Is The Pressure On Bill And Chris Polian This Year?
by Brad Wells on Sep 8, 2011 12:29 PM EDT
in 2011 Colts News
Email
PrintI listened to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN yesterday on 1070 the Fan's The Grady & Big Joe show with hosts Mike Grady and Joe Stasniak, and some interesting ideas were suggested. Mike Grady posed a question to Kuharsky: Who in the Colts organization is under the most pressure in 2011? Is it Kerry Collins? Jim Caldwell? Who?
Kuharsky's answer is... interesting.
Paul Kuharsky: How about Bill Polian? How about Chris Polian?
Mike Grady: That was brought up quite a bit yesterday.
PK: I think they under-estimated the injury, and that's understandable to a degree when you're told six to eight weeks ad its been significantly longer. But, it was floated out there that they inquired about Hasselbeck at the beginning of free agency. I think that's some white-washing there. You go from going after the best free agent quarterback on the market, who clearly is going to get a starting job somewhere, to waiting until two weeks before the season and signing Kerry Collins. There's a lot of space and time between there. What were you doing then? I don't think they've handled it well in terms of being prepared.
In case you can't see through the coded language, 'pressure' is the same thing as 'job security.'
Now, in my now two-year 'crusade' to apparently bash Bill Polian every chance I can get (or, so my haters say), I've never advocated for his dismissal. I've always been cautious before openly calling for regime change. Like it or not, Polian's track record from 1998-2006, in terms of draft picks, was extremely impressive. From 2007 to now, it's been a train wreck, and it was at or around 2007 that Chris Polian, Bill's son, started assuming more control within the organization.
From what I know, it was Chris who put together the trade for Tony Ugoh. Jon Michael Vincent of 1070 the Fan in Tndy told me a few days ago that Chris conveyed to him that the Ugoh trade was his biggest regret.
Really? No sh*t.
Most general managers get fired for a screw-up like that. I'm going to assume the reason Chris wasn't terminated had something to do with the fact that he and the then-team president shared the same gene pool.
Anyway, that an ESPN beat writer is openly talking about there being pressure on the Polians suggests that the normally complicit media is starting to grow a bit of a spine. Personally, I always think this front office should have pressure on them. They've gotten to comfortable, too cushy in their jobs. And despite the fact that they helped bring a trophy to Indianapolis, the fact is people will always wonder 'What if?' should the Colts not win another Super Bowl with a healthy Peyton Manning.
And, let's all be honest folks, the Colts front office really botched this off-season.
- They waited to long to jump into free agency
- They blew it not re-signing Charlie Johnson, a player they could really use right now
- They cut too many quality players from their roster, like Tommie Harris and Kyle DeVan
- They waited far too long to get a veteran quarterback as a back-up
- They kept Curtis Painter on this roster, again
- They kept Jerry Hughes and Donald Brown over better, more productive players
So, yes. I agree with Paul. I think there is significant pressure on this front office. We already know that Donald Brown and Jerry Hughes are busts, having been relegated to the third string. Third year DT Fili Moala isn't anything to get excited about (his backup, Drake Nevis, is already better), and the Colts have too much money invested in Gary Brackett.
One of the 'silver-lining' aspects of the Peyton Manning injury is that we will finally see what kind of team the Colts REALLY are. Everyone says the Colts a a six win team without Peyton. Well, if they are, then the Polians should definitely be fired. They are not paid to provide No. 18 with 'six win' talent. Any jackhole in the league can do that. The Polians are paid to surround Peyton with Super Bowl-winning talent. And if they cannot do that, they should be shown the door.
We'll see what kind of talent this team truly has over the next few weeks.
[UPDATE]: Some just tweeted this to me, and I agree 100%:
no, the Polians will just blame it on Caldwell
Should the Colts miss the layoffs this year, I agree. This is especially true if the lose games badly. The Polians will scapegoat Caldwell the way they scapegoated Jim Mora in 2001.
