Is Painter The Product Of Bill Polian's Ego?

[Colts30yrsandcounting]

First off I'm a big fan of Bill Polian but I also feel he is a huge ego. It just seems that when Polian took Painter in the 6th round, just like Tom Brady was taken in the 6th round, his great hope was to attempt to come close to duplicating the best quarterback pick of all time. I'm not saying exactly that he thought Painter would become an exact Brady like QB but I think he was hoping to catch lightning in the bottle and find a super talented QB in the 6th round that the Colts would develop into a really good QB. And thus alot of attention would be given to Polian for his ability to get something out of nothing.

I mean why else didn't the Colts pick up a vet QB (I mean one (DO) that didn't have experience playing for the worst team (the Lions of a few years ago) to ever play in the NFL) when they heard Peyton had neck surgery just a few months ago. I mean human being + neck surgery usually = very serious situation. Yet the Colts did virtually nothing to protect the 2011 season. I think Polian didn't want to upset his personal experiment.He knew DO would never unseat Painter and he hoped Painter would become a poor man's Brady. It's a pretty strange thought I must admit but Polian is rather an unusual guy. If Peyton can't go this week, the Painter experiment needs to end and any experienced QB that has had some success needs to be with the Colts Monday.

[GoColts8818]

Painter is a product of being cheap.

[coltfaninnewyork]

I do not think polian thought he was getting another tom brady,probaly thought he was a guy who would develop into a decent back-up.He was wrong on the latter.

[noah larson]

mike pollack is a product of Bill polians ego!!

[GoColts8818]

mike pollack is a product of Bill polians ego!!

Except for the fact Caldwell decides who plays and who doesn't not Polian. It's crazy with some fans, anytime something doesn't work right or someone isn't good it's because of Polian. Anytime a player that was found in the draft is a stud (IE Collie, Powers, Garcon over the past few years just to name a few) people talk about how Polian isn't as involed with the team anymore and it should either be Chris Polian or someone else who gets the credit. Frankly I think some of the Polian hate is a product of our fans egos. Some (and I don't know if you are one or not) still have not gotten over week 16 and Polian has become the fall guy for that.

[coltfaninnewyork]

Except for the fact Caldwell decides who plays and who doesn't not Polian. It's crazy with some fans, anytime something doesn't work right or someone isn't good it's because of Polian. Anytime a player that was found in the draft is a stud (IE Collie, Powers, Garcon over the past few years just to name a few) people talk about how Polian isn't as involed with the team anymore and it should either be Chris Polian or someone else who gets the credit. Frankly I think some of the Polian hate is a product of our fans egos. Some (and I don't know if you are one or not) still have not gotten over week 16 and Polian has become the fall guy for that.

You know your football but do you honestly think caldwell is making those decisions?Polian is the puppetmaster in every way,just my opinion.I might be wrong.

[GoColts8818]

You know your football but do you honestly think caldwell is making those decisions?Polian is the puppetmaster in every way,just my opinion.I might be wrong.

Yes I do I don't think any coach is the punching bags some fans think he is.

Polian has never been a puppet master with Dungy, Mora, Cappers, or Levy. Why on earth do you think he just changed with Caldwell?

[coltfaninnewyork]

Yes I do I don't think any coach is the punching bags some fans think he is.

Polian has never been a puppet master with Dungy, Mora, Cappers, or Levy. Why on earth do you think he just changed with Caldwell?

Because those men you mentioned had established themselves as head coaches somewhere else.All except for capers i believe.

[GoColts8818]

Because those men you mentioned had established themselves as head coaches somewhere else.All except for capers i believe.

See that just means Caldwell didn't have the track record some of those guys had (Cappers and Levy were both first time NFL headcoaches under Polian). It does not mean Polian just pushes him around. If Polian was that kinda ego manic he would have never hired the other coaches he did becuase they wouldn't put up with Polian being a puppet master. If Polian was truly a puppet master he wuold have a track record of highing puppets, when in fact his track record is one of hiring guys who are anytihng but. Caldwell was hired because Dungy and Manning endorsed him and the Colts groomed him for the job, not because he was a puppet.

