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Steve Sabol has passed away (1 Viewer)

glad he got to present his Father into the HOF in '11...

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000063643/article/steve-sabol-founder-of-nfl-films-dies

The football world said good-bye to a legend of the sport Tuesday. Steve Sabol, President of NFL Films, died of brain cancer just weeks away from 70th birthday.

Sabol took over the mantle of NFL Films from his father Ed, who founded the company. Steve learned in March of 2011 that he had a brain tumor that couldn't be removed. Steve introduced his father during Ed's emotional enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August of 2011.

Generations of NFL fans learned to love the game of football through the lens of Ed and Steve Sabol. Steve started out as a cameraman before eventually running company.

"We all realized pretty quickly that Steve was the force behind what we were doing here," the NFL Films' head of cinematography Hank McElwee said this year. "The pictures. Big Ed had the idea and he sold the owners on it, but when it came to the actual vision of this company, without a doubt it was Steve. Steve saw things in a unique way that every network is copying right now."

Steve Sabol won over 40 Emmy awards and oversaw 107 Emmys for NFL Films. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. The company broke ground as the first to wire players and coaches for sound. It revolutionized how music was used with sports films. It was the first to use ground-level slow motion and montage editing in sports. So much of what we see in sports television came directly from the Sabol. He was both an artist and an executive.

NFL Films was a family company in the truest sense. That's why it feels like the NFL is losing a member of its family today. Sabol and his father spent their lives glorifying the game above all.

"My dad has a great expression," Sabol said when his father's induction was announced. "Tell me a fact, and I'll learn. Tell me a truth and I'll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever. And now my Dad's story will be in Canton and hopefully that will live forever too."

The story of the NFL can't be told without Steve Sabol. May he rest in peace.
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Bummer. I used to hate his hosting on certain nfl films projects until I knew his family history and eventually later in life had the great privilege of working for NFL films. It was a total family environment and amazing place to be and it started with Steve(which I'm sure began with his father who I never knew). I learned quickly what. A fool I was, as Steve's love for people and this league was so through and complete, well, I'm bummed. Godspeed to a good man who with his father was an incalculably enormous in perpetuating the mythology of this league and sport.

 
'Joe Summer said:
NFL Films is one of the reasons why the NFL is so popular. No other sports league documented their games like the NFL.
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:goodposting: Especially before we had the wall to wall coverage that we do today, NFL Films specials were a must see for the junkies. Few others would have handled this mission as creatively as Sabol and his gang did.
 
The Autumn wind is a pirate

Blustering in from sea

With a rollicking song he sweeps along

Swaggering boisterously.

His face is weatherbeaten

He wears a hooded sash

With a silver hat about his head

And a bristling black mustache

He growls as he storms the country

A villain big and bold

And the trees all shake and quiver and quake

As he robs them of their gold.

The Autumn wind is a Raider

Pillaging just for fun

He'll knock you 'round and upside down

And laugh when he's conquered and won.

Here's to you Steve Sabol. Author of "Autumn Wind" RIP :(

 
That sucks. One of my favorite albums I own is Autumn Thunder: 40 years of music from NFL Films. It gets me pumped every time I hear it. NFL Film shaped how we watch and how we love football to a huge degree.

 
:( RIP

Before we had the 24/7 media of today, watching those old NFL Films productions probably had a lot to do with me becoming a fan of the game.

 
'Raiderfan32904 said:
The Autumn wind is a pirateBlustering in from seaWith a rollicking song he sweeps alongSwaggering boisterously.His face is weatherbeatenHe wears a hooded sashWith a silver hat about his headAnd a bristling black mustacheHe growls as he storms the countryA villain big and boldAnd the trees all shake and quiver and quakeAs he robs them of their gold.The Autumn wind is a RaiderPillaging just for funHe'll knock you 'round and upside downAnd laugh when he's conquered and won.Here's to you Steve Sabol. Author of "Autumn Wind" RIP :(
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I do not like the Raiders and never will. But even reading that gives me shivers.Dammit. RIP SS. :cry:
 
'Hunterbeer said:
:( For those of us over 40, NFL Films kept us completely captivated and helped shape our love of the game. RIP.
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Indeed. The NFL shows on Sunday mornings in the 60s and 70s were epic. Better than anything on TV today.
 
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The football world said good-bye to a legend of the sport Tuesday. Steve Sabol, President of NFL Films, died of brain cancer just weeks away from 70th birthday.
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:eek: Always thought of him as the young one.

 
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'Hunterbeer said:
:( For those of us over 40, NFL Films kept us completely captivated and helped shape our love of the game. RIP.
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:goodposting: RIP.I normally don't understand this type of stuff but I might drive by today to see if there is an impromptu memorial.
 
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'Herb said:
'Raiderfan32904 said:
The Autumn wind is a pirate

Blustering in from sea

With a rollicking song he sweeps along

Swaggering boisterously.

His face is weatherbeaten

He wears a hooded sash

With a silver hat about his head

And a bristling black mustache

He growls as he storms the country

A villain big and bold

And the trees all shake and quiver and quake

As he robs them of their gold.

The Autumn wind is a Raider

Pillaging just for fun

He'll knock you 'round and upside down

And laugh when he's conquered and won.

Here's to you Steve Sabol. Author of "Autumn Wind" RIP :(
Click to expand...
I do not like the Raiders and never will. But even reading that gives me shivers.
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It's even better in action:
 
One of the funniest things I have ever seen, bar none, was an NFL films special on players who had to go to the bathroom and how it got done during game time.

For example, this week when Steve Smith got carted off the sidelines for 'cramps', I am betting that actually had to take a crap.

RIP Steve Sabol, you are a giant among ants.

 
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RIP to a great communicator of the game. No parent should have to bury a child. Here's hoping the NFL does Steve right and allow his father to give his HOF induction speech in short order.

 
That was a great episode of A Football Life. Many a tear shed.

Thank you, Steve. I love the NFL for so many reasons. You contributed a lot to my addiction, passion, and love for the NFL.

 
With due respect to those that pass, who each represent a unique spark, sometimes, you say, if it wasn't this person, it would be that person.

There will always be a President, there will always be a best actor winner, there will always be an MVP.

Then there are guys like Ed. Who had a unique vision, almost a crazy vision, at a unique time, that you can not say would have been replicated in his absence.

The word I come back to is mythology. Its a modern mythology created, perfected and expanded by the NFL Films group (which was for decades independent of the league). I can't say enough about the impact this had on football and sports in general. It added a drama, it showed the value of highlights and recaps, I mean you can argue that their work showed ESPN the path in terms of a market for sports.

All from one guy and his camera shooting an Eagles game when no one else thought twice.

I dont' know if Ed saw the road he was on but he sure did walk it proud. Congrats and godspeed to a hall of famer, and I hope his son Steve joins him there. Literally can't think of any non-uniformed person more deserving.

 
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