4
the Michigan Daily
Former
SPORTS-
Friday, September 9, 1988
Page 16
4
6 M'
sta
BY ADAM BENSON
SINGLE MALE: always looking
for fun, studied at University of
Michigan, learning to cook French
cuisine, starting his own clothing
business, travels extensively, into
aggressive body contact. If interested,
find Mel Owens.
For now, the first place to look
for Owens is in the Los Angeles
Rams linebacking core. Entering his
eighth season with the Rams, Owens
has not let his life become dominated
by football.
"I don't want to ever become
limited," said Owens. "I want to live
the life I've always wanted to live.
Playing football is a unique opp-
ortunity because they give you a nice
salary, plus you have six months
off."
During those six months, Owens
concentrates on cooking and
operating his new clothing business
with Rams' strength coach Garrett
Giemont. Besides their business
interests, Owens and Giemont also
enjoy travelling together. Whether
it's flying to Rio, Thailand, or India,
or participating in the annual Run
with the Bulls in Pomona, Spain, or
running in the Los Angeles
Marathon, Giemont and Owens have
a knack for finding excitement.
While some people would label
them as free spirits, Giemont down-
plays that notion.
"Mel doesn't just run around
aimlessly," said Giemont. "He
knows how to enjoy the quality of
life that he has worked so hard to get.
He may be a free spirit on his time,
but he comes to work with a
tremendous amount of focus and he
gets the job done. While we were in
Rio, we were getting up earlier then
we do in training camp. We had to
r shines in
as his quality play has made Owens hadn't let anybody score a touchdownt
one of the Rams driving forces. in nine games. Even in the Rosec
"He's been a starter for six years Bowl, we only gave up six points.}
now, and he's one of the leaders on Playing with that team was thec
the defense," said Shurmur. "He is a pinnacle of my college career."t
leader by example. He'll do the job A member of the onlyI
right more than 90% of the time. Schembechler-coached Michiganc
When we watch the films, we see team to win a Rose Bowl, Owens
Mel executing. When people see has fond memories of playing for Bov
that, he becomes a role model for and the large crowds at Michigans
others." Stadium. Owens still enjoys footballr
Owens has never been elected to as a professional, but has a different 1
the Pro Bowl, but he does not care approach to the game. c
about post-season honors. He is "Playing in the pros is different a
more concerned with the success of
the team, and the satisfaction of
knowing that he does his job well.
"It's hard to get recognition unless
you do a lot of sacking," said Owens.
"The press clippings come when
guys make sacks. The sack guys are
like baseball's home-run hitters.
They line up on the outside and rush
all day long. But when you get them
in situations, some of the guys are
getting knocked off the ball, or
pushed to the outside. Those are the
kinds of things I'm not going to do.
"I try to do a lot of thinking and
analyzing. I don't take chances. I try
to play within the framework of the
defense. I don't make many mis-
takes."
Owens' unspectacular play is not
expected from the ninth player taken
in the first round, as Owens was in
the 1981 NFL draft. Owens is a
blue-collar worker in the city of
glamour. Shurmur feels that the
attacks on Owens' work for the
Rams is ridiculous.
"We couldn't be more pleased
with Mel," said Shurmur. "He has
received some unfair criticism, and
that comes from people who don't
take the time to find out what he's
been asked to do."
Owens feels that much of his
style can be traced back to his years
at Michigan and his time with Bo Owens, an intense competitor,
Schembeholded at Michigan cause exotic locations such as Rio and
of Bo," said Owens. "I'm a team GE-I-
player. I was able to play for national GET IT.
championship caliber teams there.
When we won the Rose Bowl (in
1981), we were probably the best
team in the country at that time. We Ca
LA.
than college," said Owens. "In
college, its for your school. Here,
you're playing for the city. There are
only 1500 people, on a year-to-year
basis, that can do this. Just actually
playing in the pros, having the
opportunity to play, is great."
Now that he is an established pro,
with his post-football plans taking
shape, it seems that Mel Owens
might be able to kick back and enjoy
ife for a little while. That is if he
can enjoy himself anymore than he
already is.
4
work out, and we did, and then we
would go out, never missing a beat."
The exciting activities of Mel
Owens is a complete contrast to his
style of play. He is not a blitzing,
sacking linebacker in the mold of
more famous linebackers Lawrence
Taylor or Wilber Marshall. Owens
prides himself on stopping a running
back for a small gain, or scaring a
quarterback into throwing early.
These are the kinds of plays that
don't show up in statistics.
"You can't stay in this league
unless you know the fundamentals,"
said Owens. "When I go to play, I
know what I'm playing."
Rams defensive coordinator Fritz
Shurmur feels that Owens' work on
the finer points of the game, as well
4
/Ft* Photo
Michigan graduate Mel Owens displays intensity during
training camp with the Los Angeles Rams this summer.
/F11. Photo
relaxes by taking trips to
India.
.,r
1
9 COTTON " LINEN * ANGORA * LEATHER * CASHMERE
/,
r-
The Personal Column
MICHIGAN DARIYCQASSIFID ADS
69
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world must be cleared!
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