Coach

The models that first-year pitching coach Mike Flanagan draws from are two of his former coaches, George Bamberger and Ray Miller. They developed strong bonds with their regular communication.This is what Flanagan wanted to do with his pitchers in his first year, have that strong relationship. So his one big regret this season, Flanagan said yesterday, was the spring training time lost to the strike. "I know the relationship that I want to have [with the pitchers]," he said. "I don't know if I have it yet. " Flanagan knew many of the pitchers who had been with the organization, like Mike Mussina, Ben McDonald and Brad Pennington.

Roddy Peters, the four-star recruit from Suitland who committed to Maryland on Tuesday, had a pretty good coach to learn from this past spring and summer while playing for D.C. Assault. Former Wizards coach Eddie Jordan, a former point guard himself, helped coach Peters on the local AAU powerhouse and believes the Terps made out well for themselves. "He's a terrific passer, a willing passer, who's great in the open court," Jordan said Wednesday from Los Angeles, where he is now an assistant with the Lakers.

It's too early to tell Dan Pompei Chicago Tribune Now is not the time and place to determine if Tom Coughlin is a Hall of Fame coach. He still is coaching and could add, or even subtract, from his legacy. What's more, there is a five-year waiting period before a retired candidate can be considered. That period helps put accomplishments in perspective. You can make an interesting case for Coughlin. His career compares well to Marv Levy, who is enshrined in Canton.

Chip Kelly attractive Dan Pompei Chicago Tribune The college coach who is the best bet to make the jump to the pros is Chip Kelly. He came close a year ago when he was being wooed by the Bucs, but he decided to stay at Oregon. It is likely he will have multiple suitors because he is an even more attractive NFL head coaching prospect than he was a year ago. And some team probably will make him an offer he finds irresistible. Brian Kelly might attract some interest from the pros, but the Notre Dame coach is happy where he is. It would be a stunner if he left just as he got the Fighting Irish back on top. Nick Saban is a wild card.

Though the buzz about Wednesday night's Maryland-Duke game at Comcast Center is noticeably lacking compared to other years, Mark Turgeonpointed to the row of cameras he faced Tuesday as a symbol that the interest in still there. Turgeon said that he was aware of the rivalry while coaching in other parts of the country, but never really watched the games or followed the outcome more than to hear a score occasionally. "A rivalry is a rivalry and it's more important to the people involved," Turgeon said.

Calipari or Smart David Teel Daily Press Three Final Fours but no banner in 10 years like Ben Howland? Not good enough at UCLA. Befitting the Hollywood aura, the ideal candidate is an A-list personality with an oversized ego, designer wardrobe and unassailable recruiting chops. Translation: He's John Calipari, who's taken Massachusetts, Memphis and Kentucky to the Final Four, the latter to last season's national championship. But Calipari wouldn't bail on the bluegrass for LA's bright lights.

The Orioles have decided to take advantage of a new rule that allows for the hiring of a seventh coach. Former big league catcher Einar Diaz, who was ticketed to be the field coach at Bowie, will now be an assistant major league coach, helping hitting coach Jim Presley as well as other members of Showalter's staff. “I've had Einar as a player [with the Texas Rangers in 2003],” Showalter said. “Einar is just a solid human being. He'll fit in real well to the clubhouse, pretty seamless.” Showalter said one of the most important things about Diaz is that he's a good batting practice pitcher, something needed with the departure of last year's third-base coach DeMarlo Hale.

Jeff Hiestand has spent the last 11 years beside the pool at McDaniel College, where he has coached five individual conference champions in eight events. In two weeks, he'll still be near a pool, but in a far different location. On Aug. 9, Hiestand will head to London for the Summer Olympic Games. He will watch proudly as former McDaniel swimmer Suzanne Stettinius represents the United States in the pentathlon. The one-day competition features five events: 200-meter freestyle swimming, fencing, pistol shooting, horse show jumping and a 3,000-meter cross country run. Hiestand coached Stettinius for three years on the McDaniel swimming and diving team.

Bob Bowman, who coached Michael Phelps through his record-breaking Olympic career, won a title himself Friday when he was named Coach of the Year by his professional association. The American Swimming Coaches Association award, given at a banquet in Las Vegas Friday night, puts Bowman on track to break a record himself: It is his fifth time winning the annual award, voted on by fellow coaches, tying him with colleagues Mark Schubert and Eddie Reese. "It's special since it's the last time I'll be working with Michael," Bowman said of Phelps, who retired from competitive swimming after the London Games.

It was a human moment that wasn't revealed in the box score of the Orioles' 5-3 road split-squad loss to the Phillies in Clearwater -- a father finally getting to coach his son in a sport to which they have both dedicated their careers. Orioles bench coach John Russell, who managed the team's road split-squad team with manager Buck Showalter back in Sarasota on Saturday afternoon, had never had the opportunity to coach his son, Steel, before Sunday's game.  Steel Russell, a left-handed hitting catcher whom the Orioles drafted in the 32 nd round last season out of Midland Junior College in Texas, jumped at the chance to get on the team's travel roster to Clearwater for Sunday's game.