Yes, it's true

So there it was, and I couldn't take it back:

Donnie Manis ‏@Donnie19

I left an Alabama game early once. #endoftheworldconfession

 I was just having a little fun with whole Mayan apocalypse thing. You know - the end of the world that didn't happen today. Thought that would be a funny little line to throw out in the pretense of last confessions. But jusging from a couple of tweets, I shocked a few people:

5tacyw ‏@5tacyw

@Donnie19 😱

Esther Workman ‏@estherscott

@Donnie19 me too.......so ashamed. #endoftheworldconfessions

MacyMatthews12 ‏@MacyMatthews12

@Donnie19 what?!

So...here's the story. I did the right thing, I promise!

Alabama was playing in the inaugural Music City Bowl in Nashville, and my good friend Lee was living there. His girlfriend had a friend who was, well, a prospect for me in her mind. And so the set-up was on. I would pick up the young lady in Athens, AL, meet the other couple in Nashville and we would hang out all centered around the football game.

She was nice. She was very attractive. And I thought we got along pretty well. Not a bad date. And then we all headed to the game.

If you are an Alabama fan, you probably know that night as an unmitigated disaster. If you are a Hokie, it was a glorious night. The Tide got crushed 38-7, and it wasn't that close.

The weather was miserable. It was around 30 degrees, very windy, and wet. A very oppressive rain/sleet mix was falling and we were freezing our tails off. The third quarter ended, already 38-7. Minutes ticked by. Our half of the stadium emptied. And there the four of us sat.

And suddenly a light bulb went off underneath my thick skull. Are these people as crazy as me - all three of them? Sure, I never leave a Bama game early and I'm not planning to now. I always stick it out (thus the shocked tweets above). But I got it.

So I turned and looked past my date and asked Lee, "Is the only reason nobody's mentioned leaving is that you told them I wouldn't leave no matter what?"

"Yes." Laughter. Shivering laughter, but laughter.

So I caved. I said something like this: I can't bring myself to do it, but if y'all leave I'll go with you.

And thus it happened. I was trying to be considerate to my date. But of course it was too late for that  - probably about a quarter too late. We got along 'til the end of the date and I still think she was nice, but the idea of us seeing each other again never really crossed our minds.

And so that's it. My "end of the world confession". I did leave an Alabama game early once. Once.

Roll Tide.

The End

There's almost no way you could have missed it. It's been all over the web...tweeted about, blogged about, and posted on facebook. It's even been all over old fashioned media like TV news. Today - May 21, 2011 - is the end. Really....it says so here, among other places.

Fortunately for me, I'll have a head start. Yep, about the time I believe it's supposed to happen, I'l be on a plane bound for Seattle. So I'll have a 30,000 foot head start on the rest of you being raptured.

But wait a minute...hold the phone. What about this quote from Jesus?

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Mark 13:32)

So we don't know? It might not be tomorrow? Oh well. (Of course, the weird thing is it could be; I don't think the Father would plan the Day and then change it just to make sure some misguided "prophet" was wrong.) But if it is, this guy did not know it. It's not possible.

I plan to be ready if it is - just like every other day. Because that is what we have been encouraged to do.

So, I'm in the camp who thinks it just may not be the day. In addition to what Jesus said, below is a link to 22 more reasons. My favorite is the guy who tweeted about having concert tickets. Enjoy:

Huffington Post: 21 reasons why May 21 is not the end of the world