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PODCAST

Pigskin Dispatch

Get a daily glimpse at the history of American football highlighting the events, people, teams, and anniversaries that took place on the calendar day, the year, or the story that the episode centers on. The show is in lock-step with our website PigskinDispatch.com to bring football fans of all ages a refreshing and fun gridiron experience!

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All Episodes

11:24

Unveiling the Best College Football Stars of Number Five

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/21

The Magic of the Five: College Football’s Most Iconic Number?In the cathedral of college football, certain numbers carry a weight that transcends the fabric they’re stitched onto. But while the "No. 1" is often a self-proclaimed title and "No. 7" belongs to the gunslingers, the Number 5 has always hit differently. It is the digit of the ultimate "X-factor"—the jersey worn by the players who didn't just break tackles, they broke the spirit of opposing fanbases.From the breathtaking North-South

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15:55

Unraveling the Evolution of Football Safety Equipment

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/20

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes: The "Laissez-Faire" History of Football SafetyFootball is the ultimate collision sport, a game of high-speed impacts and physical prowess. But if you were to travel back to the early days of the gridiron, you might be shocked to find that for the first century of the game, the NCAA’s approach to safety was almost laughable.In a recent episode of the Pigpen podcast, host Darin Hayes sat down with Timothy Brown of Football Archaeology to discuss the surprisingly slow

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11:22

Unveiling the Name: How the Super Bowl Came to Be

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/17

How a Bouncy Toy Created the "Super Bowl"At the end of every NFL season, the world stops for a spectacle known as the Super Bowl. It’s a name so ingrained in our culture that it feels like it has existed forever. But in 1966, the term "Super Bowl" wasn't just unofficial—it was actually hated by the NFL Commissioner.A Collision of Two LeaguesIn the late 1950s and early 1960s, the NFL had a problem. A new rival, the American Football League (AFL), had emerged. Founded by Lamar Hunt, the AFL was

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01:09:24

NFL Playoff Analysis: Insights and Predictions for...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/15

The Finality of the Field: Navigating the NFL Divisional RoundThere are just eight teams left standing. As we enter the divisional round of the 2025 National Football League playoffs, the stakes have never been higher, and the margin for error has never been thinner.On the latest episode of the Pig Pen, Darin Hayes was joined by Ed Kleese to break down a wild Wild Card weekend and look ahead to the battles to come. But before diving into the X’s and O’s, the conversation struck a chord that every

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13:45

The Evolution of Football: A Historical Examination...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/13

TheEvolutionofthe"Pigskin":FromAnimalBladderstoModernValvesInthemoderneraofAmericanfootball,werarelygiveasecondthoughttotheballitself.Wegrabit,checkthegrip,andifitfeelsalittlesoft,weinsertaneedleforaquickfive-secondfix.However,asDarinHayesandTimothyBrownofFootballArchaeologyrecentlydiscussed,thesimpleactofkeepingairinsideafootballwasonceoneofthesport'smostsignificanttechnicalhurdles.Timilluminatestheintricateinnovationsthathavetranspiredoverthedecades,culminatinginthesophisticatedmechanismsweobservet

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08:48

The Psychological Toll of Game-Ending Mistakes

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/10

This episode delves into the profound impact that pivotal mistakes in American football can have on players' lives, both on and off the field. We examine several notable blunders throughout history, including a heartbreaking moment involving the Baltimore Ravens' rookie kicker, whose misstep in a critical playoff game underscores the immense pressure faced by athletes. The narrative extends to a historical account from 1905, where a young player, Denny Clark, suffered devastating consequences after

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36:15

George Halas and the Legacy of the 1918 Naval Station...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/09

The primary focus of this podcast episode is to delve into the illustrious history of the 1918 Naval Station Great Lakes Blue Jackets football team and its significant impact on the early development of professional football in the United States. As the backdrop of World War I unfolded, military bases across the nation began cultivating sports teams, with the Great Lakes Naval Station emerging as a particularly noteworthy example. Our guest, Dan Charesta, elucidates the compelling narrative

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49:01

Unveiling the NFL Playoffs: Predictions and Insights...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/07

Wild Card Weekend: Picks, Predictions, and The Final TallyDarin and Ed closed out the regular season with a dramatic Week 18 and are now diving into their picks for the six matchups of Super Wild Card Weekend! But first let's look at the teams not in the playoffs...NFL Reverse Power Rankings: Who Will Bounce Back by 2026?The NFL playoffs are finally here! Wild Card Weekend is set, and while the excitement builds for the teams competing, our hosts Darin Hayes and Ed Kleese took one final look back at

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13:42

Football Fashion: The Journey from Disparity to...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/06

Tim's original Tidbit was the basis of this discussion titled: Before Uniforms Were Uniform - https://www.footballarchaeology.com/p/todays-tidbit-before-uniforms-wereBefore the Color-Coordinated Sidelines: When Football Uniforms Weren't UniformWhen you watch a football game today, one of the first things that captures your attention is the perfect, spectacular array of colors and matching uniforms. Every player is perfectly dressed to script, creating an immediate visual identity for the team. But

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15:38

Top Five College Football Players Wearing Number...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/05

This episode delves into the intricate and esteemed history of college football jersey number three, highlighting its significance and the illustrious players who have donned it throughout the years. We examine the profound legacy of the number, with particular emphasis on the traditions of various collegiate programs, including the memorialization of Abraham Reinhart at Utah Tech and the retirement of Wayne Chrebet's jersey at Hofstra University. Furthermore, we explore the remarkable achievements

