Ed and Steve are together once more.
The NFL and film lost a true pioneer with the passing of Ed Sabol yesterday. He was 98. Sabol's Blair Motion Pictures and NFL Films brought generations of fans to the NFL. So many learned of the game and fell for the game through the magnificent film reproductions of a football game. The Sabol's work made a spinning football read like poetry. They turned a violent game into art. A remarkable feat.
The NFL so often can't get out of it's own way. One of the best moves that the league ever made was purchasing Sabol's Blair Motion Pictures. The purchase was at Ed's suggestion. The father and son film company became part of the NFL as NFL Films. The league furthered that smart purchase by letting the Sabol's run their own show. The league stayed out of the way, completely. That was the best move of all. The league let father and son make the magic happen. The Sabol's never stopped. They made football better. They made film better. The best parts of football and the NFL are found in the incredible work that comes out of those buildings in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. Steve Sabol passed away, too soon, in 2011. He stuck around long enough to present his father for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ed is once again with his friend and son.
The Sabol's have given us so much. One of the greatest is the people that carry on the magic of NFL Films. Those that remain carry on with the passion they inherited from a remarkable family. The Sabol's and NFL Films are the "keepers of the flame." That has never been more true.
RIP Ed Sabol
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