Sports

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The Brunswick News
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Timberwolves hire
from within team
Flip Saunders is moving
out of the front ofce to coach
the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Saunders was hired last sea-
son as president of basketball
operations. After the teams
search to replace the retired
Rick Adelman was snagged
by Kevin Loves uncertain
future in Minnesota, it was
determined that Saunders
should step in to coach the
team.
Saunders coached the team
from 1995-2005. He has taken
the Timberwolves to the only
eight playoff appearances in
franchise history, including
the Western Conference nals
in 2004.
Colts owner has
license suspended
A court has suspended
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim
Irsays drivers license for
one year following his arrest
for driving while intoxicated.
Recently released docu-
ments in Hamilton County
conrm the license suspen-
sion effective starting May
27.
Irsay refused a blood test
after his March 16 arrest in
Carmel, a suburb of India-
napolis. Indiana law requires
a one-year license suspension
for refusing such a test. Police
later obtained a warrant order-
ing Irsay to submit to a blood
draw.
A probable cause afdavit
said Irsay was driving under
the inuence of powerful
painkillers.
Astros draft Calif.
pitcher at No. 1
The Houston Astros have
selected California high
school pitcher Brady Aiken
with the No. 1 pick in the Ma-
jor League Baseball draft.
The reballing left-hander
from San Diegos Cathedral
Catholic High School is just
the third prep pitcher to be
selected rst overall, joining
fellow lefties Brien Taylor
(1991, Yankees) and David
Clyde (1973, Rangers).
Aiken is also the rst high
school lefty to be drafted in
the rst ve picks since Adam
Loewen went fourth overall to
Baltimore in 2002.
The Astros are the rst team
to select rst in three consecu-
tive drafts.
Kennesaw State catcher
Max Pentecost was drafted
at No. 11 in the rst round by
the Toronto Blue Jays.
Baseball
legend
dies at
83, 9A
Fri day
June 6, 2014
Please see ALFORD, 10A
Please see OWLS, 10A
Please see PGA, 10A
Flip Saunders
Mark Humprhey/AP
St. Simons Island resident Hudson Swafford
chips onto the 18th green Thursday during the
rst round of the St. Jude Classic in Memphis,
Tenn. Swafford is four shots back of the lead.

Steve Cannon/AP
The Kennesaw State baseball team, in its rst NCAA tournament
appearance as a Division I school, will face Louisville in a Super
Regional matchup for the right to go to the College World Series.
Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. Look-
ing at the way Kennesaw State
coach Mike Sansing has built his
program reminds Louisville coach
Dan McDonnell of his start with
the Cardinals.
The teams meet in this week-
ends Super Regional with a berth
in the College World Series on the
line.
Though the Cardinals (48-15)
are looking to make their third
CWS appearance since hiring
McDonnell in 2007, he recalls the
struggles of building a title con-
tender from scratch. The Cardinals
hadnt won an NCAA tournament
game before he arrived.
Everybodys selling a bright
future, McDonnell said. No-
bodys recruiting a kid saying,
Hey, were going to stink the next
few years. Everybodys got this
vision, and so kids have to believe
your vision.
Kennesaw State (40-22) is in its
rst NCAA tournament since tran-
sitioning from Division II in 2006,
but the Owls arent out of place.
Junior catcher Max Pentecost is
a nalist for the Dick Howser
Award, one of several national
honors, after leading the nation
with 110 hits and ranking second
with a .423 batting average.
McDonnell said he would ap-
proach Pentecosts at-bats similar
to how Louisville handled Ken-
tuckys A.J. Reed in last week-
ends regional nal. Reed, also
a Howser nalist, went 0-for-4
despite hitting the ball hard each
time.
The Cardinals defensive shifts
pegged Reed perfectly and made
easy outs.
You play the law of averages,
and it doesnt mean its always
going to work out, McDonnell
said. Nothings 100 percent, but
the more times you do it, you hope
over the course of a game or a
weekend series that it pays off.
Here are ve things to watch
about the best-of-three Super Re-
gional between Kennesaw State
and Louisville:
NO BURDEN ON BURDI: Lou-
isvilles top professional prospect
is closer Nick Burdi, a right-hand-
ed junior with a fastball that con-
sistently nears triple-digit velocity
and a hard, tight slider. But Burdi
didnt have to do much in the Car-
dinals sweep through the regional
thanks to the contributions from
their offense and starting pitch-
ers. Burdi has 16 saves and a 0.54
ERA this season. The Cardinals
are 41-0 when leading after eight
innings.
STEADY SANSING: Kenne-
saw State built its program from
NAIA to Division II and now to
success in Division I all under
Sansing, whos in his 23rd sea-
Owls not out of place in tourney
Kennesaw State looks to keep surprising in rst appearance at NCAAs
The eld may be 50 yards shorter, the rules tai-
lored to high-octane offense, but Bill Alford is de-
termined to dominate on defense.
