Football was certainly better back then. Players had character, were guys just like all of us, but had an athletic game the everyday guy didn't have. They were real, sincere, and a love for the game. It wasn't a PC world like it is now and they spoke their mind and the love of team with its rivalries was real, but at the end of the day there was also respect.
Now, there's some real players and people out there. They're fewer and farther between. They chase the money and cater to what people want to hear. They chase the money like never before and there's very little loyalty. Their stardom is elevated like never before as well and it makes them largely unrelatable to most.
There's all kinds of reasons for that, it's the world we live in now. As much as technology brings the world closer, it's much more impersonal.