Clemson's Andre Branch Should Be Suspended For Cowardly Eye-Gouge
by Bud Elliott on Nov 10, 2009 3:12 PM EST
in FSU Football
155 comments
Update: This has been picked up by Sports Illustrated, via Andy Staples, and The Sporting News, via Chris Littman
Here's the Clemson reaction, courtesy Shakin' The Southland
With all the attention given to the Brandon Spikes eye gouge incident last week against Georgia, why has this cheap shot not received any attention? Start to watch at the 0:04 mark, Andre Branch (#40) grabs #79 (David Spurlock) by the helmet, snaps his neck back, holds his head and sticks his fingers into Spurlock's facemask, an obvious eye gouge. Then Branch gets up, talks trash to the justifiably angry Spurlock, points to the sky, and dances around. Spurlock shows a ton of restraint by not going after Branch for this classless cheap shot.
If you are at work and can't watch video clips, here is a screenshot (click to enlarge):
The ACC should take action and suspend this "athlete." Someone is going to lose their sight as a result of these cowardly and completely non-football related acts. I wonder what Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney thinks of this? I wonder what the ACC office thinks about this?
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He was just caught up in the moment.
He’s a great competitor and wants to win. Spurlock shouldn’t have put his eye’s into Andre Branch’s fingers anyway.
I know Spurlock did the right thing by basically doing nothing but I wish he had beaten the grap out of Branch and then blamed the refs for not doing their job in the postgame. Unfotunately we’d lose him for at least game and then some so it’d be counter productive. If I ruled the world it would be ok though.
Self control
I’d have cup checked him.
by Marmaduke1 on Nov 10, 2009 3:36 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
SOMEONE ALERT HEATHER DINICH
Co-conductor of the "Kirby Smart for DC 2010" Train!!!!
by NoleThruandThru on Nov 10, 2009 3:44 PM EST reply actions
What if we posted box scores of our final games as if they had already happened
You’ve been dang near right on all of them so far, Bud. It might be in poor taste given that our players are still playing and growing. But in reality, our season is over.
Hmm... ok,
Wake 42, FSU 24
Not sure on Maryland
FSU 7, UF 56 (but I expect them to get a TD on every drive, but for our offense to play pile pus’s like UT’s did and just milk clock starting in the 1st quarter).
Wow
Then he has the nerve to trash talk and give the “our ball!” motion. Here’s to an ACL tear next week for that thug.
I called Tonya Harding
Apparently she’s still claiming innocence…..so we’ll have to leave it up to karma….
Yes lets overreact
because if it had happened the other way around you would not be asking for your player to have a bat taken to his kneecap.
He should be suspended, whether its an attempt at an eye-gouge or an attempt to injure the guy’s neck.
Let someone snap your head back and try n eye gouge ya
And then tell me how you would feel about it. What injury would be worse, a snapped neck/eye injury or busted knee cap?
I have had it happen to me
and I still wouldnt tell somebody to take out his kneecap. I’d let my teammates know and then they’ll take care of it on the field. You don’t know if it did get taken care of on the field, there is no video.
What I said is that he deserves public punishment for it, and thats fair and will do more good to stop it from happening again, reacting with anger will just prompt one of your players to do something to someone else who doesnt deserve it.
second sentence is completely contradicted by second paragraph.
Mafia or Ghandi?
Pick a side, Doctor.
by The K-Man on Nov 10, 2009 5:35 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Teams handle it on the field
If its caught on film it should be publicly punished on top of that. How is this not clear?
what does the handling process entail?
by The K-Man on Nov 10, 2009 6:17 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Spurlock still should have beaten him
That way we would have won something in that game.
Ok maybe that was harsh but this “athlete” isn’t even on par with a Brandon Spikes and plus it was a “media darling” gaytor that did it so the public outcry will not be as loud. Even still he should get chewed out by Mike Golic and some sort of a suspension.
by lildrunknole on Nov 10, 2009 9:26 PM EST up reply actions
LETS OVERREACT WOOOOOOOOOOO
I dont like the cut of your jib sir. This post is about as meaningful as yours. Reflection purposes maybe?
"I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing, With a broken heart thats still beating, In the pain is the healing, in Your Name I find meaning, So I'm holdin' on.. holdin' on to you."
I don't think anyone caught it til recently
Not only did he try the eye gouge but to snap his neck back at the same time? Talk about class… less.
Honestly, I can't believe Tigernet would post this
but then again, I didn’t catch it until I watched it again.
Umm...might should do a little better homework...
