Steve Sabol (1942-2012)

[rthomas]

I used to love watching his NFL films back back when I was a kid. The super slow-mo of the the 60's Bears or Joe Willie or Montana and all to the tune of "What do We Do With the Drunken Sailor". I love those films. I think he and NFL films was part of the reason the NFL thrived and became the fan sport it has become.

He will be missed.

[Indoor66]

RIP to a very creative, original man. I, too, enjoyed his films and John Fascenda's commentary. A giant of his field is gone.

[tommy]

It was actually Steve's father, Ed Sabol, who founded and ran what ultimately became NFL Films. Ed retired in the mid-90's, by which time Steve was well-established in his own right. In addition to his technical brilliance and innovative techniques, Steve was known as one of THE nice guys around the NFL. Everybody liked him. I definitely believe that what this father-son team created and marketed has been a major factor in pro football's seemingly endless growth in popularity. Ed is already in the Hall of Fame, and I expect and hope Steve will join him there.

[throatybeard]

And if Wiki is to be believed, Ed is still living at 96!

[Jim3k]

Steve was quite the character. I remember him when he was playing football at tiny (less than 2000 students) Colorado College in Colorado Springs. I think I'd just graduated from Duke, but having spent some pre-college years in Denver, I kept an eye on Colorado, thinking I would return. This article references how Steve promoted himself (http://www.nesn.com/2012/09/steve-sabols-colorful-life-story-includes-inventing-own-sudden-death-nickname-hometown.html). I remember the S.I. article well--maybe it's still in the S.I. archives. But Steve knew how to blow his own horn. He was fun to read about.