The Case For Bill Polian
by radtad on Jan 15, 2011 2:55 PM EST
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In my time reading the many posts on this site I've really become shocked by the enormous amount of backlash against Bill Polian, particularly over the course of this season. It's obvious much of this negative reaction is based on personal feelings toward Polian as a person or how he handles himself with the media.
Let me start by stating that Bill Polian serves as the Colts Team President. Nowhere in his title does it refer to him as: Buddy To The Media/Bloggers, Caterer to Fans' Wishes or Opinions, or All-around Great Guy. If you are offended by any of this, you should probably stop reading now.
Frankly, I believe Polian's personality serves him well for the position he is in. He doesn't care what the fans think, nor should he. As fans, we are absolutely entitled to our opinions, but that's about it. We follow our favorite teams, often religiously. We want the best for our team and nothing else is acceptable. We eat, sleep, and breathe our favorite team or sport but at the end of the day, most of us don't get paychecks signed by NFL owners.
Bill Polian, however, is paid to mold the Colts into the best team possible. He has done so to the tune of 9 straight playoff appearances. No other NFL team has a current streak of more than 3 straight Playoff Appearances. There are many other facts and figures that are evidence he does a damn good job putting the best 53 men on the field for the Colts. While I don't want to bore you with too many of these I think the Colts fanbase, as evidenced by this site, has lost sight of our team's recent greatness.
-Since Polian arrived in Indy in 1998 no team has reached the Playoffs more often than the Colts.
-The Colts have won 8 Division Titles under Polian's watch (1999, 2003-07, 2009-10).
-The Colts are 141-67 since Polian took the reins. 138-54 since 1999.
-Bill Polian has been named Executive of The Year an unprecedented 6 times, most recently just one year ago in 2009. This is an award voted on by his peers. Whether fans like him or not, the man is obviously respected by the higher-ups within the league.
Polian is often cited here as neglecting the Colts fanbase. Maybe so, but again, Polian's job is not to cater to what fans believe is right.
-In 1998 many Colts fans were clamoring for Ryan Leaf (Polian chose a guy named Peyton)
-In 1999 fans believed Ricky Williams was the prize of the RB Draft Crop (Polian chose Edgerrin James)
-In 2001 fans believed the Colt should address their Defense with the 30th pick (Polian chose Reggie Wayne)
-In 2002 fans believed Dwight Freeney to be a late 1st Rd. prospect at best (Polian chose him at number 11)
-In 2003 fans felt the Colts had much bigger needs to address than TE (Polian chose Dallas Clark)
-In 2004 Colts fans were disappointed they had traded down out of the 1st Rd. (Polian took future Defensive MVP Bob Sanders)
-In 2006 Colts fans were disappointed they had missed out on Lawrence Maroney (Polian chose Joseph Addai)
On top of these unbridled successes in the early rounds, Polian has found late round gems in players most fans hadn't even heard of prior to them landing on the Colts roster. (Robert Mathis 5th Rd '03/Antoine Bethea 6th Rd. '06/Ryan Diem 4th Rd. '04/Clint Session 4th Rd. '07/Mike Hart & Pierre Garcon 6th Rd. '08 to name a few)
If you don't like Polian for personal reasons, that is a you problem. If a Colts fan removes emotion from the equation and doesn't allow themselves to get their feelings hurt, it's impossible to feel that Polian hasn't done a great job putting our team in a position to succeed.
From my perspective, it certainly seems many of the articles written and posted here are done so with an agenda of bashing Bill Polian. Frankly, that's a futile effort as nobody here has any say in the hiring or firing of Colts top executives, and again, nor should we. It does however effectively sway the many fans who don't think for themselves, fans who read negative misguided opinions written on blogs such as these and adopt them as their own, rather than examining facts and doing research of their own.
I for one am sick of reading articles on how Jerry Hughes was nonproductive in his first NFL season. How about an article on how Polian found a starting LB in Pat Angerer in the 2nd Rd.? Or how he found a physical LB with a bright future in the 7th Rd. in Kavell Conner? Ditto for DT Ricardo Matthews. Or how Polian found 4 undrafted players who would end up starting for the Colts in the WC Game against the Jets? (Devan, Saturday, White, Linkenbach)
I believe if more articles were written here with this type of positive perspective towards our own franchise leaders, Polian and the team in general would be viewed in a much more positive light. The bottom line is that we as fans we are supporters of the organization and not decision makers for it. Bill Polian is the man who has been put in charge of the decision making process for the Colts organization. As a man put in this position of great leadership he must limit the number of voices he listens to.
I'm not by any means saying Polian is perfect or that every one of his draft picks or free agency decisions have "hit". I often don't necessarily agree with his decisions. However, whether I agree or not, his NFL Executive track record is unrivaled and there is no one I would rather have running the Colts franchise.
Go Colts.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.
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The man knows talent
When draft time used to come I always looked for the late round or UDFA he brings in, while some of his early round picks barely hit it’s the late rounders that do the most and the UDFA shows the most work ethic.
I would hate if Polian was to leave the Colts franchise, we as fans are blessed to have a great team president.
Colts fan since Tony Dungy's 48th Birthday.
Thank you for this. I have tried to say similar things in a few posts here. But what’ve you said here is much better.
I remember when Irsay was picking for the Colts. He was bad (he’s a good owner though) I remember when Bill Tobin was picking for the Colts. He was probably average for a GM (some worthless tools, but also Marcus Pollard, Tarik Glenn, Marvin Harrison)….but Polian is so much better than his predecessors (as you have shown) it is ridiculous.
Polian is probably the best in the NFL at what he does. Everyone should just enjoy him while we have him.
