Fight for time with your family. They grow so quickly, and they are gone.
— Merlin Olsen
Economics comes easily to me, and we all seek out what we do well in life. I had in mind becoming a businessman. And I was good at logic and reasoning; figures were comfortable inside my head.
Jogging is my idea of nothing to do.
When a man lies, he murders some part of the world.
Our whole philosophy was to intimidate the quarterback. We were able to do it. We were pioneers. People still recognize us as, maybe, the best defensive line of all time.
Most exciting for me was to make the Pro Bowl in 14 of 15 years.
I was captain and should have set the example. I would lift a minimum of weights. Mine was natural physical strength. I always thought quickness and agility were much more important.
I just wanted to be an athlete.
After a few games I knew I was going to be able to compete. The idea of being a star never crossed my mind.
I believe in dreams. Being a Merlin, I also believe in magic; the kind of magic that begins when someone who cares reaches out for a child.
At 285 pounds, I was extremely strong, and it was all usable strength that I could direct against opponents, not like that of a weightlifter, whose feats of power are all restricted.
One of life's most painful moments comes when we must admit that we didn't do our homework, that we are not prepared.
The basketball coach cut me within two days, so I was back in the pool. I was the first one in the wall after the first 25 yards, but the last one out because I didn't have a flip turn.
Our coach was absolutely out of his head. He must have read Bear Bryant's book. We had 78 players out. The first day 35 quit. Twenty quit the second day. We ended with 17 players. It was depressing.
It took me a while to realize that basketball wasn't football.
I was always the last one chosen for football games in Central Park.
I can ski out of my back door.
Parenting is perhaps the most important job we have in our lives.
I don't know where I got this size. Good nutrition, I guess.
You are the land. The land is you.
Team doctors' jobs those days were to keep you on the field.
Nobody cared about swimming. You could draw a crowd for basketball.
I've caught fish as big as I am. I've caught marlin close to 300 pounds.
I probably played hurt a lot more times than I should have.
I bet I made close to 20 tackles because nobody on either side knew what they were doing.
