mogrits on 
AParker on 
Willy Mac on Let’s take a step back and look at this situation like real adults for a second. Apparently, Andre Branch got a little chippy with FSU offensive lineman David Spurlock. Let’s take a look at the film…
Ok, yes. It’s very obvious that Branch was being a dick and getting a little extra in after the play. That wasn’t eye gouging though. He may have tried, but it didn’t happen. He was definitely ripping at his neck, but that’s very common for a fumble scrum. Football is a mean, nasty game. And guess what? To play it at that level, you have to be a mean and nasty person to get by. Branch is a mean and nasty person. So is Spurlock. They wouldn’t be starting if they both weren’t this caliber of player.
Let’s take a closer look…
As you can see, Branch’s left hand coming over the top of the head is clasped around the bottom bar of the face mask. His right hand, coming up from underneath Spurlock’s head, is grabbing the top bar of the face mask. He’s definitely just trying to jar the neck, so if you’re gonna call someone a dirty player get what they did right. Are we really supposed to stop everything we’re doing and suspend someone every time some fan boy of the team who lost and re-watches the game forty times on youtube is offended that the other team gets a shot in? These are the same people who have never played or experienced football at that level. These same people would be content to shove their fat sausage fingers into there member’s only garnet and gold jackets, dart their eyes toward the ground, and chuckle nervously if they actually were approached by an angry Division 1 football player. These guys signed up for this. They know that the consequences and the potential risks.
Newsflash Seminoles: You guys practically revolutionized playing like dicks and cheating. You’ve got no room to talk. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t call it on the field if we see it, but come on. Let’s not get carried away. Let the guys play. Are you seriously going to try and tell us that Spurlock has never shoved his bacon smelling fists into someone’s face? Get real. Oh and pipe down, the big kids are trying to have a football season over here.
You wanna know what’s classless FSU? Bringing that garbage performance into Clemson, then getting pissy because you fell apart down the back stretch. Oh that and naming just about everything in Tallahassee after Bobby Bowden and then not coming up with a better end plan than the one you have. If the guy were a horse, he’d be in an Elmer’s bottle by now with the way you people treat him.
But people’s minds are made up on this subject. If you’re a Nole, Gamecock, or Clemson Hater he obviously damaged Spurlock’s eyes for life, right? It might have as well been the scene from Any Given Sunday where the guy’s eyeball get’s ripped out with the way you guys explain it. Andre Branch isn’t a coward. He’s a mean fucking dude. So is Spurlock based on the way he’s handling it. I’d be furious if I were Spurlock. Not for the actual event, but that there is some fat person who enjoys living vicariously through other people and their accomplishments is taking up for me. I’m a) smart enough to take it to a higher level if I wanted to and b) big enough to take care of myself. I’m a grown ass, 285 pound man at an institution of higher learning.
1Riggs
on Nov 11, 2009 at 10:32 am:
What about how he skips off the field like a 6 year old girl? I didn’t notice at the time, but that’s pretty weird looking. I’d never bring it up to his face.
I’m just saying – he rips someone apart looking for a football, talks smack, points that we have the ball, and then skips way to get more eyeliner out of his purse.
Is that part of his nastiness/insult? Was it like, “I just ripped you apart – now watch me skip away in disbelief.”
2Willy Mac
on Nov 11, 2009 at 10:39 am:
John Henderson skips after big plays… I’m just saying. If it’s the trait of a former Outland Trophy winner… maybe Branch is on to something.
3Navy Chief
on Nov 11, 2009 at 10:54 am:
I saw someone else post this somewhere and it makes sense. Obviously Branch thought he had the football, you could see him thrust his head down in frustration when he realized it was not the football.
4ichaseferalcats
on Nov 11, 2009 at 10:58 am:
@ 3,
My father’s first take (old school high school football coach who played at El Cid) was to say, “looks like he thinks the ball is under the lineman or at least he is trying to prevent the player from getting to the ball.” He then shrugged it off nonchantley.
Faskmask penalty, yes. Personal foul, yes. 15 yard penalty if he gets caught. Nothing more, nothing less.
5Joe
on Nov 11, 2009 at 11:15 am:
It just looks like he is doing a WWE move on him, coach makes hime do 15 sprints at the end of practice on monday and all is well.
6AParker
on Nov 11, 2009 at 11:31 am:
While I’ll agree that it was an unneeded physicalness against the offensive lineman, its pretty clear he thinks the ball is under that guy. And just as Willy Mac writes, the OL gets up, yells at him, then walks his on way, as if everything is ok. This is a sport, where physicalness is a necessity and required for, lack of a better word; survival. It was nearly as malicious as the Spikes incident, so yeah.
