Ballard FA Grievances Thread (Merge)

[Scott Pennock]

2 hours ago, DougDew said:

To the Ballard supporters (and I consider myself an objectivist, I look at each deal/decision as they are made.)

 

How do you know that Ballard knows what he's doing., that he isn't a middle of the road GM kind of flailing around?

 

Why is it that when Ballard is bidding on a player, and the player chooses the other team, why then does it become the other GM being dopey because he spent too much money?    Why don't you say that Ballard got outmatched, outwitted by the other GM?

 

Why is Ballard the litmus test for what other GMs should pay?

 

Do you know why the Colts have $70m...more than other teams?  Its because we have fewer players on the roster right now.  We don't have a QB more competent than a second year 6th round pick.  We have one competent WR.  Before MAC, we had a second year 4th round TE.  We still don't have a #1 TE.  We have no LT.  

 

We have no team, that's why we have so much money.

 

Why is that evidence to you that Ballard knows what he's doing?

 

What tells you that he is smarter than player agents, or other GMs?

The evidence is that he was voted as the 6th best GM overall and the number one talent evaluator.......how  soon people forget as that was in 2021 when that was posted all over the internet!

 

 

[Coltsman1788]

4 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

“This team has the same problems as last year….”

 

So says the guy that hasn’t noticed that free agency has only just started and the draft is roughly 6 weeks away.    
 

Dear God…..        

You are a good poster NCF but quote me correctly.  I said this team has the same problems as last “off season”. You misquoted me. That is an important distinction though. Because the point is these problems were addressed by Ballard last offseason his way and it did not work. We are coming into a new off-season and these same issues are carrying over.  He is doing things his way but the results are not there.  Yet each year you and others try to make those who point out these issues feel like we are the clueless ones.  Maybe you have too much faith in Ballard to really see what is going on?  It’s not working. Under Ballard, we will continue to be this fringe playoff team looking for a year where we can be a 7 seed and win a playoff game unless something changes.  He is a good GM with many admirable qualities. He just needs to be open to adapt when necessary. He is too rigid and stubborn when it comes to his team building philosophy in my opinion. 

[throwing BBZ]

1 hour ago, DougDew said:

That isn't a huge concern for me.  While I don't think Ballard is the plan following genius many make him out to be....my concern is that we have not yet signed our own good players back to the team, Pryor and Reed.

 

 You meant good backup level players i'm sure. 
 

[DougDew]

12 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

The evidence is that he was voted as the 6th best GM overall and the number one talent evaluator.......how  soon people forget as that was in 2021 when that was posted all over the internet!

 

 

LOL. I never saw it.  But I don't put stock in others' opinions unless they provide their reasoning behind it.  Credentials don't matter.

[Indeee]

6 minutes ago, Coltsman1788 said:

You are a good poster NCF but quote me correctly.  I said this team has the same problems as last “off season”. You misquoted me. That is an important distinction though. Because the point is these problems were addressed by Ballard last offseason his way and it did not work. We are coming into a new off-season and these same issues are carrying over.  He is doing things his way but the results are not there.  Yet each year you and others try to make those who point out these issues feel like we are the clueless ones.  Maybe you have too much faith in Ballard to really see what is going on?  It’s not working. Under Ballard, we will continue to be this fringe playoff team looking for a year where we can be a 7 seed and win a playoff game unless something changes.  He is a good GM with many admirable qualities. He just needs to be open to adapt when necessary. He is too rigid and stubborn when it comes to his team building philosophy in my opinion. 

Thank you THIS is spot on. Well said. Even stampede blue ran an article about maybe it was time for Ballard to change or adapt his normal way of doing things and right now i heard that some Indy media, including Pat on his show is sounding frustrations so this is not just a forum issue from a select few that seem to always beat this drum. The Drum is getting louder.

 

Again thank you for this 

[Scott Pennock]

6 minutes ago, DougDew said:

LOL. I never saw it.  But I don't put stock in others' opinions unless they provide their reasoning behind it.  Credentials don't matter.

Of you don't, it doesn't fit your narrative! Facts are only a google search away my fellow 'fan'!