Bill Polian
4 Superbowl appearences in Buffalo…
Came up empty
Was he playing?
I don’t think so. If Buffalo did it slip through their hands, it wasn’t Polian’s fault. He made the team capable of getting to the big stage four times in a row, and they failed in every single opportunity not because of the Big Redhead.
1970 - 1984 - 2010
"Ignorant people are easier to control"
by trOOly on Jan 16, 2011 11:30 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Sounds like a compliment to me.
Name another GM who put together a team that got to the Super Bowl four years in a row.
by strootster on Jan 16, 2011 12:36 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
most other GM's
dont even make the superbowl
by metal_militia on Jan 18, 2011 9:24 PM EST up reply actions
good point.
It is hard to make even the playoffs.
"I've never seen a supernova blow up, but if it's anything like my old Chevy Nova, it'll light up the night sky" -Philip J. Fry
by Marked Hoosier on Jan 19, 2011 12:44 PM EST up reply actions
Asking for perfect drafts every single year
is totally dumb. He’ll miss on some picks, I agree, but Polian’s late round and UDFA gems make up for those “slips”. I really doubt that anyone who criticizes Polian right now would do a better job than him if the person was on his position.
And the next draft class simply sucks. If he misses there too, I’ll be fine.
1970 - 1984 - 2010
"Ignorant people are easier to control"
Great Post
I was gonna do a fan post that was saying the same things.
Let’s look at the facts. Since his arrival in Indy. Take away Pittsburgh and New England. Who has done a better job than BP? No One. The fact that we even made a playoff appearance speaks volumes about BP, Jim Caldwell, Peyton Manning and the next man up philosophy BP brought with him. BP has brought consistency to Indy. Something Indy fans were used too. Only we were used too consistent losing. Not winning. I only hope Chris Polian is capable of taking the team and not just a beneficiary of nepotism.
If Russia attacked Turkey from the rear, Do you think Greece would help?
by whardiek on Jan 16, 2011 3:38 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I always appreciate opposing points of view and love the tone.
I don’t expect the man to do a perfect job. I liked Jerry Hughes in the first round. Many did. My problems with Polian are mainly with ignoring the line, particularly after he threw them under the bus. To pass up lineman to take a DE, I can see where people would expect him to be special. I also think there is a real problem with cordinators on this team (I’ll leave Caldwell alone because he is not going anywhere).
This offseason will be a real Litmus test for Polian. Does he deserve to be here? There are a couple of things that really need fixing this offeason to prove to me he’s going in the right direction after a shaky year by the front office. First is the offensive line. They do not cut it. There is not much else to say. Special teams has been ignored for years and needs addressing in some fashion this year. The defensive tackle position is still a position of weakness for this team.
You mentioned our playoff appearances and wins records. That is the problem. We need to figure out a way to build this team to make a run in the playoffs, not just win regular season games. We continue to have poor showing in the playoffs. Whether it is coaching or players, I think that it is time to look at what has become a all to common trend of one and done and figure out how to fix it.
by strandedincarolina on Jan 16, 2011 8:10 PM EST reply actions
Great Post
First of all he has admited that taking Hughes in the first round was a mistake. Although if he goes on to play lights out in 20011 everyone will say fantastic pick.
Second it looks like he is looking into the oline this year by signing a player to a futur contract as well as working someone else out.
I hope he plays lights out next year.
I believe he was drafted to replace Mathis.
Not too hot on Saffold. I think better LT prospects in reach this year’s draft.
So on the 18th day God created the Quarter Back, and his name is Peyton Manning.
Again, just my opinion. - The Oracle at Delphi.
by NoCuddleOffense on Jan 16, 2011 10:46 PM EST up reply actions
He didn't admit taking Hughes was a mistake
He was a great value at 31 (at that time), and I’d bet nearly other GM would have done the same in that spot with the same roster. He just said that, in perfect 20/20 hindsight, taking Saffold would have been the better option.
This year, if he takes anyone other than an o-lineman or d-lineman in the first round, I’ll be downright confused. Hopefully more of the same in the second round too, though I won’t be entirely surprised if we snag Austin Pettis if he’s still available.
Polian has to go
I was a big supporter of Bill Polian for a lot of years for ALL of the reasons you listed above. I defended him in conversations and I agree with your assessment of his decisions regarding draft picks; however, as a season ticket holder and an emotionally invested fan of the Colts, I cannot get what happened in week 16 last year out of my craw. Thats right I said emotionally invested, but that is the reason tens of thousands of fans are willing to shuck out thousands of dollars to support their team. You can analyze that to death, but if the Colts were going 5-11 or 2-14 every season, I doubt there would be a season ticket waiting list let alone sell outs every week. Some fans would like to balme Caldwell for intentionally losing a football game in front of the home fans in the second to last week of an undefeated season, but after this season it has become clear that Caldwell is nothing more than Polian’s sideline bobble head. If Polian doesnt care if he pisses the fans off or not, then maybe he shouldnt come on the radio and television every week and make all of those idiotic statements he has made especailly after intentionally throwing a game at home against an inferior team when you are 14-0. Imagine this, if you bought a new car and it turned out to be a lemon how would you react if the sales manager said something like “If you knew anything about cars you never would have bought that one!” You would be ready to ring his neck. So how in the hell do you have the nerve to critcize the fans who pay the high prices for tickets, parking, food, jerseys, hats and other merchandise for being upset with a poor decision and a pompous ass telling them to get over it? Polian has been absolutely beligerent with the fans when they have asked for nothing more than some humility with his explanation of why the Colts chose to intentionally throw a game. The fans deserve better than that. If resting the players and keeping them from getting injured before the playoffs start is so important than why did any of them even dress for the game in Buffalo the following week? Just to pad their stats and get their incentive pay? What if one of them would have got hurt?
