Bill Polian

[ny33]

full blown fanaticism.

 

^

Can't say my heart skipped a beat since I already saw the less coherent, but more condensed version of this that he posted in the Whaley thread.

 

^

[FluffHead]

His recent drafts with the Colts were pretty terrible. That on top of him loving Landry Jones this year shows me he has lost it. Well, that and his disgusting dirty rotten yellow teeth

[Jamie Nails]

He's coming to Buffalo for the chance to reunite with Jerry Hughes.

[Nick the Greek]

Bill Polian is in his 70's.. He's too old! (Just like Buddy)

 

Let's get some fresh blood in the front office, eh?

[FluffHead]

I bet his breath stinks really bad

[G-Daddy]

Im not sure how old he is but if he was around during the 90's, wouldn't the hiring of Polian ruin the youth movement that seems to be happening in Buffalo?

At least he is younger than Ralph.

[thewildrabbit]

Sorry, just don't see it happening...

 

 

 

Besides, I don't think it was all Polian anymore either, as he had help from John Butler 1987, and AJ Smith 1986

[PromoTheRobot]

We just moved out a GM who some felt was too old for the job. So let's hire another old GM!

 

PTR

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Polian got lucky with Peyton Manning. He was on the competition committee and influenced the league to favor receiving weapons, which he drafted (though not particularly well). Look at his drafts with the Colts; they were awful, particularly in the second half of his tenure. Polian had success, like Marv Levy, but that doesn't mean he is a fit for the modern NFL. He's out of touch with the modern league.

 

He's "killing time" at ESPN because no one in the league thinks he's qualified to run an organization in 2013. I respect what Polian did in the past, but he's done for good reason.

 

Polian lucky? He made 3 different franchises Super Bowl contenders and per his Wikipedia page assembled at least two cfl championship teams to boot. That's the most complete resume of any gm in the game.

 

That said, the new bills are about new blood, new perspective and young hungry leadership. Polian doesn't fit the youth movement and surely isn't going to report to Brandon..... Move on folks!

 

 

[ny33]

Polian lucky? He made 3 different franchises Super Bowl contenders and per his Wikipedia page assembled at least two cfl championship teams to boot. That's the most complete resume of any gm in the game.

 

That said, the new bills are about new blood, new perspective and young hungry leadership. Polian doesn't fit the youth movement and surely isn't going to report to Brandon..... Move on folks!

 

With the Colts, yes, he got lucky. I also agree with those who give credit to some of the great scouts he had, like Butler.

 

Take a look at his draft record with the Colts. It was awful. Polian was a GM who hit on some great players, but completely failed at his drafts with the Colts for many years. The game is past him. I'm not saying he was an awful GM, but the following blog does a great job of tracking his ineptitude in Indianapolis:

 

http://www.thesportsrockers.com/2012/01/was-bill-polian-really-good-gm.html

 

Like Phil Jackson, who is a great coach, Polian's reputation benefitted greatly from those around him. He is one of the most important GMs of all-time, but there is no chance that he would step in and perform like the Ravens' Ozzie Newsome, a guy who knows how to scout and draft without having a grade-A Q.B.

[tonyjustbcuz]

I'd like to see them hire Polian

 

 

 

Yay!!! Somebody finally agrees with me!! There's one!!! C'mon everybody, Polian has been successful everywhere he's been and nothing against D. Whaley as he "might" be an up in comer??? (Unproven..)... Polian has always been successful that's all! Don't get the people who are disputing Polian's reputation? He built Indy based on the Bills...He picked Peyton Manning (was it over Leaf?) He can pick'em good! Someone said he can't draft well!!!! Hmm, Peyton Manning, Dwight Freeney, Jeff Saturday...did he draft or acquire Reggie Wayne, oh yeah and I can't remember the name of their receiver, but he was great too..among others!!! Did he pick Julius Peppers in Carolina? What are these people talking about anyways?? Let's get Polian!!!

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

 

 

With the Colts, yes, he got lucky. I also agree with those who give credit to some of the great scouts he had, like Butler.

 

Take a look at his draft record with the Colts. It was awful. Polian was a GM who hit on some great players, but completely failed at his drafts with the Colts for many years. The game is past him. I'm not saying he was an awful GM, but the following blog does a great job of tracking his ineptitude in Indianapolis:

 

http://www.thesportsrockers.com/2012/01/was-bill-polian-really-good-gm.html

 

Like Phil Jackson, who is a great coach, Polian's reputation benefitted greatly from those around him. He is one of the most important GMs of all-time, but there is no chance that he would step in and perform like the Ravens' Ozzie Newsome, a guy who knows how to scout and draft without having a grade-A Q.B.

 

Now the argument is the gm was only good because he surrounded himself with good people? Ha!