The guy with his helmet off in the picture next to the play is not Andre Branch. He is Rendrick Taylor.
The offender and his weapons of choice?
by coonhound on Nov 10, 2009 4:31 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
You might not want to make that your first post on this site
FSUn does more homework than you could possibly imagine.
TN: Scooping everybody by a full day on Ponder's injury
And now getting this story to Sports Illustrated. Bud rocks.
>>---l>
by DKfromVA on Nov 10, 2009 4:47 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
To make matters worse
I believe the purple jacket dude holding them back is their team chaplain. Man that’s classy when you need to be restrained by your teams chaplain.
DrB
Number 99 looks a lot like Jarvis Jenkins to me.
Jarvis Jenkins is listed as a true junior by the Clemson athletic’s site.
It also reports Andre Branch as a redshirt sophomore. Rivals reports that they came in in the recruiting class of 2007. Clemson is wearing their home uniforms so I take it this was from a year that is an even number, most likely a home game. This year you play at U.S.C. which means that last year must have been a home game. The picture could have been from 2006. The picture was definitely not from 2004, because well I don’t think that needs to be explained.
It could not be 2002 because you wore white pants in that game and did not have the white stripe going down the axillary(armpit) area. So this picture is either from 2006 or 2008. Jenkins could have only played in the 2008 one since he came in the class of 2007 with Branch. I don’t know if Brandon Thompson changed his number from 99 to 98, may be it could be him but he is a sophomore and came in a year after Jenkins and Branch. In that case it would definitely be 2008. Branch is listed as #40, I do not know if he has changed it over his career.
I stand corrected
I thought the picture was from the 2004 fight, but it is last year. My mistake.
I thought I had photoshopped this picture before last years Caroilna game, but it was right afterwards. I forget what it was that Carolina did to initiate the tussle, I think something about dancing on the TigerPaw.
No worries
Tensions have been on the rise, understandable confusion.
Could F$U be more bitchy
Seriously folks, quit whining about how Clemson played rough with you. It’s a man’s sport and unfortunately for F$U fans, your team is playing like girls this year. Could you whine any more? Maybe McDaniel should be suspended for playing too rough with Ponder too? It’s a joke what your program and fans have become.
Hmmm
You’re right, I forgot to add the McDaniel part.
Or perhaps I focused on the part that was completely unrelated to the game.
Someone quoting a man's sport
and then you join SBNation just to complain about a dirty play your team committed. Look in the mirror before you call someone a girl.
eye scratching is typical associated with women's fighting style.
by The K-Man on Nov 10, 2009 5:40 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
eye scratching is typical associated with women's fighting style.
There’s a reason it was the only illegal move during UFC’s early years. Even kicking a downed opponent in the head was legal back then.
Also, maybe take the word “bitch” out of your screenname. It doesn’t scream “class”.
by The K-Man on Nov 10, 2009 5:41 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Classless fan here
and classless athlete doing the eye gouging. Perfect combination :)
We have been chronic under achievers and nationally irrelevant for 8 years
Oh wait, does that hit a little too close to home? Sorry.
>>---l>
Hmm.. whining?
Clemson has more Juniors and Seniors(most of them redshirts)(14-16) on defense than FSU has contributing to the whole team.
Most of our starters have 2-3 more off season strength training sessions to go through. FSU led Clemson for three quarters despite being at huge physical development disadvantage with young players. There is storm brewing and it will be fierce and oh boy it will be terrible in the coming years.
by revival on Nov 10, 2009 6:44 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Could use your forensic skills licenced or not on the....
“Branch and his partner are displaying their weapons.” picture above, with DrB’s comment and reply.
You've come to the wrong FSU site if you think that screen name is offensive
We’ve called him worse
>>---l>
Unfortunate
Because we would’ve been excited for a little, but then realized you to be an impostor because Bobby himself does not have “the ebay” as he has stated many times
>>---l>
But jokes aside
Isn’t 99 Jarvis Jenkins in the picture? That would make #40 Branch because they came in the same class.
not sure
could be. I do know they need to give the guy in the purple jacket a spot on the OL.
Did you guys see
what he did here? When writing FSU, instead of using an S, he used a $!!!!!!!! That is so clever! And not at all old. In fact it is very original. I laughed so hard after reading that, I almost fell off my dinosaur.
Well played, sir.
P.S. Oh! Its in his handle too!!! And he calls FSU a “bitch”!!!! This guy slays me!
Kinda like the joke Clemson has always been?
