"My Bid" by Joe Biddle

Lipscomb was hesitant to follow Nashville neighbor Belmont from the NAIA to the NCAA.

At the time, longtime Lipscomb basketball coach Don Meyer didn’t believe it was in the school’s best interest to move to the NCAA.

It was basically a three-year move to be fully vested at the NCAA level. And Meyer was Lipscomb’s winningest basketball coach.

Belmont took its lumps during the transition, which is pretty much the norm for every institution that takes that leap of faith. But the Bruins actually thrived after going through the tough times. They have been to the NCAA Tournament four times, in addition to getting an NIT bid.

Lipscomb eventually decided to follow Belmont to the NCAA. Meyer resigned, refusing to make the move. It created a messy situation, pitting Meyer fans against Lipscomb.

The school hired Scott Sanderson, son of former Alabama coach Wimp Sanderson. He is the one who would take the brunt of making the transition. I remember Wimp telling me he didn’t think Scott should have taken the job because Wimp knew Scott was going to get his brains beat out.

Scott survived. Both Lipscomb and Belmont joined the Atlantic Sun Conference. In recent years Lipscomb basketball has fallen on hard times. Last year Belmont left the Atlantic Sun and joined the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Bruins won a hard-fought two tournament games in its first year to win an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Lipscomb forced Sanderson to resign and 40 days later hired longtime Belmont assistant Casey Alexander. Even though Alexander has been head coach at Stetson the past two years, he is a familiar name in Williamson County. He was a three-sport athlete at Brentwood Academy and was Rick Byrd’s top assistant for 16 years.

In the near future I predict we will see Lipscomb leave the Atlantic Sun and join the OVC. The Atlantic Sun is all over the map and in danger of losing East Tennessee State and Kennesaw State.

The OVC should covet Lipscomb and vice versa. Can you imagine the financial savings Lipscomb would realize in cutting travel costs?

But here is where the OVC can profit. It will give the conference three teams located in Nashville – Tennessee State, Belmont and Lipscomb. That means increased attendance.

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.