Bill Polian named Sporting News NFL Executive of the Year for 2009
by BigBlueShoe on Jan 27, 2010 12:45 PM EST
in Colts News
77 comments
We've been very critical of Bill Polian this season for several things he has said and done (mostly said). His gruff manner and his tendency to say stupid things to the wrong people have got him canned in both Buffalo and Carolina. He almost got canned in Indianapolis after the fallout with Jim Mora Sr. following the disastrous 2001 season, and this year he continued his trend of acting like an arrogant jerk when he demeaned and insulted Colts fans on his radio show following the Colts controversial decision to rest starters against the Jets in Week Sixteen.
However, no matter what you think of Bill Polian as a person, and despite his horrific faults as a public relations representative for the Colts, the man is, without question, the very best NFL executive the league has ever seen.
Today, The Sporting News honored Bill Polian by naming him their George Young NFL executive of the year. This is the fifth sixth time Polian has won this type of award, and (like Peyton Manning's fourth MVP award this year) that is an NFL record. From the man himself:
"To me, this is the most important and prestigious award a person in my position can get," Polian wrote in a wide-ranging column that appears in the new issue of Sporting News Magazine. "It's named after George Young, who was not only a friend but an incredible role model and one of the greatest executives of all time. And your peers know what your job entails — to get their vote is special."
You will often read my rants about Polian's horrible reputation in the media circles. You'll read about my annoyance with his "No Blogs!" policy when it comes to access to the team and players. You'll hear me huff and puff away on podcasts about how Colts injury reports seem sketchy. You'll hear me scream from the mountain tops about how the paranoid supper secret tendencies of Colts management create an unnecessary barrier between the club and its patrons.
However, you will never, EVER see or hear me call Bill Polian anything other than a genius when it comes to building great football rosters. I remember very vividly in 1998 when Polian was hired, replacing the equally volatile Bill Tobin, that with the Polian hire the Colts had turned a corner. They were now serious about winning consistently.
While I will likely continue to vent my frustrations at many of Bill Polian's media policies, I will continue to maintain that the Big Red One is the best personnel man in football, period. No one comes close. Whether it's drafting Edgerrin James over Ricky Williams or finding late-round gems like Pierre Garçon or finding game-changing, undrafted rookies like Dominic Rhodes, Bill Polian knows how to build winning teams on the field. He very much deserved this award for 2009, and I am very glad they gave it to him.
Congratulations, Mr. Polian. You and I are never going to be on the same page when it comes to blogger media access, but you will always have my respect as an NFL executive.
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Nitpicking
I’m nitpicking, but the article says this is the sixth time he’s won the award.
by TouchdownMonkey on Jan 27, 2010 12:50 PM EST reply actions
is the sixth time he has won the award
1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999 & 2009
"Pressure is something you feel when you don't know what the hell you're doing."
-Peyton Manning
the article says 'fiftth' but it is the sixth
NITPICKER!
"Pressure is something you feel when you don't know what the hell you're doing."
-Peyton Manning
I wonder if his "no blog" policy...
comes from a lack of understanding or experience with them. I understand not giving access to Billy Bob’s weekend hobby blog – but a blog of this size and reputation with its relationship to SB Nation…that is a little much.
But what do I know…
Bob Sanders is starting to make me rethink my SBNation ID!
by SupermanWearsBobSander'sPJs on Jan 27, 2010 12:57 PM EST reply actions
I wouldn't worry about it either way
once you get too close to the team you inherently lose objectivity
you can’t be friends and blast them, it doesn’t work and the Colts only let people who don’t blast them near them, it makes sense from their perspective.
"Pressure is something you feel when you don't know what the hell you're doing."
-Peyton Manning
He won’t give Stampede Blue access because of posts like this, this, this, this, and this. To name a few.
by KingRichard on Jan 27, 2010 2:02 PM EST up reply actions 5 recs
No blogs policy
The policy is universal. Blog = no access. Mike Lombardi is the former GM of the Browns. He hired Bill Belichick as his coach in the early 1990s. Today, he runs a blog called NationalFootballPost.com. Because that site is a blog, Lombardi is not given access to the Colts. Now, Lombardi also freelances for NFL.com and NFL Network, and it is through those outlets that he can get interviews.
I’ve multiple conversations with many people within the Colts and the NFL. The “No blogs” policy is simply one team (the Colts) failing to understand the changes in modern media. Polian himself doesn’t care because he is known to detest the media and views them as an aggressive force whose goal is to hurt his team. Again, that’s just what I hear from various people. And if he views sources like (perhaps) CBS, Yahoo!, and HBO a annoyance, he must consider blogs nothing short of a waste of his time.
