RIP Steve Sabol

Few non-athletes have ever impacted my sports experience and education like Steve Sabol, who passed away today after an 18 month battle with brain cancer.  He was 69.

As a co-founder of NFL Films, Steve Sabol's vision, knowledge, and innovation taught me and countless others more about professional football than anyone else. Following in the footsteps of his father Ed, Steve was in many ways the face of the NFL's history. He was the host of one of my favorite VHS tapes growing up, True Value Hardware's "Quarterbacks on Quarterbacks". He seemed to produce every blooper reel, highlight film and Super Bowl recap throughout my formative years.

Steve Sabol and NFL Films WAS the NFL Network before the NFL Network was created. He said once that the "shape of a football field is the shape of a movie screen. There's something about the way the spectacle of the game, the visceral nature of the game...it lends itself to making movies." He did exactly that.

I remember staying up late at night to watch the highlights of past Super Bowls, especially when ESPN2 used to run the all night marathon the Saturday before the big game. It was because of these films (and that's precisely what they were) that I and many others were able to connect with the game's history in an emotional way. My friends and I had all heard of Marcus Allen, Bart Starr, Lynn Swann and John Riggins. But it was because of Steve Sabol and his vision that these players became something bigger, something legendary. He told us a story in a way that no one else could. It was epic.

From the amazing soundtrack by Sam Spence to the fantastic (and often slow-motion) camera work, to the flawless editing, these games were larger than life. He brought a kind of literary genius to the sport. Football was a spectacle, and Steve Sabol did an amazing job creating this theater for his audience. In a world of Top 10's and useless segments-Cmon Man's comes to mind, it is remarkable that these old, grainy highlight tapes still feel so fresh, so lively, so timeless.

It is because of Steve Sabol that we have the NFL Network, which does an amazing job carrying on his tradition with regards to documenting football history as it happens. So this Sunday, think of Steve Sabol while you watch the games, and even if you don't realize it, thank him for impacting and changing the way you experience the sport of football.

Here are some of his numerous classics:


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