What was that free kick all about in Broncos-Chargers?
Welcome to FTW Explains: a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you wondering what a free kick is in the NFL? We got you covered.
At the end of the first half on Thursday night between the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos, NFL history was made off a really strange and obscure rule.
Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker nailed a 57-yard free kick to end the first half, causing many online NFL sickos to rejoice in celebration. But why, you may ask? A free kick is not often utilized in the NFL these days and one hasn’t been made in nearly 50 years, since Ray Wersching did so in 1976.
But what is a free kick? And what’s this about a fair catch kick too?
A free kick is permitted under an old NFL rule that lets teams have two options once they call for a fair catch. They can either:
Just take the ball at the line of scrimmage and run a play, which happens the vast, vast majority of the time
Take a free kick
A free kick is sort of like a field goal, but not really. Players line up a bit more like a kickoff, where everyone on offense must be behind the line of scrimmage when the ball is kicked.
On defense, everyone must be ten yards back. Kickers can either elect to do a kick with a holder, or do a drop kick.
As for why we don’t see free kicks more often in the NFL?
There just aren’t a lot of situations in which they make sense. Most punts are long enough that a field goal would be difficult to execute off a fair catch, and there’s usually enough time on the clock after a punt to make offenses want to get the ball on first down.
You need a confluence of events to happen:
The punt being fair caught at a reasonable distance for a field goal kicker to make
Very little time left on the clock
Those two things happened here, so we got a free kick.
College football fans have a suspect for why there are so many squirrels on Ole Miss’ field this season.
Welcome to FTW Explains: A guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. The college football is making jokes about Lane Kiffin and squirrels, and you may be wondering what’s up with that. We’ve got you covered.
Something unexpected happened Saturday in Oxford, Mississippi. It was odd but not particularly unique for an Ole Miss football game, and no, we’re not talking about Ole Miss upsetting Georgia with a decisive 28-10 victory — though that happened.
And now, college football fans are speculating, positing, theorizing that perhaps, just maybe, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is behind the squirrel delay. Was it there for fun or nefarious reasons? After all, this isn’t the first time this has happened at an Ole Miss game.
But let’s back up.
A squirrel on the field caused a delay in the Ole Miss’ upset against Georgia
Saturday early in the second quarter of the Bulldogs’ road game against Ole Miss, this squirrel ran on the field. Obviously, it’s challenging to catch a speedy squirrel or even to gently usher it off the field and out of harm’s way, so there was a little bit of a delay.
But this wasn’t the first squirrel on Ole Miss’ field this season?
Nope! A few weeks ago during Ole Miss’ home win over Oklahoma, a squirrel was spotted on the field at the end of the first quarter, causing another momentary delay.
Was it the same squirrel? A different one? Where are they coming from? Are they trying to football? What is going on with all the squirrels at Ole Miss?!
Something fishy is super definitely going on, and college football fans love conspiracy theories.
So why are fans blaming Lane Kiffin for releasing the squirrels?
Nov 9, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; A squirrel runs across the field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium during the first half between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Mississippi Rebels. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Well, Kiffin and his creativity are kind of legendary in college football, so college football fans are wondering… maybe he’s actually behind the squirrel invasion.
The SEC responded with penalties for fake injuries
Faking injuries — presumably in lieu of burning a timeout or to disrupt another team’s rhythm — became such a problem that SEC commissioner Greg Sankey warned teams against it earlier this month and threatened penalties.
“As plainly as it can be stated: Stop any and all activity related to faking injuries to create time-outs,” Sankey wrote in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN.
He ended the memo by writing: “Play football and stop the feigned injury nonsense.”
Per ESPN, the penalties include a public reprimand and $50,000 fine to a head coach on a first offense, another reprimand and $100,000 fine for a second and, should it happen a third time, the coach will be suspended for the next game. Similar punishments will happen for staff members encouraging this.
So, naturally, college football fans are pointing to Lane Kiffin as the squirrel wrangler
With Ole Miss having multiple egregious fake injury moments and the SEC threatening fines, college football fans naturally drew the very logical and without-fault conclusion that Kiffin is behind the squirrel invasion at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Does he whistle, and a squirrel comes out? Do he and the squirrel communicate on a radio? Does Kiffin just have endless squirrels in his pockets? We need answers!
