What did we learn...week 1?

TahoeLegend said:
Northwestern and Utah defenses were both impressive, tough, fast, and both are sure tacklers, something you don't see in every game.

Colorado defense looked good and they have a linebacker who was making plays all over the field on every play. Very impressive player.

I like teams with great kickers, guys like Carlson was at Auburn the last couple of years where you know a team is going to get points as soon as they cross midfield. Washington and Auburn both debuted new kickers and neither one did his job, and neither is reliable in my view. Utah State has a great one, the ball booms off his foot like it did with Carlson, Georgia has one who drills them from +50 with ease, Utah, as usual, has a good one, and Colorado has a good one plus he's gets to kick a lot of his at altitude. I expect all four to win some money for me this year.

Maryland players were so much quicker and more explosive than Texas players you could see it on every play. They impressed me last year and I see the same explosiveness this year.

I have no respect for Texas Tech coaches and they were a disgrace against Ole Miss. I lost count of the times players led with their helmet on tackles. It happened so many times--one player got disqualified, another got a penalty for it but stayed in the game and promptly did it again and got disqualified on the second one--I suspect their coaches are teaching them to do it because they think it makes them tough. I liked the way Ole Miss played under their accidental coach last year and they looked just as sound yesterday. Too bad they're in the toughest division in football, but they are a well coached team and their QB may be the real reason Patterson left for Michigan.

Hard to understand how things have gone so wrong at Michigan. ESPN said they have now lost 17 straight to ranked teams and are only 9-9 in their last 18 games.

Oklahoma looked like a Barry Switzer team yesterday wit great athletes all over the field. I don't know if their defense is actually any better or not. FAU was no test and Mike Stoops is there, but they added some great athletes from the last recruiting class and Riley has now gotten involved both in both recruiting and coaching on the defensive side. The overall athleticism for OU is better than anything you see outside the SEC.

As usual I was baffled by what handicapping system touts and guys who sell their picks use. I never look at them until I finish my handicapping so I won't be influenced. Four teams appeared more than any other teams. C Carolina, (3 wins last year and with a new QB, going on the road to play a tough SEC team), Illinois (5 wins in two years, giving 17 points), FAU (losing their QB and going on the road to a top five team), and Louisiana Tech giving 10x points on the road against a respectable program in their own conference (I'm an admirer of Skip Holtz and like to bet La Tech myself, but not giving 10x on the road. I don't like giving 10x on the road in ANY conference game), Even worse the "smart money" came pouring in on FAU, at the last minute. I can't imagine any handicapping system that yields those teams.

Bottom line, a fantastic weekend. I loved having college football back, I love seeing the spirit and effort and traditions, and I love the display of athleticism. And I love to watch the crazy fans.

I've always loved college football and I love it more every year and it gets greater every year. Bring on week 2!!
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Re Illinois: Fading Kent. I know I was.
 
Okay, I'll dive in. And sorry, folks, it will all be on Texas.

