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Viral shirtless Florida State fan explains why he was reading book during FSU-Clemson game

One Florida State fan turned to his book during the Seminoles’ 49-point home loss to Clemson on Saturday. (ABC)
One Florida State fan turned to his book during the Seminoles’ 49-point home loss to Clemson on Saturday. (ABC)

Florida State was destroyed by No. 2 Clemson on Saturday in Tallahassee, Florida.

The Seminoles lost 59-10, the worst home loss in the history of the program, and gave up 524 total yards.

Late in the third quarter, one shirtless Seminoles fan decided he had had enough. Instead of just heading home — or going to the parking lot for more beer, like many fans likely did — 65-year-old Bruce Thyer walked up to the top row in the stadium and whipped out a book.

He started reading.

“I was cold sitting over there,” Thyer told The Athletic. “I took my shirt off to get some sun. There aren’t going to be many days like this anymore this fall. I came over here to sit in the sun. We were so far behind I started reading my little book.”

Thyer, a professor at Florida State’s College of Social Work, had initially went to the game with his 18-year-old daughter and four of her girlfriends. They took off at halftime though — when the Seminoles were down 28-0. So Theyer moved to the other side of the stadium. It wasn’t long after that he gave up on the game and turned to his book — “Dark Places” by Gillian Flynn.

Naturally, the ABC cameras spotted Thyer reading his book, and he soon went viral.

It’s easy to understand why even die-hard fans like Thyer gave up on Saturday’s game. The Seminoles barely put up a fight against the Tigers in the 49-point loss, and head coach Willie Taggart accused many players of quitting on the game.

“I think mentally we’re a weak football team and we’re not mentally strong yet, and that’s part of the culture to changing it to what you want,” Taggart said, via ESPN. “We’re going to find the guys that quit, and we’re going to find the guys that kept playing and make sure that we keep those guys in there. So there will be some changes come next week.”

If this type of play continues at Florida State, maybe Thyer will have to form his own book club at the top of Doak Campbell Stadium.

After all, there are worse places to read.

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