In this live—and live-wire—bonus convo, Marshall and David discuss a controversial play involving NFL player Brian Branch, who got a penalty for pushing an opposing player who was on the ground. David says the penalty on Branch was unwarranted; Marshall argues Branch broke the rules.
Along the way, we consider the nuances of referee discretion, the rules surrounding player contact, the expectations of player reactions in a physical sport like football—and how differently we each see this play. Will this be our first argument in our three decades as friends? Theme music: Mr. Jukes and Barney Artist, “Blowin Steam (Open Up Your Mind)”
Chapters:
(00:00) Intro to the controversy
(02:56) The Incident: Brian Branch's push
(05:40) Debating the rules and discretion of referees
(08:53) The nature of aggression in football
(11:47) A failed analogy
(14:43) The slippery slope of contact in sports
