Polian considered trading Peyton in 2004 [Merge]

[pacolts56]

 

Millionaires......so 1980's

That was good money back then!

[Coltsman1788]

Kravitz has always had an axe to grind with Polian.  Being that this is coming from him, I'll take all this with a grain of salt.  A good GM will entertain several scenarios and explore the possibilities.  Discussing potentially trading Peyton and actually doing it are two different things.  I'll wait to read the actual article before rushing to any conclusions. 

[sb2001]

I really want to hear all sides to this story........ NOW!

Crazy as crazy is crazy!

[mahagga73]

Peyton's "early" playoff efforts ...    sucked.  

 

I could totally see it IF the right offer came along.     The Manning of 04 was not close to the Manning that took the Colts to the SB against NO.       And Peyton's playoff stats reflect it.   

 

Peyton's "early" playoff efforts ...    sucked.  

 

I could totally see it IF the right offer came along.     The Manning of 04 was not close to the Manning that took the Colts to the SB against NO.       And Peyton's playoff stats reflect it.   

What,lol. He had nearly a perfect QB rating in the 04 playoffs against the Chiefs and Broncos I believe.  He threw way more Int's than TD's in the 06 playoffs, the defense and Sanders won those playoff games.You need to recheck your Colt's playoff history, wow.

[mahagga73]

Kravitz has always had an axe to grind with Polian.  Being that this is coming from him, I'll take all this with a grain of salt.  A good GM will entertain several scenarios and explore the possibilities.  Discussing potentially trading Peyton and actually doing it are two different things.  I'll wait to read the actual article before rushing to any conclusions. 

I don't believe that for a second. Polian traded another Hall of Famer , Marshall Faulk, for the exact same reason, but they got lucky and got Edge in the draft, so it is hardly talked about anymore.

[mahagga73]

Also, there's a great line from the NFL.com article on this:

 

"Amazing how the struggles of Curtis Painter changed NFL history."

In a roundabout way, Painter was the catalyst of a new dynasty, hopefully.

[mahagga73]

Peyton Manning's playoff log....

 

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MannPe00/gamelog/post/

 

Take away the Denver Broncos from the NFL and Manning was straight UGLY in the playoffs pre 07.

 

Peyton Manning's playoff log....

 

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MannPe00/gamelog/post/

 

Take away the Denver Broncos from the NFL and Manning was straight UGLY in the playoffs pre 07.

Yeah but you can't take the Broncos away, that's who they matched up against. He had to play perfect football to get the Colt's to the AFC title game in 04. Chiefs and Broncos games featured 0 punts, unprecedented in NFL history.  They had no defense before 05, so he had to win the game himself. Without him they are 4-12. After 05 they started putting together better Defenses. You are so wrong.

[Fx Stryker]

Just to add a speculation. I mean the author is Kravitz. He was the loudest voice for dumping Peyton.

 

I would not be surprised if this is some scheme trying to "repair" Irsay's image about how he treated Peyton.

[southwest1]

Seriously what is the point to this "news"?

 

Kind of feels more like "old"s.....

 

 

Oh where are the Polian supporters now?  I remember when Irsay got rid of him, people cursed Irsay's name and vowed letting Polian go would hurt us.  Now Polian is public enemy #1?  Ha!

 

 

Kravitz has always had an axe to grind with Polian.  Being that this is coming from him, I'll take all this with a grain of salt.  A good GM will entertain several scenarios and explore the possibilities.  Discussing potentially trading Peyton and actually doing it are two different things.  I'll wait to read the actual article before rushing to any conclusions. 

My thoughts exactly. Why release such inflammatory information now? It serves no logical purpose. Generally, referring to anyone as "Public Enemy #1" is counter productive & not fair to Bill Polian. 

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000146263/article/jim-irsay-says-colts-gm-mulled-peyton-manning-trade

 

"According to Irsay, former Colts general manager Bill Polian was stressed out during contract negotiations with Manning and came to a surprising conclusion. We need to trade Peyton; we can get a bunch of defensive players and become like Tampa Bay or Baltimore," Irsay recalls Polian saying, via Bob Kravitz of The Indianapolis Star. Irsay said no, of course. "Understand something, Bill, we are not trading Peyton Manning, period," Irsay remembers saying."

 

I never make any judgements until I have read the entire article & I have heard a public statement from Polian, Irsay, & Manning. I will chime in on this matter more thoroughly when I have more facts at my disposal. 