The whole puppet master thing is something the fans have made up becuase they are mad about week 16 and it has grown out of that because it supports the blame Polian arguement.

[ivildosola]

Curtis Painter is probably the worst QB in the NFL. We seriously need to look into trading for Matt Leitner, I think he would be a good back up QB.

[Colts30yrsandcounting]

Like I said on my post I am actually a big Polian fan but I also can see That Polian has alot of ego. The decision to not go after a perfect season was absolutely incredible stupid. I say that because even if you win the Super Bowl you are somewhat forgotten over time. But if you manage to go 16 and 0 and don't win the Super Bowl you will be remembered and if you have the Holy Grail and end up with a Super Bowl win and have a perfect season then you are the best team ever and the standard setter forever. You can't do better than perfection and for Polian to basically mandate to Caldwell to pull the starters was insane when every Colts player wanted to go for perfection was unbelievable. The Colts could have easily won the last 2 games of 2009 if Peyton and the starters played 5 quarters more and an onside kick didn't bounce in the direction of a guy names Hank Baskett well it would have helped if the Colts activated Adam V. before the game as well. The greatest clutch FG kicker in history was on the sideline while Polian had his guy in there kicking and missing FGs. Oh how can Caldwell play another QB if the Polians don't sign another QB to be that extra option. Caldwell is stuck with what he has on his roster.

[Rich Cannon]

He’s a product of just not being able to play

[21isSuperman]

Painter is a cheap QB who knows the system. That's the only reason why he is still on the team. I do wish we could have kept Brandstater, but if Peyton gets hurt, it doesn't really matter if we have Painter or Brandstater playing QB, we will lose many games.

[manningstheman]

Firts off any GM or President of any organization is going to have a huge Ego. They had better anyways. They better think they are smarter and wiser then anyone else in the room. That is what I expect out of a leader. But I never thought when the Colts drafted Painter there was any thought of this dude someday taking the helm of this team. He was cheap and Sorgi didnt make since to keep around anymore. Give him a chance to compete somewhere else or we had to start paying him more i believe. Painter is ur basic 6th round QB. What do u expect. He was never great in college for crying out loud. He was solid, thats it. Just wish we would tap an vet QB that has playing experience and doesnt look like a deer in the headlights out there. Painter looks down right horrible on the field.

[Colts30yrsandcounting]

Look Polian knew Dungy was low key, and Caldwell extremely low key. They have been controllable coaches. I don't like Rex Ryan as a man but as a coach I like him and if the Colts had brought him in they win the Super Bowl in 2009 and he doesn't pull his starters. Perhaps also the Colts win with Gruden or Pittsburgh's old coach whose name eludes me at the moment. Heck perhaps the Colts probably even get by the Jets last year with one of those other coaches. Can you imagine other coaches taking the timeout that Caldwell took at the end of the Jets game, he cemented the win for them.

[coltfaninnewyork]

See that just means Caldwell didn't have the track record some of those guys had (Cappers and Levy were both first time NFL headcoaches under Polian). It does not mean Polian just pushes him around. If Polian was that kinda ego manic he would have never hired the other coaches he did becuase they wouldn't put up with Polian being a puppet master. If Polian was truly a puppet master he wuold have a track record of highing puppets, when in fact his track record is one of hiring guys who are anytihng but. Caldwell was hired because Dungy and Manning endorsed him and the Colts groomed him for the job, not because he was a puppet.

The whole puppet master thing is something the fans have made up becuase they are mad about week 16 and it has grown out of that because it supports the blame Polian arguement.

Safe to say none of us will ever know what exactly goes on behind the scenes,pure speculation.But can't help but feel caldwell would walk polians dog to have a head coaching job.While caldwell has interviewed for head coaching jobs hard to believe he was ever a real candidate.This is just my opinion.

[Colts30yrsandcounting]

Look Polian knew Dungy was low key, and Caldwell extremely low key. They have been controllable coaches. I don't like Rex Ryan as a man but as a coach I like him and if the Colts had brought him in they win the Super Bowl in 2009 and he doesn't pull his starters. Perhaps also the Colts win with Gruden or Pittsburgh's old coach whose name eludes me at the moment. Heck perhaps the Colts probably even get by the Jets last year with one of those other coaches. Can you imagine other coaches taking the timeout that Caldwell took at the end of the Jets game, he cemented the win for them.