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09:54

Analyzing the Impact of Bye Weeks in College Football...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2026/01/02

The current discourse centers on the notable outcomes of the second round of the College Football Playoffs for the 2025-2026 season, particularly emphasizing the alarming trend regarding teams that receive first-round byes. It has been observed that, in a strikingly similar pattern to the previous year, a majority of these teams have succumbed to defeat in their subsequent matchups, raising pertinent questions about the efficacy of the bye week as a strategic advantage. Specifically, we find that

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46:27

Navigating the NFL’s Historical Landscape: A Week 18...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2025/12/31

Week 18 Showdown: A Season of Parity, Ending in a Deadlock!Darin Hayes welcomed listeners back to the "Pig Pen" at Pigskin Dispatch, the official portal for football history, to set the stage for the final week of the National Football League season. Joined by co-host Ed Kleese, the episode focused on the tradition of their weekly "big bowl predictions" and a look back at a truly bizarre NFL season. After a quick check-in on the weather (Darin is facing a blizzard in the Great Lakes; Ed is enjoying

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12:17

A Hoax in History: The Tale of Harvard and the Rose Bowl

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2025/12/30

The Great Rose Bowl Hoax: When a 3-6 Harvard Team Was "Invited" to PasadenaWhile the modern era is seeing a slow return of Ivy League teams considering postseason play—a novelty perhaps best illustrated by the news that some Ivy teams might secure bowl slots in 2025—it’s easy to forget that nearly a century ago, one of the ancient institutions received perhaps the most absurd bowl invitation in history. The subject? The 1936 Rose Bowl, and the unsuspecting victim was none other than the Harvard

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14:28

The Historical Significance of Philip Rivers' NFL...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2025/12/25

The current state of the National Football League has been profoundly altered as we approach the conclusion of 2025, marked notably by the extraordinary return of quarterback Philip Rivers to the field after a five-year hiatus. At the age of 43, Rivers, now a grandfather, has rejoined the Indianapolis Colts, prompting a discussion on the unprecedented nature of such a return in the league's storied history. This episode delves into the implications of Rivers' comeback, examining not only his

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51:04

Gridiron Grit: Insights and Predictions for NFL Week 17

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2025/12/24

Week 16 Recap: Darin's Hot Hand and Ed's Christmas ConundrumThe NFL season is winding down, and the stakes for the "Big Bold Predictions" segment are higher than ever. Darin Hayes and Ed Kleese met to review a highly dramatic Week 16, which featured incredible comebacks, upsets, and holiday chaos, before gearing up for Week 17.Week 16: Darin's Strong ShowingDarin had a strong performance, netting 5 points, primarily due to correctly calling the close, high-stakes victory for the Seahawks over the

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11:51

Unveiling the 1921 San Diego East West Christmas Classic

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2025/12/23

This podcast episode delves into the historical significance of the 1921 San Diego East West Christmas Classic, an intriguing yet ephemeral football game that epitomizes the intersection of sport and holiday spirit. We engage with Timothy P. Brown from FootballArchaeology.com, who elucidates the context surrounding this unique event, which featured Center College, known as the Praying Colonels, facing off against a then lesser-known Arizona team. Despite inclement weather that plagued the days

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49:15

From the Gridiron: Key Predictions for Week 16 of the...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2025/12/17

In our latest installment of the Pigskin Daily History Dispatch, we embark on a compelling journey through the current NFL landscape, contemplating the implications of Week 16 predictions as the season approaches its conclusion. Early Observations After NFL Week 15 (2025 Season)Based on the discussion between Darin Hayes and Ed Kleese, the primary observations after Week 15 revolved around two main themes: the plight of the Washington Commanders and the volatility of the league standings.The

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14:20

Historical Football Mysteries: The Case of the Lost...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2025/12/16

The Coach Who Vanished: A Bizarre Christmas Football Mystery from 1917Before the era of 12-team playoffs and million-dollar bowl games, the 1917 football season was pure chaos, defined by World War I restrictions and a lack of organized post-season play. Amidst this turmoil, an impromptu Christmas Day tiebreaker game was scheduled in San Diego, pitting the Utah Artillerymen (Camp Kearney) against the Balboa Park team. But the biggest drama wasn't on the field; it was off it, where the Utah squad's

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48:17

Deciphering Week 15: Bold Predictions for the NFL

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2025/12/10

As the NFL season approaches its climax, the fervor of competition intensifies, revealing the crux of team dynamics and performance metrics. The discussion centers on the pivotal Week 15 games, particularly reflecting on the outcomes of Week 14, with a focus on the Detroit Lions' surprising dominance over the Dallas Cowboys. The hosts, Darren Hayes and Ed Cleese, unravel their predictions and analyses, dissecting prior performances while forecasting future matchups. The conversation is rich in

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16:03

A Historical Analysis of Football’s First Measuring...

Pigskin Dispatch ·

2025/12/09

The podcast delves into a significant yet often overlooked aspect of American football history: the introduction of chains as a means of measuring distance on the field. The discussion centers around the Crescent Athletic Club, a pioneering team in the late 19th century that is credited with utilizing chains for the first time to mark the progress of the ball during gameplay. This innovation not only transformed the officiating of the game but also reflected a broader evolution in how football was

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304 results

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