I just learned that former Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Merlin Olsen died on March 11 of cancer. Those of you who don’t follow football might remember Olsen better as Jonathan Garvey on Little House on the Prairie. And those of us who couldn’t stand Little House on the Prairie might remember him best from FTD commercials. Still, he always seemed like a very decent man, and I’m surprised his death didn’t make more of a splash in the news.
The Mahablog
Politics. Society. Group Therapy.
I’m not much of sports fan and never was but even I remember the Fearsome Foursome. Olsen was always a big cuddly bear of a man, who seemed very gentle. His passing was mentioned at a number of blogs I frequent and everyone was sorry to hear the news. I looked up his Wikipedia page and it said he had mesothelioma and that his family was suing NBC for exposure to asbestos. This made me even sadder because that is one bad cancer to develop.
I read about it when it happened; and I wondered that, too. Maybe more would have been written if he had died during football season. He was part of the “Fearsome Foursome” of the Los Angeles Rams with Deacon Jones, Roosevelt Greer (who was with RFK’s entourage when Bobby was assassinated), and Lamar Lundy. I watched some episodes of Little House on the Prairie because I was in love with Michael Landon; but, I hate westerns. Thus, I only watched it occasionally. May he rest in peace.
Lamar Lundy, Rosie Grier, Deacon Jones and Merlin Olson The greatest stunt-men in the NFL (AKA the fearsome foursome) made me a Rams fan until SHE happened.
Olson was the Outland Trophy winner in College Football, a 14 time All Pro (tied for the record, if I’m not mistaken), was the announcer on four, or so, Super Bowls, A TV Actor, and flower pitfchmqn. Talk about your “all around guys,”
I alway s loved him. He seemed like a gentle giant and I never ever heard anyone say a bad word about him.
Sounds like one Hell of a life, very well lived. I’m sorry he’s gone.
R. I. P. Merlin Olsen
Wife waited on him in a retail situation in Seattle, said he was a very nice man. Although, kind of on the large side.
This is the first I’d heard of it. I thought this morning, when I heard that Peter Graves had died, “I wonder if there will be three.” I didn’t realize he was actually the second one to pass away. I guess the connection is that Graves and Merlin Olsen were both teevee stars from my youth…. Vaya con dios, muchachos.
“I wonder if there will be three.â€
Well, I’ll be praying that Cheney drops dead!…Better yet, I’ll pray he has a major debilitating stroke, and he’s left with just enough cognizance to know that his accumulated millions in war booty is going to be enjoyed by somebody other than him. Divine Justice. Yeah, have Cheney drooling while wearing pampers.
I know it’s not a good Christian attitude that I’m displaying toward Cheney..but Jesus will forgive me, he always does…he’s good like that!
I’ll be praying that Cheney drops dead!
The “three” need to have something in common though. Wait… wasn’t “Dickcheney” the alien scientist who invented the Daleks, on Doctor Who?