by First Sergeant on Jan 17, 2011 12:21 PM EST reply actions
Venting
Maybe I am venting, but I am a paying customer and I think Polian, Irsay and Caldwell all handled that situation very poorly. If Manning is wearing anything other than a Colts Uniform in 2012, I wonder how many fans will go back and question the genious of Polian then. Arent you the least bit curious why the Colts announced at the end of last season that thier top priority in the off season was to re-sign Manning and here we are at the end of this season and still no contract or even an indication of a new contract?
by First Sergeant on Jan 17, 2011 2:49 PM EST up reply actions
I think you're trying too hard to make your argument
Manning has said that he wants to wait until the offseason to discuss the contract (same reason he doesn’t have kids — he wants to focus on the next opponent, not a dollar figure). Irsay expects it to get done quietly, without the media circus that most of the public would like to see.
So no, I’m not curious, because I’ve been following the team and I’m aware of news like this. I’m not worried. You shouldn’t be either.
Hold on a second here...
Top, here, has a point (Top, for you non-military types is a 1st Sergeant).
The Manning contract will be very quiet. I agree 100%. What I don’t agree with is everyone’s thoughts that Manning is dead-set on remaining in Indy. And who can blame him. If he looks at an Arizona, Dallas, Minnesota team… they have comparable talent ready to play. Although they are always one injury from disaster, unlike the Colts next-man-up mantra. So why wouldn’t he tell his agent to tender offers, even if he isn’t really interested in leaving?
Remember, this is a profession. If your company’s competitor offered you a lot more money and benefits, wouldn’t you at least THINK about moving on? Why wouldn’t Peyton?
Now, I would hate Peyton moving on (probably) more than many on here: because I was in the stands every game for the Pagel, Trudeau, George, Hogeboom years. I don’t really want to see those again, and without Peyton… we will se those years again.
Lets go do what we do.
My point Exactly Coltsince89
The media and a lot of fans on this blog are all repeating the same montra that Manning will definately re-sign with the Colts, and they may very well be correct. But if Manning was absolutely certain he wanted to finsh his career in Indy, the deal would have been done before the start of the 2010 season. Manning announced during the season that he wanted all contract talks/negotiations suspended until the season was over when he could think about it and focus on only the negotiations. If he was 100% positive he was staying with the Colts, what is there to think about, his agent takes care of the rest. If he doesnt re-sign, the Colts will hang the franchise tag on him for 2011, and with the lockout looming, Manning will be looking to go somewhere else in 2012. I never even contemplated this scenario until the season started and there was still no contract with Manning, even though it was supposed to be priority number one for Irsay and Polian after the Superbowl last season. But the possibility of Manning leaving Indy became a little more feasible when Manning shut down all negotiations until after the end of this season. I beleive this was a signal for Colts fans to start worrying because Manning is probably looking at all of his options right now which likely include Arizona, Houston, Tennessee, Denver, Minnesota or maybe even Miami. Dont be surprised if one of the negotiating points for Manning involves John Gruden coming in as head coach of his new team in 2012.
Im not saying that this scenario is a given, or that I can read minds, but the only reason Manning has put this off for so long is because he wants to take the time to weigh all of his options which almost has to include leaving the Colts.
by First Sergeant on Jan 18, 2011 12:12 PM EST up reply actions
Who will the fans blame
If Manning does leave the Colts, how many of you fans out there carrying the water for Polian will blame him for running the greatest QB in the game out of town when Irsay was ready to break the bank to keep him around.
by First Sergeant on Jan 18, 2011 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
Will you stop this when Manning is re-signed?
If that happened, I would blame Polian. Nearly everyone here would, except for the remedial school children begging for Manning to go to the Cards or Panthers.
In other news, if the Dalai Lama went on a shooting spree and killed dozens of people, I would lose my respect for him. It’s another event that won’t happen, but if you insist on dealing with hypotheticals, I’d like to make my opinion known on that one too.
Facing reality of the situation
Nice Dalai Lama comparison, but you are missing the point. The Dalai Lama is not likely to ever go on a shooting rampage, but the closer we get to the impending free agency deadline, the more funny guys like you will start to pay attention and believe that Manning may leave Indianapolis. If Manning hasnt signed a new contract by mid April, then we can all be sure he is through with the Colts after 2011. This is not what I want, and I am certainly hoping it will not play out that way, but it is a scenario Colts fans should at least consider for now. It is absolutely ludicrous at this point in time for everyone to automatically assume Manning is committed to the Colts for the rest of his career until the ink is on the contract. I just wonder if Polian Jr has as big an ego as his majesty has?
by First Sergeant on Jan 18, 2011 3:40 PM EST up reply actions
They will franchise him anyway, as a matter of protocol, "so he won't get away"
Polian said he would. And manning refused to talk deal before or during the season. It doesn’t mean anything except that’s the way he always handles his contract
by caldwellmotivatesME on Jan 18, 2011 6:23 PM EST up reply actions
Yes, and here's a little government business blurb brought to you by the US Army
the sure-fire way to run off a Soldier is to ’Stop Loss" them. IE. Involuntarily extend their contract for a year. Thus the Army quit doing it.
Franchising the greatest QB to ever play the sport is the biggest slap in a players face I can think of.
Polian/Irsay: “I think you’re fantastic, but I ain’t paying you that kind of money”
Manning: “When I’m at _, I’ll circle the calendar every year I play Indianapolis.”
