Recap Of The Bill Polian Show: Week 2, 2011

After Bill Polian's meltdown on the radio following the Colts now-infamous handling of the Week Sixteen game against the New York Jets in 2009, the Colts have blocked the call-in radio program named 'The Bill Polian Show' from Internet listeners. This show features Colts vice chairman Bill Polian, and it allows regular Colts fans to call-in and ask him questions which he, frequently, gets annoyed answering. It is the only Colts content that is not streamed live on the net. Thus, because Colts fans outside the Indianapolis area cannot listen in on the show, we provide highlights from the program, which often include Bill Polian saying things he later claims he did not say. However, since the Colts and Mr. Polian do not provide fans or media with recordings of the show, you'll just have to take our word that what we write below is indeed what Mr. Polian actually said. Hope you enjoy.

Well, it's now Week 2, and for the first time since Peyton Manning's rookie year, 1998, the Indianapolis Colts are 0-2 to start a season. But, interestingly, team vice chairman Bill Polian did not seem to terribly upset about it. In fact, all show long, he talking about the need for everyone to have 'cold-hearted realism' when managing expectations for this team.

He also said Curtis Painter is a good quarterback and he mocked people like Tony Dungy who say the Colts defense is 'built to play with a lead.'

Once again, the Indy Star thanked me for live tweeting the event:

Great job tonight and thanks for all the Tweets. Saved me from having to sit in my car for the past hour.

I'll also reiterate that yes, it is indeed stupid that 'The Bill Polian Show' is blocked on the Internet at the request of the Colts. Just another example of how, at the end of the day, this front office really doesn't give two craps about its fans. So, don't feel bad if you sell your Steelers tickets this Sunday.

Now, onto the show!

• Polian started out by saying the Colts improved on many things this past Sunday. The team tackled better and played run 'a whole heckuva lot better.'
• Polian said the team was physical against the run.
• Polian then took one of his three shots at the 'pundits,' mocking the old adage about how tough team s run the ball and stop the run. He cited how Indy ran the ball for 4.2 a carry, and held Cleveland to 3.1 a carry. He neglected to add that Cleveland ran for over 100 yards, scored a very big TD on a 24-yard TD run, and that the Colts, once again, abandoned the run in the fourth quarter. But, hey, that's Bill.

• Polian preached that the 'secret' of winning football games is converting on third down, citing Colts woeful percentage on 3rd down yesterday.
• Polian said he was pleased with how team played physically. Did 'some good things' in passing game.
• Polian felt the only problem is the backend on defensive, but that can be corrected with 'technique.' He also said there were technique' errors in secondary, not blow any coverages.
  
• Polian said play of special teams was 'very average.' Said Josh Cribbs is the best returner in the NFL.
• Polian: 'We'll get better as the weeks go on'
• Polian said the key play in game was the 3rd and one that was not converted. It was a 'missed block.'
• Polian praised Dick Jauron, Cleveland's DC. Said Cleveland secondary was very good. 'Heckuva football coach.'
• Polian said quarterback Kerry Collins did improve and got better. Polian also called Collins, aA work in progress.' For me, this is the first time I've ever heard Polian say that. Prior to Sunday, Collins was a 'tough' veteran who could learn the offense in a week because he's seen every offense in creation. Now, he's a 'work in progress.'
• When asked about the downward start to the season, Polian said there's no 'god given right' to win ten games every year. Health is a big reason why teams win and lose, and in Indy's case, they got an injury to one area they could not afford to get hurt (Peyton Manning). For me, log this way next time you hear the Colts utter 'Next man up.'
• Polian basically stated that the reason the Colts offense sucks right now is because only Peyton Manning can run it properly. Manning's experience and his ability to prepare make this offense tough for other QBs to work in. For me, seems kind of silly to have an offense that completely flattens out if one guy cannot play. But, that's just me.
• Polian: 'I understand fans are frustrated. When I drive home on Sundays, I'm as frustrated as can be.'
• Polian: We must be 'cold-hearted realistic.' The 'stark reality' is no one can operate Colts offense like Peyton.
• When asked who was responsible for drafting players because, as the caller eloquently stated, the last five or so years the team has drafted 'duds,' Polian offered a rather bizarre answer. First off, Polian answered the questions focusing only on first round picks. Second, Polian acted as if he didn't know who the last five first rounders were. He asked show host Bob Lamey to name them for him. Lamey started out saying Jerry Hughes and Donald Brown. Polian stated that criticism for both players is 'warranted,' but that the jury still isn't out on them. Lamey then jumped to 2005, telling Polian the first rounder that year was Marline Jackson. Next was Joseph Addai in 2006 followed by Anthony Gonzalez in 2007. Polian said Gonzo was a good player, and that his injuries weren't his fault. Lamey did not mentioned Tony Ugoh (who the Colts traded their 2008 first rounder to get), but he did mention Mike Pollak. 'He played well yesterday,' Lamey said. 'He certainly did,' Polian answered. And that was it. Both Polian and Lamey then concluded that the drafts were 'a mixed bag' over the last four or five years, and 'that's to be expected.'
• Bill Polian: 'I'm responsible for the draft.'
• When asked about Curtis Painter from a caller, Polian said Painter will be a good QB in this league. 'No one here is quitting on Curtis.'
  
• Polian: 'We think Curtis has a good future.'
• When asked about Andrew Luck, Polian oddly answered he could not comment on Luck because 'he is an underclassman.' Luck is a senior at Stanford, and nothing 'prevents' Polian from commenting on him.
• When asked about the poor play of the Colts defense, Polian answered that the reason the Colts don't have a good defense because team doesn't have 350 pound defensive tackles.
• Polian then mocked the 'pundits' and the 'talking heads' who say the Colts defense only plays well when it has a lead. He suggested the notion was silly and cited, of all things, Peyton Manning's fourth quarter comeback record.
  
• It's important to point out that one of the 'talking heads' who repeatedly says the Colts defense is built to play with a lead is former-Colts coach Tony Dungy. In fact, he said so last night on NBC's Football Night In America.
• Polian stated he is not at all down on the defense, praising the safety play of Melvin Bullitt and Antoine Bethea. He said defense 'should feel proud of what they did yesterday.'
• Polian closed the show by praising Ben Roethlisberger and said the Steelers defense poses 'a very big problem to Colts offense.'

So, yeah. Typical Bill. I thought the callers into the show were a bit silly this evening. One even thanked Bill Polian for moving the Colts to Indianapolis (WTF?). But, that's how it goes. Maybe the radio station is screening people more. Who knows.

Hope you enjoyed our little write-up. And remember, it's perfectly OK to think Bill Polian's pontifications on the radio are totally and completely full of it.