Howie Long joined my favorite football team, the Oakland Raiders in 1981 and quickly became a mainstay on the end of the Raiders line. His combination of speed and power made him one of the most dominating defenders in the league. Howie was the type of player that opposing teams tried to run away from, and he almost always drew a double team. Despite the strategies of opposing coaches and players, Howie was always stepping up to make the big play. Howie was the heart of the Raiders in the '80s.