What the NBA lockout could do for the Blue Jackets

With the 2011-2012 lock out looming above basketball fans heads everywhere it means good things for hockey. Many Ohio State fans are falling off the bandwagon and looking for somewhere to go. Why not welcome them into the loving arms of the NHL? The Indians missed the playoffs, again. Why not welcome their fans into the loving arms of the NHL? Where are all those angry, woe is me Browns fan going to go after they "just" miss the play-offs? They usually run straight into the arms of the Cavs but wait the Cavs won't be there. Ohioans can try and not watch sports until spring training. Will they? No, because sports is every Ohioans oxygen. Unfortunately Hockey might not be where these fans run. Lets roll through the Good News and Bad News this possible full season NBA lock-out brings us.

Bad News:

• As I stated earlier, sports = oxygen. Which means people invest their lives in college sports and high school sports. With the MAC finally starting to show they are a force to be reckoned with in the NCAA basketball tournament all those jumping off the BIG 10 bandwagon will now be climbing on the MAC bandwagon. High Schools like St. Edwards, Walsh Jesuit, Moeller, Xavier, Whitmer, Cardinal Mooney and Glenville are constantly in the National spot light for wrestling, basketball and football. If any of these teams have a good year that will be enough to satisfy the sports bug for most Ohioans. 
• If people do decide to run into the arms of the NHL the North East and North West fan base is shot. In the North East Pens, Sabres,Bruins, and Canuks fans run rampant. The Avs farm team, Lake Erie Monsters, is located in Cleveland. With inexpensive games and a fun atmosphere new hockey fans will probably end up at Quicken Loans Arena instead of Nationwide Arena. In the North West you have farmers and fans of all things Detroit, Cincinnati, and Ohio State. It's the place where all the Division 6 High Schools hail. People eat, sleep and breathe high school sports here. Being without the NBA could possibly be a breeze for them. 
• The lock-out won't make the Blue Jackets magically a better team. It won't make them have the team chemistry they need to even dream of making the playoffs.

Good News

• Last year a good amount of Blue Jackets games were not shown in half of the state because they aired at the same time as the Cavs. If the whole NBA season is locked out you won't have to miss a single Blue Jackets game on Fox Sports Ohio. 
• If the Blue Jackets start to do well the news will ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THEM. The news loves to talk about their sports teams. Usually hockey gets overshadowed by the Cavs, LeBron, and Snowstorms. An NBA lock-out will lead to zero talk about the Cavs and minimal talk about LeBron. Therefore, the Blue Jackets can now wiggle their way into the hearts of Ohioans. 
• You will NEVER go a game with out laughing. I love the BJs BUT when you have a team that has very little chemistry hilarity will ensue. I can't even tell you the amount of times someone had a breakaway and passed it to a member of the other team. What's even better are the fan reactions. They range from "o my please take my life now" to "if i wanted to see someone play like this i would have watched the Browns lose" to "HEY REF THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF FOUL OR SOMETHING THERE". That last one is my favorite one. Cute little overly optimistic fans who blame everything on everyone else.
• Even though the BJs mascot, Stinger, is a bit on the creepy looking side you have nothing to fear. He won't molest you like some teams mascots will. *cough* Tommy Hawk *cough*

So boys, you know what to do. It's time to show Ohio that hockey is where it's at.

I scream 

You scream

We all scream for a possible NBA lockout