Ed Sabol, founder of NFL Films, dies at age of 98

[ScreamingMeemie]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000469569/article/ed-sabol-founder-of-nfl-films-dies-at-age-of-98

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Ed Sabol, innovative founder of NFL Films, died Monday in his Scottsdale, Arizona, home at the age of 98.

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"Through his determination and innovative spirit, Ed Sabol transformed how America watched football and all sports," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday. "Ed ignited the fire at NFL Films and was the Keeper of the Flame with a remarkable vision and dedication to telling the stories of the people who played, coached and loved the game.

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Pro Football's Longest Day, Sabol's film of the 1962 NFL Championship Game between the Giants and Packers at Yankee Stadium, helped convince the NFL of the need for its own motion picture company to promote the game and preserve its history.

When he was a frustrated overcoat salesman in the early 1960s, the 14-team NFL was overshadowed by Major League Baseball and ranked behind college football and boxing in popularity. Propelled by Sabol's work with NFL Films, pro football vaulted to the top in television ratings and revenue by the end of the decade, embedding itself in the national consciousness.

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[Auggie]

1. No one has been able to top his productions IMO

It was brilliant -- from the grainy, 16mm film stock to the dooming voice of John Facenda.

Just awesome story telling.

[trumad]

2. Loved his work

[Auggie]

3. Sabol's films got me interested in football

Regrettably, I missed the Brown's championship in '64 even though I was just old enough to probably appreciate it. But football, and Jim Brown, just weren't on my radar. It was a few years later when NFL films caught my eye. The Browns still had some life in them but then they traded Paul Warfield to your Dolphins for a #1 draft pick (which became QB Mike Phipps).

To add insult to injury, the Browns almost upset the '72 Dolphins in the playoffs, but Phelps threw five INTs , helping Miami come back in the fourth quarter.

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. He had a way of capturing everything that made up the game.

I agree with you. He'll be missed.