- Sam Ehlinger is not a D-1 quarterback. Tough as nails, check. But so was Joel Lanning, and that's the direction we need to be talking about. Ehlinger is inconsistent with his arm, struggles with reads, is a terrible RPO QB and, most importantly, goes brain dead in clutch situations. The latter is his death knell. You either have it, or don't, at that position. Ehlinger doesn't.
- Our options at QB? Shane Buechele? Decent arm, no mobility, as durable as a set of china. And then there's Cameron Rising. Freshman, mobile, strong at 230 lbs, pocket presence and seemingly a football IQ beyond his years. Yeah, we've heard this shit before. But there's nothing now at QB for Texas, so nothing to lose. SC is starting a QB now who should be in high school, so fuck the glass ceilings.
- Idiotic penalties yesterday. This from our head coach (more on him later): "Herman pointed out that he’d rather have players making aggressive penalties (like a roughing or pass interference) rather than administrative ones (like jumping offside). Collin Johnson was flagged five yards on UT’s opening drive for not having his knees covered, which is a new NCAA protective rule this season."
- Yes, you read that true - Our coach can't have his players take care of basic uniform shit that results in a penalty and can't instill discipline enough to keep his team from committing fatal ones. Holy crap.
- And about Tom Herman. The naïve amongst us might have thought we saw a team that was unprepared, undisciplined and not ready to play, against a team that had no coach. The naive amongst us might have thought that Texas would be extraordinarily ready for our team that pushed out shit in at home exactly one year ago. The naive amongst us would have thought that we'd have a huge advantage over a team that has been in utter disarray for weeks now. Ah, of course, this is because we are uninformed.
- Herman, when asked how big a setback this loss was, said, "Not very." Really, Tom? Are you so divine and beyond any and everyone that you think another tank job is ok. You're the first coach, in 125 years of Texas football history, to open back-to-back seasons with losses to an unranked team. Let that sink in.
- And to top off the march up to Mount Delusion: "We know how much better we are now than we were probably at any point last year. We didn’t show it in the first quarter and the fourth quarter.” That's the Texas head coach, after losing to Maryland, again.
- Great, or even good coaches, can survive while being unbridled and arrogant assholes. Crap coaches? Well, they better take the hits, resolve to be better and keep the any hit of unbridled arrogance to themselves. That hasn't registered in Austin. Hasn't registered any more than candy ass shit like bringing a baseball bat on board the team bus at TCU last year, taking a sledge hammer to locker rooms, donning gold teeth, calling radio stations to defend his honor, mocking the opposing team's QB or any of the other myriad of tomfoolery that Herman has conjured up.

Herman is taking it in the ass right now. Hard, and justifiably so. Not only did he his team lay an egg after 8 months of prep against a team it had to be prepared for. But, as icing on the cake, Herman is telling us - the fans, alumni, media and smart football people - that he knows more than anyone and that, well, we just misread that clusterfuck of an outcome yesterday. He knows that 2 + 2 = 5 and, if you tell him otherwise, he'll tell you that you're uninformed.

Want more?

Ask.
 
Frank that is quite a post, I didn't realize Herman's arrogance was that extreme. I had no idea how MD would play yesterday, with all the shit the team has been through with the McNair tragedy and the toxic culture investigations serving as major distractions. The info on the team has been tough to get with a lot of closed practices and just kind of a closed environment. I did know that we have a good running game and our OL is probably the best it has been since Friedgen's teams in early 2000 that had success. I do like Kasim Hill and think he has the potential to be a very good qb at this level. Jeshaun Jones kid frankly I had no idea he would be such a factor. He really showed a lot of good speed out there and made plays. I was pleased with Canada's creative use of pre-snap motion and the variety of ways he attacked the edge with multiple different guys running the ball including WRs. MD played a very clean game with no TO which was really big. Stat sheet was basically dead even, but the TO advtg. and big play advtg. went to the Terps. If they can win the ones that they should (BG, Minn, Rutg, Illinois Temple) and steal one road game from Indiana, Iowa they could potentially win 7 games. Of course injuries and distractions (Durkin decision) could derail them.
 
UGA's skill players are as deep as i've seen in the past 20 years.

Robertson, Godwin, Hardman, and Ridley at wide out.. About 5 deep at rb. Will be a serious problem. Not sure yet on their defense. Lost some key guys from last years team.
 