52 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I think you weaken your argument when you include Tommie Harris.
But aside from that, I guess you’ve been more correct on a lot of stuff than people give you credit for, myself included. Donald Brown should have been cut, straight up. The guy isn’t a very good special teamer, and he can’t run the football for us. Jerry Hughes, another year at least for me before I truly judge him, but he’s obviously been a massive disappointment.
(Little note: Your second bullet point could do with a little correction).
To continue.. It’s not too much of a jump to say that the Front Office has effectively busted on our last four first round picks (not including the 2011 picks because it’s too early). That sort of record is enough to get most other GM’s sacked. I hope they are on the hot seat, because whilst Bill certainly has the track record in his past, they really haven’t been particularly good recently. They deserve to be under the microscope.
Antoine Bethea - the most underrated safety in the NFL.
by Ben Savage on Sep 8, 2011 12:29 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
It's not "enough"
Because the polians drafted too well out of the first round since 2007
How many viable starters have we drafted in that time period?
Clint Session, Pierre Garcon, Jerraud Powers, Austin Collie, Pat McAfee, Pat Angerer.
If I’m being kind, I’ll include Jacob Tamme, Fili Moala and Kavell Conner at this point.
And by ‘viable starter’ I mean someone that available to be selected on a regular basis. If I’m inclined to cut slack on any one of the first round busts, it’s Gonzalez. No real injury history, to what he is now. However, 6 starters? In four drafts? Not one of them a Pro Bowler at least? (I do think that Collie and Powers have a reasonable chance in the future)
I’m all for cold, circumspect thinking, but it’s really not good enough.
Antoine Bethea - the most underrated safety in the NFL.
by Ben Savage on Sep 8, 2011 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The overall argurement rings true
but falls apart when you throw in Hughes and Tommie Harris. Hughes is in his second year and Harris might have been lockeroom cancer. Harris’s motor was suspect too. Capable of some great plays? Sure, but a whole season? I dunno.
Ugoh, other picks I can buy into. As for the injury and signing Hasselback or any other QB back in July, if the injury was not clear, I don’t believe any QB who wanted to compete on the field would have signed with Peyton likely to play.
"If they want me to be a crazy, emotional, frenzied fan in section 603, then they can't expect me to be reasonable about the business of football"
The players didn't have a problem with Harris
It was the coaches. Maybe he didn’t like Teerlinck trying to convince him that looping 10 yards wide on a stunt was a good move. It was an ego cut, not a move that was best for the team.
most everything done by the front office
seems to have ‘ego’ involved.
by Ayrshire on Sep 8, 2011 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
these fuck heads are never going away
also if the med staff did aggravate 18’s injury after clearing collie early 2 times last year do they get on the hot seat?
Can't argue with ya
a lot of good points.
The Artist Formerly Known As beerbrunch.
The Hair of the Dog Sports Blog
Follow me on Twitter: @coldy4goldy
Big difference
between PK and BBS saying the Polians are under pressure and the way Mr. Irsay sees it. Even if we have a bad year, no one is going anywhere. Too much of a built in excuse.
This is unfortunately probably true
The various club talking heads will say “Injuries are no excuse, we expect to win” out of one side of their mouth, and out the other side they’ll say “It’s not Caldwell’s/Polian’s fault we lost, Manning was hurt”. Everyone will be retained and Irsay will keep tweeting Pink Floyd lyrics.
I think you're on to something
with your discussion about ‘firings’ and ‘gene pools’.
why they waited to sign a good backup???
easy.. they were riding the Curtis Painter train but after the pain of watching him stink game 1 and 2 of preseason .. Irsay was ashamed of Curtis performance and I bet he was the one that force the signing of a vet QB. If it was it for Polians ..Painter would have been our starter on sunday.