 

Not so sure Ozzie didn't get just as lucky with Ray.... Without him lets see the ravens playoff run this year...

 

 

 

[tonyjustbcuz]

With the Colts, yes, he got lucky. I also agree with those who give credit to some of the great scouts he had, like Butler.

 

Take a look at his draft record with the Colts. It was awful. Polian was a GM who hit on some great players, but completely failed at his drafts with the Colts for many years. The game is past him. I'm not saying he was an awful GM, but the following blog does a great job of tracking his ineptitude in Indianapolis:

 

http://www.thesports...ly-good-gm.html

 

Like Phil Jackson, who is a great coach, Polian's reputation benefitted greatly from those around him. He is one of the most important GMs of all-time, but there is no chance that he would step in and perform like the Ravens' Ozzie Newsome, a guy who knows how to scout and draft without having a grade-A Q.B.

 

I don't need to read no blog to know the difference between a successful GM or not...Bill Polian didn't just get lucky! C';mon...He only hit on Dwight Freeney, Jeff Saturday, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wane, etc...C'mon.... Ozzie Newsome I agree has been awesome, and the 49'ers have a good GM too! But, I still think Polian is a great candidate!!!!!!!!! Whaley may be ok? No track record....I like a proven track record better!! So does history....

 

Im not sure how old he is but if he was around during the 90's, wouldn't the hiring of Polian ruin the youth movement that seems to be happening in Buffalo?

 

If he were running out of the tunnel with pads and a helmet I would agree with you, but I think that he can still work a pen and paper very well!

[Malazan]

Wouldn't it be nice if you could just keep shouting "BILL POLIAN!" and the Bills would win

[ny33]

Now the argument is the gm was only good because he surrounded himself with good people? Ha!

 

Not so sure Ozzie didn't get just as lucky with Ray.... Without him lets see the ravens playoff run this year...

 

That's a part of my point, not the entirety of the argument. If you believe Ray Lewis- a mediocre middle linebacker over the past few years- is the reason for the Ravens' success, you're discrediting Newsome's success.

 

The fact is that many NFL insiders have said that Polian is overrated. As many people have noted, QBs are a game-changer. Polian inherited Jim Kelly and got lucky with Peyton Manning. I'm not sure why you're choosing to ignore the overwhelming amount of busts drafted by Polian, particularly at the end of his tenure. The game is past him.

 

I don't need to read no blog to know the difference between a successful GM or not...Bill Polian didn't just get lucky! C';mon...He only hit on Dwight Freeney, Jeff Saturday, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wane, etc...C'mon.... Ozzie Newsome I agree has been awesome, and the 49'ers have a good GM too! But, I still think Polian is a great candidate!!!!!!!!! Whaley may be ok? No track record....I like a proven track record better!! So does history....

 

It has information that you are willfully choosing to ignore. If Polian were still considered to be a good GM for the modern game, he'd be actively involved in the sport right now. I'm not sure why you're ignoring that fact and are a Polian fanatic.

 

Their 2005 draft was a complete bust. Kelvin Hayden was their best player.

 

In 2006, Addai was a bust of a first-round pick; Bethea was their only solid choice.

 

In 2007, Polian drafted zero players who made significant contributions to the team.

 

In 2008, the mediocre Pierre Garcon was his best pick.

 

2009 yielded the mediocre Donald Brown and Austin Collie.

 

2010 has upfield-tackle-machine Pat Angerer (who does little else).

 

2011 yielded the mediocre Castonzo at tackle.

 

You clearly aren't Bill Polian, but I don't see why you are so delusional about his performance as a G.M.; are facts not important to you? The fact is that Polian was completely inept in the 2000s as a G.M., and without Peyton Manning and Jim Kelly, would have been fired long before 2012. Get in touch with reality.

Edited May 15, 2013 by ny33

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

 

 

It has information that you are willfully chooisng to ignore. If Polian were still considered to be a good GM for the modern game, he'd be actively involved in the sport right now. I'm not sure why you're ignoring that fact and are a Polian fanatic.

 

 

Shouldnt lump me in with your fanatic assessment. I am opposed to Polian being a part of the bills future.... But his contribution to its past and that of Indy and Carolina's start up in undeniable. He will go down as one of the better GMs in league history and rightfully so.

[ny33]

Shouldnt lump me in with your fanatic assessment. I am opposed to Polian being a part of the bills future.... But his contribution to its past and that of Indy and Carolina's start up in undeniable. He will go down as one of the better GMs in league history and rightfully so.

 

I wasn't lumping you in; I meant to separate my responses. Look, I've said that Polian was successful in his tenures, and certainly deserves credit. He was one of the best GMs in league history.

