Coach

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.

SANTA CLARA -- Jim Harbaugh's preparations for Super Bowl XLVII took an unexpected turn Friday morning when he called into a sports-talk radio show. Not just any show, however. Harbaugh took notes while listening to sage advice from Pro Football Hall of Fame coach John Madden, who hosts a daily segment on KCBS 740-AM. Madden coached the Raiders to their first Super Bowl championship, a 32-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI in January 1977. Harbaugh will try matching that feat Feb. 3 when his 49ers face the Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans.

Archbishop Curley has named alum Patrick Curran as its new varsity wrestling coach, replacing Gregg Kessler, who resigned in August, the school announced Tuesday. Curran, a 1999 graduate, previously served as an assistant coach at St. Paul's School and most recently for the Middle River Rhinos junior wrestling program.  As a member of the Curley wrestling program, Curran recorded over 100 wins and was a four-time place winner at the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament.  Named a National Prep All-American, Curran helped the Friars capture consecutive state championships in 1998 and 1999.

As it is an annual tradition in the Vensel household every July, I picked up one of the many fantasy football preview magazines on Saturday while picking up some groceries. I went with the one from Sports Illustrated this year because the cover caught my eye most, and because it had many reality football nuggets sprinkled in. The most appealing of those was the magazine's “enemy lines” feature, where “a rival coach” gives his take on each team's offensive players for fantasy nuts like me. So what does an anonymous enemy coach think about the Ravens ?

Navy is 5-6, no longer in contention for a berth in the Patriot League Tournament and on the cusp of ending its season against Johns Hopkins for the second consecutive year. But Blue Jays coach Dave Pietramala said he has no intention of overlooking the Midshipmen, who welcome No. 9 Johns Hopkins (9-2) to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis this Saturday. “Whenever we've stepped onto Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, we're playing against the United States Naval Academy,” he said Wednesday.

Ralph Friedgen has a gripe with Marylandmore than a year in the making. Maryland dismissed Friedgen in December 2010 after his 10th year as the Terps' football coach. Some perceived that Friedgen was not treated well toward the end of his tenure by his alma mater. Since then, Friedgen has avoided saying much of anything critical about Maryland. That is, until Tuesday, when he sent out an email to the media . “We would appreciate the current administration looking forward to the future and dedicating their energies to continue to forge ahead as a world class University and successful football program without demeaning the accomplishments of those who came before,” Friedgen wrote . Current Maryland coach Randy Edsall was critical of Friedgen after at the beginning of Edsall's tenure, calling into question how much Friedgen held his players accountable.

When Towson coach Sonia LaMonica plays for Australia in the women's lacrosse World Cup this summer, her husband won't be far away. Michael LaMonica will be an assistant coach. The LaMonicas, who have been married since 2006, already spend a lot of time together. For the past two years, Michael has been on the Tigers' coaching staff as an assistant. “I think there are a lot of people out there who would love to be in a position to do that,” Sonia said, “but I'm sure there's lots of people like, 'Oh my God, I could never work with my significant other.' It works for us. We tend to be on the same page about most things.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter was hoping to keep his 2012 coaching staff together for next season. That didn't happen -- third-base coach DeMarlo Hale has left the organization to become the bench coach for John Gibbons in Toronto. That means Showalter will have to find a new third-base/infielders coach. And although it's a move that won't mean much to the casual fan, Showalter has always championed it as an exceptionally important spot. He was thrilled when Hale joined the Orioles last winter and, consequently, expect Showalter to take his time again to find the right fit. Here's a look at six potential candidates to replace Hale, though it is very early in the process.

Et cetera JHU coach's daughter sets record with 11-goal game   Mary Washington senior Catherine Kennedy , the daughter of Johns Hopkins swimming and diving coach George Kennedy, set a school record with 11 goals as the Eagles, ranked 13th in Division III, defeated Marymount, 24-13, in the first round of the Capital Athletic Conference women's lacrosse tournament Saturday. With the win, the Eagles advanced to the semifinals Tuesday at York (Pa). Kennedy's 11 goals break the record of nine in a game, set by by Pam Heller in 1986 and tied by Suzy Baughman in 1988.

Varsity baseball Lombardozzi's dad to coach Good Counsel  Good Counsel in Olney announced the hiring Friday of Steve Lombardozzi Sr. , 52, as baseball coach. When his schedule will allow it, Steve Jr. (Atholton), a Washington Nationals infielder-outfielder, hopes to lend a hand, too. "I'm excited for him," Steve Jr., 24, said. "I think he's going to have fun. It's close near our house. He works really well with kids. And he spends a lot of time and enjoys helping kids and he'll be able to see progress and hopefully impact kids lives on and off the field.