Do you feel confident in saying that there will be no let down for CU this season? Clemson Tigers are choke artists, its a well known fact. And if you wanna discuss fans that are a joke, I’d like to see you claim this little girl . . ..
by truenole87 on Nov 10, 2009 8:40 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
REC'd or... Wrecked? (sry couldn't resist)
That clip is hilarious! I wonder how much he bet.
by Rock_and_Nole on Nov 12, 2009 11:54 AM EST up reply actions
Picked up by Sporting News
Chris Littman has picked up this story at Sporting News via Tomahawk Nation and Andy Staples twitter.
Frankly, I wish we had a few more guys like this on our defense.
At least we could stop teams by BLINDING them.
Sweet. It's gotten to the point where Clemson is bullying us.
Thanks Bobby.
by Dent Street Nole on Nov 10, 2009 6:25 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Andre Branch
for Eyesman..get it? eyesman (heisman)..sorry i couldn’t resist
"He who becomes a beast rids the pain of being man"
by fsudt45 on Nov 10, 2009 6:58 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
McDaniel is the real scary one
He has a weird psycho look in his eyes when he is pointing at Ponder
I must say, Ponder showed some heart running into that.
I love the Clemson fans coming on here and talking smack
This is the same team that lost to 2-7 Maryland.
actually
I think McDaniel is trying to gouge Ponder’s eye out right there, but he couldn’t reach.
by BoobyBowden on Nov 10, 2009 7:15 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
McDaniel claims
he was pointing to Ponder and challenging him. He says " letting him know there was about to be a collision, man on man. Me and him on the sideline, may the best man win."
Well if the point was for Ponder to prevent him from staying in bounds and scoring, then technically, Ponder won.
by montverdenole on Nov 11, 2009 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
He will be available next year
He’d make a good fit for Clemson, since you like taking FSU retreads in Scott, Steele, and formerly Tommy B. Clemson and U.S.C. can then battle it out at the end of the season for the title of ‘best grave yard coach program.’
i must say
i am quite impressed. You guys have a really active community here
Well im out then.
"I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing, With a broken heart thats still beating, In the pain is the healing, in Your Name I find meaning, So I'm holdin' on.. holdin' on to you."
I just brushed my teeth with soap and washed my hands with Colgate, and there's nothing the government can do about it.
I’m out, too.
by The K-Man on Nov 10, 2009 10:56 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Now thats sticking it to the man; let freedom ring.
"I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing, With a broken heart thats still beating, In the pain is the healing, in Your Name I find meaning, So I'm holdin' on.. holdin' on to you."
McDaniel pointing reminds me of Babe Ruth pointing before going yard. ’Bout the same results.
Ameica, Land of the free and home to the entitled.
Another important Clemson athletic story reported today.
Read all about it.
as one deadspin reader said,
At least I can see where to put my credit card.
by tdchrisdavis on Nov 10, 2009 8:07 PM EST up reply actions
Ahhh yes, one of the classic's. But at least one wouldn't get "buried alive" with your ladies.
>-----:----:------>Spear 'em then Scalp 'em
I couldn't really see much from the video
It might have been an eye gouge but it wasn’t nearly as conclusive as the Spikes video.
Definitely a dirty play though.
http://cfb-hashmarks.blogspot.com/
Hey DrB,
I went and checked out Shakinthesouthland.com looks really good man. Where did you find that Bowden’s Swan Song at? That is Effin GREAT!!!
Huked On Foniks Wurks Fer ME!!!!
by PanamaCityBeach-NOLE on Nov 10, 2009 8:13 PM EST reply actions
Great Find
Keep faith in the site man, it looks good and im sure before to long people will start to realize. I know I’ll stop by and chat with ya
Huked On Foniks Wurks Fer ME!!!!
by PanamaCityBeach-NOLE on Nov 10, 2009 8:19 PM EST up reply actions
http://www.tomahawknation.com/2009/11/8/1121810/the-ballad-of-bobby-bowden
>-----:----:------>Spear 'em then Scalp 'em
C'mon guys
It was an honest mistake! He just didn’t realize then when you help someone off the ground by the chin you shouldn’t be sitting on his back.
He will be getting some of that from the media by weeks end LMAO
Would expect nothing less from a coward, that skips off the field like a fairy.
by Renegade_NOL3 on Nov 10, 2009 9:28 PM EST up reply actions
Andre's Statement on FB:
Andre Branch For everyone who dont know i didnt eyegauge the player from Florida State, lets get that cleared up I was just caught up in the moment pulled his helmet and facemask my hand never went into the facemask for everyone that wants to no the truth 40
Of course, that's exactly what I tried to tell you fools with the first post...
he just got caught up in the moment.