Lets go do what we do.
by Coltsince89 on Jan 18, 2011 11:46 PM EST up reply actions
Logical response
The point of the tag is to keep him until they work out a proper contract – not to use it year after year until they’re done with him. When have the Colts ever done this?
And besides, the organization using its only tag on him in some ways acknowledges just how important he is. How is that insulting?
Last time was to another QB...
that’s now the Head Coach in ‘frisco. The name was Harbaugh. I don’t remember the year, but they Franchised him after the loss to the Steelers in the AFCCG.
I don’t recall them ever getting a new contract done after that. If my memory serves, Harbaugh left the following year to play backup somewhere else (Philly?).
My true point is, this organization owes Peyton big time and they shouldn’t delay any longer getting this done. As I said before, Peyton is probably looking at other options simply because it’s his right to do so. Whether he would take any of them seriously is another matter. I don’t want to lose Manning over Polian or Irsay’s current psychological trauma.
Lets go do what we do.
"the deal would have been done before the start of the 2010 season"
I stopped reading there. Its 100% certain he will resign with a 0% chance of error
by metal_militia on Jan 18, 2011 9:20 PM EST up reply actions
only reason he doesn't have a contract yet
is due to the complexity of the contract and how it will play out with the CBA
by metal_militia on Jan 18, 2011 9:22 PM EST up reply actions
Im sure your right
But I beleive there is a 1-4 chance that Manning is considering his options before he commits. Nothing is 100% certain until its done. I do believe Manning will resign with the Colts, but I think playing devil’s advocate is a good way to consider all the scenarios.
Naptime, if you read my post a little closer you will see that I said after the 2011 season which accounts for the inevitible franchise tag that would be placed on PM if he doesnt resign.
by First Sergeant on Jan 20, 2011 3:29 PM EST up reply actions
First sargent?
I think your statement about the top priority is out of line. Last season it was very important to get PM’s contract done, however, lack of collective bargaining agreement and pressure from the NFLPA was the reason PM’s contract isn’t done. You can’t blame BP for that. Peyton’s contract isn’t just important to Colts fans, it’s super important for the NFLPA. NFLPA wants to make sure PM is the highest paid player ever, thus setting a new salary high. They theory is, if PM can demand such a lofty salary from a small market then, the owners are bullshitting when they cry poor. So, in fairness, you can’t blame BP for that.
If Russia attacked Turkey from the rear, Do you think Greece would help?
Statement about top priority wasnt mine it was Irsay's
Irsay and Polian both publicly stated after the end of the 2009 season that getting Manning resigned before the start of the 2010 season would be their top priority. Dont beat me up for repeating their words.
Look, there seems to be a lot of people carrying the water for BP. Fine, go right ahead, but all my non-Colts fans are still asking me WTF about the last two games of last season. I have no answer and neither do any of you because that is how BP wants it. He basically told us all the next day on his radio show to shut up because we are not smart enough to understand the complexities of the game and why the decision was made to throw the game. BP’s philosophy about “rest em before the playoffs” has been an absolute catastrophe during the career of the greatest QB the game has ever seen. Think back to 2006 and remember that the Colts were 4-3 in the last 7 games of the season with losses to all 3 of our division rivals. They had to play hard right up to the end of the season in order to secure the #3 seed in the playoffs. Polian couldnt rest em that year, and the momentum they picked up by winning the last game of the season against Miami carried them through to the Super Bowl.
When I see the following statement in a post about Polian then I know the person who wrote it is carrying the water for the guy, and not providing critical analysis of his decisions and how they effect the fans.
“If you don’t like Polian for personal reasons, that is a your problem. If a Colts fan removes emotion from the equation and doesn’t allow themselves to get their feelings hurt, it’s impossible to feel that Polian hasn’t done a great job putting our team in a position to succeed.”
Just so we all understand each other here; the word fan is a derivative of the word fanatic. The definition of Fanatic: a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal, as in religion or politics. If fans werent emotional they wouldnt be fans would they, and they wouldnt spend the money that makes it possible for Irsay to pay the big salaries to BP, PM or anybody else in the organization. Judging by BP’s statements regarding any kind of criticism for what happend in week 16 last season, I have come to the conclusion that the man takes the fans for granted. and he doesnt deserve the kind of support so many of you folks want to keep giving him.
by First Sergeant on Jan 20, 2011 3:10 PM EST up reply actions
One more point and I will let it rest
The 2009 season was a huge disappointment to Colts fans, not only because we lost the Superbowl, but we watched our team miss a once in a lifetime opportunity to do something special by going undefeated in the regular season. If the Colts would have put their best foot forward and still lost the game against the Jets or the Bills, fans would have been disapointed but we wouldnt be having these conversations about Polian or Caldwell. It was that one decision that left so many fans (and players) feeling betrayed that has fueled the fire for all of this criticism of Polian and Caldwell.
by First Sergeant on Jan 20, 2011 3:21 PM EST up reply actions
1st Sarge is making a mountain out of a molehill
Wow, week 16 is still in your craw, all right. Can I echo Polian and say, “get over it”? Just because you shuck out ticket money doesn’t mean you get to dictate the product on the field. If Missouri is the “show-me” state, Indiana must be the “good-money” state, because I must hear "well I paid good money … " at least 10 times a week followed by some lame story of aggrieved entitlement. How tiresome.
Have you ever gotten a rebate from cinema ticket from a flick that wasn’t as good as advertised? Understudies perform all the time in a theatre, and the audience isn’t told beforehand or given a discount. You go to the doctor, a restaurant, or a mechanic, and your regular guy isn’t there, yeah, i guess you can walk out and come back later, but usually you just take the next guy available and pay the same price, don’t ya? Or do you forever hold a grudge against a company when their people take vacations, are sick, or let the trainee handle your order? Bosses make personnel decisions all the time.