"If anything, we want to go out there and step it up. Of course it will be different (without Manning), but it’s one of those things that if it happens, everybody else has to step up. It’s next man up." - Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea
by thebossuzzi on Sep 8, 2011 12:39 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
LOL... Curtis Painter Train...
aptly named for his train-wreck performances.
what I wonder is how many bad play calls Peyton changed at will at los
I bet Peyton saved us from a pretty good amount of them.. Who are going to saves us now? ;)
Do we have an OC? or we will be missing both our QB and our OC?
"If anything, we want to go out there and step it up. Of course it will be different (without Manning), but it’s one of those things that if it happens, everybody else has to step up. It’s next man up." - Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea
Our OC is about as effective
as our head coach.
by Ayrshire on Sep 8, 2011 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
at least I know the locker room is fire-up
The guys will give the fight and I expect game 1 to be a great display of emotions.. How do u think freeney feels hearing all this drama about the Colts are nothing without 18.. I say they will be with a chip on their shoulders to prove people wrong and that is a good thing..
How do I know they will fight a source told me on twitter hahaha
"If anything, we want to go out there and step it up. Of course it will be different (without Manning), but it’s one of those things that if it happens, everybody else has to step up. It’s next man up." - Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea
by thebossuzzi on Sep 8, 2011 12:45 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
I say fly Peyton to the game on a private jet to Houston with a Tempur-pedic mattress on board
Give him a megaphone on the sidelines to yell audibles “omaha, omaha” for Collins after reading the defense.
"20" - The number of fans in the stands in Jacksonville and students at Vanderbilt actually from Tennessee! Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration
by PV Mike on Sep 8, 2011 12:49 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
How much do you want to spend, BBS?
You say that the Polians’ aren’t being paid to surround Peyton with 6 game talent. Yet, with Peyton, they are 10-12 win talent. So, which do you want? If you want the guy that is the “difference” in that talent and he takes X to keep, than Y may mean all you get is 6 win talent. We’d all love to have every “A” guy at every position, but cutting the people you say need to be cut and bringing in the “better” people will not give us the savings you say they will. Cutting Jerry Hughes and DB, does not get us enough money to bring in Hasslebeck and keep Peyton, plus sign a great safety. We play the margins every year because almost 2/3rds of our cap is invested in about 3-4 players here. Show me a team that has this much cap locked in a single offensive AND Defensive player, and still has our record over 9 years. NOt gonna happen, and that includes a certain NE team.
by Hawkwinter on Sep 8, 2011 12:49 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
You're right, because the NE record is better.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
I think the pressure is on Polian, and on you BBS
What will you say if the team doens’t suck without PM ?
by blacktobias on Sep 8, 2011 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Better, yes
Not saying they didn’t have a great front office…which is gone now…but they have never paid the defensive starters the way they paid the offensive “one”. Time to keep Mike Vrable? Gone. Time to re-up Richard Seymour? Gone. BBS shouldn’t be complaining about not going and getting new talent, he should also be asking why we haven’t re-evaluated the current pay scheme, which will change again next year. Think we’re keeping Mathis? Probaly not…this year is most likely to see if Anderson can be a younger, lower paid version. Plus, we can discuss better in the last 9 years if you can take the fact that there have been two years, the NE team didn’t make the playoffs, while we have.
Who cares about the Colts making the playoffs twice more, they lost first round both times.
Pats have more wins, more trophies, and most importantly, a back-up plan if injury hits somewhere vital.
And Belichick was always the front office.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 8, 2011 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions
"they lost first round both times"
correct me if i’m wrong, but NE hasn’t won a playoff game since ’07
Whenever you get stressed, always remember: RDWHAHB
Sigh, whatev ISN
Wasn’t calling out your mighty Patsies, I was just pointing out to BBS that there are only a few teams more successful than the Polians at this, and thos guys are considered pretty good too. The Pats success since the “front office” left has been comparable to the Colts, in that 1 bowl appearance…lost, multiple first round exits, and two no-shows to the party. We can’t all hang our hats on long ago, can we?