It looks like the right hand is going inside the facemask to me
On the side of his right eye
>>---l>
oh please...
"I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing, With a broken heart thats still beating, In the pain is the healing, in Your Name I find meaning, So I'm holdin' on.. holdin' on to you."
Seems like
He tried it but wasn’t smart enough to figure it out.
Points for effort though, I guess
Keeping on the Coach speak topic and playing the part of the grammer nazi, let's break down his statement.
For everyone who dont know i didnt eyegauge the player from Florida State
Eye gauging is a medical term for measuring of one’s eyes, usually done by ophthalmologist when fitting contact lenses. It’s obvious Andre plans on attending medical school and was practicing his future profession and was giving Spurlock a free checkup.
I was just caught up in the moment
This confirms what was reported to us by coonhound.
pulled his helmet and facemask
No big deal, SOP which he does at every possible opportunity.
my hand never went into the facemask
“Just like when I told my baby mama I will only stick the head in, but she still got pregnant. I don’t understand how these things happen.”
everyone that wants to no the truth
“I no the truth, my teammates no the truth, and I hope the ACC no’s the truth.”
>-----:----:------>Spear 'em then Scalp 'em
by FrankDNole on Nov 11, 2009 11:36 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Coonhound with tremendous undercover reporting.
He called “in the moment” a while ago!
by Bud Elliott on Nov 11, 2009 12:34 PM EST up reply actions
I suspect that like many College Football fans, Mr. Branch is a closet TN reader.
And I may have tainted his response by suggesting it to him earlier in the day with that post.
Either way, if your guy commits a dumb act like Mr. Branch’s, it was just being, “caught up in the moment.” Whatever the f that means.
Sorry about getting all roach ragey on your ass and taking a baseball bat to your windshield, “I was just caught up in the moment.”
Sorry about saying your wife is a crack-whore, “I was just caught up in the moment.”
Sorry about spitting in your face Mr. Hirschbeck, “I was just caught up in the moment.”
Sorry about cold-clocking you in the face, Rudy Tomjanovich, “I was just caught up in the moment.”
Sorry about kicking you in the nuts Mr. Basketball Photographer Man, “I was just caught up in the moment.”
Sorry about hiring a hit on your ass and having my associates club your leg with a steel pipe, Ms. Kerigan, “I was just caught up in the moment.”
Sorry about hitting you in the temple with my hockey stick, Mr. Brashear, “I was just caught up in the moment.”
It’s such a lame, but strangely enough, well-accepted excuse for absurd behavior by athletes.
by coonhound on Nov 11, 2009 6:18 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Hey Bud, Andrew Carter just wrote about the eye-gouge...
Huked On Foniks Wurks Fer ME!!!!
by PanamaCityBeach-NOLE on Nov 10, 2009 11:08 PM EST reply actions
Saw that. We actually just got interviewed by Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated
by Bud Elliott on Nov 10, 2009 11:19 PM EST up reply actions
Have you ever thought about becoming a sports writer?
Now lemme clarify, i know you are and i think you do a WONDERFUL job here. But being that just about EVERY Sports Writers here in Florida are Grad of UF i think you’de be a sweet relief to all us who read local newspapers. You are doin above and beyond my friend!!! +1000
Huked On Foniks Wurks Fer ME!!!!
by PanamaCityBeach-NOLE on Nov 10, 2009 11:23 PM EST up reply actions
Well I am about to graduate from law school
Perhaps as a 2nd career if I am able to retire early.
by Bud Elliott on Nov 10, 2009 11:28 PM EST up reply actions
WOW!!!
my uncle had told me you were in law school but i didnt let it sink in at that time. How on earth do you balance that with all you put into here? muli-tasker!!!
Huked On Foniks Wurks Fer ME!!!!
by PanamaCityBeach-NOLE on Nov 10, 2009 11:31 PM EST up reply actions
No suspension per the ACC...
ACC offices and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney both reviewed the tapes only to conclude no suspension was warranted. Must have concluded that Branch wasn’t trying to gouge out the Spurlock’s eyes out but was trying to keep him from getting to the fumble as was Branch’s side of the story. Excessive, yes. Penalty warranted, yes. Does this and worse happen all the time on fumbles, yes.
Two other points: Are Spikes and Branch just so terribly uncoordinated that they couldn’t gouge out the eyes of someone who was in unable to shield their eyes? How many eyes have been gouged out in football history?
That'll do.....
