MEXICO CITY -- Memories came flooding back like the river of cars in front, behind and beside the Sprinter van that carried Tommie Smith and Mark Davis through the congested streets of Mexico City.

Smith, the civil rights icon whose raised fist salute at the 1968 Olympics here transcended sport, was more than Davis' guest for Monday night's game between the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans; Smith was there to light the Al Davis torch in memory of the last Raiders owner.

The Mexico City traffic, though, was causing anxiety for both men on Smith's second visit to the Mexican capital since those fateful Games.

"Amazing," Smith said later on the Raiders sidelines before Oakland's 27-20 victory.

"The nostalgia of Mexico City. This is where part of my life began. One part of it died and the other, the booming part, the educational sports, the sociology of sport began. Competition ended; the education of what I did began.

"It's fun because the feeling I have for the place, the geographical location, is history."

Smith, the gold medalist in the 200 meters 48 years ago, stood in awe of the massive Estadio Azteca, some 5.5 miles from the scene of his action at the Estadio Olimpico, surveying the scene on the sidelines with Davis at his side.

Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie paid his respects, as did NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and several other former Raiders players.

Davis called Smith a "hero" of his for his action in raising awareness in 1968, and Smith said he was in "awe" of the offer to join the Raiders on the team plane to Mexico City to light the flame.

"He's an owner, but he's a human, he's a person," Smith said. "I can feel the person in him. I don't even look at him as an owner. But I think him being the person that he is transcends ownership. It's a humanistic attitude of moving forward.

"But being an owner, I'm sure he's very careful of things said in his presence or about his team. I am not a trouble maker, but I will surely tell you about the troubles."