I can be fairly critical of many of the media folks, but one that is a champ is Sports Illustrated's Peter King. His column, Monday Morning Quarterback, regularly has great stuff. Yesterday, he wrote of his visit with Steve Sabol of NFL Films. Steve and his father, Ed, are football treasures. It has been a year of extreme emotions for the Sabol family. Ed Sabol was elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in February. A few weeks later, Steve Sabol suffered a seizure caused by a brain tumor. He is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment to shrink the tumor. When Peter King asked of his prognosis, Sabol says that he hasn't asked, doesn't care as long as he makes it to August. He's told that he will. In August, Steve will present his father for induction into the Hall of Fame. His priority is simple. Sabol says, "I don't know what is waiting for me up there. But I can tell you this: Nothing will happen up there that can duplicate my life down here. Nothing. That life can not be better than the one I've lived down here. The football life. It's been perfect."
I always enjoy hearing of others living their dreams. Living a heaven on earth. There is envy, but mostly hope. Hope that everyone can find their dreams. Sabol has brought that feeling to others. His work inspires. He inspires. Several years ago, NFL Network draft guru, Mike Mayock was at a career crossroads. Unhappy in what he was doing. His football playing career was marginal and brief. He ended up selling commercial real estate. Sabol urged him to do what makes him happy. This led Mayock to his career analyzing football. One that makes him deliriously happy. It is evident every time you see Mike Mayock around draft time. Sabol inspires. He cares.
When Sabol goes in for chemo and radiation he brings his own music "The Power and the Glory: The Original Music and Voices of NFL Films". The voice of John Facenda echoes through the radiation chamber "Professional football in America is a special game, a unique game, played nowhere else on earth. It is a rare game. The men who play it make it so." Steve Sabol helped make it so.
Get well soon Steve.
What a powerful voice Facenda was. I've learned not to ask that people in a delicate health position, such as Sabol, get better. Instead i would say, if you have to go, thank you for your positive influences. I would hope he can look past the fear, and find acceptance of inevitability. It sounds like he has done that a bit already. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI really just hope that all football fans realize the gift that the Sabols have given us. I applaud Steve Sabol's view of his situation
ReplyDeletesimply stated, without the Sabols, thre would be no NFL Films, we wouldn't have the "Frozen Tundra" of John Facenda, the Follies, Hank Stram on the sidelines miked up, and many more.
ReplyDeleteHow many things that we expect today came as result of NFL Films?
The Sabols brought the fan into the game. Thy helped build it into the multi billion dollar mega media show that it is today. Except, unlike today, they knew who the real fan was. They weren't worried about reaching a greater audience. They were there for the REAL fan.