Like you, I'm sick of reading about Bill Polian (much less writing about him), but I received an important update on the situation that happened last night on his show.
My pal Eric Hartz, who is one of the better people at ColtPower.com, sent me an email suggesting that the HANK FM feed might have been the reason the show went dead at roughly ten minutes prior to the show ending, which is also the point when we all think Polian supposedly stormed off the set of his radio show.
Eric was listening to the show on 1070 The Fan, which is on AM and carries the Bill Polian Show along with 97.1 HANK FM (the show's main station). For him, the show was not cut short, and the final caller was not cut-off. After the last caller (and, I'm assuming, a commerical break), Bob Lamey came back on air and wrapped up the show. I'm trying to confirm if it was Lamey, and only Lamey, that did the show wrap-up. Usually, Polian sticks around to do the wrap-up with Lamey, talking about the next opponent, the playoffs, answering any final questions, etc. If it was only Lamey doing the show wrap-up, that seems to suggest Polian did storm off the set, just not at the time we originally thought he did.
Regardless of whether he left the show early or not, Polian's treatment of fans last night was disrespectful, rude, and unbecoming of a team president. He owes the fans an apology.
Again, reading and writing about Bill Polian right now has me feeling about as sick as you do. But, with an important update like this from a strong and reliable source like Eric, I gotta post it. Thanks in advance for understanding.
[UPDATE]: Kent Sterling of 1070 The Fan posted an entry on the station's website offering some clarity on what happened last night with the Bill Polian Show:
There are people out there spreading an ill-informed and spurrious rumor that Bill Polian left his show in a fit of anger before the show ended. That did not happen.The last segment of the show timed out at almost exactly one-minute. Bob Lamey took that minute to promote the upcoming game, and that minute was not long enough to do anything but thank Polian and do the live promo, so I'm sure Bob excused Polian.
The Polian Show, as with every radio show, has a certain amount of commercial content that must be played. The first segment that generally ends at 6:13p or so ended last night at 6:23p. That forced the rest of the show to feature a denser load of commercials, and that debt was satisfied toward the end of the show.
Thanks for the information, Kent. However, the unnecessary and passive-aggressive swipe at us people supposedly "spreading an ill-informed and spurrious rumor" kind of makes you sound like an ass.
The show is billed as "The Bill Polian Show on 97.1 HANK FM." So, it doesn't make much sense for anyone to contact 1070 The Fan and ask why the show went dead for HANK FM listeners at the 6:50pm mark. As we noted, is was HORRIBLE timing for HANK FM's feed to switch to commercials and music filler while Polian was engaged in a rather heated debate with a male caller. And if it was done to "feature a denser load of commercials," then that was an equally horrible programming decision.
The perception of every fan listening when Polian and the fourth caller were switched off in favor of music filler was that something had happened on the show (which is on delay), forcing the producers to effectively "cut to commercial."
Also, let's make one thing very clear, Stampede Blue never stated emphatically that Polian "stormed off the set." We said it seemed as if he did, because like thousands of other listeners to the HANK FM, that is what it sounded like.
Regardless of whether Polian stormed off or he didn't, that doesn't change the fact that Polian acted like a complete horse's ass last night on his show, treating respectful, articulate callers as if they were school children not worthy of his brainwave level. It is that, and statements made after the game on Sunday, that has made Colts fans so livid with Bill Polian; not any rumors that he stormed off a radio set.