No one disputes that NFL Films has had an enormous impact on the National Football League. But not everyone believes that enormous impact means NFL Films founder Ed Sabol deserves a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Sabol is one of the finalists whose name will be debated by the Hall of Fame Selection Committee a week from today, and one voter, Len Pasquarelli of Sports Xchange, thinks there’s going to be a fierce debate on the matter of Sabol’s candidacy.
Pasquarelli writes that Sabol “is receiving strong support from some selectors,” but adds that “the Sabol candidacy could be a much-debated one” because some voters will favor the candidates whose contributions came on the field, not off.
Contributors like Sabol are lumped in with former players on the list of Hall of Fame finalists, and between four and seven of this year’s finalists will be chosen for enshrinement in Canton. According to Chris Harry of FanHouse, the job of presenting Sabol to the rest of the committee will fall on Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, who for years has pushed for Sabol while facing resistance from his fellow selection committee members.
Most Hall of Fame voters haven’t said publicly whether they plan to vote for Sabol or not, but longtime voter Dave Goldberg says he thinks there’s strong support, and Sabol will get in.
As he should. Although it’s almost impossible to compare Sabol’s contributions to the game with those of fellow finalists like Deion Sanders and Marshall Faulk, it’s easy to see that NFL Films has been a major part of making the NFL what it is. It’s time for Sabol to get a bust in Canton.