For a generation of Baltimoreans, the first memories of football fandom they have are of the 1996 and 1997 Baltimore Ravens.
Those teams didn't win many games, but they featured a particularly powerful offense that allowed for a fun brand of football. While the franchise went through many growing pains after their move from Cleveland, the trio of quarterback Vinny Testaverde and receivers Derrick Alexander and Michael Jackson provided highlights that helped fans embrace the new team.
Sadly, Jackson died May 12 in a motorcycle accident at 48. As inseparable as he and Alexander may be in the memories of Ravens fans, the duo was just as close in reality.
