2 days ago was a busy sports day and there was some very sad news.
merlin olsen died, one of my favorite people, a little to old for most of you.
i was very surprised that he died of meselthelioma, which is the rare form of cancer you get from exposure to asbestos.
he may have contracted this while working construction in high school. sometimes it takes that long.
he filed suit a few years ago against nb, and won a settlement.
surprisingly i didnt find the story of his death on the website.
it's a pretty awful disease. anybody who has seen anybody die from not being able to breath is as bad as it gets. this disease never leaves you. brake pads for a long time were made of asbestos. when asbestos was discovered, it was the greatest thing on earth. it was an incredible cheap flame retardant, seemingly impervious to temperature.
at keast one lady died of this. her husband was a plumber and she washed his clothes separately, by hand, keeping them out of the washing machine and away from the kids' clothes, because she knew there was something wrong. the asbestos from washing her husband's clothes got in her lungs.
merlin olsen was the premier defensive tackle for the los angeles rams for a long time. some players' skills dont translate over time to other generations. merlin olsen could have easily played today. he made allpro as a rookie, and every year he played(14, i think).
jerry kramer, an opposing player, and writer said that it was never fun playing merlin olsen. he never took a play off, no matter what the score. defensive linemen played all 3 downs in those days. the big fatsos we have today do 2 plays and take themselves out.
one of my favorite football video moments is the video of the rams-titans superbowl when the titans were driving toward the goal line and one of the d-lineman takes himself out of the game with 40 seconds left. coach vermiel's response was "40 seconds left in the superbowl and you are taking yourself out of the game. you've gotta be kidding me."
bubba smith was a phenom lineman who turned pro in 1966, the champion played the college allstars to start each season. jerry kramer, after the game, commenting on smith said that he was pretty fantastic, but another one was better, merlin olsen. he was that good coming out of college.
"there was something special about that plat of grass. once i got out there, i just loved it. a day of practice was as much fun as the game itself." most people who play football hate practice.
merlin played on a line know as the fearsome foursome which played together for many years with deacon jones, rosey grier, and lamar lundy. strangely, greer loved to crotchet and olsen loved flowers.
those guys played with a certain ferocity. merlin wanted to take your head off or spit on you, and then would help you up.
off the football field merlin olsen was one of the most gentle creatures. he went back to school, during summers while he was playing, and got his masters degree in economics.
he did at least 2 tv series, and was one of the best football announcers ever, forming on of the greatest and classiest announcing teams ever, with dick endberg. football, as he described it, with his magnificent speaking voice(only orson welles' was better to me, was a chess match. he never came across as an ex football player. he also teamed memorably with charlie jones and dick stockton. i that that today or tomorrow i'll pop in "The Drive" and "The Fumble" and listen to that great voice and great analysis one more time.
he and enberg were to the AFC what summerall and madden were to the NFC. merlin had no use hefor these goosey overcaffeinated espn announcing types of today. he was an ftd spokesmen for years, doing their flower commercials for years.
little house on the prairie ran for years, and there was father murphy and a series where he played an amishman.
merlin olsen died, one of my favorite people, a little to old for most of you.
i was very surprised that he died of meselthelioma, which is the rare form of cancer you get from exposure to asbestos.
he may have contracted this while working construction in high school. sometimes it takes that long.
he filed suit a few years ago against nb, and won a settlement.
surprisingly i didnt find the story of his death on the website.
it's a pretty awful disease. anybody who has seen anybody die from not being able to breath is as bad as it gets. this disease never leaves you. brake pads for a long time were made of asbestos. when asbestos was discovered, it was the greatest thing on earth. it was an incredible cheap flame retardant, seemingly impervious to temperature.
at keast one lady died of this. her husband was a plumber and she washed his clothes separately, by hand, keeping them out of the washing machine and away from the kids' clothes, because she knew there was something wrong. the asbestos from washing her husband's clothes got in her lungs.
merlin olsen was the premier defensive tackle for the los angeles rams for a long time. some players' skills dont translate over time to other generations. merlin olsen could have easily played today. he made allpro as a rookie, and every year he played(14, i think).
jerry kramer, an opposing player, and writer said that it was never fun playing merlin olsen. he never took a play off, no matter what the score. defensive linemen played all 3 downs in those days. the big fatsos we have today do 2 plays and take themselves out.
one of my favorite football video moments is the video of the rams-titans superbowl when the titans were driving toward the goal line and one of the d-lineman takes himself out of the game with 40 seconds left. coach vermiel's response was "40 seconds left in the superbowl and you are taking yourself out of the game. you've gotta be kidding me."
bubba smith was a phenom lineman who turned pro in 1966, the champion played the college allstars to start each season. jerry kramer, after the game, commenting on smith said that he was pretty fantastic, but another one was better, merlin olsen. he was that good coming out of college.
"there was something special about that plat of grass. once i got out there, i just loved it. a day of practice was as much fun as the game itself." most people who play football hate practice.
merlin played on a line know as the fearsome foursome which played together for many years with deacon jones, rosey grier, and lamar lundy. strangely, greer loved to crotchet and olsen loved flowers.
those guys played with a certain ferocity. merlin wanted to take your head off or spit on you, and then would help you up.
off the football field merlin olsen was one of the most gentle creatures. he went back to school, during summers while he was playing, and got his masters degree in economics.
he did at least 2 tv series, and was one of the best football announcers ever, forming on of the greatest and classiest announcing teams ever, with dick endberg. football, as he described it, with his magnificent speaking voice(only orson welles' was better to me, was a chess match. he never came across as an ex football player. he also teamed memorably with charlie jones and dick stockton. i that that today or tomorrow i'll pop in "The Drive" and "The Fumble" and listen to that great voice and great analysis one more time.
he and enberg were to the AFC what summerall and madden were to the NFC. merlin had no use hefor these goosey overcaffeinated espn announcing types of today. he was an ftd spokesmen for years, doing their flower commercials for years.
little house on the prairie ran for years, and there was father murphy and a series where he played an amishman.
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