For several years, one of my favorite elements of covering Ravens’ training camp was taking that walk to the media area and seeing the offensive line being the first unit on the field going through drills.
“Try it again,” then-offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris could be heard saying to one of the behemoths under his careful watch. “Good. Just like that. There you go.”
Always chasing perfection. Always celebrating progress. It was easy to see why the linemen were so fond of the coach, and why they appeared eager to soak in his instruction. The coach, affectionately known as “Joe D,” unexpectedly passed away this offseason, during training camp, and left a giant imprint on the hearts of, well, giant men.