The Quote Machine: Bill Polian Umpire Rules

Colts President Bill Polian (8/28/2010)

On the new umpire rule possibly effecting his team more than other teams:

I don’t think that’s a concern. We’ve never had that issue before and if we do the mechanics right, I don’t think it ought to be an issue. It was certainly not the intent. If I thought that would be a bi-product of it, obviously I would not have voted for it. There are mechanical issues that we have identified, but I think most teams see that. It’s not us alone.

On linebacker Gary Brackett's injury:

He’s okay. It’s just a bruise. (LB-Pat) Angerer played very well, but yes, sure (I breathed a sigh of relief). I don’t even talk about injuries in the preseason.

On wide receiver Pierre Garcon's potential:

There is (a) ceiling still. He can get better. He got set back a little bit by the injury. We would have liked to see him have a real full camp in, but he’s doing fine and there is more to go

Polian Conti.

On if he can think of a number of players over the years that have needed the fourth preseason game:

Melvin Bullitt, Gary Brackett, Pierre Garcon, keep naming them. The fact of the matter is that there are not 48 positions determined before we go to training camp. There are probably closer to 38 than 48. And when you’re talking about a 53-man squad and a practice squad, which by the way counts, the fact of the matter is that when you go to camp there are probably 38 spots that you can count on, absent injury, and injury always occurs. So when you’re really talking about it you probably figure that you have 35 spots for a 53-man team. That is a lot of evaluating to do and a lot of practicing to do. Now having said that, if they go to 18 (games), we’ll have to figure out another way, as I’ve said before. I’m not taking a position on that. They’ll determine and we’ll do it. But the fact of the matter is you need training camp, you need evaluations, you need padded practices, you need that work not only to get ready to play football, which is your number one objective, but to find football players, which is objective number 1-A, and I think we’ve done a pretty good job of it over the years.

On if he feels better about QB-Curtis Painter after the last two preseason games:

I haven’t ever felt bad about Curtis Painter. I felt good about him last preseason, and yes, he’s played well in the last two weeks, but we’re not surprised.

On several spots still being open on the team:

Yes, a lot, quite a few. I know there are some people that don’t like to hear that, but the fact of the matter is there are a great many that are still open.