Tuesday, September 18, 2012

NFL Films Producer Steve Sabol

Steve Sabol -- one of the founding members of "NFL Films" -- passed away this morning after battling brain cancer. He was 69.

CP's Take: As a kid I was sucked into the game of football not by the roar of the crowd but by the replay, a tight shot on the football and its super-slow motion spiral arching towards the receiver, a trade mark of Steve Sabol and his father Ed.  That sight, and the extended suspense it created, depicted everything football was, right to the 1/10th of a second and that moment of the completion and glory of the touchdown.

Steve had suffered a seizure in March 2011. Doctors discovered an inoperable tumor in his brain ... and he had been receiving treatment ever since.

Sabol co-founded NFL Films in the '60s with his father, Ed Sabol ... and together they revolutionized the way football fans watched the game ... with slow dramatic montages, compelling music and candid player soundbites from the field and the sidelines. Under Steve's leadership, NFL Films produced several iconic shows ... including, "Hard Knocks," "NFL Films Presents" and "Football Follies."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement on Sabol's death ... saying, "Steve’s passion for football was matched by his incredible talent and energy. Steve’s legacy will be part of the NFL forever. He was a major contributor to the success of the NFL, a man who changed the way we look at football and sports, and a great friend.”

More on Steve Sabol fromt the LA Times here.

Steve Sabol Interviews Carolina Panther Steve Smith

 
More Cedar Posts on NFL Films here.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

A tragic loss for fans of the game everywhere.

Anonymous said...

Dude I never knew that about NFL films. Reminds me of Warren Miller the guy who made all those ski films.

Anonymous said...

Steve and his team have the "Art" of sharing the real story...RIP