his case.

"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."

by psvirsky on Oct 13, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions

aint that the truth

I remember he called out Joseph Addai after the Chargers playoff game last year for hitting the wrong hole. It was subtle but you knew he was going after him

by metal_militia on Oct 13, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

To be fair to Ugoh, How many times was Peyton sacked? NONE.

"You can't defend the perfect throw, what can I say?" Peyton quoting Marino

by Indy Lori on Oct 13, 2009 10:34 AM EDT reply actions

my thoughts

i’m curious how hard of a transition it would be for Ugoh to move to right guard. Ugoh is an avg at best left tackle. but his strengths are firing off the ball, run blocking, and quikness. all things a starting RG in the nfl need, and all things our starting RG lacks.
just a thought?

by tenaytiousd32 on Oct 13, 2009 12:44 PM EDT reply actions

I've wondered this myself

On the one hand, guards and tackles have different skill sets, like pull blocking, cross blocking, etc. On the other, Colts linemen supposedly just identify themselves as “linemen” and – according to the legend they themselves reel off – can play anywhere they’re required. I really don’t know.

Is there anyone here who actually knows offensive line technique? I’m curious about this question myself. On the one hand, there are different required skills, but on the other, they’re supposedly interchangeable. Anyone know what the reality is for this team?

by aldctjoc on Oct 13, 2009 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Heh.. I found something contradicting my last thought.

Funny that. I wrote:

On the one hand, guards and tackles have different skill sets, like pull blocking, cross blocking, etc.

And yet, I manage to dig up something that refutes what I wrote:

“If you just drafted all tackles and took the best athletes and made them guards, you’d be all right,” (2003 NY Giants offensive line coach Jim) McNally says.

Now I’m really confused. :-S

by aldctjoc on Oct 13, 2009 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions

The Left tackle...

has to have great feet. He can’t just push the DE because he’ll get beat. He’s got to run with the DE and control him to keep him wide. He’s also got to keep from getting turned and levered out of the way. It’s the toughest job on the line because of the grade of player teams put on the quarterback’s blind side. Kyle VDB was running around him and Ugoh wasn’t keeping up in those cases when Manning got hit. But that happens—and it happened to Tarik Glenn too. Manning’s quick release has been praised by defenders his whole life. Vanden Bosch is a hell of a player and he was a handful for Glenn.

Ugoh didn’t look good to me either, but they spent so much time replaying those penalty hits that it stuck in my head. I can’t speak intelligently about it because I didn’t go and study that position for all 60 plays. I’ll take Polian’s word and not be concerned if Ugoh shows back up at left tackle again.

by wcwills on Oct 13, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Polian is funny.

Ugoh played great? This coming from the guy that admits his ability to guage o-linemen is his weakest:

Polian Corner: Oct 6th, 2009
Q: You’re considered one of the top talent evaluators in the NFL. Is there an area where you feel like you are weaker than others?
A: If you wanted to boil it down and say on a scale of 1-to-10 what might be below seven, it probably would be offensive line…

by tapper on Oct 13, 2009 5:29 PM EDT reply actions

Your funny...

he has probably forgotten more about judging O line play and players than you have ever known!!

"If me and King Kong went into an alley, only one of us would come out. And it wouldn't be the monkey."
"I don't really trust a sane person."
"I never met a man I didn't want to fight." The one and only Lyle Alzado

by TRDean on Oct 14, 2009 6:56 AM EDT up reply actions