Steve Sabol to be Honored Tonight, Sunday Across the NFL
By Josh Hill
The NFL is still reeling from the loss of it’s artistic eye, Steve Sabol, who passed away on Tuesday after and 18-month battle with brain cancer. Starting tonight with the Giants and Panthers Thursday night showdown, every stadium in the NFL is planning on honoring the man who gave the NFL it’s look with a tribute before the kickoff of each respective game.
“He was a terrific man and a skilled and talented artist,” FOX Sports Media Group chairman David Hill said. “Steve and his father Ed built NFL Films from nothing and were pioneers in sports television and filmmaking, and after taking the reins from his father, Steve put his own stamp on NFL Films, and its ability to capture football’s nuance and subtlety.”
Hill had nothing but love for the late Sabol, who has been credited with giving the NFL it’s look. From inventing the low-angle shot at live events, to helping to pioneer the sky-cam that glides above players not only in the NFL but College as well. Hill credits Sabol with helping him get FOX Sports off the ground to the titan it is today.
“When we started FOX Sports, no one was more helpful than Steve, and in a short time he became a great, great friend. He was always there to listen to one of my idiotic ideas. Nothing was ever too much trouble for Steve, and no one, absolutely no one, could rock a pink shirt while talking about the NFL as well as Steve. He was greatly respected and will be missed by everyone at FOX and the entire NFL community.”
The tribute will come in the form of a video that will be shown on video boards across the NFL. It’s strange to think that this Sunday will be the first Sunday since the merger that Steve Sabol’s artistic eye won’t be on the game.