Thus, no blogs. It’s a silly policy enacted by a grouchy but intelligent old man who is terrible at public relations. But Bill never built his rep as a PR man. His rep is winning, which he does often.
SB Nation's Indianapolis Colts blogger at Stampede Blue. Please make an account so you can post a FanPost, make a FanShot, add some comments, and make some noise. Accounts are free, and only require an email address.
Yep.
Scary, isn’t it?
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
by peytonsthebest on Jan 27, 2010 6:28 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe he thinks they'll hurt the team
because of what some of what King Richard linked above.
Insert Clever Statement Here
His job is to maintain the team a SB contender
And everybody knows that he’s the best at it right now, so it’s a well deserved prize and form of recognization from Sporting News. And BBS, relax… One day, you’ll get a interview with someone from the Colts. Don’t matter if it’s a retired player or a staff member, or the janitor
Quitters never win, but cheaters sometimes do
Actually
I’ve interviewed Colts players before (search the site) and have been offered several interviews. The access I’ve always sought is in the form of live blogging from the game, updates from the field, etc. Player interviews are, imho, a waste. These guys are conditioned to say canned crap to every question, and reporters who call them out on that are later frozen out from ever questioning them again.
SB Nation's Indianapolis Colts blogger at Stampede Blue. Please make an account so you can post a FanPost, make a FanShot, add some comments, and make some noise. Accounts are free, and only require an email address.
I think thats why if you do a player interview
go with a few Colts questions here and there and then let Raheem Brock do what he does best bullshit with the public. I’d love to hear Brock’s opinion on global warming. :-)
Indianapolis Colts, taking focus away from my DBacks every Sunday.
Heck,
I’d love to hear Brock’s opinion on the weather.
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: This is how the Mario games should have ended.
yo mang, that cold weatha dont respect our D so you know what I said? see ya in miami sucka!! we on a mission!!
by KingRichard on Jan 27, 2010 7:26 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Props to the Big Red Head
I was in the minority in that I fully supported management’s decision to rest the starters against the Jets and the Bills; and as we all now know, that decision was the correct one. As a Colts fan going back to the day when they were in Baltimore, I was thrilled when they hired Bill to be their GM. In this age of the salary cap, to have had the run of success this organization has experienced over the past 10 years is remarkable. BP is well deserving of this award, and if they gave an award to the league’s best owner, it should go to Jim Irsay.
I did not know which way to go on that decision...
but I was fine supporting the one they made! Especially for a winter game in Buffalo!
The man is brilliant.
On a related note, I will be interested to see how the Pats do this year in the draft without Pioli and crew. But with 1,542 draft picks, surely they will get a couple of good ones (but hopefully not!)
Bob Sanders is starting to make me rethink my SBNation ID!
by SupermanWearsBobSander'sPJs on Jan 27, 2010 1:07 PM EST up reply actions
This man is NOT a gutless coward
Insert Clever Statement Here
You got that right.
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: This is how the Mario games should have ended.
Congratulations to him
This actually highlights even more my confusion at Caldwell not getting CoY. I assumed Polian would be snubbed for this because it was clearly his decision to rest starters, but the fact that he got it anyway…
How can you not love a team that does this?
MSM logic
Caldwell’s strengths, and his case for CoY, have been called out here many times, so no need for me to go into all that again. IMO he deserved it, and Lewis was #2.
Having said that, I would see this as MSM’s further argument against Caldwell winning CoY. I take this as MSM saying that the two (Exec of the Year, CoY) are mutually exclusive. CoY should go to someone developing lesser talent … which wouldn’t happen with a EoY. And if you’ve got the EoY, and better talent … well, then, anyone could coach that talent into a winner.
Logical? Not really.
Caldwell not getting it is more
about living Manning’s shadow and Polian getting it is just as much about being the one that got Manning here to build up that shadow.
I really like shadows.
COY Mistake
Marvin Lewis getting the Coach of the Year award over Caldwell, Payton, Childress, and Rex Ryan was a huge mistake. I think they realized that after Round 1 of the Playoffs. A collective “Ooops” probably rang out in the voters minds.
Either after the season or during the 2 weeks leading up to the Super Bowl are when ALL major NFL awards should be announced or decided. It lets voters see the season actually shake out.