In the second game of the season on March 29,
the Arena Football Leagues Jacksonville Sharks held
the San Antonio Talons to an uncommonly low 22 points and
won by 41.
The Sharks had the game well in hand in the nal quarter,
but the Talons threatened to score as they lined up to the ball 5
yards from the Sharks end zone. From the sidelines, Alford,
the teams defensive backs coach, noticed something he had
seen while watching hours of game lm of San Antonio that
week.
I knew exactly what play they were going to run, Alford
said. I knew anytime they got to the 5 yard line in that forma-
tion, they ran that play.
Alford signaled in a play he called the trap, and the Sharks
defense came down with an interception in the end zone.
The best part of it for Alford: the Sharks were dominating.
Had the Talons scored, it wouldnt have affected the outcome of
the game. Alford was just happy his players were still play-
ing with enthusiasm even though the contest was never
close.
After playing four years as a cornerback for the
Sharks, the former Brunswick High standout and
Vanderbilt graduate hung up his helmet after
last season and put on a headset. Hes now
spending his rst season on the staff of head
coach Les Moss.
The position came open at the end of last
season when Jake Grande left for a coach-
ing job at Jacksonville University, and
Moss was aware
Alford had ex-
pressed an
interest in
pursuing a
coachi ng
career. At
32 years
old, Al-
ford could
still play for
the Sharks, but he
decided to go a differ-
ent route when Moss ap-
proached him.
Coaching is one of those
things where you have to know
somebody to get your foot in the
door, Alford said. This was an opportu-
A helmet for a headset
Brunswick High grad moves into coaching position with Jacksonville Sharks
By NATHAN DEEN
The Brunswick New
Gary Lloyd McCullough/Jacksonville Sharks photos
Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn. Phil Mickelson
talked about nishing off rounds com-
ing into the St. Jude Classic, and he did
just that Thursday with a 3-under 67 at
TPC Southwind, while 2011 McGladrey
Classic champion Ben Crane jumped
out to a two-shot lead with an opening
round of 7-under 63. Peter Mainati and
Billy Horschel are tied for second at 5
under, and St. Simons Island resident
Hudson Swafford is four shots back
along with Mickelson.
Mickelson birdied three of his nal
four holes for his rst round in the 60s
since the third round at the Wells Fargo
Championship. He hadnt shot below 70
since then, missing the cut at The Play-
ers Championship and tying for 49th at
Memorial last week following a visit
from FBI agents and lingering questions
about an insider-trading investigation.
He hasnt won in 19 events dating to
the British Open and is among the play-
ers in Tennessee tuning up for the U.S.
Open next week at Pinehurst.
I did exactly what I need to do and
some momentum that I need heading
into the U.S. Open, Mickelson said.
Tomorrows round, the same thing.
Finish strong and play a good round.
Retief Goosen was the clubhouse
leader at 66.
Mickelelson, who tied for second at
Southwind last year, was among the 53
players who nished before play was
delayed in the afternoon because of a
thunderstorm. With the storm bringing
high wind, tournament ofcials closed
the course to fans for the rest of the day
and sent home as many volunteers as
possible.
Play was scheduled to resume at 4:45
p.m., with ofcials hoping to squeeze in
as much of the rst round as possible.
Even with tricky wind Thursday
morning, Mickelson said his focus on
each shot was much better. Hes trying
to better visualize the shot and curve
his irons so that his approach shots land
closer to the hole, giving him more
tap-in opportunities. Finishing with the
three birdies in his nal four holes was
exactly what he wanted in a round with
ve birdies and two bogeys.
He hit his approach from 135 yards
on the par-4 sixth to 5 feet and rolled
in the birdie putt. He left himself longer
putts with a 7-footer on the par-3 eighth
and an 11-footer on the par-4 ninth, but
knocked them in for his strong nish.
Ive been struggling with nishing
the round strong, Mickelson said. I
had a good round last week on Thursday
and then played poorly. To birdie three
of the last four made it a great round.
Thats exactly what I need to do.
Firm greens made it tough to land
balls close, but Goosen credited the rm
greens with helping him roll in some of
his birdie putts. He sunk a couple from
5 feet or closer, but also had a couple
birdie putts from 14 feet. Goosen also
saved par on No. 7 with a 12-foot putt.
The greens are as good as greens as
you can get, Goosen said. The greens
are rolling close to 13 on the stimpmeter.
They are really good. You hit the right
Former McGladrey champ crusies at Classic
Don Zimmer
St. Simons Swafford cards 3-under 67, four shots back of lead
8A SPORTS PROCESS