[coming on strong]

3 hours ago, danlhart87 said:

Pinter can step in at RG and Reed could still be brought back 

 

It's obvious Ballard is waiting to see if Garoppolo value lowers. They could have traded for him a week ago when his value was most like a 2nd. His value the more this goes on goes down and will probably be traded for a 5th by tomorrow. There's also the chance the 49ers keep messing around and keep him.

 

Plenty of gap solutions like Winston and Mariota right now. I think eventually whoever they bring in I hope they draft rookie soon. 

Jimmy g Is the same thing as Carson . Why not just keep wentz one more year than draft a Qb ? . Some of these moves make no sense to me plus Pinter is a great backup center . I rather have depth at oline

[DougDew]

5 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

Of you don't, it doesn't fit your narrative! Facts are only a google search away my fellow 'fan'!

Having been voted something is definitely a fact.  Not saying it isn't.  How relevant of a fact it is when reasoning behind the vote isn't supplied.  That's the issue.

 

Ryan Kelly got voted to the Pro Bowl, yet many thought he was a bottom half center this year.

 

I'm a Colts fan.  I hope the GM always has enough players on offense under contract to field a team on any given day of the year, and not have to rebuild the offense in year 6. Maybe the voters haven't figured out that's what he is doing?

[2006Coltsbestever]

6 minutes ago, coming on strong said:

Jimmy g Is the same thing as Carson . Why not just keep wentz one more year than draft a Qb ? . Some of these moves make no sense to me plus Pinter is a great backup center . I rather have depth at oline

Jimmy G is better, sorry. He plays smarter is why.

[shasta519]

25 minutes ago, MPStack said:

There is “one” player left from the previous regime. 
 

 

 

Yep. And that regime left five full seasons ago. Ryan Kelly was from the last draft class and he is going to be 29 in a couple of months.

 

When a new GM takes over, he often turns over as much of the roster as possible, especially when they switch defensive schemes. And Ballard has had plenty of time to build it in his vision. As others have pointed out, there are definitely holes at very important positions (beyond QB).

 

 

[MPStack]

2 minutes ago, shasta519 said:

 

Yep. And that regime left five full seasons ago. Ryan Kelly was from the last draft class and he is going to be 29 in a couple of months.

 

When a new GM takes over, he often turns over as much of the roster as possible, especially when they switch defensive schemes. And Ballard has had plenty of time to build it in his vision. As others have pointed out, there are definitely holes at very important positions (beyond QB).

 

 

Yep, J. Lynch took over a dumpster fire the same year Ballard did the Colts. Two different approaches to building a roster and two different results.

 

Apparently, Ballard is the 6th best GM cuz the internet says so. I don’t know where Lynch stacks with a SB and conference Championship appearance though as a GM. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

3 minutes ago, MPStack said:

Yep, J. Lynch took over a dumpster fire the same year Ballard did the Colts. Two different approaches to building a roster and two different results.

 

Apparently, Ballard is the 6th best GM cuz the internet says so. I don’t know where Lynch stacks with a SB and conference Championship appearance though as a GM. 

He has had the same QB in his tenure who is good whether some want to believe that. We have had a different QB every year.

[MPStack]

Just now, 2006Coltsbestever said:

He has had the same QB in his tenure who is good whether some want to believe that. We have had a different QB every year.

Was JG with the Niners when Lynch took over? Nope! Lynch traded for him. He made **** happen.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Just now, MPStack said:

Was JG with the Niners when Lynch took over? Nope! Lynch traded for him. He made **** happen.

We need to make it happen 

[throwing BBZ]

8 minutes ago, coming on strong said:

Jimmy g Is the same thing as Carson . Why not just keep wentz one more year than draft a Qb ? . Some of these moves make no sense to me plus Pinter is a great backup center . I rather have depth at oline

 

 Jimmy IS more an opposite of Carson.

 Jimmy is more like Rivers.

 Carson more like Jay Cutler.

   Is interesting that Kurt Warners video appeared showing Carson was an *, couldn't read a D, had no clue how to properly look off safeties, and didn't bother taking those FB 101 plays, and others say it is a Irsay hissy fit.