7Willy Mac
on Nov 11, 2009 at 11:47 am:
What pisses me off is that our culture has been pussied to the point that people actually WANT Branch suspended? Yeah, it’s a dirty play but it fucking happens. It’s a part of football. It happens. I had my fucking knee broken in a club (FUCKING CLUB) game because we were running up the score on a pretty good team from Alabama and I didn’t have my head on a swivel. Am I mad at the guy? No. I knew there was a chance it could happen. It was partially my fault for not keeping my head on a swivel and paying attention to the feeling of the game and how pissed they were. Next thing I know, crack. Bye bye PCL/MCL. I certainly don’t want some asshole on the internet I don’t even know taking up for me and bitching and complaining about my knee and the cheap shot some hick from Alabama took on me.
8Riggs
on Nov 11, 2009 at 11:59 am:
@7 I had my knees taken out during a soccer scrimmage because the fullback didn’t like how many times I had beat him and how many shots I had taken. I had my back injury during a summer 6 aside game for same reason. That’s soccer, folks. Recreational soccer. I never played football. I knew I would get killed.
Football is a dangerous sport. It’s not a game like basketball or checkers.
I do think he thought the ball was under the guy. And when the play happened, I thought nothing of how he left the field skipping. It guess it goes along with ass-patting teammates. I may never really get it, but I certainly don’t question his manhood.
Anyway, good post.
9mullet
on Nov 11, 2009 at 1:03 pm:
Amen Willy! How hypocritical for any FreeShoesUniversity fan to gripe about dirty play! Oh, that’s right, I forgot; that GOOD CHRISTIAN MAN they have for a head coach would never tolerate such. Their fans just can’t stand the fact that their once great dynasty is now a joke of a program
10Navy Chief
on Nov 11, 2009 at 1:23 pm:
Just to add further validity, I was just in Wal-Mart and was going for the the last can of Copenhagen. Another guy was in front of me and went for it too. I quickly put my hand around his eyes, blinding him and pulled his head back. Needless to say I got my can of dip and he was left wanting. A security guard was standing there watching the whole thing and the guy threw his hands up and said WTF? The security guy simply said obviously he was going for the Copenhagen, now move your faggedy ass on. I proceeded to skip to the checkout counter. One thing is for certain, future Wal-mart shoppers will think twice.
11Riggs
on Nov 11, 2009 at 1:25 pm:
@10 nice.
I checked out the bitching at Tomahawk Nation. Wow. I guess they have to talk about something.
12Phatguy32
on Nov 11, 2009 at 1:30 pm:
All this coming from fans of “MIckey and the knee-cappers”, one of the most penalized defenses of the late 90′s. Late hits, torn ACLs, and concussions from head hunters were the rage when 11+ winning seasons and bowl games were the norm in Tallahassee. Lived there and never heard complaints from ANY fans. I do recall “all those Gator fans were just whinny a## tittie babies”. I guess the ends justify the means when you’re on top…
13Navy Chief
on Nov 11, 2009 at 1:32 pm:
If the Airline didn’t bitch when Jimbo punched Amato in the mouth on their flight, why would FSU fans bitch about this? Doesn’t make sense, did they suspend Jimbo from flying? I think not.
14ichaseferalcats
on Nov 11, 2009 at 1:36 pm:
Well Branch isn’t going to get a suspension from Clemson or the ACC. Swinney and the ACC offices both looked at the tape and agreed on the decision.
15Navy Chief
on Nov 11, 2009 at 1:41 pm:
I will say this. It is very obvious in the picture that DMAC was pointing at Ponders throwing shoulder. It is also obvious he was giggling. Coincidence? I think not.
16Willy Mac
on Nov 11, 2009 at 1:47 pm:
HAY SHUD BE SUSPAYNDED FER HARTIN OWER QWARDDER BAYKE! DEEY MAYC TERK ERRR JYYARRBBBSS!!
17Daniel
on Nov 11, 2009 at 4:41 pm:
If FSU had won they would never have noticed it. Stuff goes on like this all the time and who knows if Spurlock was holding, low blocking, etc. throughout the game. No team can ever pretend they field a team of angels who have to play against some team of complete thugs – it’s pretty even. Like the article says, there’s not too many people playing Divison 1 football that can’t mix it up pretty good on the field. They sure as hell aren’t on the field because of their timidity.
18CUin1993
on Nov 11, 2009 at 7:56 pm:
Looked like a clean play to me.
Funny thing is that most Nole fans only know about this because of Tardnet’s video.
Is this the ultimate DSOT?
19The Weasel
on Nov 11, 2009 at 9:10 pm:
Guarantee Branch was on the receiving end of a bag punch later in the game from Spurlock.
I am sure Branch used this line when he was chatting with Spurlock after the play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT4IMWzRvsk&NR=1