Karels: Inside my viral tweet that broke the Internet at the Cheez-It Bowl

In journalism school, I learned to never become the story.

But I guess when the Cheez-It Bowl is involved, all bets are off.

My time in Orlando ended with me covering the Cheez-It Bowl – which No. 13 Florida State won, 35-32, over Oklahoma – at Camping World Stadium last Thursday.

The week leading up to that game, though, turned out to be a weird one for me. And not just because the housekeepers at my hotel almost walked in on me before I stepped into the shower (maybe don’t enter the room after knocking for only 0.4 seconds?).

It also involved me having the most viral tweet in Cheez-It Twitter history, an accomplishment that I’m still trying to describe to my grandparents.

Analysis from FSU's win over Oklahoma:After fitting end to Florida State's football season, 2023 can't come soon enough

FSU football transfer news:Seminoles add highly-coveted cornerback transfer Fentrell Cypress II

More FSU football:Florida State defensive tackle Fabien Lovett announces he will return to Seminoles

I assumed the highlight of my Cheez-It Bowl trip would be when Seminole offensive coordinator Alex Atkins spoke with me and two other FSU beat reporters, Ira Schoffel and Curt Weiler, about dogs for 20 minutes during a media session (Atkins has a love-hate relationship with his dog, Juco. Emphasis on the hate.).

I also enjoyed hearing from star FSU safety Jammie Robinson – who announced on New Year’s Day that he is entering the 2023 NFL Draft – about how his mother, Satarius, continues to inspire him.

But sorry, Juco, and sorry, Jammie’s mom. Nothing felt more awesome than me going down in Cheez-It lore.

It all started in the hotel hospitality room Monday night. I joined several FSU beat reporters to watch the Chargers beat the Colts (I’m still wincing from that Derwin James hit). Right before we left, a Cheez-It Bowl representative told me something that sounded absurd.

At noon the next day, I thought about that conversation and decided to tweet the following:

“Really valuable information: A Cheez-It Bowl representative told me last night that there is no such thing as ‘Cheez-Its.’ One Cheez-It is a Cheez-It. Two or more of the Cheez-It are called ‘Cheez-It crackers,’ not Cheez-Its. You’re welcome.”

Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows that I sometimes like to be what Jimbo Fisher calls Lane Kiffin: a clown. I don’t take myself too seriously. So I published that tweet with the sole purpose of making a few of my followers laugh.

What started as a joke, though, quickly turned into a full-blown Twitter meltdown that lasted multiple days.

From sports media personalities like Rex Chapman to ESPN analysts like Mina Kimes, people from all corners of the sports world shared or commented on the tweet. Why? To express their dismay about how Cheez-It wants to be pluralized.

The tweet now has more than 3.7 million views and thousands of hilarious comments.

And the chaos extended beyond Twitter.

Numerous podcasts and TV shows discussed the topic. The Huffington Post wrote about it. Awful Announcing wrote about it. The Big Lead had a story with the headline, ‘Hell No, We’re Not Calling Them Cheez-It Crackers.’

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, who served as the color commentator for the Cheez-It Bowl, commented that he would mention the controversy on the broadcast. He did (spoiler alert: he is Team Cheez-It Crackers). And later that night, the ESPN broadcast crew for the Valero Alamo Bowl weighed in on the matter.

Nothing may have been better than the Empire State Building – which somehow has a Twitter account – hinting that it would light up the New York City sky in Cheez-It red and yellow (I reached out to them to see if this would really happen. Nope. Turns out, the Empire State Building is a no-good clout chaser).

How the Cheez-It Bowl folks handled the publicity pushed the experience over the top.

They could have easily ignored it. They could have easily blocked me. Instead, they embraced the Cheez-It crackers debate, publicly doubled down on their stance and spent the rest of the week making self-deprecating jokes about it.

I joined in on the fun too, changing my Twitter name to “Carter is feelin’ the Cheeziest” and picture to my face photoshopped onto the Cheez-It mascot, Prince Cheddward. Very professional, I know.

After the Seminoles won, I thought I had heard the last of this Cheez-It madness. But the Cheez-It Bowl had a final gesture in mind. They awarded me a “Hall of Cheez” letterman jacket in front of every media member following the postgame press conference (I may or may not have received a standing ovation).

In the left pocket, there was a note from Prince Cheddward that read:

“Carter: It’s ‘Cheez-It crackers.’ Really. Enjoy the game.’”

That was all I needed to be sold on Cheez-It crackers.

Eric Hansen, a longtime Notre Dame beat writer who I consider to be one of my biggest mentors, probably put it best in a tweet.

“What in the world? I don’t know whether to be proud of you or call for an intervention.”

Why not both?

Reach Carter Karels at ckarels@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @CarterKarels. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).

No one covers the ‘Noles like the Tallahassee Democrat. Subscribe using the link at the top of the page and never miss a moment.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Karels: Inside my viral tweet that broke the internet at the Cheez-It Bowl