"My Bid" by Joe Biddle

Former Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray came to Knoxville with the size and arm strength that college and NFL scouts drool about.

He is 6-foot-6, a lean 215 pounds, has a rocket arm and brought Vols fans to their feet with his ability to put deep downfield passes right on target.

Christmas came early for Titans quarterback Jake Locker.

Thanks to General Manager Ruston Webster, Locker is a beneficiary of an improved supporting cast. Thanks to owner Bud Adams because he gave Webster the money he needed to add free agents and draft picks. Coach Mike Munchak now has the personnel he needs to make the playoffs. There will be no excuses.

Is Tim Tebow finished in the NFL?

It was no disgrace to be let go by the Broncos when they had their eye on Peyton Manning.

Terrorists attacked a major sporting event last week, the Boston Marathon. It was a soft target, virtually impossible for authorities to prevent.

It was an attack pulled off by amateurs compared to lifelong terrorists determined and trained to bring this country to its knees.

The 77th Masters had more twists and turns than a Grand Prix layout.

Tiger Woods, the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world was penalized two shots Saturday for a rules violation he committed Friday.

They opened the Augusta National Golf Course gates early Monday morning, as patrons ushered in the first day of practice rounds.

By all accounts, this year promises to be one of the most sought after Masters badges ever.

When Louisville guard Kevin Ware jumped in an attempt to block or alter a 3-point shot by Duke’s Tyler Thornton, he had no sense of what would happen.

Ware came down awkwardly on the floor without making any contact with Thornton, but there was a sickening sound as his leg snapped in two places right in front of Louisville’s bench.

I don’t know about you, but this NCAA Tournament has been one of the more whacked out, unpredictable tournaments in recent years.

Everyone looks for 12-seeds to upset 5-seeds. We saw three of the four 12-seeds advancing.

How long has it been since Middle Tennessee State’s men’s basketball team played in the NCAA Tournament?

So long that current Blue Raider Kerry Hammonds Jr.’s father was on the last MTSU team to make the tournament field.

Out of the thousands of high school basketball players in Tennessee, only a small percentage will be in Murfreesboro this week for the boys state tournament. It’s the closest thing to true amateur sports we have left.

It is estimated that approximately two percent of those who play high school athletics go on to play college sports. For most of the players you will see this week, it will be the final games of their careers.

Three TN teams should make it
This state has three basketball teams that should make the NCAA Tournament. All three – Belmont, Memphis and MTSU – are enjoying outstanding seasons.

Belmont is 24-6 and won the OVC regular season with a 14-2 record. It was the Bruins first season in the OVC.

Middle Tennessee is 27-4 overall and won the Sun Belt regular season with a 19-1 record. The Blue Raiders will move to Conference-USA next season. Memphis is 25-4 overall and finished 14-0 in C-USA play. The Tigers are bound for the Big East Conference.

It was a day of firsts at Daytona International Speedway.

It was the first time a female driver finished in the top 10 of the legendary Daytona 500.

It was 2002 and MTSU was looking for a basketball coach to replace Randy Wiel.

Then Athletics Director Boots Donnelly had moved from the football field to run the department.

Brandt Snedeker is spending this week in Maui. No, not playing golf. The PGA Tour star is taking a well-deserved family vacation.

Life is good. For Snedeker, it’s great. He is one of the hottest golfers in the game right now.

It may not have been the most flawless Super Bowl, but it was top tier in my book when it came to excitement and action, both on and off the football field.

Off the field, kudos to whoever made it happen for the Sandy Hook Elementary School students to sing just prior to kickoff. To see those young kids, full of life and innocence, makes you wonder how on earth anyone could ever shoot and kill some of their classmates.

Call it karma. Call it right place, right time.

Could former Tennessee and recently inducted Hall of Fame football coach Phillip Fulmer return to the coaching stage?

It has been very quiet recently at Baptist Sports Park.

I guess that means Titans Coach Mike Munchak has completed his staff for next season. Warning: You won’t be able to tell the assistant coaches without a program.

Britt is no choirboy

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting sick and tired of these NFL players breaking the law.

If you missed Heisman Trophy winner Johnny “Football’’ Manziel’s performance in the Cotton Bowl, you missed a treat.

If you missed THE PLAY that South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney made in the Outback Bowl, it was one for the ages.

A football is shaped so that it can take crazy, unexplained bounces. A basketball, on the other hand, is round and thus more likely to take true bounces.