Were the Mayans Right?

Conspiracy theorists across the world see to believe that the year 2012 is the year the world will end. The Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012, leaving people a little bit of time to finish their bucket lists, carry on their lives and not believe this crap or start preparing for the inevitable alien invasion.

I for one think all of this is silly, but hearing some of the things people are “preparing for,” is beyond laughable.

This year has been a crazy one for the world of sports and has caused me to wonder, “Do the idiots from that Doomsday show have the right idea?”

Exhibit A: The Baltimore Orioles

If you’re anything like me and have grown up with a history of losing baseball in your hometown city, this year has been something to talk about. If you would’ve told me the Orioles would be playing relevant, I would’ve told you we were going to have a white Christmas in July.  This team has found a way to win despite all odds, poor defense, lackluster base running and a negative run differential (-47).  No one is showing up to the stadium even through all the success the team has had.

Think about this.

The Orioles and the Pittsburgh Pirates have a chance at playing postseason baseball this year for the first time in what seems ages. If you want to see something you may or may not get to see ever again in your lifetime, why not show up?

Exhibit B: The New York Jets

If you watch ESPN, you might know a little about this football franchise. Actually, you know everything about them. The coverage is unmatched for even local sports stations in the region. Hell, Tim Sanchez, I mean Mark Tebow… sorry I only think about quarterbacks that do more than garner headlines and cameras.

Lets’ get real. When you bring in two quarterbacks to compete for a starting job, you have no quarterback. You also have no quarterback when the two “leaders” were in the bottom five of total QBR last season.

Where are the athletes on this putrid offense?

It’s so bad, they had to call on Antonio Cromartie to add a little explosiveness to the wide receiver position.

Some may say what about Stephen Hill? He came from a triple option offense, you be the judge.

To think that a team this average garners all this coverage is remarkable and makes me wonder if not only will the world end, but will Tim Tebow play linebacker next?

In the words of former-Raven and now Jets linebacker Bart Scott, “Can’t wait,” to see what happens next at the three-ring circus in New York.

Exhibit C: The Looming NHL Lockout

At this point, another NHL lockout may reappear and tarnish the sport forever. Hockey is a great sport that just doesn’t draw as much as baseball, football and basketball in America.  It features just as much contact a football, just as much endurance as baseball and as much conditioning as basketball.

Did I mention they do it all on skates?

Gary Bettman is the commissioner of the NHL and has dealt with a lockout before that caused the league to miss the entire 2004-2005 season. While some of the players went across the world to play, American and some Canadian hockey fans were left in the dust to sulk as they prayed for a return of the beloved sport.

The league’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in 25 days on September 15.  The sides are still far apart and it seems as if progress has hit a stalemate. If another lockout happens, it’s safe to say the NHL may have not only seen its better days, but may be over.

A sport that was knocked out for an entire year, may be knocked out for good. No matter the result, I will still “Rock the Red” until the world ends.