 

He also failed drastically towards the end in Indianapolis. I don't understand why so many posters, and fans, are delusional about the idea that Polian can magically step in and turn the franchise around. For whatever reason(s), the game has passed him by. It's widely accepted that he was a very poor GM in the last decade, and it's clear that he's not in the league for a reason. I respect Polian, and his teams', accomplishments, but the fact is that he is no longer a premier NFL GM.

 

I made the Marv Levy analogy earlier. Levy came back and showed that the game had passed him by. The same is true for Polian.

[Peace Frog]

Appreciated what Bill did here in the late 80s and early 90s but that ship has sailed. I would like someone even better than Bill here as GM. AFAIC (as far as I'm concerned), let's see what this new staff can do first before taking a trip down memory lane.

[Cotton Fitzsimmons]

I made the Marv Levy analogy earlier. Levy came back and showed that the game had passed him by. The same is true for Polian.

 

ny, my good fellow, it is YE OLE's belief that the aforementioned Marv Levy analogy isn't a good parallel. Levy, while a coach for many years, had no real experience as a GM. It may not be that the game passed him by, it may simply be that he never would have been a successful GM. It's not a real apples to apples comparison. Now... before YE OLE proceeds, we must roll out a couple of disclaimers:

 

1. YE OLE does not endorse the return of BUFFALO BILL POLIAN at this juncture

2. YE OLE has a great deal of respect and adoration for Marv and the contributions he made to our beloved "FRANCHISE OF CHOICE"

 

Now that that's out of the way, we must look at the overall resumes of Polian and Levy. If you take all of Levy's NFL head coaching experience outside of the remarkable run of the 4 straight Superbowl years, his overall record is 94-97. Granted, you could make the argument that YE OLE is selectively cherry picking stats to make a point. That's true, but one must also consider the possibility that Levy had an enormous amount of talent to work with in that period of time, and those 4 seasons put his bust in Canton.

 

On the flip side of that, Polian as a GM has had undeniable success at every stop, with different casts of characters. Polian was a GM for just over 25 years in the NFL. 17 of those seasons Bill Polian led teams finished with 10+ wins. 13 of those seasons Polian's teams finished with 12+ wins. Granted... Jim Kelly and Peyton Manning were a big part of this, but Polian's unbelievable knack for consistently constructing contenders year in and year out is unbelievable. One terrible season in 2011 doesn't indicate that the game has passed him by. The overwhelming evidence is that Polian would be very successful if he came back. That said, he's 70 years old, and obviously at this point doesn't seem like a good fit here for a multitude of reasons.

Edited May 15, 2013 by Cotton Fitzsimmons

[ny33]

ny, my good fellow, it is YE OLE's belief that the aforementioned Marv Levy analogy isn't a good parallel. Levy, while a coach for many years, had no real experience as a GM. It may not be that the game passed him by, it may simply be that he never would have been a successful GM. It's not a real apples to apples comparison. Now... before YE OLE proceeds, we must roll out a couple of disclaimers:

 

1. YE OLE does not endorse the return of BUFFALO BILL POLIAN at this juncture

2. YE OLE has a great deal of respect and adoration for Marv and the contributions he made to our beloved "FRANCHISE OF CHOICE"

 

Now that that's out of the way, we must look at the overall resumes of Polian and Levy. If you take all of Levy's NFL head coaching experience outside of the remarkable run of the 4 straight Superbowl years, his overall record is 94-97. Granted, you could make the argument that YE OLE is selectively cherry picking stats to make a point. That's true, but one must also consider the possibility that Levy had an enormous amount of talent to work with in that period of time, and those 4 seasons put his bust in Canton.

 

On the flip side of that, Polian as a GM has had undeniable success at every stop, with different casts of characters. Polian was a GM for just over 25 years in the NFL. 17 of those seasons Bill Polian led teams finished with 10+ wins. 13 of those seasons Polian's teams finished with 12+ wins. Granted... Jim Kelly and Peyton Manning were a big part of this, but Polian's unbelievable knack for consistently constructing contenders year in and year out is unbelievable. One terrible season in 2011 doesn't indicate that the game has passed him by. The overwhelming evidence is that Polian would be very successful if he came back. That said, he's 70 years old, and obviously at this point doesn't seem like a good fit here.

 

That's a fair point on the Levy-Polian comparison. The point is, though, that his drafts were absolutely terrible at the end of his career. I'm not dying that he was a great GM for years.

 

I strongly disagree that he "would be very successful if he came back"; I think, if that were the case, he would be on an NFL team, or constantly floated in the media as a coveted GM in the mold of Cowher/the NBA's Phil Jackson. Polian should certainly be given credit for success with Indianapolis and Buffalo, but it's just as important to look at where he's failed.