[GoColts8818]

Like I said on my post I am actually a big Polian fan but I also can see That Polian has alot of ego. The decision to not go after a perfect season was absolutely incredible stupid. I say that because even if you win the Super Bowl you are somewhat forgotten over time. But if you manage to go 16 and 0 and don't win the Super Bowl you will be remembered and if you have the Holy Grail and end up with a Super Bowl win and have a perfect season then you are the best team ever and the standard setter forever. You can't do better than perfection and for Polian to basically mandate to Caldwell to pull the starters was insane when every Colts player wanted to go for perfection was unbelievable. The Colts could have easily won the last 2 games of 2009 if Peyton and the starters played 5 quarters more and an onside kick didn't bounce in the direction of a guy names Hank Baskett well it would have helped if the Colts activated Adam V. before the game as well. The greatest clutch FG kicker in history was on the sideline while Polian had his guy in there kicking and missing FGs. Oh how can Caldwell play another QB if the Polians don't sign another QB to be that extra option. Caldwell is stuck with what he has on his roster.

You know what the perfect season thing was a product of Polian AND Caldwell. Again resting the starters did not start with Polian, as when they had Mora as a head coach when they had a chance to sit there starters vs. the Bills they played the starters. Even keeping them in the game when it was well out of reach up till Bennett getting hurt. It was Dungy who brought resting the staters here. It was then Dungy who trained Caldwell. Polian did what a good GM should do, he supported his head coach's choice. What I will agree with is that Polian's ego is what caused the PR nightmare after the fact.

Now you are just making a lot assumpetions with the rest. Show one peace of proof that you have that it was Polian who made Caldwell pull the starters? Caldwell had to agree with the plan because it was him who made the call to take them out in the game. If he didn't they wouldn't have come out. What was Polian going to do fire a 15-0 coach on the brink of the playoffs? Not going to happen or Irsay would have shown him the door. Sorry Caldwell was on board with the call.

You are blameing Polian for a lot of Caldwell's calls. Sounds like the guy you should be mad at is Caldwell.

[coltfaninnewyork]

You know what the perfect season thing was a product of Polian AND Caldwell. Again resting the starters did not start with Polian, as when they had Mora as a head coach when they had a chance to sit there starters vs. the Bills they played the starters. Even keeping them in the game when it was well out of reach up till Bennett getting hurt. It was Dungy who brought resting the staters here. It was then Dungy who trained Caldwell. Polian did what a good GM should do, he supported his head coach's choice. What I will agree with is that Polian's ego is what caused the PR nightmare after the fact.

Now you are just making a lot assumpetions with the rest. Show one peace of proof that you have that it was Polian who made Caldwell pull the starters? Caldwell had to agree with the plan because it was him who made the call to take them out in the game. If he didn't they wouldn't have come out. What was Polian going to do fire a 15-0 coach on the brink of the playoffs? Not going to happen or Irsay would have shown him the door. Sorry Caldwell was on board with the call.

You are blameing Polian for a lot of Caldwell's calls. Sounds like the guy you should be mad at is Caldwell.

Dude,you make the assumption that we are wrong and your right,when the fact is you do not know and we do not know.So lets be fair and leave it at that.

[WisconsinColts]

Curtis Painter is probably the worst QB in the NFL. We seriously need to look into trading for Matt Leitner, I think he would be a good back up QB.

How does he compare with Matt Leinart? Sorry, I had to.

[BIGugly]

See that just means Caldwell didn't have the track record some of those guys had (Cappers and Levy were both first time NFL headcoaches under Polian). It does not mean Polian just pushes him around. If Polian was that kinda ego manic he would have never hired the other coaches he did becuase they wouldn't put up with Polian being a puppet master. If Polian was truly a puppet master he wuold have a track record of highing puppets, when in fact his track record is one of hiring guys who are anytihng but. Caldwell was hired because Dungy and Manning endorsed him and the Colts groomed him for the job, not because he was a puppet.