[southwest1]

I will say one thing though. Knowing what both Peyton Manning & Bill Polian meant to each other's HOF careers as a GM & a QB, I find it difficult to believe that each individual would throw the other one under the bus. True, Bill have already established an impressive resume in Buffalo & Carolina before Peyton entered the NFL scene I will admit, but Peyton helped him get that elusive SB ring Bill was chasing for years & he isn't foolish enough to kill the Golden Goose in #18 that was instrumental in winning a Championship.

Bill was probably exhausted during contract negotiations at Manning vigilant agent & said something dumb in a brief moment of anger. I don't put much more into Bill's statement than that personally. Again, I will wait to here more details as they unfold accordingly.

[GoColts8818]

Kravitz has always had an axe to grind with Polian.  Being that this is coming from him, I'll take all this with a grain of salt.  A good GM will entertain several scenarios and explore the possibilities.  Discussing potentially trading Peyton and actually doing it are two different things.  I'll wait to read the actual article before rushing to any conclusions. 

While Kravitz did (and still does at times) have an axe to grind with Polian this story has quotes from Irsay in it and I am sure if Kavitz misquoted Irsay Irsay would be on twitter by now saying what he really said. 

[krunk]

I'm puzzled by Irsay releasing that info about Bill Polian. If Polian is still looking for a GM job, information like that puts a bad light on his decision making skills to a potential employer. The owner certainly has the right to talk, but stuff that sounds like throwing a family member under the bus should be kept in the family. One of the things I have always respected about the Colts organization for the most part is there is very little gossip, bull crap, and divisive headlines you could pull out of the Colts family. Let's not bring the circus here, that's for Barnum and Bailey! Not Colts Nation........

[GoColts8818]

I do have to say as I was reading this I wonder how much of this was Jim Irsay's version of history based on now.  IE the part where he talked about they would have drafted RG3 had they had the second pick.  That is probably true but the part that made me laugh a little was how he said had they had the third pick or worse they would have kept Manning and then just drafted Wilson in a later round.  They might have kept Manning but I really doubt Irsay had some inside info on Wilson that the rest of the NFL really didn't know.  Not even Seattle knew or they would have never signed Flynn to that contract.  They might have thought he would be good but they didn't know he would be THAT good that quickly. 

[Fx Stryker]

should be kept in the family. 

 

I wonder if I ever heard someone say this before.......

[BOTT]

I do have to say as I was reading this I wonder how much of this was Jim Irsay's version of history based on now.  IE the part where he talked about they would have drafted RG3 had they had the second pick.  That is probably true but the part that made me laugh a little was how he said had they had the third pick or worse they would have kept Manning and then just drafted Wilson in a later round.  They might have kept Manning but I really doubt Irsay had some inside info on Wilson that the rest of the NFL really didn't know.  Not even Seattle knew or they would have never signed Flynn to that contract.  They might have thought he would be good but they didn't know he would be THAT good that quickly. 

There were rumors after the draft that the colts were interested in drafting Wilson in addition to Luck

[Dustin]

I do have to say as I was reading this I wonder how much of this was Jim Irsay's version of history based on now.  IE the part where he talked about they would have drafted RG3 had they had the second pick.  That is probably true but the part that made me laugh a little was how he said had they had the third pick or worse they would have kept Manning and then just drafted Wilson in a later round.  They might have kept Manning but I really doubt Irsay had some inside info on Wilson that the rest of the NFL really didn't know.  Not even Seattle knew or they would have never signed Flynn to that contract.  They might have thought he would be good but they didn't know he would be THAT good that quickly. 

 

It's not that surprising honestly. They wanted to draft Manning's eventual successor in 2011, but Dalton and Kaepernick both got away before we got the chance to draft them. They were probably thinking Wilson was a project QB that they would develop behind Manning for 3-4 years.

[turner46992]

Mods! I dont want this merged into another topic because I am asking my friends via text there thoughts and my facebook friends there thoughts on the topic. Merge if you feel necessary but i am making this post to show a different view away from forum members. but leaving it open to forum members opinions on the subject.

[NewColtsFan]

Sorry,  but what are you asking people to respond to??

 

How is your thread different than the three other threads that talked about it??

 

Feels like you'v left out something...   like there's a piece of the puzzle missing?

