Just in case you thought eye-gouging was limited to the SEC, here's a clip of last week's Florida State-Clemson game. That's Clemson defensive end Andre Branch (No. 40) with his hand grinding inside the facemask of FSU offensive guard David Spurlock (No. 79) while everyone else chases a loose ball. (HT: Tomahawk Nation)
This won't get the attention the Brandon Spikes gouge got because Branch isn't one of the best five defensive players in the country - and because, let's face it, New Mexico soccer player Elizabeth Lambert set a new standard for away-from-the-play violence last week - but Branch deserves punishment just as much as Spikes did. I know Clemson coach Dabo Swinney doesn't teach this garbage, and Swinney needs to act swiftly to eradicate such behavior from his program. He should suspend Branch for a game before Branch has the chance to completely copy Spikes and suspends himself.
Anne V
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Another flagrant foul that deserved an ejection and a game or two suspension. Here we're not only getting attempted eye gouging, but pulling the defenseless GT player's head back. Disgusting. Let's see if Dabo and the ACC demonstrate a stronger stand against this type of thuggish crap than Meyer and the SEC.
Nick Nolte's Bangs
Total Comments (75)
Sorry.. those are the Noles, not the Wreck. My eyesight obviously can't be trusted.
On the upside, I'm expecting to hear back from Slive on my referee application any day now!
Nick Nolte's Bangs
Total Comments (75)
Sickening and the more that they allow these "kids" get away with it the more we will see. Spikes, Lambert and this A hole should be banned from any college sports. What COWARDS to attack defenseless people. They actually should be brought up on assault charges!
Rskns
Total Comments (65)
Hard for me to see how Swinney can avoid suspending his player for a game. In one sense this is worse than Spikes' infraction because of the way he's cranking on the guy's neck.
Honestly, if the NCAA is going to insert the stupid horse collar tackle rule, they seriously need to crack down on this activity by issuing player suspensions quickly and firmly.
The_Guvnah
Austin , TX
Total Comments (346)
Why no outcry for the poor SEC officials on the field and in the booth who have apparently had their eyes gouged out? It's enough to p!$$ off St Tebow the Patient!
Reallytall
Omaha , NE
Total Comments (48)
it is obvious that all teams defense wants to be as good as BAMA's defense the number 1 defense in the entire counrty. So what to they do they cheat because they all want to be like BAMA they want to be better than BAMA which cracks me up because no one is better than BAMA all other teams have unrealistic goals to either be BAMA or beat BAMA, neither will ever happen BAMA National champs 2009 go ahead and give Saban the NC trophy now and quit wasting everyones time ROLL TIDE
Crimson Gods
Alabaster , AL
Total Comments (53)
Dude, did those rednecks in Alabama not teach you about run on sentences? And what the hell does this story have to do with Alabama? You're an idiot. And a redneck.
Katman
New York, NY
Total Comments (18)
We started off the season with a guy sucker punching another player, shoving his own teammates, and attacking fans. He gets suspended for a year. Then you have a guy eye-gouging and he gets suspended for 1/2 a game. You have Mike Golic on ESPN trying to justify it by saying stuff like yeah we used to do that all the time. Then we see a female player flagrantly doing the same kind of stuff. Now we have yet another example.
Oregon set the standard for how you should deal with this kind of thing and suspend their guy for the rest of the year. They sent a clear message that this type of stuff won't be tolerated at their school. Of course, then the player's family threatened to sue. Hey, they don't learn this stuff in school -- they learn it at home. Of course, nobody accepts personal responsibility anymore.
This is one area where the NBA got it right. Ask Ron Artest. Ask Latrell Spreewell. Ask Kermit Washington -- way back in 1977! But at least, Oregon tried. Florida didn't even pretend to care. Obviously, ESPN, the schools and the parents can't see past their own self-interest to end this type of behavior. It's way past the time for the NCAA to find its balls and take back control. And do what it's supposed to do -- govern its own sports.
cjsamms
Honolulu , HI
Total Comments (80)
I just don't understand why Alabama fans are considered ****....
cutigers9305
Greenwood , SC
Total Comments (1)
nobody cares
kjsilva_03
Worthington, IA
Total Comments (61)
Please don"t judge all Alabama fans on one drunk fan (god I hope he was drunk) I'm a Bama fan and I know there not gods. There just kids just one year out of high school in some cases. I'm not making excuses for these people. I'm saying they need to be taught a lesson so let them sit out a few games and then see if they have learned anything. If not then kick them off the team. I can understand that you can let you emotions take over sometimes, but thats what is supposed to separate us from the lower life forms, and that includes people that think that because a team they cheer for is having a good season. Time to grow up Crimson gods your making the rest of us look bad.
msquared
Ellabell , GA
Total Comments (2)
Do you and your wife - I mean sister .. I mean wife - attend the games together??
vikings526
Total Comments (228)
This sort of thing happens all the time in the bottom of a pile. It happens from the highschool level...all the way to the top. It has been going on forever...it just happens that there are more cameras now to catch people...and now that it is in the spotlight...im sure we will have more people looking for it.
PlaytoWin
Total Comments (1)
Ha Ha....
Just as I predicted, now everyone and their brother is looking for this kind of stuff to post on youtube.
Lesson here, It happens a lot and it isn't an intent to blind anybody, or even gouge eyes I would bet. More or less, get the hand in the face a little bit similar to what happens sometimes when OLs get their hands up in the face of a pass rusher.
Similar to the Spikes situation, the field wasn't littered with eyeballs and the player involved didn't say anything after the play. Intentional and bad, yes. A personal foul if seen by the official. A lifetime suspension like many of you pinheads are calling for, no.
D-Gator
Denver , CO
Total Comments (122)
I don't see it. He grabbed the facemask, thats all. He was trying to remove the player from the fumbled ball. Should have been a personal foul 15 yards... You're trying to make something out of nothing. Another example of bad journalism.
MSUspartan11
Dewitt , MI
Total Comments (2)
I don't see it. He was trying to get the guy away from the the fumbled ball. Grabbed his face mask while doing so (after the play the lineman ran to the ref and pulled his own facemask, indicating a facemask, NOT an eye gouging). Should have been a 15 yard penalty... You are making too much out of this, another example of bad journalism.
MSUspartan11
Dewitt , MI
Total Comments (2)
Nole, you have alot of nerve calling that out. After darnell dockett almost ended Earnest Grahams career !! Get off your high horse.
GatorTGB
Carrollton , GA
Total Comments (1)
Settle down, that's a Washington Redskins fan.
But, he does show some good fake outrage.
D-Gator
Denver , CO
Total Comments (122)
Andre,
I'm suspending you for the first quarter of the spring game. I hope you learned your lesson.
Signed,
Urban Meyer
TimmyTeabag
Lakeland , FL
Total Comments (1)
Andre,
I'm going to not say anything and wait for the conference to do something.
Signed,
Jim Tressel
D-Gator
Denver , CO
Total Comments (122)
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