 I saw plenty of evidence that there is something wrong in his head, and THAT makes Reich look very bad, apology accepted, so far.

[MPStack]

Just now, 2006Coltsbestever said:

We need to make it happen 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

 

[Flash7]

3 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

He has had the same QB in his tenure who is good whether some want to believe that. We have had a different QB every year.

No one said Ballard must go with Brissett as QB1, but he elect to.

 

After that failed, he went after Rivers, and aging and ready to retire QB, which set him back to square 1 when he retired.

 

Then he elected to go after Wentz, a QB that was given up on by the team that drafted him. There were many red flags, but he chose to ignore them.

 

And here we are today. Much of this is directly related to the decisions made by Ballard.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Just now, throwing BBZ said:

 

 Jimmy IS more an opposite of Carson.

 Jimmy is more like Rivers.

 Carson more like Jay Cutler.

   Is interesting that Kurt Warners video appeared showing Carson was an *, couldn't read a D, had no clue how to properly look off safeties, and didn't bother taking those FB 101 plays, and others say it is a Irsay hissy fit.

 I saw plenty of evidence that there is something wrong in his head, and THAT makes Reich look very bad, apology accepted, so far.

I agree, I see Jimmy a lot like Rivers. Rivers was better but Jimmy's game is a lot like his. Carson played too much hero ball, with a RB Taylor it wasn't necessary. 

1 minute ago, MPStack said:

[MPStack]

1 minute ago, Flash7 said:

No one said Ballard must go with Brissett as QB1, but he elect to.

He didn’t have to give JB 20M a year either. JB had no leverage whatsoever. That was insane.

[shasta519]

41 minutes ago, Flash7 said:

True, but Polian allowed his son to slowly make the front office decisions, leading to his own firing. So, overall, it's Polian's fault because his firing led to Grigson's hiring.

 

So long story short, the current issues we are facing are not Ballard's fault whatsoever. Nuh uh, not at all.

 

Sarcasm, if you didn't catch it.

 

Yep. Polian is a HOFer, but he allowed his son Chris to erode the Manning era team into an aging roster with bloated vet contracts and very little young talent (from mostly poor drafts), which was a big reason that Manning ended up in DEN.

 

While the Colts did go to the SB in 2009, that season was sandwiched between three first-round losses and the 2011 debacle.

 

Interestingly, that period (from 2007-2011) was also a 5-year period, much like what Grigson had and what Ballard has had to date. 

 

So Polian should definitely not get a pass for that "era" of Colts football, especially when his successor is almost universally despised and blamed for his era's downfall. 

 

 

[DougDew]

2 minutes ago, throwing BBZ said:

Is interesting that Kurt Warners video appeared showing Carson was an *, couldn't read a D, had no clue how to properly look off safeties, and didn't bother taking those FB 101 plays, and others say it is a Irsay hissy fit.

I watched that video too, but Warner was holding Wentz up to a pretty high standard of quickness to read a play as it develops.  Warner was probably one of the best ever at doing that.  Also, it was one game, the last Jax game and he froze the screen a lot, which failed to capture the speed at which the rush was bearing down on Wentz.

 

I'm not denying Wentz has issues, but that video was kind of extremely derogatory and not very fair, IMO.

[DougDew]

Just now, MPStack said:

He didn’t have to give JB 20M a year either. JB had no leverage whatsoever. That was insane.

But he was good for the "locker room"

[2006Coltsbestever]

6 minutes ago, Flash7 said:

No one said Ballard must go with Brissett as QB1, but he elect to.

 

After that failed, he went after Rivers, and aging and ready to retire QB, which set him back to square 1 when he retired.

 

Then he elected to go after Wentz, a QB that was given up on by the team that drafted him. There were many red flags, but he chose to ignore them.

 

And here we are today. Much of this is directly related to the decisions made by Ballard.