[turner46992]

Sorry,  but what are you asking people to respond to??

 

How is your thread different than the three other threads that talked about it??

 

Feels like you'v left out something...   like there's a piece of the puzzle missing?

here is what i have text and posted,    Recent news has been leaked about Polian wanting to trade manning back in 04, but irsay told polian ( undestand this Bill, We are not trading Manning for anyting). Bills counter offer was we could get a lt of defense players for Peyton! Irsay then went on to say that if we had the second pick last year we would have got RGIII and still let Manning walk but made sure he protected Griffin better than he was in Washington, and if we had the third pick we would have kept Manning. So my question to my friends and facebook fans are if we had manning and Third overall pick who would we have drafted then, and if we took RGIII what would have done to make sure he was better protected like irsay said? Article  is here http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000146263/article/jim-irsay-says-colts-gm-mulled-peyton-manning-trade

[GoColts8818]

here is what i have text and posted,    Recent news has been leaked about Polian wanting to trade manning back in 04, but irsay told polian ( undestand this Bill, We are not trading Manning for anyting). Bills counter offer was we could get a lt of defense players for Peyton! Irsay then went on to say that if we had the second pick last year we would have got RGIII and still let Manning walk but made sure he protected Griffin better than he was in Washington, and if we had the third pick we would have kept Manning. So my question to my friends and facebook fans are if we had manning and Third overall pick who would we have drafted then, and if we took RGIII what would have done to make sure he was better protected like irsay said? Article  is here http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000146263/article/jim-irsay-says-colts-gm-mulled-peyton-manning-trade

Irsay didn't really he would be better protected he said they would have run a less running based offense than the Redskins did with RG3 which pretty much answers the question. They wouldn't have run him as much as the Redskins did.  As for who we would have taken if we had the third over all pick?  Probably depends on what we did with Reggie.  Like Irsay said if we keep Peyton we probably couldn't have kept Reggie and I think Justin Blackmon would have been really tempting at number three overall for us.  No point in having a QB like Peyton if you don't give him weapons to work with other options would have included Matt Kalil as we would have still needed help on the line or perhaps Claiborne although corner would have moved down the list of needs had we kept Peyton.  I think it would have been Blackmon but wouldn't have been blown away if it was Kalil either. 

 

With that said this is still a big coulda, woulda, shoulda game.  Personally I am happy where we are.  As much as I am grateful for Peyton I am also grateful to have Luck and am willing to trade one nightmare season if means probably close to 30 years of top QB play in the NFL. 

[southwest1]

I guess what perplexes me the most about the release of this 2004 Manning trade rumor is this: All the major players in this story have moved on now: Polian is on ESPN & Sirus Satellite NFL Radio, Manning is now with the Denver Broncos, & Irsay is now focused on winning a ring with Pagano, Grigson, & Luck.

 

As many of my friends have so eloquently stated from krunk, FX Stryker, & NewColtsFan etc. etc. why are so many in the media crying over spilled milk? Either wipe it up with a paper towel & move on or find a hungry cat. Just my  cents anyway.  It's like trying to frantically locate the pin after the explosion has already taken place. It's pointless & irrelevant now. 

 

[southwest1]

Sure, I will still read the article when it is published, but there is nothing anybody can do to change the situation now. Some will hate Polian while others will continue to cut him slack & let the matter go. It's like reading about your former girlfriend's nuptials in the paper or on Facebook.

Perhaps, you have regrets about the life that might have been, but you're not going to show up at the church & attempt to stop the wedding.

What's done is done. The is no NFL reset button. Okay, I will shut up now.

[Tark The Shark]

2004, the year that Manning broke Marino's regular season passing TD mark? I guess that would have been his maximum value at that time.

 

But really Polian? If it wasn't for Peyton, your draft picks wouldn't have made any sense after that. You wanted the team to be very fast for the offense and defense. 

 

Thank goodness it didn't happen, it would have been a travesty if Manning wasn't able to win the Super Bowl here in 06.

[Balzer40]

I still find it funny how many people still have a problem with Kravitz simply because he didn't bow down to every nonsensical thing Polian said or because he came out last season and said the Colts would release Manning and many fans chose to not believe him up until the very second Manning held his news conference. 

