Rids

Colts president to speak at Fifth Quarter dinner
Monday January 08, 2007

CALGARY - The University of Calgary Dinos and Dinosaur Football’s 5th Quarter Association is pleased to confirm that Indianapolis Colts' President Mr. Bill Polian will be the guest speaker for the 24th Dinosaur Football 5th Quarter Association dinner to be held on April 11, 2007 at the Telus Convention Center. Please note the new location for 2007.

Now in his ninth season as President of the Indianapolis Colts, of one of the National Football League’s most successful franchises, Polian oversees all football and administrative aspects of the Indianapolis Colts. His football blueprint has established a program that has made the Indianapolis Colts one of the NFL’s top teams over the past eight seasons.

Polian has roots in the Canadian Football League. He helped build Grey Cup championship teams in both Winnipeg and Montreal. In 19 seasons as a general manager or president with Indianapolis, Carolina, and Buffalo, his teams have made 13 playoff and six championship game appearances. His Buffalo teams reached the Super Bowl three times with him at the helm. He helped build Carolina into the winningest expansion franchise in all of sports history, taking the Panthers to the NFL Championship game in just their second season.

Entering this season, his NFL teams have produced a combined regular-season percentage record of 177-126. He has been part of nine 11plus victory seasons during his career and has won a division championship at every stop.

Polian’s record is unique amongst NFL administrators. He was recognized by The Sporting News in 1999 as Executive of the Year, his fifth time was the award’s winner. He is one of only three men to win the award multiple times.

Polian is a keen judge of talent and has been able to find such free agent additions for the Indianapolis Colts as center Jeff Saturday, linebacker Gary Brackett and running back Dominic Rhodes. His draft expertise changed the Indianapolis Colts. His first eight draft classes yielded quarterback Peyton Manning, running back Edgerin James, wide receiver Reggie Wayne, linebackers Mike Peterson, Rob Morris, Marcus Washington and Cato June, defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, defensive tackles Josh Williams and Larry Tripplett, defensive secondary players Bob Sanders, David Macklin, Mike Doss, Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden, offensive linemen Ryan Diem and Jake Scott and tight end fullback Dallas Clark, among others.

Polian entered the league as a professional scout for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1978. He worked five years with the Chiefs before joining the Chicago Blitz of the USFL as personnel director. In 1983, he was player personnel director for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers helping build the Bombers in the Grey Cup Champions in 1984 and 1988. He joined the Buffalo Bills in 1984 as pro personnel director and was promoted to general manager on December 30, 1985. Under Polian, Buffalo reversed a record of 8-40 from 1984-86 to 58-22 from 1988-92. The Bills reached Super Bowls XXV, XXVI, and XXXVII during his tenure, then added a fourth Super Bowl trip in 1993. Polian presented former Buffalo Head Coach Marv Levy at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2001.

Polian served as Vice President of Football Development for the NFL during the 1993 season. He helped formulate and implement the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement. Long active in league affairs, Polian serves as a member of the NFL Competition Committee, Management Council Senior Executive Committee, and is Chairman of the College Relations Committee.

Tickets for the 24th Dinosaur Football 5th Quarter Association dinner on April 11, 2007 are $2500 for a table of ten or $250.00 for individual tickets. Tickets can be obtained by contacting Joyce Graham at 403-220-5944.

Sponsorship opportunities for the 24th Dinosaur Football’s 5th Quarter Association dinner on April 11, 2007 are also available. For further information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Bruno Geremia at 403-261-6417.

Proceeds from the event go towards the University of Calgary Dinosaur Football Endowment Fund and help defray operating costs for the team.