None of these awards
either are or should be for anything other than the regular season. The post-season is a different animal entirely, and often doesn’t shake out for the best teams in the regular season. Are you willing to say that Manning shouldn’t have won the MVP last year because we got bounced in the post-season?
I didn't fully explain myself
I actually agree wholeheartedly that Lewis deserved the CoY. He took a team with a bunch of hoodlums and misfits, and won the AFC North. They peaked early and looked pretty poor in their ultimate exit, but I think Lewis did a phenomenal job.
What is strange to me is that I could have seen Caldwell getting CoY, but Polian being “punished” by not getting EoY. Or I could have seen both earning the awards. I just thought it was weird that Polian got EoY and Caldwell did not get CoY.
Whatever, I’m over it.
How can you not love a team that does this?
Good Point
I do however think a number of coaches either had less to work with (Ryan and McCarthy for instance) or just accomplished so much more (Caldwell, Payton, Childress, and ugh, Turner). Either way, it was a REGULAR SEASON award for Coach of the Year, while this Exec Of The Year seems like a Full Season award.
What Lewis did with the Bengals was admirable, but losing the last 3 of 4 (plus that key Oak game) should have been his undoing with the Playoff Loss as the icing. Just too many other choices to ignore before Lewis. Good story, good job, but Rookies and fresh faces taking teams to incredible seasons with huge internal storylines and changes to overcome is hard to overlook.
But I agree, “whatever, I’m over it” as well. At least 2 of better coaches this season (Caldwell and Payton) are the last ones standing.
To substantiate your point of
the discrepancies between the Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year awards, they’re given out by two different organizations, so it’s not hard to see that they’d have different criteria in relation to when the award is (ahem) awarded.
Big BooHoo - Polian the Best - Get over It
Still whining like a little girl – - I love the fact Bill Polian continues to get under your skin. He is the best at what he does and nothing you whine about changes that – hopefully you can get over the fact he has forgotten more about football than you know about it
I think BBS has set it straight
he’s got a problem with Bill Polian the man. Thats not a big deal, he’s kinda an ass and rubs a lot of people the wrong way (BBS). However, everyone is more than willing to ignore that to point out the executive genius he is. We all understand BBS’ position.
Indianapolis Colts, taking focus away from my DBacks every Sunday.
Love that big red head
BP definently deserves the award. There is no one else I would rather have running this team.
Congrats To The NFL's Best Exec...
Every year, whether or not the award is given to him or not
I still haven’t heard 1 clear, well thought out, concise description of any “downside” of Bill Polian, none.
1 tiny decision out of thousands should not have ANY impact on his image, accomplishments, and elite contributions.
I like the fact that he thinks the Media is pretty much just a group of Rabid, Trend-Whores, with ADD (maybe I’m paraphrasing a bit) that offer very little to the organization itself. And I also like that fact that he might not take some of the fringe fans’ crap. There a lot of fellow Colts’ fans opinions that I don’t share, so why wouldn’t the brains behind the operation who actually provides this fine product also not agree with many fans and show it from time to time? The very fact that he doesn’t blow up on air over some of the borderline idiotic things that are said to him is an achievement in itself.
I also don’t believe that 1 little, tiny, already vindicated decision at all overrides the decade of success he’s had with this franchise. In fact, I wouldn’t even put that decision at more than a tiny, uber small fraction of his entire resume (both the good and the very few rare bads).
SO TO ONE OF THE GREATEST NFL MINDS IN HISTORY… Congratulations for another long overdue Award. You have more than earned this year! Sporting News, where have you been the last 10 years? Polian’s last award was in 1999, uhhh, okay?!?
by XLI on Jan 27, 2010 3:16 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
I HATE YOU BILL
I HATE YOU! WHY, WHY DO THEY CONTINUE TO GLORIFY YOU? YOU CANT EVEN KILL BBS RIGHT, LET ALONE DEAL WITH THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF A FOOTBALL TEAM. THIS AWARD SHOULD HAVE GONE TO GENE SMITH, THEY ARE BUILDING A REAL WINNER DOWN THERE, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, YA HACK? MAYBE THEY COULD HIRE YOU TO DO THEIR PR OR SOMETHING THAT YOU’RE CUT OUT FOR.
PS – After using my Sailor Moon Decoder Ring on the Jim Caldwell presser today, I’m thinking that both JPeezy and DFree will be playing in the dinner supper bowl.
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/8851/freeney-powers-out-of-colts-practice
Never doubt Peyton Manning, he’ll make you look silly
Joseph Addai is a good running back.
Im a douchebag, an asshole, and I'm rarely right.