 

I have always appreciated Kravitz for telling it like he seen it. Polian was a * bag. He made many mistakes and surely wasn't the God that many fans made him out to be for yrs.. Now some here have a problem with him for stating something in an interview that Irsay told him. How that is his fault....is beyond me. He done his job and reported a story that came out in an interview with the owner of the Colts. 

[LockeDown]

90%+ of all players leave this game unsatisfied.  I think that might be true of GMs and coaches as well. 

 

I'm not sure why Irsay wasn't a better GM than he was.  Despite the jokes about his drinking and his twitter riddles, he seems to have good judgement.  Crazy like a fox.  He may be the singular most important reason that a small market team like Indy has been to the Super Bowl twice in the last 8 years.  With the remark about how many knuckleheads are in the NFL, having a "worked from the ground up, no nonsense" guy like Grigson will prove to separate the Colts from the bottom feeders once again. Irsay's decision. Sorry, Jags, about the bottom feeder comment.

[chad72]

90%+ of all players leave this game unsatisfied.  I think that might be true of GMs and coaches as well. 

 

I'm not sure why Irsay wasn't a better GM than he was.  Despite the jokes about his drinking and his twitter riddles, he seems to have good judgement.  Crazy like a fox.  He may be the singular most important reason that a small market team like Indy has been to the Super Bowl twice in the last 8 years.  With the remark about how many knuckleheads are in the NFL, having a "worked from the ground up, no nonsense" guy like Grigson will prove to separate the Colts from the bottom feeders once again. Irsay's decision. Sorry, Jags, about the bottom feeder comment.

 

 

No doubt, Irsay is shrewd behind the scenes. He would make a good poker player because he knew when to hold him (Peyton) and knew when to fold him (Peyton).

[Coltsman1788]

I guess what perplexes me the most about the release of this 2004 Manning trade rumor is this: All the major players in this story have moved on now: Polian is on ESPN & Sirus Satellite NFL Radio, Manning is now with the Denver Broncos, & Irsay is now focused on winning a ring with Pagano, Grigson, & Luck.

 

As many of my friends have so eloquently stated from krunk, FX Stryker, & NewColtsFan etc. etc. why are so many in the media crying over spilled milk? Either wipe it up with a paper towel & move on or find a hungry cat. Just my  cents anyway.  It's like trying to frantically locate the pin after the explosion has already taken place. It's pointless & irrelevant now. 

 

Yes...this seems to me like Irsay wanting to pat himself on the back and take more credit for the Manning era beyond 2004 which eventually resulted in a Super Bowl.  IMO, this was nothing more than in-house discussion between a frustrated GM and owner that probably should have never seen the light of day outside the confines of the Colts complex where this was discussed.  You have a GM in Polian who was frustrated with the negotiating process of trying to re-sign Manning and Peyton's reps playing hard ball a bit.  So he couched this to Irsay in irritation and Irsay talked him down.  Cooler heads prevailed and Peyton was inked...eventually.  So why air this out now?...oh so we all know that had it not been for good ole Jim, 18 could very well have been jetisoned alot sooner than he actually was...like 7 years sooner.  So Jim looks like the good guy who kept P-Money around for our Super Bowl run..thereby helping to offset some of the heat he takes for getting rid of Peyton seven years later.  Polian as a result ends up looking like an *...but heck who cares because he's working for ESPN now...right?  I am very interested in hearing Polian's take on all this. 

 

To further build up his genius motif...Irsay let's it be known that had we had the second pick, we still would have gotten rid of Peyton for RG3 but if we had the third pick we would have kept Peyton and just drafted Wilson.  Guy must be a frigin seer.  Don't get me wrong...I generally like Irsay but come ooooooon  maaaaan! 

[BrentMc11]

I'd have traded Bill Polian for Bob Kravitz!

I would not have traded anything or anybody for Kravitz.  I feel he should be writing his sensationalism on the North Pole....he is no journalist.  Wait a second...just got a text from Santa....he just nixed the Kravitz deal (Santa does not Tweet.  

 

[Nadine]

interesting view into history

[BrentMc11]

I still find it funny how many people still have a problem with Kravitz simply because he didn't bow down to every nonsensical thing Polian said or because he came out last season and said the Colts would release Manning and many fans chose to not believe him up until the very second Manning held his news conference. 

 

I have always appreciated Kravitz for telling it like he seen it. Polian was a * bag. He made many mistakes and surely wasn't the God that many fans made him out to be for yrs.. Now some here have a problem with him for stating something in an interview that Irsay told him. How that is his fault....is beyond me. He done his job and reported a story that came out in an interview with the owner of the Colts. 

