I think people some times take scientists (which are just people too ya know) too seriously.
If you weren't there, how do you really know? The answer is, ya don't. All you can do is hypothesize and theorize.
People back then were the same as people today. They had emotions, they loved, they hated, and some were more
intelligent than others. Not to mention, some were crazy.
They don't know what the mayans were really doing or even how they come up with what they came up with.
Maybe one them came along one day and said hey, ya know what, this mayan calendar y'all been working on is
crazier than snot so why don't ya stop the insanity and go get a real job, cut some wood for crying out loud. Or
perhaps that dude drew the short straw for the sacrifice ritual.