The whole puppet master thing is something the fans have made up becuase they are mad about week 16 and it has grown out of that because it supports the blame Polian arguement.

Wasn't that week 14 ?....as in 14-0....

Might add to that R/R for Rest/Rust at the end of every season EXCEPT when we WON the SB !!!

[Colts30yrsandcounting]

GoColts1888 you make a good point, we don't know for sure who made the final decision on pulling the starters in 2009. But if I remember correctly, Polian stated that there was a meeting with him, Caldwell and I'm not sure who else and then the decision was made to rest the starters. Why have this meeting??? Why not let your coach do his own thing. Obviously, Polian wanted to enforce his will and the fact that he was overly supportive of the decision without any regret leads me to further believe that it was his decision. I just can't imagine being in a meeting as a rookie head coach and going against the wishes of your boss Polian. Therefore, the final decision was from Polian. If I'm a professional coach who lives and breathes for winning games and want my players to be that way, my vote is to let's go after a perfect season. Caldwell probably felt the same way but he couldn't go against the wishes of his boss as a rookie coach.

[coltfaninnewyork]

GoColts1888 you make a good point, we don't know for sure who made the final decision on pulling the starters in 2009. But if I remember correctly, Polian stated that there was a meeting with him, Caldwell and I'm not sure who else and then the decision was made to rest the starters. Why have this meeting??? Why not let your coach do his own thing. Obviously, Polian wanted to enforce his will and the fact that he was overly supportive of the decision without any regret leads me to further believe that it was his decision. I just can't imagine being in a meeting as a rookie head coach and going against the wishes of your boss Polian. Therefore, the final decision was from Polian. If I'm a professional coach who lives and breathes for winning games and want my players to be that way, my vote is to let's go after a perfect season. Caldwell probably felt the same way but he couldn't go against the wishes of his boss as a rookie coach.

Polian has always said i have no desire to go undefeated,our goal is to win a super bowl.So he rested the players this is not opinion but fact.Does anyone in the real world tell his boss how to do things?I think they may ask him for his opinion,but in the end it's polians decision.He coaches the players that polian picks for him,that is mainly his job here.All other decisions go to bill polian.I mean this is common knowledge around the league.

[Colts30yrsandcounting]

Coltfaninnewyork, right on, you said what I should have. I think 99% of the civilized football world believes Polian made that historically bad decision to pull the starters in 2009. Polian likes to be different. Any other team goes for 16 and 0 and hopefully onward to a perfect season. When the starters came out there was like 5 quarters left in the regular season and neither the Jets or Bills would have been much of a threat to either injuring Manning or stopping a 16 and 0 season. Now I respect the Jets but at that point in the game in week 15 the Colts were in control and at home and Manning looked very comfortable.

[coltfaninnewyork]

Coltfaninnewyork, right on, you said what I should have. I think 99% of the civilized football world believes Polian made that historically bad decision to pull the starters in 2009. Polian likes to be different. Any other team goes for 16 and 0 and hopefully onward to a perfect season. When the starters came out there was like 5 quarters left in the regular season and neither the Jets or Bills would have been much of a threat to either injuring Manning or stopping a 16 and 0 season. Now I respect the Jets but at that point in the game in week 15 the Colts were in control and at home and Manning looked very comfortable.

Even here in new york,polian was ripped for not going for history.What kind of message is that to send to players,dare to be great...embrace it.The players were clearly unhappy about it,after all the chance to go undefeated is a chance to make history.

[ColtsPacersfan]

Yes! I don't know if this is true or not. But isn't Polian buddies with Painter Parents?

[coltfaninnewyork]

Yes! I don't know if this is true or not. But isn't Polian buddies with Painter Parents?

lol,painter cuts polian grass and caldwell washes his car.

[John Dee]

First off I'm a big fan of Bill Polian but I also feel he is a huge ego. It just seems that when Polian took Painter in the 6th round, just like Tom Brady was taken in the 6th round, his great hope was to attempt to come close to duplicating the best quarterback pick of all time. I'm not saying exactly that he thought Painter would become an exact Brady like QB but I think he was hoping to catch lightning in the bottle and find a super talented QB in the 6th round that the Colts would develop into a really good QB. And thus alot of attention would be given to Polian for his ability to get something out of nothing.