It was a judgment decision by Polian intended for the best long-term interests of the team. I’m sure he had no intention of screwing you out of enjoying that 1/10th of your season ticket’s value. It wasn’t like the team made extra money overall by that move (it wasn’t a profit-motivated ploy, i mean). He was trying to finagle more success in the playoffs for us. We got to the superbowl. We lost. C’est la vie, baby. Onward & upward.
Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game and dumb enough to think it's important. -- Eugene J. McCarthy
by zherebyonki on Jan 21, 2011 3:51 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
zherebyonki is making a mole hill out of a mountain
None of your points are relevant. If the mechanic screws up, you take the car back until he gets it right. If your getting ready to have brain surgery, you ask for an experienced nuero surgeon not the intern? If you go to a shitty movie, and the popcorn is stale, do you just keep eating it, or do you go ask for fresh popcorn? If you buy a new car and it turns out to be a lemon, do you take it back to the dealership or do you just let it sit in your driveway while you make the payments. And how would you react if you took the car back to the dealer and the sales manager says to your face, “An intelligent man would have never bought that car (kind of like Polian insinuating that paying fans arent intelligent enough to understand his genious while not offeing up any explanations for his decisions).” If your favorite NFL team intentionally does not put their best foot forward during a football game, do you not have the right to form an opinion regarding the decisions which led to the outcome of that game? Is it possible those opinions may impact the way fans and others view the individuals responsible for those decisions. Expecting the team you support to put their best foot forward during a game that the outcome had not yet been decided is not a sense of entitlement. It is a fans right and a paying customers expectation. It would have served Polian and Caldwell well if they would have at least shown some humility toward the fans afterward. During the week leading up to this game the media specifically asked them if they were going to pull the starters in this game, and Caldwell and Polian both led everyone to beleive they werent. Judging by the body language and looks on Mannning and the other starters faces after they were pulled, they didnt care much for the decision either.
You want to carry water for Polian, go ahead, but dont discount the opinions of thousands of fans just because its no skin off your nose. Over the years Polian has made it very clear through his actions and words that he doesnt give a shit about you or me or any other fan. He wouldnt piss on you if you were on fire. My guess is you have never seen the inside of Lucas Oil Stadium or the RCA Dome therefore you have never dropped the cash for season tickets or parking or food or anything else. You may see this as making a mountain out of a mole hill, but judging by the fan response to last season and the microscope that nearly everyone is using to judge Polian and Caldwell’s actions right now it is safe to say that most of the FANS are still pissed off about it and will be for a long time to come. Telling fans to get over it doesnt change the fact that week 16 of the 2009 season is a prizm Polian and Caldwell created that they will forever more be viewed through by Colts fans.
by First Sergeant on Jan 21, 2011 1:33 PM EST up reply actions
i've been to about 10 colts games, in both venues, but no i'm not season-ticket privleged
I’ve never left early. I love preseason games. I personally like watching some backups, seeing what’s in the cupboard on the back shelf. I’m sorry you got duped, but i think 85% of colts fans who had watched previous polian playoff runs closely weren’t surprised by week 16 at all, but every media outlet fanned the flames of the 15% that
got irked.
I’m sorry you didn’t like my metaphors from other industries. How about we stick with sports. If you go to a boxing match scheduled for 12 rounds and one guy is clearly outclassing the other, destined to win on points, do you expect him to absolutely go for a knockout even if it means exposing his jaw to a lucky punch that could reverse his tide of victory? What about NBA games when playoff position is locked up? What about if Jimmy Johnson & his pit crew want to play it conservative and not risk wrecking their ride if there’s just a couple races left before the Chase (or whatever it’s called) begins and they’ve locked up their berth?
In short, a GM can’t placate all the fans all the time. He’s gotta decide what’s worth squandering manpower over. Instead of focusing on the “prism,” i’m going to step back, look though the whole window, and appreciate the wonderful vista that is due to the landscaping of Polian and Irsay. Prisms bend light. Don’t look at a twisted, refracted image, see the whole.
Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game and dumb enough to think it's important. -- Eugene J. McCarthy
I know of no one who cares about week 16 anymore.
The only place I hear the week 16 stuff and hyperbolic anti-Polianism is on this site. I simple don’t encounter it anywhere else. That is anecdotal evidence and has little value but I think it points to a disproportional representation of the “get ride of Polian” fans on SB.
As soon as I disagree with demonizing Polian, I am called an idiot or accused of “carrying water for Polian”. I disagree with some of the decisions Polian has made and in my daily life I tend to be much more critical than other fans. But on SB I rarely get a chance to be critical because I find myself trying to balance out some over the top ridiculous unfounded accusation, critique or simple insult toward Polian(or Caldwell).
I come here to talk about the Colts, not Bill Polian all the frackin’ time. Its tiresome, move on.
So on the 18th day God created the Quarter Back, and his name is Peyton Manning.
Again, just my opinion. - The Oracle at Delphi.
by NoCuddleOffense on Jan 21, 2011 4:26 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
You're an idiot
I accuse you of carrying water for Polian.
(sorry, I just wanted to show that you’re right)
zherebyonki is really Bill Polian
Either you are really Bill Polian pretending to be someone else, or you are suffering from the same superiority complex BP does. You spout statistics as if you gathered them from some impirical study in order to make your point. If you believe 85% of Colts fans are pleased with Polian, then it is likely you are getting most of your information from the Indianpolis media and the Indy Star. I will admit that Polian’s record as a GM is untouchable in the regular season, but his teams have consistently performed poorly in the playoffs for decades. This is not my opionion, it is not conjecture, and it is not whining, it is simply a statement of fact. We can argue all day long about why this seems to be a problem, but in the end it doesnt change the fact that in the playoffs with the exception of 2006 the Colts have been the biggest underachievers in the NFL.