The SEC: We will fine/suspend you if you fake injuries ✋
As the theories continued, some on college football Twitter even speculated about other capabilities of the squirrel — along with many jokes — and, you know, they might just be on to something. Who knows?!
The squirrel is part of a sign-stealing scam by Lane Kiffin, no I will not be elaborating further
What is the NHL Frozen Frenzy that’s happening on Tuesday?
Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you wondering why the NHL is playing a lot of games on Tuesday? If so, we’re here to help.
Hockey fans, rejoice!
On Tuesday, October 22, fans will be treated to nearly eight hours of continuous hockey action thanks to the return of the NHL Frozen Frenzy. For the second year in a row, all 32 NHL teams will be in action on the same night, in an event the league and ESPN has dubbed the NHL Frozen Frenzy. Pretty cool, right?
Things get kicked off with the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, which is only the first game of 16 scheduled for the night. Even better? All 16 games are staggered 15 or 30 minutes apart, meaning there should always be something to watch.
Tuesday’s slate will feature some high-profile matchups such as the Tampa Bay Lightning versus the New Jersey Devils, the Boston Bruins versus the Nashville Predators, the Carolina Hurricanes versus the Edmonton Oilers and more. All content will be available on ESPN+, with a few matchups scheduled for ESPN proper. ESPN2, however, will be hosting the NHL Frozen Frenzy Live Whip-Around Studio Show with John Buccigross, Kevin Weekes and P.K. Subban, a NFL RedZone style show for the event.
Of course, the NHL Frozen Frenzy will be the only day of the 2024-25 season where all 32 teams will play on the same day, so don’t miss out on the fun!
The NHL’s digital board ads are back for the 2024-25 season, but not everyone is happy.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated for the 2024-25 season. It was originally published in 2023.
Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you wondering why the advertisements on the boards during NHL games keep distracting you? If so, we’re here to help.
Fall is here and that means hockey season is officially back in full swing. The 2024-25 NHL season promises to be filled with exciting games, captivating stories, and some darn good hockey to boot.
While a lot of the talk this season will be centered on the action on the ice, you can be sure that NHL fans will once again be complaining about one thing in particular: the league’s digital board advertisements. So, what are these digital board ads and why do hockey fans hate them with a fiery passion? Let’s dive in.
Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Have you seen some stuff about Cal football and a “woke agenda”? And you’re very confused about that whole thing? Don’t worry. We’re here to help.
These are very strange times in college football.
On Saturday in Week 4, the 3-0 California Golden Bears face 0-3 Florida State in an ACC matchup. That alone is quite a lot to process. But it gets a little bit weirder these days as Cal’s extremely online fan base started sharing memes that poke fun at every stereotype of the students at Berkeley.
You know that final rap battle in 8 Mile where Eminem uses every single diss Captain America has against him to win? It’s a lot like that. But in the last week, the Cal Woke Mob memes have truly taken over college football. It’s utterly ridiculous and unavoidable.
It’s also the SEC’s fault.
Wait, how is the SEC involved?
Well, you can go way back to the SEC kicking off another round of realignment that led to the death of the Pac-12 as we know it. But let’s fast forward to the lead up to last week’s matchup at Auburn.
Tigers fans thought they could get their jokes off at the expense of Cal fans without any pushback before the game.
“I have another caution: No military flyover has taken place at a Cal game since the 50’s,” Shannon posted. “Those who do stand for the National Anthem may need something to calm them down. USAF jets incoming.”
Shannon offered a backhanded apology, then deleted his account entirely.
“No offense meant to Cal. Thought it was a bit of humor,” Shannon posted. “I grew up in California and know the political views there or at least the stereotypical ones. We cherish our ROTC cadets here and it’s gratifying to know Cal does to [sic] @california.”
That really backfired, huh?
Sure did! Especially after Cal came to Auburn and won, 21-14.