(Atleast) one-time SBNation Comment of the Day Comment Maker Person!
Hello, Ladies!
soooo
you don’t have a bad feeling about JPeezy and DFree? Oh NOES!! Now I have a bad feeling if you don’t! You’ve always been the best not-prognosticator on this board!
How can you not love a team that does this?
i have a feeling they'll play
but a bad feeling they wont be 100%
Never doubt Peyton Manning, he’ll make you look silly
Joseph Addai is a good running back.
Im a douchebag, an asshole, and I'm rarely right.
(Atleast) one-time SBNation Comment of the Day Comment Maker Person!
Hello, Ladies!
i'll come out with a
bad feeling flow chart.
Never doubt Peyton Manning, he’ll make you look silly
Joseph Addai is a good running back.
Im a douchebag, an asshole, and I'm rarely right.
(Atleast) one-time SBNation Comment of the Day Comment Maker Person!
Hello, Ladies!
Dallas will trade you Jerry Jones and Roy Williams for Polian.
Oh yeah this is the Colts not the Vikings.
No thanks ;-)
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: This is how the Mario games should have ended.
BTW,
the full injury report is out:
http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=injuryreport
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: This is how the Mario games should have ended.
Polian is a great GM, but
a QB like Peyton can make a lot of GMs and coaches look great.
Which is reason #1 that BBS isn't a GM.
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: This is how the Mario games should have ended.
He does a great job, but Peyton
was a no brainer like when Jerry Jones took Troy Aikman
Peyton was a no-brainer in retrospect.
There was a 50/50 split as to whom Indy should select at the time. Mostly because, as has been proven, the majority of pundits are no-brainers.
It’s because our interview process and psychological evaluations are so exemplary that we took Manning.
It was a 50/50 split early,
but as the draft got close it was clear that Peyton was the best choice by most so called “experts”. I’m taking nothing away from Polian he’s the best in the league IMO.
Yeah, no
It was close all the way up until the draft, if anything Peyton had more knocks against him. Like “happy feet”, “can’t win the big one” and believe it or not arm strength. Don’t forget the smear campaign that Steve Spurrier launched against Manning how he can’t "win the big one" and he "can’t win in Florida", even leading up to his first Super Bowl appearance Spurrier was still talking smack about how Peyton can’t win in FL and he can’t win the big games. It was widely believed that Leaf had a stronger arm and more up side.
Polian came out before the draft and said he was going to pick Manning, but, they were considered 1 and 1a. If there was a clear choice that Manning was the 1st pick or a better prospect it was because Polian announced his decision days before the draft.
Defense is more important than breathing.
I guess in my mind
Peyton was the choice from day one, being Archie’s boy and all. I would expect Polian to get it right and he did. SD was hurt by the Leaf choice for years.
Congrats to Bill Polian
This year’s draft class was just another notch in his already great resume. This (besides 98) could easily be the best Colts draft class by a mile. McAfee, Powers, Brown, DeVan, and Collie of course. Then, undrafted FA, Jacob Lacey. Just great finds all around
DeVan
Wasn’t drafted, he came in from AF2.
I also wish I had time and motivation to blog at Speed Blue Nation
Does anyone remember
Which website was it that had all of the players that each NFL team had looked at or interviewed?
Sak vide pa kanpe
You're welcome.
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: This is how the Mario games should have ended.
Off topic
Does anyone know when the Colts decide on who is going to start next year? Is this decided in training camp? I want to find out what is going to happen to Gonzalez.
Hail Manning
Thanks
Do you think he will start of Garcon?
Hail Manning
by Ash Williams on Jan 27, 2010 8:28 PM EST up reply actions
At this point
You have to give Collie and Garcon the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he blows them away in training camp, but you go with the proven thing :P
In football, the object is for the quarterback, otherwise known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his recievers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use the shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.
In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! "I hope I'll be safe at home!"
-George Carlin (RIP)
Gonzo isn't a proven thing?
WTF? Did you watch him in 2007 and 2008? He was amazing.
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: This is how the Mario games should have ended.
Did I say that?
I meant injury-wise. There is no telling how much this injury will affect him, and Garcon and Collie, although Garcon was a bit nicked up, haven’t been injured. At least you know what you are getting with them.
In football, the object is for the quarterback, otherwise known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his recievers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use the shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.
In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! "I hope I'll be safe at home!"
-George Carlin (RIP)
Training camp,
but that is subject to change depending on injuries and further developments during preseason.
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: This is how the Mario games should have ended.
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