I mean why else didn't the Colts pick up a vet QB (I mean one (DO) that didn't have experience playing for the worst team (the Lions of a few years ago) to ever play in the NFL) when they heard Peyton had neck surgery just a few months ago. I mean human being + neck surgery usually = very serious situation. Yet the Colts did virtually nothing to protect the 2011 season. I think Polian didn't want to upset his personal experiment.He knew DO would never unseat Painter and he hoped Painter would become a poor man's Brady. It's a pretty strange thought I must admit but Polian is rather an unusual guy. If Peyton can't go this week, the Painter experiment needs to end and any experienced QB that has had some success needs to be with the Colts Monday.

Painter is a product of Manning's studlyness.

Manning will play, I bet Irsay is sipping Crown and Cokes and whatever else and getting a kick out of the frenzy he has put Colt Nation into.

I'm not buying it until Manning is not dressed for the Texans game.

[COLTS4ME]

I believe Peyton is fine and will play starting game 1. It amazes me how they keep Painter. I agree with the fact that if Peyton doesn't play we will loose a lot of games.....

Painter is just terrible....

[GoColts8818]

Dude,you make the assumption that we are wrong and your right,when the fact is you do not know and we do not know.So lets be fair and leave it at that.

Yeah I can provide facts that support my conclusion your's is based on you just don't like Polian.

[GoColts8818]

Wasn't that week 14 ?....as in 14-0....

Might add to that R/R for Rest/Rust at the end of every season EXCEPT when we WON the SB !!!

No it was week 16, bye week and it was our 15th week.

[Colts30yrsandcounting]

As new evidence comes to the scene. Polian has just recently stated that almost all of the bad play of the Colts offense in these pre season has nothing to do with the Colts QBs. Huh???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Whose blame is it? I think Polian has a man crush on Painter.

[GoColts8818]

Polian has always said i have no desire to go undefeated,our goal is to win a super bowl.So he rested the players this is not opinion but fact.Does anyone in the real world tell his boss how to do things?I think they may ask him for his opinion,but in the end it's polians decision.He coaches the players that polian picks for him,that is mainly his job here.All other decisions go to bill polian.I mean this is common knowledge around the league.

Again please provide one proof where Polian ordered the resting of the players. He's right the goal is to win the Super Bowl, again that is not proof he order Caldwell to sit the players. Again I've shown you proof of a time where the Colts had a chance to sit the starters under Polian and did not. I've have you given you a whole ilst of coaches Polian was not a puppet master for yet you just assume he does this for Caldwell. Yet Caldwell has fired and hired almost the whole coaching staff since he's been here. Caldwell is not the puppet you think he is.

Also it's Polian's job to get players, how is him getting players a bad thing? That's what he is paid to do. Even then he doesn't do without input from the coaches. There is an interview from Dungy after he left the Colts where he talked about the Colts war room on draft day and he's says its give and take and sometime he had to talk Polian into a guy and sometimes Polian had to talk him into a guy, he was asked for examples of that and he said Polian had to talk him into Freeney and he had to takl Polian into drafting Sanders. That sounds like a guy who listens to his coach not just orders them around.

You are ranting and raving and trying to present a lot of your opinions as fact when it's not. I am offering a lot of my opinions as well but I am also telling you the FACTS my opinoin is based on. You don't like Polian, fine no one says you have too.

[GoColts8818]

As new evidence comes to the scene. Polian has just recently stated that almost all of the bad play of the Colts offense in these pre season has nothing to do with the Colts QBs. Huh???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Whose blame is it? I think Polian has a man crush on Painter.

Not his quote at all this was:

"Our whole focus is to be as good as we can be until he's back," Polian said of Manning. "That's all there is to that. We're going through the tape of (Friday night's) game right now. We've had a lot of problems the first two games that had almost northing to do with the quarterback. We've got to get some things straightened out with our O-line and our defense has been bad so far."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6880238/peyton-manning-availability-indianapolis-colts-opener-doubt

He's talking about more than QB play here. What he's saying is our o-line is still shakey as well and our defense has not been good. He's right. He's just simply saying QB isn't our only issue.

