Steve Sabol on Manning & Brady before the game was played

[#54]

I've always enjoyed Steve Sabol's commentaries and presentations; this one is no different. Just wish I'd found it before the game was played. (http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d803d69c3) :banghead:

[oldbagfan]

Originally posted by #54 on 11-05-2007 at 07:52 PM
I've always enjoyed Steve Sabol's commentaries and presentations; this one is no different. Just wish I'd found it before the game was played. (http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d803d69c3) :banghead:

Yeah, Sabol (and his daddy before him) and the whole NFL films thing has done a HUGE service for pro football and its fans. Even now that video has pretty much supplanted most of the film we see these days, the footage captured forever by these guys and their crews is irreplaceable.

And now that Steve is more and more in evidence on TV football shows (thanks in large part to NFLN), the Sabols' work is getting even more exposure. I have always appreciated their brainstorm of putting plays to music and using professional voice over actors. And Sabol's delivery is measured and professional without being high hat or boring. He seems excited and enthusiastic, yet isn't screaming! What a concept!

[TomWaits & you]

Originally posted by oldbagfan on 11-05-2007 at 07:59 PM
Yeah, Sabol (and his daddy before him) and the whole NFL films thing has done a HUGE service for pro football and its fans. Even now that video has pretty much supplanted most of the film we see these days, the footage captured forever by these guys and their crews is irreplaceable.

And now that Steve is more and more in evidence on TV football shows (thanks in large part to NFLN), the Sabols' work is getting even more exposure. I have always appreciated their brainstorm of putting plays to music and using professional voice over actors. And Sabol's delivery is measured and professional without being high hat or boring. He seems excited and enthusiastic, yet isn't screaming! What a concept!

You summed it up as well as he usually does. I always kind of thought his delivery was akin to a wise old uncle or grandfather relating stories to kids on a step. Now, he is actually starting to look the part.

I love their photography, too. The intro with Brady, on the field, then the zoom to Manning...Behind him, looking over his shoulder, and ON A TV. ;)

[aloyouis]

excellent....

I remember listeningto his daddy.

[Harrison37]

Can anyone summarize for me?

I can't access the video on our army server over here...

Thanks!

[TomWaits & you]

Originally posted by Harrison37 on 11-06-2007 at 02:13 AM
Can anyone summarize for me?

I can't access the video on our army server over here...

Thanks!

Harri: It's ~ 3 mins long. Essentially, it's just another focus on Manning & Brady, but it is done is the subdued/subtle NFL Films style, rather than the POP! BOOM! FIZZ! of ESPN. The main focus is on their ability to stay healthy.

Sabol starts off saying we're halfway through the season and half of teams are already on their back-up QB. For SB 41.5, the focus will again be on Brady and Manning. For all their accolades, etc., what might be lost is that (behind Favre) they are 2nd and 3rd for straight starts. Video is of them warming up, in the pocket, completing passes, etc.

Says they are like "wildebeasts" in that they don't freeze when they see a lion (or a Bear...show Brady juking out Urlacher last year). Talks about how hard and how often they get hit because they are unafraid. Main point is that they "keep getting up." Montages of nasty hits taken plays underneath.

Referencing old gunslingers, Sabol says that, as well as they shoot, they take shots back just as well. As bright white as their images are, they are really just blue collar guys.

Lots of great photography of recognizable plays, often from unique/artistic angles. One great shot of two hot INDY fans bouncing up and down.

It's nothing you haven't seen before, but it's a great example of how most people wish it was more often done.

Hope this helps.

[Box_O_Rocks]

Opening music...Sabol standing next to a chest high display table with NE and IND helmets facing each other...

Sabol: "We're half way through the 2007 season, and already half the teams have needed their back-up Quarterback."

[Sabol is standing with the table to his left, the NE helmet is closest to him, a picture of a Panthers' player is in frame over his right shoulder as the camera slow zooms. Behind the table on the back wall under the NFL Network logo are three monitors all showing the Sabol segment logo. As Sabol starts to speak his next sentence the middle monitor displays a Brady image and the viewer's right hand monitor displays a Manning image - both facing each other.]

"And as we get ready for Super Bowl 41 1/2, otherwise known as Sunday's Patriots Colts game, the focus [emphasis pause] will be on the two starting Quarterbacks."

[Action sequence guitar music as Brady is shown warming up before the coin toss with a full stadium and jumbotron as background - Brady has that relaxed, easygoing 'I'm ready' look. The camera zooms over Brady's right shoulder to the jumbotron as the screen shows Manning lowering his head and trotting out of the tunnel. His body language is also relaxed, in a kind of shoulders squared 'here we go' Calvary 'walk, trot, charge' feeling.]

"Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have not only cornered the market on Super Bowls [Manning hoisting the Vince], winning four of the last six [close-up of a smiling, unshaven, winking Brady with eye black], they're also hogging all the playing time [Manning leading his team out of the tunnel]. Among current NFL Quarterbacks, Brett Favre [taking a shotgun snap] has the most consecutive games started with 244 [Brett gets the pass away as a Vikings DL plants him on his butt...and he throws his arms up in a TD signal], but second and third on that list are Peyton Manning [under center doing his arm waving] and Tom Brady [center screen as the Pats break the huddle]. [Manning calling a cadence and taking a shotgun snap segues into Brady at the end of his drop back poised and looking downfield amidst falling snow.] Both are protected by solid offensive lines. [Manning on the run] Neither of them are scramblers, but they're both surprisingly nimble and [Brady out of the pocket signalling a WR to to come back with his left hand] and unflappable under pressure. [From behind, Brady in the pocket throwing, Gino's voice "great play by Tom brady, he can see the field as well as anyone" as Tommy fires a bullet into the end zone to Grahambo* obscured by Jet defenders. *Graham's TD in last season's wildcard game. Minuteman volley.]

[Bill Walsh] "Bill Walsh used to say, 'that a Quarterback can't be a wildebeest.' [Wildebeest standing still] The African antelope that freezes when it sees a lion. [Manning scrambling against Detroit.] Manning and Brady never freeze when they see lions, [Brady QB sneak against Cincinnati] Bengals, or Bears [Brady jukes Urlacher in last season's win at home while Gino is saying 'What a move by Brady! Guess who he avoided - Urlacher!'], but they do get hit. [Brady gets his helmet knocked off against the Seahawks as he scrambles upfield for yardage and doesn't slide.] A lot, [Manning getting pasted by Rosy] and hard. [Steeler hits Brady's legs after a throw, taking him down in a frightening twisting motion. Cowboy flattening Manning. Denver pasting Brady. Brady all alone on his knees, hands on his thighs looking upfield.] So when announcers wax poetic about Manning's 49 TDs in 2004 [Warren sacks Manning, Jacksonville sacks Manning], and how Brady's on pace to shatter that record this year [Saints blindside Brady forcing a fumble. Brady frustrated over a missed pass or some other upfield faux pas.] Just remember, [Jacksonville sacks Manning] they keep throwing TDs [empasized statement] because they keep getting up [Brady being helped up. Neal helping Brady to his feet.] play after play, season after season. [Manning against Miami, on one elbow adjusting his helmet, gets up and starts jogging - Colts' commentator, 'It's as hard a hit as you're ever going to see.'] Quarterbacks are defined by their leadership, [Brady standing alone in frame throwing a warm-up pitch.] their decision making, [Brady tapping his helmet with both hands as he calls an audible.] and their accuracy [Manning to Harrison TD, Colts' commentator, 'Holy mackeral, what a throw by Peyton Manning!'] But for these all time greats [Brady signalling 'huddle up,' Colts hotties bounce with excitement.] both among the best known and highest paid athletes in America, [fan sign marriage proposal to Brady] their greatest strength isn't their right arm, [Mud splattered Manning throwing.] but their blue color [close-up of a mud splattered Brady from behind in a blue jersey.] They never miss a day of work. [Brady trotting out to the huddle.]"

[Sabol in studio.] "Zane Grey, who authored dozens of best selling westerns, once wrote, 'Any man can shoot a gun, what counts, is how you stand up when somebody's shooting back at you.' Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have taken the opponent's best shots without missing a start. After Sunday, we don't know which team will be left standing, but it's likely both Quarterbacks will be."

Ending music.

[Harrison37]

Wow, Box, Tom Waits- that was much more than I expected...

And I am grateful. Thanks for taking the time to break it down for me.

Box- please tell me you didn't type all of that up from scratch...if you did, I owe you big.

[Box_O_Rocks]

Originally posted by Harrison37 on 11-06-2007 at 10:03 AM
Wow, Box, Tom Waits- that was much more than I expected...

And I am grateful. Thanks for taking the time to break it down for me.

Box- please tell me you didn't type all of that up from scratch...if you did, I owe you big. I believe your present location puts you well ahead in the personal debt column, but if you want to whack the slimey one's typing finger next time your in Phoenix I'd accept that in the spirit of friendship. o:-)