In the 1970s, 80s and 90s, gritty NFL players, like Jack Lambert, Will Wolford and — perhaps most famously — Howie Long, used to wear neck rolls, an old school, piece of equipment that ...

“It would have to be the ‘80s,” he said. “From Ted Hendricks, Howie [Long], Lyle Alzado, George Atkinson, those dudes were f—ing different. The way they played football was different.

Led by the feisty Howie Long and eccentric Ted Hendricks, the 1970s and '80s Raiders were mavericks, Joe Posnanski writes.

Howie Long dubs Terry Bradshaw ‘the white Charles Barkley’ "He’s one of the smartest people I know, truly, he really, really is. He’s brilliant." Photo credit: HBO ...

Paul Zimmerman, who covered the NFL for Sports Illustrated for 29 years, died on Nov. 1 at age 86. One of Dr. Z’s most memorable stories, “The Long Way Up,” ran in the July 22, 1985, issue.

Howie Mandel will perform at the Alaska Airlines Center on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $39.50-$89 at alaskaairlinescenter.com.