OT Article on Chris Polian's Role in Colts' Franchise Decline

[DropKickFlutie]

Saw this off Simmons' article. Chris Polian is Bill Polian's son, and he's an example of the Good Ole Boy network that is still alive and well all over the NFL as well as college football. The article does a good job showing how the Colts' franchise decline over the past half decade can be explained in part due to Chris Polian taking increasing responsibilities and power in the organization.

Kravitz: Who's to blame for 0-8 Colts? Chris Polian, for one | The Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

I'm not going to make the direct comparison, and I'll be running to avoid the inevitable stoning for putting this out there, but while Jonathan Kraft is nowhere near as bad as Chris Polian, I will be REALLY WORRIED for the franchise the day that Robert Kraft isn't there at the top of the Patriots organization.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I'm not going to make the direct comparison, and I'll be running to avoid the inevitable stoning for putting this out there, but while Jonathan Kraft is nowhere near as bad as Chris Polian, I will be REALLY WORRIED for the franchise the day that Robert Kraft isn't there at the top of the Patriots organization.

Could you please explain what Jonathan Kraft has done that is so awful?

 

[The Boston Patriot]

I like Kravitz. I've heard him on the local sports radio from time to time and
he seems to be a fairly decent writer. He is definitely a Colts man so for him
to be damning Chris Polian you know he has to be really pissed at him.

 

[E1Downey]

Man, Brady is gonna have HUGE fantasy numbers today!

 

[Rob0729]

I gotta hand it to Kravitz, the guy is so insightful. He deserves a Pulitzer for his article right after the draft where he ridiculed the Patriots for drafting Mallett and praised the Polians for not falling into the trap of wasting draft picks and roster spots on Peyton's potential replacement because it will be years before Manning misses any significant time or his level of play drop off.

Kravitz is a fraud. In fact, he is nothing more than a fair weather fan just like we are seeing on this board now. When things are going good, he cannot help falling over himself with praise of the Colts' organization, how thy draft, and put together a roster. Now that the house of cards comes crashing down, he writes article after article about how incompetent they are.

He got a lot right in this article, but it doesn't excuse the fact that he was praising the Colts for drafting. Here is an excerpt from his article on May 1st:

Let the New England Patriots worry about finding their quarterback of the future. The Colts are worried about preserving their quarterback of the present.

That’s why, instead of drafting a Ryan Mallett, who may never take a snap as a member of the New England Patriots, the Colts surrounded Manning with two more offensive linemen; a defensive lineman; a bowling-ball third-and-short running back, and another defensive back.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the Colts should begin looking for Manning’s replacement, but I know this much: not now and not for another year or three.

Indy.com | Post: Bob Kravitz: There's no need to rush to replace Manning | Indianapolis, Indiana

Instead of drafting two o-linemen, a d-lineman, a RB, and a DB; the Colts should have signed a faith healer, a priest to give the current team Last Rites, Bagdad Bob to sell the fans that all is fine, and RYAN MALLETT IN THE SECOND OR THIRD ROUND!!!!

The Colts are a mess and even if they win the Andrew Luck sweepstakes and he lives up to the promise, they gotta basically rebuild this team because they have nothing. If the Colts drafted Mallett, he might have turned into their franchise QB of the future and used their high first round pick to fix some of their holes which is pretty much their entire roster.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I gotta hand it to Kravitz, the guy is so insightful. He deserves a Pulitzer for his article right after the draft where he ridiculed the Patriots for drafting Mallett a

and he was right!

We could sure use a decent defensive player or speedy WR, available with the 3rd round picks wasted being too cute with Kevin O'Connell and Ryan Mallett.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Man, Brady is gonna have HUGE fantasy numbers today!

That made me wince too.

 

[Rob0729]

and he was right!

We could sure use a decent defensive player or speedy WR, available with the 3rd round picks wasted being too cute with Kevin O'Connell and Ryan Mallett.

I looked at the 3rd and 4th rounds and I don't see a speedy WR or defensive player who has made an impact in the NFL this year.

If Mallett turns into Brady's replacement and is a top 5 QB for 10 years for the Pats, it was a great move. If the Pats turn him around in a year or two for a second or first round, he is also a great pick.

Brady is 33. Peyton Manning showed that it isn't too early to look for his potential replacement. Mallett was considered the most talented QB in the draft by some and dropped in large part because of off the field concerns. Mallett has the potential to be the most important draft pick since Brady.... Or he could be a wasted pick like O'Connell. Too early to tell.

 

[mgteich]

It makes little sense to criticize the colts for not being able to play without Manning and then criticize the drafting of Mallett.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

It makes little sense to criticize the colts for not being able to play without Manning and then criticize the drafting of Mallett.

Right because w/o totally unproven Mallett we have NO backup at QB

What we DO have is glaring depth holes at several critical defensive positions and nobody who can return a kick. Several of the other 31 teams have found either starters or NFL capable backups (i.e. NOT Sergio Browns) in the top 90 draft positions.

Is it just me or do the Pats seem to have found adequate QB developmental prospects in the 6th, 7th rounds and UDFA?

 

[Deus Irae]

It makes little sense to criticize the colts for not being able to play without Manning and then criticize the drafting of Mallett.

How does one have anything at all to do with the other?

 

[farn]

Still think drafting Mallett was a good choice. What makes us think they would have selected a good player instead of getting a qb with nfl ready skills (supposedly) ?

I am like everyone else : I wish NE had "hit" on more of their recent draft picks. But there are franchises that have "missed" a lot more than the Patriots this century.

 

[Ring 6]

Horrible scapegoating article.
The Colts are a mess, Kravitz has favorites so he chooses a whipping boy to assing blame to (somehow he is also blameful for his fathers decisions, while he father isnt?) so the favorites get a pass.

 

[Spiral]

So Kravitz is expecting Jim Irsay to see a problem with nepotism?