The Patriots have zero
championship trophies, as far as I, and a lot of other people are concerned. Zero.
by Ayrshire on Sep 8, 2011 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
It wouldn't have hurt to maybe, I don't know, drafted better in the last 4 years
And I think most of us would have taken Saffold over Hughes at the time. Pretty much everyone expected Saffold to be the pick, but Polian just flat out blew that pick. 6 starters in the last 4 drafts is putrid. Your job needs to be on the line for those performances, as Polian’s should.
Wha??
We’ve had starters, back-ups and as much playing time for our draft picks as every other team out there. 1-2 round selections are always tough because we are essentially drafting 1st round near 2nd round talent the way the college ranks are thinning these days. One pick of Saffold over Hughes can’t be the “big decision”, especially because we haven’t seen Saffold’s durability at that position yet either. He falls after 2-3 years and we’d have given Polian just as much Sh*% for that as well. The Polian’s have drafted better than most teams for the last 9 years…only a few have had better years, but no one has had the consistency. We have the double-edged sword of always being play-off bound, but that means we never pick high or have trade likable picks. We can’t have everything, and I’ll take the revenue train this team has had for the last 9 years, short of titles anyday.
colts would have money
if they didn’t overpay for players like gary bracket and kelvin hayden…or give long term deals to players with a history of injuries.
by BLOODontheTRACKS on Sep 8, 2011 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Let me see...
They didn’t over pay for Charlie Johnson. They cut a locker room cancer in Tommie Harris. They didn’t jump into free agency and over pay. They didn’t cut two first round draft picks who clearly were not out played by no one in pre season and they signed the best available free agent QB in Kerry Collins. Let’s start a mob and get these bums out of town NOW!
by VERNON HOWELL on Sep 8, 2011 12:54 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs
don't forget they signed the best FA coach available in Tressel
by PeytonIsGOAT on Sep 8, 2011 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Is this post a joke?
Seriously… ‘best FA coach available’?
Jim Tressel? He of the Tressel-ball? Have you ever WATCHED his Buckeyes play? If he brought that to the NFL he’d be 0-16 WITH a healthy Manning. Good lord.
Tressel’s hire was one of the worst moves yet by a crap front office. Can’t get rid of the Polian family soon enough in my mind.
Now, "wait 'till next year" looks like "Watch out for next year!" GO LEAFS GO!
Calm down...
all he is doing is reviewing possible challenges via replay.
"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
I think the Tressel hiring was a great move
When you consider he’s working for free. He took the position on a pro-bono basis.
by VERNON HOWELL on Sep 8, 2011 2:50 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Homer post?
Why don’t you try to change my mind with factual evidence? Just because you drink the BBS koolade doesn’t mean we all have to. Plain and simple BBS hates Polian because he doesn’t think of bloggers as real media. Otherwise he wouldn’t post a story every other day that is anti Polian.
by VERNON HOWELL on Sep 8, 2011 3:02 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Maybe the Polians
warrant a story every other day.
by Ayrshire on Sep 8, 2011 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
you are wrong again vernon
because saying hughes went from being a complete joke of a football player to a very bad football player is improvement
the guy still sucks. especially his special teams play
about Jim Mora
The Polians will scapegoat Caldwell the way they scapegoated Jim Mora in 2001
This may be revisionist history. It was my understanding (perhaps I am wrong) that the issue wasn’t with Mora but with the DC. The Polians didn’t like Fangio and thought he wasn’t a good DC. (Look at his tenure with the Texans.) Mora refused to change defensive directions and the Colts let him go as well.
FWIW, I do think that Caldwell will get the blame if the Colts don’t make the playoffs. Whether or not it’s 100% his fault is another matter.
However, If Manning is out for 4 – 6 games, and Caldwell is able to get the team to +.500 without him, then we all probably need to cut the man some slack. He apparently can coach.
