Hoping the NCAA committee says 'bye' to Lehigh, plus NFL picks

FROM KEITH GROLLER

It's early Sunday morning -- well it's before 9, which is early for me -- and I am getting set for another busy day.

Headed to Goosey Gander in south Bethlehem for Lehigh's "Selection Show" party, which starts at 10.

The Mountain Hawks are headed for the FCS playoffs for the first time since they were the I-AA playoffs in 2004.

Since the Patriot League doesn't get a lot of respect -- and perhaps deservedly so since the league hasn't won a playoff game since 2003 -- Lehigh is expected to get a low seed and probably a road trip when the tournament begins next Saturday.

As someone who has been to New England twice this fall and battled that beltway in Washington last weekend, I would love a home game. If it's on the road, let it be no further away than Delaware, which is 90 minutes or so away down the Blue Route and I-95.

Some are even teasing me with the thought of a first-round bye next weekend, which means Lehigh wouldn't play again until Dec. 4. That would be great because it would insure I would get to see Easton-Whitehall in the District 11 4A final next Saturday, a game I'd really like to see after seeing the Zephyrs play the last three weeks.

I've come to really respect that team and how they play.

Back to Lehigh.

It has been a very surprising season for the Mountain Hawks, so why not one more surprise with this NCAA selection this morning?

Again on Saturday, they didn't play all that great, but good enough to win and their fans should accept that. They are 9-2 and the nine wins is their most since 2004.

We'll see what happens.

Rico likes it when I make my NFL half-asleep as I am right now.

Of course, people who know me know I am usually half-asleep anyway.

According to Rico, I delievered the goods last week -- a typically dreadful performance. He said I was 3-10 against the spread and on the over/under totals. I was not much better -- 5-8 -- outright.

Totals for the season continue to amaze me with how bad I am -- 71-71 outright, 59-77-6 against the spread and 70-71-1 on the totals.

Here we go very quickly with that Lehigh party looming:

PITTSBURGH (-7.5) 28, Oakland 14 -- over-41

NY JETS (-6.5) 26, Houston 14 -- under 45.5

Baltimore(-11.5) 24, CAROLINA 10 -- under 27

TENNESSEE (-7) 30, Washington 17 -- over 44

DALLAS (-6) 24, Detroit 17 -- under 47

Green Bay (-3) 31, MINNESOTA 17 -- over 44.

Buffalo (+5) 23, CINCINNATI 17 -- under 42

Cleveland (+2.5) 20, JACKSONVILLE 17 -- under 43

KANSAS CITY (-8) 27, Arizona 16 -- under 43.5

NEW ORLEANS (-11.5) 34, Seattle 20 -- over 44.

Atlanta (-3) 28, ST. LOUIS 13 -- under 43.

S.F. 49ERS (-3.5) 24, Tampa Bay 20 -- over 42.

NEW ENGLAND (-4) 34, Indianapolis 24 -- over 50.

SUNDAY NIGHT

PHILADELPHIA (-3) 63, New York Giants 49 -- over 48.

MONDAY NIGHT

SAN DIEGO (-9.5) 31, Denver 14 -- under 50.

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/