I will concede that Polian usually gets it right in the draft, but for the last four years it would be safe to say he’s lost his touch. I have only attempted to point out the fact that if the man would show just a little humility once in a while he would probably get a lot less grief. If you read my original post you will see that I said I was one of the fans, much like yourself, who used to never question the man or his decisions even when he seemed to get it wrong.
The prism I spoke of was created by Polian and is a result of Colts fans being sick of years of arrogance and insults directed toward anyone who questions this mans decisions. This anger with Polian has been brewing for several years now and much of it stems from his end of the season philosphy of resting the starters. It seemed to finally come to a head last season after week 16. There was a helluva lot more than 15% of the fans booing that decision during that game and they walked out of their pissed and rightfully so.
You may think Im an idiot or a whiner but her are just a few subtle indicators that are pointing toward Colts fans being very unhappy with their team.
1. Tens of thousands of season ticket holders opted out of early purchasing playoff tickets this year and it wasnt until the 11th hour before the game sold out preventing a local television blackout.
2. This season from week one forward, I noticed a lot of non Colts fans sitting in season ticket holders seats. There is always a smattering of opposing team fans around the stadium, but this year it was frequently a lot more than just a smattering. I was surrounded by Cowboys fans during the Dallas game and it only got worse after that.
3. The fact that anyone would feel the need to write an article or post a blog making the case for an NFL general manager is another indicator that this man may have worn out his welcome in Indy.
If you asked a Steelers, Patriots, Packers or Jets fan who the GM for their favorite team is most would have no clue. If you ask any NFL fan who the GM for the Colts is, at least half would know its Polian. When you draw a lot of attention toward yourself some of it is bound to be negative.
by First Sergeant on Jan 24, 2011 10:42 AM EST up reply actions
zherebyonki
one of the more thoughtful participants here. Take it easy. Be nice. No one thinks you’re an idiot. Some people think you’re wrong. That’s all. And let’s knock off the “carrying th water”, “making excuses” bullshit: It’s nothing more than an effort to stop the real discussion before it begins.
1) The colts didn’t make the playoffs until week 17. The economy is bad etc
2) I’m surrounded by dallas fans right now. So are you. You can’t escape America’s Team- even in yr home stadium. It’s a fact of life, not an indicator of fans being fed up with Bill Polian. Maybe this is an indicator that you need to upgrade your seats.
3) How many times has Polian been voted, by his peers, exec of the year? He gets attention because he’s really good at his job.
by caldwellmotivatesME on Jan 24, 2011 12:04 PM EST up reply actions
Im sitting at street level
Nothing wrong with my seats and until this year, not many of my fellow season ticket holders in my section ever sold their tickets, especially to the opposing team. I think the negotiations with Manning and the upcoming season will determine the future of both Bill and Chris Polian with the Colts organizaiton. Polian is promising to go to the free agency pool this year to solve some problems and surround Manning with the personnel he will need to make another run or two at the Superbowl. If he does what he says he is going to do, and it works then Colts fans will be happy, and guys like me will go back to not questioning the man’s decisions.
It is almost a certainty that the key negotiating points for Manning’s new deal have more to do with personnel (both players and coaches) than money because Irsay has made it very clear money wasnt going to be an issue in re-signing. It does seem kind of strange though, that before the deal is even close to being done, Polian has already publicly stated he is going to use the free agency pool which is very unlike Bill Polian. He wouldnt be doing it, or saying it, if it wasnt a factor in getting Manning re-signed. Let the games begin!
by First Sergeant on Jan 24, 2011 2:24 PM EST up reply actions
Regarding Jim Caldwell
It would seem, for now anyway, that Caldwell’s job is safe, but if he continues to get outclassed and outcoached, he will be gone. He may have the same coaching style as Dungee, but judging by the body language over on the sidelines, he doesnt command the same respect or confidence from the players that Dungee had. Time will tell there too.
by First Sergeant on Jan 24, 2011 2:27 PM EST up reply actions
Dungy.
Dude brought the Colts the only Super Bowl in Indianapolis. Have the courtesy to at least spell his name correctly.
The guy from the Australian movies was Crocodile Dundee, but our head coach was Tony Dungy.
Crocodile Dundee for Colts President!
I’m being facetious, of course, but I wonder if this would gain traction anyway…
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Jan 24, 2011 7:05 PM EST up reply actions
that's not a knoife.... this is a knoife
by caldwellmotivatesME on Jan 25, 2011 10:09 AM EST up reply actions
I shouldn't mock the Australian accent...
given I’m a New Zealander and it’s all-too-close to my own.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Jan 25, 2011 5:02 PM EST up reply actions
Sounds a bit more pure...
Like ’twere Shakespeare himself.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by insertscreenname on Jan 26, 2011 7:27 AM EST up reply actions
The Australian accent, not the New Zullund one.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by insertscreenname on Jan 26, 2011 7:28 AM EST up reply actions
Dungy
Not sure why I mispelled it. I surley meant no disrespect, he is truly a great man.
by First Sergeant on Jan 25, 2011 11:53 AM EST up reply actions
If you asked a Steelers, Patriots, Packers or Jets fan who the GM for their favorite team is most would have no clue.
Steelers = the Rooneys, and Kevin Colbert doing the groundwork.
Patriots = Bill Belichick. Nick Caserio and Floyd Reese do the groundwork, but it’s BB in charge.
Packers = Board of Directors, and in particular Ted Thompson.