Yeah, I'm Shure.
Holy Smokes!!
For the love of God…I wish the Colts would start over with a whole new FO…just so this website would quit it with these stupid articles.
Lets see some articles on how the Colts are gonna operate with KC at the helm…how the Defense may run things…anything football related…
"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 Sep 8, 2011 12:57 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
3-3 after 6 games, I will take it with Collins
If Collins can go 3-3 in the first 6 games, I will gladly take that.
The issue with players playing with a chip on their shoulder. If the D does not get help from the O or vice versa, sooner or later, it starts to wear on the players’ psyche and it will show on the field. So, if Manning is out for the entire season, then chances are, the worst part of our record will happen as the year goes on.
by chad72 on Sep 8, 2011 12:59 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
To add to that...
…Irsay is not paying so much money to Clark, Wayne, Freeney, Brackett and Bethea (and Collins recently) for them not to make plays just because Peyton is down, right? We are almost maxed to the cap and if I am a businessman like Irsay, I can extrapolate the additional 4 to 5 game Peyton difference with the talent I have paid for. So, a 7-9 to 9-7 record is acceptable without Peyton. If it is anywhere close to 3-13 or 4-12, heads have to roll. Just being competitive in games would not be good enough for me, if I were an owner with all the talent I am paying for. The coaches, if they are as good as they say they are, should produce close to a .500 season (7-9 at least) to prove their worth, IMO, given the talent assembled.
by chad72 on Sep 8, 2011 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Calling Mora a scapegoat is disingenuous
The guy had a public melt down, he unraveled before the media and the world. He all but fired himself in the ‘Playoffs?!?!??’ press conference.
Most coaches in his spot (coming off 2 very strong seasons) would have gotten a mulligan for having a disappointing year when your superstar RB goes down but when you start spazzing out in public you are done.
Chris should only face blame
If he had a big part in these recent cuts. Other than that the blame falls on Caldwell and Bill if the Manning-less Colts suck.
If Chris is the GM
Why is this Vice Chairman clown still making all these decisions?
by FatDT on Sep 8, 2011 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Now we see how good the Colts really are
Peyton was able to offset some poor players in the past and still win games. Now we don’t have that option. When Brady went down NE still won 11 games because of great coaching and good players. Now we can see how good the coaches really are or aren’t. I believe they made some mistakes already on keeping some underperforming first rounders, we all know who they are, and letting some better talent go. I know we have some great players, but we still have some holes. It will be interesting to see how the Colts as an organization handle this situation.
by Colts Forever on Sep 8, 2011 2:08 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
It is pretty amazing...
If you happened to be a visitor of this site a few/couple years ago you would have heard how much everyone loved Polian. Shit man…the most common phrase on this site was “in Polian we trust”. Its like we have morphed into bizarro world here. Put down the crack pipes and take a deep breath…lets see how the players respond before we continually call for the front office to get an enima!
"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
people once loved al davis
not saying bill polian is morphing into crazy al, but things change……
by BLOODontheTRACKS on Sep 8, 2011 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Are they asleep?
The Colts organization seems to be sleep walking. Hate to see Peyton under the knife, understand they had to let that play out, but LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN. Hard pressed to see any bold moves. Always a step slow.
From the twittering owner on down, not impressed. Front office not dynamic. The current coaching staff unimpressive. Watching the Packers-Saints game and those rosters (especially GB) are loaded with talent, and the schemes not vanilla. We’ve whiffed on our past several #1 picks, dont think their personnel evaluation processes are top tier. I fear a return to the pre-manning days. Dont want to say the sky is falling and hoping we bounce back-we sure as heck will see in the coming weeks. I’ll be cheering, but with a critical eye.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Stampede Blue
Related FanShots on Stampede Blue
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Detroit Lions DT Nick Fairley arrested again; now has more NFL arrests than NFL sacks
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
