Arthur Arkush's Team for the Ages — Safeties

Photo: USA TODAY SportsLott sought and destroyed ballcarriers like no other. But he was also a superb playmaker (63 interceptions, plus nine in the playoffs) and leader of men, many of whom couldn't help but be inspired by his fearlessness and aggression on a down-to-down, game-to-game and season-to-season basis.

Sure, Kenny Easley, Steve Atwater and other nominees in this contest also struck fear into their offensive counterparts routinely. But it's hard to argue any of them were more imposing than a guy who opted to have part of his finger removed over surgery because it would lessen his time away from the field. That's toughness — and perhaps borderline insanity, both qualities that…