Jets = Mike Tannenbaum, an ex-Belichick Front Office employee from the Browns.
And that’s just off the top of my head.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Jan 24, 2011 7:03 PM EST up reply actions
Just making a point
I did say most woud have no clue. I will give you cudos for naming all four like that and accept at face value you really did know them off the top of your head. Go to any sports bar in America and ask every person sitting there in an NFL jersey the same question, see how many get it right.
by First Sergeant on Jan 25, 2011 11:52 AM EST up reply actions
I bet Steelers and Patriots would know.
Don’t know about Jets. Packers probably.
Peyton Manning= Better.
by JesusNinja13 on Jan 25, 2011 12:15 PM EST up reply actions
Name a personnel guy who gets every draft pick right.
Seriously, we’re expecting way much of Polian when it comes to draft picks. He’s been very, very good.
-- Life is to short to take everything serious. Especially sports blogs.
Nice post, go back to Buffalo
1-6 in superbowls, remember what superbowl buffalo won, thats rt not one. he built this team exactly like he built buffalo, so I really don’t expect to many superbowl victories from them. Small defensive and offensive lines, fullback ? whats that , colts don’t believe in one. I hope he leaves this fricking organization, go draft another rb, since the offensive line is so good, if it wasn’t for Manning, Polian would be exposed for the crappy team he built, instead it’s the team manning carried the whole way, 3-13 at best without him, so the rest of the team would fall on Polian, hope that man rots one day.
This is stupid.
YOU CAN’T HAVE ELITE PLAYERS AT EVERY POSITION.
We have Peyton Manning, and have paid him an insane amount of money (he’s worth every penny), which means we have to find unknowns for some positions. If the teams were good enough to get to the Super Bowl that many times, then they were good enough to win it, unfortunately, they didn’t. Football is a game in which the better team does not always win.
Peyton Manning= Better.
by JesusNinja13 on Jan 17, 2011 8:25 PM EST up reply actions
um, Colts are not built ANYTHING like the AFC dominant Bill
Thurman Thomas is a HoF RB. While I think the first 6 years here, you might have had a case; Addai, Rhodes, Brown, Hart, James (REDUX) are no where near Thurman Thomas calibre.
We have no Darryl Talley style LBs either.
Now, a history of having issues winning the SB… okay. Point taken. But he has a totally different strategy in Indy than he did in Buffalo.
Lets go do what we do.
I'm not even sure what point you're trying to make.
Between your poor use of sarcasm and your silly logic, I don’t know what you’re attempting to say. Whatever it is, though, it’s wrong.
right
that way we can go back to having 1-6 starts in the regular season instead
by metal_militia on Jan 18, 2011 9:17 PM EST up reply actions
Once again Polian shows his genious
Polian just fired long time RB coach Gene Huey. This is the guy who managed to get Hart, Addai and Rhodes to average more than 4 yards per carry behind a not very good O-line this season. Huey is the same guy who coached Marshall Faulk, Edge, Roosevelt Potts, etc… all with great success. So did the greatest football mind in the history of the NFL need another scapegoat? Last year Ryan Lilja was the scapegoat, now it looks like one of the best RB coaches in the game is his majesty’s scapegoat. Assuming Gene Huey still wants to coach in the NFL, he will not be unemployed for very long.
by First Sergeant on Jan 18, 2011 12:47 PM EST reply actions
Bill Polian is the smartest GM in the biz
to even think about “retiring” him as some people suggest (although what they really want is for him to be fired) is ludicrous. What people must realize is that players don’t become instant stars from there rookie year. With Polians track record of players, it took a few years before they became key players. Hell it even took Bruce Smith a while before he became a dominant force
If I was a Colts fan
I’d never forgive him for giving up on a perfect season. I know thats likely not the right thing to do, but I would do it anyways.
I don’t know that much about the Colts, but it seems like you have an average at best team- Manning is great, Wayne is great, but the o-line is weak, the run game is average at best, and the rest of the receivers don’t seem consistent.
The defense has one of the best pass-rushes, but it fails at stopping the run. Its pass defense doesn’t seem to be spectacular, either.
If you don’t blame this on Polian, who do you blame it on?
by New Century Silver on Jan 19, 2011 2:09 PM EST reply actions
By "average at best" I mean complete.
Your a better team then the Jets, but the Jets are more complete. So are the Vikings, Pats, Ravens, Steelers, Packers, etc.
by New Century Silver on Jan 19, 2011 2:11 PM EST up reply actions
Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, Anthony Gonzalez, Ryan Diem, Jamey Richard, Antonio Johnson, Bob Sanders, Cody Glenn, Melvin Bullitt, Chip Vaughn, Al Afalava, Jamie Silva, Kelvin Hayden, Jerraud Powers, Kevin Thomas, Devin Moore.
The list of players who were inactive for the Jets game (and the majority of the season) is almost a complete team by themselves.
With all your players healthy
would you consider yourselves complete? As in, average or better at running, pass rushing, quarterback, receivers, cornerbacks, d-line, 0-line, and special teams?
by New Century Silver on Jan 19, 2011 4:52 PM EST up reply actions
Considering that you don't have to be average or better
at all of those things to win a Super Bowl… No we’re not.
But neither has
New Orleans (2009): 20th in scoring defense, 26th in pass defense, 21st in run defense, 31st in punt returns, 24th in Field Goal percentage, and 29th in KO coverage.
Pittsburgh (2008): 17th in passing, 29th in rushing, 20th in scoring, 29th in kick returns, last in punt returns, and 25th in Punting.
New York (2007): 24th in Passing, receivers below average (22nd by stats), 21st in KO coverage, 27th in Punt returns, 25th in Punting, and 17th in points per game (defense).
