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.
Stampede Blue live-tweets the highlights while the show is happening.You can follow Stampede Blue on Twitter at @stampedeblue.
Yes, folks. Colts vice chairman Bill Polian did indeed go through with his weekly radio show one night after his team suffered the worst loss in franchise history at the hands of the Saints.
Before we go into the details, I want to make something clear about the format of the radio show: Callers for Bill's show are heavily screened. In fact, the screening is reportedly more in line with airport security than your normal radio talk show call-in screenings. This is likely due, in part, to Bill getting just a tad pissed when regular fans call him out on his B.S. Thus, all the callers with 'tough' questions are turned away.
However, one caller managed to get through the screening process last night and, with an tinge of anger in his voice, asked a rather tough (but completely fair) question of Sir Bill. The moment was kind of funny, and it got got the attention of noted Indianapolis sports radio personality Jon Michael (JMV) Vincent, who was listening:
I bet somebody just got fired with that call slipping through.
If you want to know how far south things have gone for Bill Polian and Colts fans, look no further than that. He doesn't even want to talk to 'real' fans anymore, and is content to ramble on and on about 'getting back to fundamentals' and 'next man up,' even after he and the Colts embarrassed the city of Indianapolis on national television Sunday night.
Polian didn't even apologize to the fans for the loss. Not once, in 60 minutes of useless blabbering, did the team's leader say 'I'm sorry.'
Yes, Bill Polian is THAT big of an assh*le.
Anyway, here's the reap of a show that, at one time, was really a great call-in radio show. Now, it's just a sad, Faustian tragedy with Bill Polian in the lead role.
- Bill Polian opened the show by saying the loss was very difficult to deal with. The offense and defense played very poorly, but Bill was happy with the team's special teams play.
- Bill said he was 'baffled' by the play of the defense. Players are giving 100% effort, but defense is not performing. Said he has no answers to fix defense. Amazingly, Polian used stats ('we're ranked 30th or below in all meaningful defensive statistics') to hammer home just how bad this team is on defense. This from a man who regularly insults people, especially fans, who cite stats to make a point.
- Bill Polian: Lack of experience in the secondary is not the issue.
- Polian praised Jim Caldwell several times last night.
- After the first round of commercial, host Bob Lamey and Polian spoke about the passing of Kent Hull, former Bills center.
- The first caller didn't really have a question, but rather proclaimed that the Saints loss ''does not affect him at all' and that this Colts team is still good. Yeah, this guy was a moron. This worthless call allowed Bill to ramble on for a few minutes about how the players' collective effort on the field was impressive.
- Bill Polian: 'Jim Caldwell has done a great job keeping team focused.'
- Bill then went into insulting the 'talking heads' in the media. ''They have no effect. I don't pay much attention to it.' Both statements are lies, by the way.
- Polian: 'All that is written or said about team is of no consequence.' So, if you work in Colts P.R., Bill Polian just told you to go fu^k yourself.
- Polian: 'You don't shrug a loss like this off.'
- Another silly caller. He asked Polian about how he can 'motivate' the coaches to coach better. Polian responded by saying team must 'do less, not more' and must work on 'fundamentals.'
- Polian said Colts were sluggish last night. The defense is fatigued.
- Polian said the team is pressing too much. He also, once again, praised Jim Caldwell for his coaching.
- A caller asked if Polian took anything positive away from the game. Polian said yes... the punt team played well.
- Polian: 'I find no fault in the effort of the defense.'
- Bill Polian hinted that Kerry Collins could return and play for this team after he is cleared from his 'concussion.'
- A caller asked who, between Chris and Bill, has final say over personnel decisions. Polian responded by saying everything is done via consensus between Bill and Chris. He recalled how, back in 2003, Dungy, Irsay, and Polian had to reach consensus on draft selections. Polian said that, in '03, Dungy wanted to take Tyler Brayton in Round One of the draft while Polian and Irsay wanted Dallas Clark.
- Interesting note, Polian said that, when Dungy was coach, he was part of the consensus process. Bill did not include Caldwell as a member of that process for the current system of consensus.
- A caller asked if anything can be done about ' the negativity of sports announcers.' Another screened caller to The Bill Polian Show make us all look and sound extremely stupid.
- A caller asked how the team 'of this caliber' got caught off guard with Peyton Manning's injury. Polian responded that the salary cap prevented him from addressing the need at QB once Manning went down.
- Polian: We felt the Curtis Painter was capable of quarterbacking the team, which is why we didn't go out and get a 'big name' quarterback. Curtis' recent play vindicates the decision, or so Bill says. Um, Kerry Collins? $4 million dollars in 2011? Hello!
- A caller asked why the Colts ran a no-huddle offense to start the game. Polian answered because it was the best way to combat Gregg Williams' 3-4 defense.
- Near the end, the caller who slipped through the screening process asked if Polian himself is to blame for not bringing in the best players. Bill responded by saying he and the front office could have been better at getting players for the DT and CB positions. 'We could have done a better job there. No question.'
- Polian: 'Should I have done a better job? You bet.'
- Lamey and Polian wrapped up the show after that caller.
Thanks for reading, and for those of you who joined us live on Twitter, thanks for following along.