Trading for Wentz was a mistake, I am not disagreeing there. If you remember when we first did that I was against it. Rivers was a good signing, that gave us a shot to make a run. We had Buffalo beat. JB was a great locker room guy and a great backup. He just didn't pan out as a starter, crap happens. Grigson was lucky because he had Luck the whole time he was here. When Tolzien had to play we seen how great Grigson was  

[Colt.45]

Just now, DougDew said:

But he was good for the "locker room"

To me, that decision was insane. However i give them a mulligan because there were a lot of emotions running extremely high after Luck said goodbye.

 

[MPStack]

Just now, DougDew said:

But he was good for the "locker room"

I think that line came into play when they finally figured out JB just wasn’t very good and we’re reaching for something positive. 

[coming on strong]

20 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Jimmy G is better, sorry. He plays smarter is why.

I honestly don’t see that they both overthrow everything. People will be disappointed in Jimmy g he puts up the sane stats as wentz with much better weapons .  Watching him play against the colts he stunk after the first drive .  Watch the titans gave he handed them the game .  The draft is the only way to fix this issue long term .

[DougDew]

5 minutes ago, shasta519 said:

 

Yep. Polian is a HOFer, but he allowed his son Chris to erode the Manning era team into an aging roster with bloated vet contracts and very little young talent (from mostly poor drafts), which was a big reason that Manning ended up in DEN.

 

While the Colts did go to the SB in 2009, that season was sandwiched between three first-round losses and the 2011 debacle.

 

Interestingly, that period (from 2007-2011) was also a 5-year period, much like what Grigson had and what Ballard has had to date. 

 

So Polian should definitely not get a pass for that "era" of Colts football, especially when his successor is almost universally despised and blamed for his era's downfall. 

 

 

Polian had already built up a lot of credibility with his previous success.

 

Its funny how the forum can criticize Polian's mistakes objectively, but Ballard deserves some kind of special status, apparently to some.  Everything good that happens is the result of his plan.  Everything bad that happens is the result of circumstances or Frank.  Its weird.

[Colts1324]

10 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

We need to make it happen 

3 way trade for the Texans to get draft capital, we get Trey Lance, & the 49ers get Watson lol

[coming on strong]

10 minutes ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

 Jimmy IS more an opposite of Carson.

 Jimmy is more like Rivers.

 Carson more like Jay Cutler.

   Is interesting that Kurt Warners video appeared showing Carson was an *, couldn't read a D, had no clue how to properly look off safeties, and didn't bother taking those FB 101 plays, and others say it is a Irsay hissy fit.

 I saw plenty of evidence that there is something wrong in his head, and THAT makes Reich look very bad, apology accepted, so far.

Jimmy g can’t even compare to rivers . Jimmy g overthrows everything from the super bowl to the titans game . It was like watching paint dry as soon as the running gane is stop he shrinks .   I rather Sam play and draft a Qb next year . 

[Moosejawcolt]

1 hour ago, MarylandTerrapin said:

Irsay hired Grigson.

Grigson ultimately broke Luck because he didn't properly fix the OL.

We've been in QB hell ever since.

 

If Irsay had hired a GM in 2012 with the same philosophy as Ballard, then Luck would still be playing, we'd be a perennial playoff team, and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

 

 

Wexhave been in qb hell because Ballard has always thought his talent is better than it actually is. He thinks we r just a qb away. If I am a free agen5, I ain't coming to Indy. The all chips in statement by Irsay looks quite premature and looks silly right now.

[DougDew]

3 minutes ago, MPStack said:

I think that line came into play when they finally figured out JB just wasn’t very good and we’re reaching for something positive. 

That was when he earned the $15m to be a backup...and he wasn't just cut after stinking the first year.  IIRC.

[2006Coltsbestever]

3 minutes ago, coming on strong said:

I honestly don’t see that they both overthrow everything. People will be disappointed in Jimmy g he puts up the sane stats as wentz with much better weapons .  Watching him play against the colts he stunk after the first drive .  Watch the titans gave he handed them the game .  The draft is the only way to fix this issue long term .

Jimmy was up 17-7 in the NFC Title Game, was it his fault the D couldn't hold it or get an easy INT to seal the game. Of course Jimmy played bad against the Titans so did Wentz along with the Raiders and the Jags. Brady got shut out by the Saints, it happens but Wentz has laid so many eggs that I have lost count.

