Remembering Merlin Olsen

by Ryan Van Bibber on Mar 11, 2010 4:13 PM CST in St. Louis Rams history

I don't know how many readers here at Turf Show Times remember Merlin Olsen's playing days. His last season in the league was 1976. That's the year I was born, so needless to say I didn't see any of Olsen's games.

I don't think you can overstate what he brought to the game. You didn't even need to see him play to know that...though I think you'd have a much better appreciation for him if you had seen him play. At least now it's easy to access video of his playing time on demand.

Gil Brandt called Olsen the greatest defensive tackle ever, the prototype for the modern incarnation.

I got turned on to Olsen through his acting work. No, he was never an Academy Award winning type actor, but he was sincere enough to be a presence on the screen in whatever role he played. Yes, there was the Little House on the Prairie role, but I remember Olsen from three B Westerns he did, having caught them on Saturday afternoon reruns. The most memorable of which was The Undefeated, one of John Wayne's late career stinkers. Just because it wasn't the Searchers though doesn't mean it wasn't entertaining. It's also worth noting that The Undefeated, Olsen's first acting role of note, also featured Roman Gabriel. Playing in LA had its advantages.

RIP Merlin Olsen.

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Merlin

One of the main reasons I took to rooting for the RAMS starting in 1967.
Rest in Peace Mr. Olsen, you will be missed.

by ZamRam on Mar 11, 2010 4:51 PM CST reply actions

A great man and a great loss who left a positive mark on the world

by FightingAmish on Mar 11, 2010 5:22 PM CST reply actions

I had to break my sabbatical for a comment on this sad occasion...

I want to express my deepest heart felt sympathy to the family, friends and fans of the great Merlin Olsen. Here is a guy who epitomized what the Rams once stood for; “the Fearsome Foursome.” Sure the Rams lost a few games back in the day, but it wasn’t because of Merlin, Rosey, Deacon, Lundy and later Jack Youngblood, Fred Dryer and the late Diron Talbert. These guys new how to torture a passer and stuff a rusher. I am humbled having had the opportunity in my life to watch them all excel at defensive football. Merlin, I’m not gonna say RIP, cause I’m sure you’re playing fb on a golden turf right now. Don’t you, Diron, Sweetness, Johnny U and the rest be too rough on your Heavenly opponents. You were a pretty darn good actor too. You will be missed, but always remembered…

by edpjr on Mar 11, 2010 6:09 PM CST reply actions

Saw him on TV - dominating, amazing, scary on the field

I lived in LA as a kid, which is how I became a Rams fan. He’s my prototypical Ram.

by CoachConnors on Mar 11, 2010 6:30 PM CST reply actions

You

are Lucky to have seen so much Rams history…….God Bless Merlin Olsen

by Jas the Mace on Mar 11, 2010 8:28 PM CST up reply actions

RIP

A gentleman off the field, a warrior on it. Few live up to expectations, even fewer exceed them.

You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.

by 3k on Mar 11, 2010 6:48 PM CST reply actions

Thanks for the memories Merlin

Been a Rams since 1965.I grew up in Orange county,Cal idolizing Roman Gabriel, Jack Snow ,Dick Bass, Fearsome Foursome etc etc RIP Merlin Olsen.

by Thomas W on Mar 11, 2010 10:33 PM CST reply actions

I grew up in L.A. and became a Rams fan at age 7 in 1966.

Merlin Olsen was always my favorite player. While I appreciate the artistry in motion of a great pass play, the raw power and force of a great interior defensive lineman is what football is all about, and Merlin Olsen was the greatest of them all, and in every aspect an exemplary individual. A real gentle giant.

On my 10th birthday (Feb. 1969) I had major surgery on my spine. My dad heard that Deacon Jones was in the hospital handing out footballs. So my dad finds Mr. Jones surrounded by hospital kids and after they all got their footballs my dad works his way up to Mr. Jones, who by now is glaring at him, with a look I’m sure a few O-linemen can remember. My father just started to explain that his son was in surgery and Mr. Jones immediately changed his disposition and handed my dad a football and wished me all the best. That football was signed by the NFC pro bowl team and is real pigskin, still a cherished momento. Thank you dad. Thank you Mr. Deacon Jones, and above all, thank you Merlin Olsen for adding so much enjoyment to my life. I’ll never forget watching those two play in the old L.A. Coliseum and the roar from 80,000+ fans when they sacked a QB.

by NewMerlin on Mar 11, 2010 10:55 PM CST reply actions

I knew Him as Jonathan Garvey

… as a kid before I even watched Football. Years later as I started rooting for the Rams, I remeber first hearing he was a DT for the Rams… I was shocked… the soft spoken gentle giant I knew growing up?

You will be missed Mr. Olsen

"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi

by VTramsFan on Mar 12, 2010 12:24 AM CST reply actions

The best first name front line ever too

by dbcouver on Mar 14, 2010 3:11 AM CST reply actions

Merlin you were all that and a bag of chips!!!!

I too was born in LA and then moved to Anaheim as a kid and became the biggest Rams fan in the world,lol…watching the foursome was a treat and may Mr. Olsen rest in heaven now that he has left us

If practice makes perfect....
Yet nobodies perfect.....
Then why practice ???

by peteyweestro on Mar 15, 2010 7:17 PM CDT reply actions