We all know the Colts weren’t average or better in all those categories in 2006 either. In fact, I think you’ll be hard pressed to find any team that is average or better at ALL of those things.
Peyton Manning= Better.
by JesusNinja13 on Jan 19, 2011 6:34 PM EST up reply actions
Well
I’d say the Vikings are acceptable in all categorizes. No part of their team is a glaring weakness. As for you, I often hear Colts fans blame their 9-10 playoff record on the defense, o-line, etc. This is, IMO, a legitimate complaint. If you agree that it is the o-line and defense that is the problem, shouldn’t Polian be improving those parts of the team?
As I said I’m an outside looking in – I don’t know all the ins and outs. It just seems to me like a few key players such as Dwight Freeney, Peyton, Collie and Wayne have been carrying the entire team on his back for sevearl years at least.
by New Century Silver on Jan 19, 2011 7:06 PM EST up reply actions
Yes, this team has weaknesses, I'll be the first to admit that.
But every team has weaknesses, you don’t need to have a perfect team to win it all. Even the Vikings, they don’t have a good quarterback. But yes, this team should have a better D and O-line.
Peyton Manning= Better.
by JesusNinja13 on Jan 19, 2011 10:26 PM EST up reply actions
I almost made a very vehement response to this...
until I read your profile…Troll
New Century Silver: “I respect the Buccaneers, Falcons, 49ers, and Chargers, while also hating the Colts, Jets, Giants, and every other New York sports team.”
Lets go do what we do.
what about last 5 years # 1 picks????
you mention how great he was up to 2006 then nothing about 07 to present…
not to mention names but he has been horrible for last 5 years.
Time to kick him to the curb.
bad bad bad Polian decisions...
Ugoh, Brown, Gonzalez, Lilja, Scott, Brock, Pitcock, Dungy(said he wanted out of football to be near family but is working every week on T.V.), Hughes, Stokely, Tim Jennings, Marlin Jackson,Rhodes. Caldwell (can I get a timeout from the choir?) Huey…
probably forgetting a few…
You're missing something here.
Brown deserves more time, and an offensive line. Gonzalez is a good receiver when healthy. Dungy: working TV once a week is not nearly the same as a Head Coach. Hughes has only been here one year, Jackson clinched us a Super Bowl berth, Rhodes has been great.
Peyton Manning= Better.
by JesusNinja13 on Jan 20, 2011 8:58 PM EST up reply actions
To continue
Tim Jennings has proven he’s actually a decent corner, and probably worth the 3rd-round pick from which he was taken; he filled a specific need for us, which everyone except the d-coordinator disagreed with. I’m not sure what you mean by bad decisions regarding Brock & Stokley; if it’s for their original drafting (in the 4th and 7th rounds, respectively), they were worth every penny; if it’s for the fact that they did well after being released, it was pretty clear they were on the decline at the time of their release and many were calling for their release. Pitcock was a mediocre pick-up, but I don’t think anyone (you, I, and the rest of the world included) foresaw him getting depressed and hooked on video games – it’s hard to fault Polian for not consulting a psychic about him beforehand.
Releasing Lilja? Sure, that was a bad move. Ugoh busting? Everyone (including BBS) praised him right after the draft but he ended up flopping hard, but for the sake of argument, we’ll let Polian take the blame for that one too. Caldwell’s playoff timeout as well. That makes three bad decisions in 13 years, which is a pretty good track record in the NFL. There’s a reason the guy is one of the most respected GMs in the business. Would you prefer Matt Millen instead? He did wonders with the Lions and I hear he’s available right now.
And I don't have to think particularly hard to think of three recent mistakes by Belichick in drafting...
And I may have to use google, but I bet I could find 3 roster errors by the Steelers, Ravens, Chargers, Saints, Jets… etc.
The fact is that the Colts roster and coaching and… etc… was good enough to get them to a Super Bowl 11 months ago. It was good enough to have the Colts with ball in hand on a drive to potentially tie the game with 3.30 on the clock. The play that sealed it was Manning (best draft pick of Polian’s career) throwing to Wayne (top-5 best draft pick of Polian’s career).
It wasn’t Polian’s drafting that blew that play or that game.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Jan 20, 2011 9:58 PM EST up reply actions
Polians great moves...
Drafting guys when we don’t need them. We had Stokely and he drafts Gonzo. We had Rhodes and he drafts Brown. We had Brock and he drafts Hughes. We had decent gurads – gets rid of them and drafts guards and centers.
His ego keeps getting in the way of sound decisions.
re: Dungy – he spends as much time away from Tampa as he did when coaching. Won’t be long before he is back coaching I bet…
Polian didn’t lose the Super Bowl – just threw Lilja and Scott under the bus afterwards…
Colts had Jim Harbaugh and he drafts Peyton Manning...
Colts had Marshall Faulk and he drafts Edgerrin James…
Colts had Edgerrin James and he drafts Joseph Addai…
Or if you’re looking for non-player acquisitions
Colts had Jim Mora and he hires Tony Dungy…
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Jan 20, 2011 10:34 PM EST up reply actions
You guys are right...
Polian is the best for the Colts. Can’t wait to talk about the next hot 5th rd find.
No need to waste our lives discussing anything else.
Timeouts at the end of games really are not that important anyways.I bet next year someone else gives away timeouts to opposing teams- we can’t be the ONLY team that has done it – twice.
would have been nice to say Colts had Caldwell but hired Harbaugh
I cannot detect one ounce of sarcasm in your post
With that said, I agree! Maybe he’ll find another great DB late in the draft, like Antoine Bethea! fingers crossed
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