And that’s where this thing takes a turn for the absurd as Cal fans memed Auburn into oblivion, starting with this gem:
It was all a little too perfect. Cal fans making every joke before someone else could use it as an insult somehow made all the sense in the world.
Especially considering the school now plays in an ACC conference featuring a number of schools located in much more conservative-leaning states.
Cal fans knew all the buzzwords to make the eyes of many conservative fans of those teams start to twitch: DEI, Woke Mob, Critical Race Theory, Gender Neutral Bathrooms.
Pretty much all the most recent dog whistles thrown into the “culture war” were suddenly getting thrown right back.
You can guess what happened next.
After Florida State lost to Memphis at home to drop to 0-3 — and before Cal even played it’s Week 3 matchup against San Diego State — Golden Bears fans set their sights on triggering everyone in Tallahassee.
You mean CALahassee?
You catch on quick!
Let’s take a brief look at some of the more popular memes that floating around before Week 4’s matchup:
Here’s all we know about Joel Embiid’s last-second scratch in Denver and the NBA’s response.
Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Have you seen some things about Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid’s last-second scratch in Denver over the weekend? Are you wondering why this is a big deal for the NBA and why everyone keeps talking about it? Don’t worry. We’re here to help.
The Philadelphia 76ers might find themselves in hot water soon.
Last Saturday in Denver was supposed to be a potential NBA Finals preview between Philadelphia and the reigning champion Denver Nuggets. The last two regular-season MVPs, Joel Embiid (2023) and Nikola Jokić (2021-2022) were at the center of the matchup. There was just one problem: Embiid was a last-minute scratch in what some see as a simmering controversy.
What the heck is going on here? What do the Nuggets and 76ers think? And what are the ramifications for the NBA? Let’s dive in.
Here’s everything we know about the Flyers’ shocking trade of Cutter Gauthier to the Ducks and all the drama surrounding the move.
Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you wondering why the hockey world has exploded with talk about the Philadelphia Flyers and someone named Cutter Gauthier? Don’t worry. We’re here to help.
It’s not often hockey teams trade away top prospects on a random weekday, even more so in the middle of the season. But that’s exactly what happened on Monday when the Philadelphia Flyers traded 19-year-old Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks in a stunning move.
If you’re not up to date on the Flyers’ prospect system or who Gauthier even is, we here at For The Win will give you everything you need to know about this trade that rocked the hockey world.
Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Have you seen some stuff about a pink-colored Stanley cup that people are buying like crazy? And you’re very confused about that whole thing? Don’t worry. We’re here to help.
That’s right, there’s a limited-edition cup that a lot of people want and are doing all kinds of things in order to purchase it. Maybe you’ve seen it on TikTok or X (formerly Twitter) and been wondering why the heck there’s so much hype around it.
We’re here to help you make sense of all the chaos going on in the college football world.
Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you wondering what’s going on with the madness that is the latest round of college football realignment, especially as it relates to the Pac-12? We’re here to help.
We are just weeks away from kicking off the 2023 college football season, but right now, what should be an exciting time for the sport has largely been overshadowed by far more existential concerns.
The respective moves of Oklahoma and Texas moving to the SEC and USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten in 2024 proved to be the first signs of trouble in a rapidly shifting college football landscape, and the dam finally broke this week.
With the demise of the Pac-12 seemingly on the horizon, teams are searching for safe harbor in one of the three stable power conferences: the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12.
Much is still up to speculation, but here’s a rundown of everything we know so far as it relates to the latest round of conference realignment.
The NCAA found that Tennessee committed more than 200 unreported violations.
Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you wondering how former Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt is still impacting the Volunteers? We’re here to help.
On Friday, the NCAA Committee on Infractions made a ruling in the case regarding Tennessee football and alleged misconduct under former head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
All in all, the NCAA found that Tennessee committed more than 200 unreported violations, including 18 of the Level I variety (the most severe). The Volunteers received a historic $8 million fine from the NCAA as well as sanctions which include scholarship and official visit reductions.
But that’s not the entire story, and the people most affected by this ruling haven’t been affiliated with the program in several years. Here, we’ll answer all your burning questions about the Pruitt saga.