[MPStack]

1 minute ago, DougDew said:

That was when he earned the $15m to be a backup...and he wasn't just cut after stinking the first year.  IIRC.

And they couldn’t trade him? Because, the internet said he was being sought after. 
 

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 minutes ago, DougDew said:

That was when he earned the $15m to be a backup...and he wasn't just cut after stinking the first year.  IIRC.

The 4th and 1 king baby  

[teganslaw]

Speculation here: Irsay might have been against Wentz from the beginning. He let Ballard-Reich talk him into signing Wentz on the condition that the Colts make the playoffs, hopefully Super Bowl. I noticed that Reich apologized to Irsay for backing Wentz. It doesn't seem that Irsay cared for the person, so how was Wentz suppose to be successful with the owner against him? 

 

I don't know if this is correct,-as mentioned, I'm only theorizing- but it's how I'm beginning to feel about the whole situation. 

[Scott Pennock]

28 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Having been voted something is definitely a fact.  Not saying it isn't.  How relevant of a fact it is when reasoning behind the vote isn't supplied.  That's the issue.

 

Ryan Kelly got voted to the Pro Bowl, yet many thought he was a bottom half center this year.

 

I'm a Colts fan.  I hope the GM always has enough players on offense under contract to field a team on any given day of the year, and not have to rebuild the offense in year 6. Maybe the voters haven't figured out that's what he is doing?

I understand your POV! There was data involved in those articles that is why I suggested you google them! LOL

 

I am 'trusting' that Ballard will fix the issue and I guess I have more patience than most on here so that is my issue - but, Rome wasn't built in a day and Ballard has a lot of 'meh' type options out there that (in my opinion) don't provide us with what we truly want - a franchise QB. He has to shoot the moon on a scouting play to really solve the issue THIS year and that is with Jordan Love or a draft pick. None of the other options, including Garoppolo solve anything other than we have a QB for 2022 not named Sam Ehlinger.

 

I still stand by my comments on Luck derailing this franchise and putting us in this purgatory type position where IN GENERAL the roster is solid enough to with 50% or more of it's games in spite of 4 QB's in 4 years......

[shasta519]

1 minute ago, MPStack said:

He didn’t have to give JB 20M a year either. JB had no leverage whatsoever. That was insane.

 

They gave him the franchise tag before even played a snap that year...$28M.  I understand that it was a unique situation, but it was clearly a very questionable business decision at the time. Could have just added some incentives to JB's deal or given him a slight bump, but $28M? 

 

After that, they tried really hard to sell us on JB being the guy. It was a very cringe-worthy set of events. 

 

The franchise tag would have been there AFTER the season when he had showed he needed another season. And then, when they inevitably learned that they shouldn't be tagging Jacoby Brissett, they wouldn't have done it and wouldn't have been saddled with his $21M cap hit in 2020.

 

Even though it was just cap space, Ballard has gotten a major pass for that gaffe, while other GMs get heavily criticized for how they use cap space. Seems like a different standard.

 

Interestingly, for a GM who doesn't like to overpay players, in that case he did. But Ballard's approach to QB has run fairly contradictory to his overall team approach. It's equally interesting and frustrating. 

[throwing BBZ]

 

 OK, NOW my _ss IS chapped bigly!
 My dream of Marcus Williams as our new single high safety just went up in smoke.  What are you doing CB. We got nuthin' for reliable Safeties right now!  He was our last hope to anchor a real upgrade to our D.
So take that CB.

 Get your head out and your 5 for a dollar pen ready, we truly are left with crumbs. 

  

[Goatface Killah]

16 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Polian had already built up a lot of credibility with his previous success.

 

Its funny how the forum can criticize Polian's mistakes objectively, but Ballard deserves some kind of special status, apparently to some.  Everything good that happens is the result of his plan.  Everything bad that happens is the result of circumstances or Frank.  Its weird.

No its not. 

 

But when you expect him to either win without a franchise QB or just crap one it becomes rather ridiculous.