Merlin Olsen ... 1940-2010

Merlin Olsen as Jonathan Garvey from
"Little House on the Prairie."

It was with sadness that I read today that Merlin Olsen, 69, passed away from a rare form of cancer. Being a girl, I was unaware of his impressive football career before he joined Michael Landon on "Little House on the Prairie" where I knew him as Mr. Garvey, impressed at his gentle giant persona and surprised when I learned he had been a star football player.

However, two of the others in the "Fearsome Foursome" I was familiar with -- Rosier Grier and Deacon Jones:

Mr. Olsen played left tackle in the Rams' legendary front four, with David "Deacon" Jones at left end, Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier at right tackle and Lamar Lundy at right end. The "Fearsome Foursome" were together only four years (1963-66), but in that time they revolutionized defensive line play with "stunting" and "looping" techniques, in which they crossed paths or slanted across the line to rush the passer. Jones, who lined up to Mr. Olsen's left, coined the term "sack" to describe tackling the opposing quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.

What a career! But I'll always remember him as the soft-spoken Mr. Garvey ... which makes me wonder if he and Pa Ingalls are sitting out on the prairie catching up on lost time....

RIP.

H/T Skeptical Observor