Helmets didn't have facemasks.
Many players went both ways—offense and defense. Some of these regular players even kicked.
Kickoffs were from the 40.
The goalposts were at the front of the end zone.
There was no 2-point conversion.
Quarterbacks had no special treatment.
There was no bogus "tuck rule."
Receivers could be blocked downfield.
Players didn't wear earrings.
There was no sudden death, except in postseason.
There were no indoor stadiums.
There were only 2 teams in the post season.
We watched the games in black and white.
There was no instant replay. (How amazed we were when that came about.)
There were no VCRs or DVRs to record games, so our minds wandered during the sermon. (On the West Coast, games started at 10 a.m. so this made some unspiritual people shorten their time at the altar on Sunday morning.)
You could meet the players at Joe's Grocery Store on the corner. (I actually met All-Pro Forty-Niners there, and at least one Hall-of-Famer.)
You could easily afford to attend the games.
The players made so little they had to have full-time jobs in the off-season. (Some of them, like Leo "The Lion" Nomellini, actually wrestled full-time. I remember how bad I felt when Nomo failed to defeat Ray Stevens for the U.S. title—I thought it was real then.)
Football cards cost a penny a piece, or 6 for 5 cents ... with a stick of bubble gum.
College teams weren't professional.
Most of this is news to my younger friends. Any older guys like me out there have changes to add?