Karmas a b%#$ on her period who won't let ya see the kids on the weekend! I suspect she'll visit Mr. Branch soon enough. Until then, i'll remind everyone of the s^* list being compiled. Yes Andre Branch did indeed make the list w/ this crap. Truthfully, our boys were just as mean back when we had our"swagger". Although I cant recall any of ours poking eyes like the Waterboy. Not saying it didn’t happen, just that i don’t remember seeing it. Regarding the two other points, I dont think either was actually trying to remove an eye(which is surprisingly easy to do) I think these “gouges” fall under the category of touching the eye(which is one of the most personal things you can do to another human) thus angering an individual to the point of making a mental error. Also, keep in mind, if you get dirt,sand, etc. in your eye you may sit a play or not due your job as effectively as necessary. Either way, it has been viewed (by some)as an eye gouge and can’t be a positive for Clemson.
There was no eye-gouge...get over yourselves.
First & foremost, I do not hide the fact that I am a Clemson fan, but but what I am about to say has nothing to do w/fan loyalty. Any objective person would come away w/the same conclusion. The only people who say otherwise are FSU fans who can’t come to terms w/the result of last Saturday’s game, & people who don’t like football b/c they think it’s too violent & are always looking for something like this to prove their point.
1 – Personally, when I look @ the tape I think Branch was trying to pull Spurlock up/back so that he could not cover the fumble. I say that b/c he immediately does that when the 2 players dive @ the ball. Branch lets go & gets up very quickly afterward when it’s obvious that someone else recovered the ball. Regardless of the reason/intent, I do not defend what Branch did b/c it was uncalled for. I don’t condone any of it b/c it’s unecessary and potentially harmful.
Having said that, I played football at a highly competitive level from Pop Warner through high school (didn’t have the size to play D1 & didn’t want to play at a lower level), so I know exactly how contentious “the pile” can be. For those of you who’ve never played football (especially competitive football), this happens in EVERY game, by EVERY team. There are no exceptions. In fact, for every Brandon Spikes-type incident, you have at least half a dozen incidents (minimum…easily) that go unnoticed.
These incidents always occur as an attempt to gain an edge, & they take 2 forms – the aggressor, & the retaliator. Which one was Branch? Did he act unprovoked, or was he retaliating for something? Another quick note for those of you who’ve never played football or fought w/a sibling or witnessed 2 siblings fight…a lot of times you never see “what started it”, you only see the reaction of the retaliator. Furthermore, unless you happen to line up across from the person every play (& sometimes even if you do), you may not get an opportunity for immediate retaliation. You might have to spend the rest of the game waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Again, I’m not condoning what Branch did, or accusing Spurlock of instigating anything; I’m just pointing out what often happens & the fact that we may not have the whole story.
2 – HOWEVER!!!!! As indefensible as what Branch did was, what he DID & what so many people are CLAIMING he did are 2 different things. Branch DID yank/hyperextend Spurlock’s head/neck/back. Branch DID NOT eye-gouge Spurlock. You can see this @ live speed, but ironically the still-shot that you provide as “proof” of eye-gouging is actually more proof that he did no such thing.
As you can see by the still-shot, Branch is wearing gloves…and as most gloves go, each one is identical to its counterpart. What’s important about this point is that you can clearly see by Branch’s left hand (which is completely outside of Spurlock’s facemask) that his glove has a Nike Swoosh that goes to the first knuckle. You can clearly see that very same Swoosh on the glove on Branch’s right hand. This means 2 important things – Branch’s hand was parallel to the camera & facemask, AND @ MOST the ONLY PART of Branch’s hand that could possibly have been inside Spurlock’s helmet were his fingers. Of course, if you look closer, you can actually tell that 2 of Branches right fingers are outside the facemask, but for sake of the argument, we’ll pretend you can’t see that. In any case, what am I getting @? What does any of this mean?
Since you can see the Swoosh, that means that his hand was parallel to the camera and facemask. This means that even IF he were trying to gouge, his hand would only be able to go as far as the facemask before being blocked by the mask. The only thing left to go inside the facemask would be Branch’s fingers. Also, Branch’s hand is on the part of the facemask that is furthest away from Spurlock’s eyes. Branch would have to have fingers like Arsenio Hall to even touch Spurlock’s face, much less gouge anything. If Branch’s hand were perpendicular to Spurlock’s facemask, THEN he would be able to gouge b/c he would be able to push his hand further inside the mask.
The bottom line is, as Dabo Swinney says, we live in a hyper-sensitive. You people are either looking for a story to pin your FSU frustrations on, looking to discredit Clemson for some reason or looking to make a statement about society as a whole. Either way this is largely a non-issue.
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