I read his stuff.....he knows hockey...and that is it.  Kravitz knows very little about football and basketball...Indiana's two major league sports other than racing.  He knows zero about that too....

 

I will say he does tell it like it is....from his side of the stage.  I think this story on Polian is interesting....what would we have gotten for number 18?  I sure am glad it did not happen

[husker61]

This is a bunch of coulda, woulda, shoulda at this point.  For what it's worth there were several posters on this forum in 2004 who were saying the samething.  Trade Peyton and get a defense. 

 

I am sure Polian will come out and deny this at some point and you'll have one mans word against another's for something that in the end doesn't really matter. 

 

exactly! like i said, the subject came up as any good gm should have done. now you have someone spinning it to make it favorable to them and making someone else look bad. that's why you should just keep your mouth shut, because sooner or later these things lead to shots being taken back and forth and nothing good comes from it.

[HarassedOffTheSite]

Ehhh a lot of folks throwing their own crap into the perception. But the operative quote is...

 

 

According to Irsay, in 2004, a frustrated Polian was at wit’s end as he attempted to secure Manning’s new $98 million contract and, in a fit of pique, told Irsay, “We need to trade Peyton; we can get a bunch of defensive players and become like Tampa Bay or Baltimore.” Irsay said no. “Understand something, Bill, we are not trading Peyton Manning, period,’’

 

When read in context, it is not that salacious. Polian was frustrated. Besides we in truth would have gotten a TON of picks for Manning and Polian would've used them well. Both the Ravens and Buccaneers proved you can win with an air-head QB and a beast defense. So none of that is far-fetched or loopy.

 

Regardless, Irsay rightfully calmed Polian down and they kept it moving.

 

One thing it confirms, Polian has apparently NEVER been attached at the hip to ANY player. And that is probably a good quality to have in a GM. Or excuse me, 5X GM of the Year.

[husker61]

One thing it confirms, Polian has apparently NEVER been attached at the hip to ANY player. And that is probably a good quality to have in a GM. Or excuse me, 5X GM of the Year.

 

right on the money. i believe irsay was pushing to have players resigned at bigger contracts than bp (and i) would have done. i remember statements that manning would have taken less money. letting players go has worked pretty good for the pats for a long time.

[BrentMc11]

Ehhh a lot of folks throwing their own crap into the perception. But the operative quote is...

 

 

 

When read in context, it is not that salacious. Polian was frustrated. Besides we in truth would have gotten a TON of picks for Manning and Polian would've used them well. Both the Ravens and Buccaneers proved you can win with an air-head QB and a beast defense. So none of that is far-fetched or loopy.

 

Regardless, Irsay rightfully calmed Polian down and they kept it moving.

 

One thing it confirms, Polian has apparently NEVER been attached at the hip to ANY player. And that is probably a good quality to have in a GM. Or excuse me, 5X GM of the Year.

Your last sentence is spot on.....while it is hard 'not' to get attached to your players it does happen.  Good post Brian.  2004 would have been about the only year Polian could have gotten rid of 18.....after that he was legend....what could have been....vs the history we have today.    

[Warhorse]

Meh.

[amfootball]

Maybe one other thing to consider too, Polian was aware that Belichick knew how to beat Manning as well. This was of course before the defensive rules changed per Polian. So perhaps that factored into his decision to trade Manning if that is in fact even true.

[subvet]

Thank goodness Jim Irsay had the final decision on this one.

 

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/jim-irsay-bill-polian-wanted-trade-peyton-manning-194559209--nfl.html

[jvan1973]

Look down like three posts.

[HarassedOffTheSite]

Ufgh *facepalm

[braveheartcolt]

I would not have traded anything or anybody for Kravitz.  I feel he should be writing his sensationalism on the North Pole....he is no journalist.  Wait a second...just got a text from Santa....he just nixed the Kravitz deal (Santa does not Tweet.  

 

For a change we disagree sir. Bob is a journalist, and I actually read his articles during the season. I don't need everything to be Pulitzer quality to find them interesting. He is not a 'true' Indy fan, although he does obviously want them to do well. He doesn't wear homer specs for every word he writes. And he never liked BP, which always made me pull for him.

 

But I can see why he is not popular!