[coltfaninnewyork]

Yeah I can provide facts that support my conclusion your's is based on you just don't like Polian.

Facts?all you offered was your version of the topic.For the record i like polian,so stop telling me that i don't like polian.So you believe it was caldwell who decided to rest the players,and caldwell alone who says who plays and who doesn't.Also so you can quote what happened with dungy,how does that make it fact that caldwell has the same clout?You can't.

[Colts30yrsandcounting]

Okay Go Colts 1888 maybe I miss quoted Polian but he did put our defensive problems and O-Line problems out there as major issues but didn't touch the terrible play of Painter. Why do you think that was?????? Painter is his boy that's why? Polian also didn't want to address the question that Irsay was talking about adding a vet QB, instead he just dismissed the issue. Why??? Because Painter is his guy. What's up with you and Polian anyway. I sai I am a fan of Polian but I don't agree with all of his moves. Also you stated that Caldwell was like a fairly dominating coach and that Polian had not picked a puppet. Are you watching the same Caldwell that I watch. This guy is super laid back I rarely see any emotion from this guy.

[GoColts8818]

Okay Go Colts 1888 maybe I miss quoted Polian but he did put our defensive problems and O-Line problems out there as major issues but didn't touch the terrible play of Painter. Why do you think that was?????? Painter is his boy that's why? Polian also didn't want to address the question that Irsay was talking about adding a vet QB, instead he just dismissed the issue. Why??? Because Painter is his guy. What's up with you and Polian anyway. I sai I am a fan of Polian but I don't agree with all of his moves. Also you stated that Caldwell was like a fairly dominating coach and that Polian had not picked a puppet. Are you watching the same Caldwell that I watch. This guy is super laid back I rarely see any emotion from this guy.

He just simpely pointed out there were more issues there than just the QB play. He did NOT say the QBs played well. In fact he didn't say if how he felt about their play. He's just pointing out that QB isn't our only issue right now.

He also didn't dismiss it he just pretty much said well if the owner wants me too I will. He has never said Painter is his guy. Painter is here becuase Painter is cheap.

You missed what I said about Caldwell. I was saying Polian has a track record of hiring those kinds of coaches and if Polian had the ego where he as going down and telling the coach what to do it would have showed up BEFORE Caldwell. He would have never hired a guy like Mora if that was the case.

[indy_nick]

You know your football but do you honestly think caldwell is making those decisions?Polian is the puppetmaster in every way,just my opinion.I might be wrong.

If Caldwell can bring in his buddies to coach along side him, then I feel Caldwell makes more decisions than people think. Sideline emotions play absolutely NO PART in how a person operates as a coach. Dungy Also rarely showed emotion, but he kept his team on a short leash.

Painter was just brought in as a cheap draft pick when Sorgi's contract is up. I'm pretty sure Polian brought him in just as a filler so the 2nd roster spot at QB could be filled. Nothing more nothing less

[coltfaninnewyork]

He just simpely pointed out there were more issues there than just the QB play. He did NOT say the QBs played well. In fact he didn't say if how he felt about their play. He's just pointing out that QB isn't our only issue right now.

He also didn't dismiss it he just pretty much said well if the owner wants me too I will. He has never said Painter is his guy. Painter is here becuase Painter is cheap.

You missed what I said about Caldwell. I was saying Polian has a track record of hiring those kinds of coaches and if Polian had the ego where he as going down and telling the coach what to do it would have showed up BEFORE Caldwell. He would have never hired a guy like Mora if that was the case.

FACT,polian fired mora because he refused to fire d-cordinator vic fangio.

[Thewholefnshow28]

He is not a product of anything, but financial circumstances. Painter is cheap and with how much we spend everywhere else we cannot spend more to bring a seasoned vet like Bulger or Kitna. They would demand much more money given their experience.

It does not help that the guy is just not that good.

We got what we paid for.