Timh said:
Frank that is quite a post, I didn't realize Herman's arrogance was that extreme. I had no idea how MD would play yesterday, with all the shit the team has been through with the McNair tragedy and the toxic culture investigations serving as major distractions. The info on the team has been tough to get with a lot of closed practices and just kind of a closed environment. I did know that we have a good running game and our OL is probably the best it has been since Friedgen's teams in early 2000 that had success. I do like Kasim Hill and think he has the potential to be a very good qb at this level. Jeshaun Jones kid frankly I had no idea he would be such a factor. He really showed a lot of good speed out there and made plays. I was pleased with Canada's creative use of pre-snap motion and the variety of ways he attacked the edge with multiple different guys running the ball including WRs. MD played a very clean game with no TO which was really big. Stat sheet was basically dead even, but the TO advtg. and big play advtg. went to the Terps. If they can win the ones that they should (BG, Minn, Rutg, Illinois Temple) and steal one road game from Indiana, Iowa they could potentially win 7 games. Of course injuries and distractions (Durkin decision) could derail them.
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Nothing but high praise for Canada and Maryland yesterday. Nothing but praise. From the first play from scrimmage, they wanted the game more - more conviction, more urgency and a will to win. They took a shot going into the half giving up 15 unanswered, but were resilient in the 2H and completely deserved to win the game. Just like 2017.

We're going on 9 years of mediocrity in Austin. Almost numb to the thing, which is sad. The salt in the wound is a head coach that, while so, so much smarter than all of us, simply can't seem to prepare a football team. And all the while with 8+ months to get ready and drawing $5MM+ / year.
 
TahoeLegend said:
I forgot to add I was impressed by the job Edwards has done at Arizona State. I had my doubts, but they were sound in their schemes and well coached, Not sure how much talent they have because I ignored them when they named Edwards because it had been so long since he coached and because he had spent most of his career on pro teams. He must have assembled a good staff because they weren't making a lot of bonehead plays, weren't making dumb mistakes, and weren't playing to the crowd. I realize UTSA was not a great opponent, but he has the Sun Devils playing hard and showing discipline.
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Not like Sumlin I know
 
Frank I agree with you about Ehlinger. He is not a bad QB, but he seems slow in making decisions and doesn't seem to have much instinct for the posititon. Herman had so much success at Houston with a mobile QB I wonder if he might be considering using Casey Thompson at QB. i don't know how good he is overall, but he's Charles Thompson's son and I hear he is cheetah quick.

It' remains a mystery to me how Texas has not improved more under Herman. If he can go to Houston and beat Oklahoma with the talent he had there I just don't see why Texas still looks big and slow and unprepared. They improved after they lost to Maryland last year so maybe he can rally them, but it just seems strange to see Texas look like they did Saturday. Texas has been a program to be feared my entire life so it's hard to understand how they can hit a streak like they have been going through for almost a decade now.
 
Frank, I know I could search and find this quickly but was Ehlinger the same one who threw the crazy Okie State and Texas Tech picks late as well?
 
I thought the Auburn/Washington game was rather odd and don't want to take away too much from it, but I'm not sure Kam Martin is the answer at RB. I've never been impressed by him and am thinking Whitlow will get more carries as the year progresses. Ryan Davis is fun to watch and needs the ball in his hands as often as possible.

JAx State played a quality opponent but they made tons of mistakes (149 yds in penalties) and am convinced coach Grass is just average. QB (Cooper) is Cam size and will get better but some throws were wtf. It's hard to replace a Roc Thomas and they haven't. The defense is still special (as always) but an undefeated record in conference play (like is the norm ) is going to be tougher to do this year I think.
 
LSU is a different team when they have an adequate QB and Burrow is better than adequate. In addition to doing a good job on his passes he came up to the line at one point, saw the Miami defensive alignment, and audibled to a run and the back took it all the way. The LSU D looked tough and aggressive, especially against the run. I'm moving them up in my power rankings and I expect them to look even better back in Death Valley

Miami looked lifeless and lost most of the game, and that includes the staff.
 
This looked like the Miami pass D that allowed UVA‘s Benkert, Pitt‘s QB, and friggin Hornibrook to thrive. I‘d caution against overexcitement for LSU‘s qb.
 
Frank Costanza said:
Okay, I'll dive in. And sorry, folks, it will all be on Texas.

- Sam Ehlinger is not a D-1 quarterback. Tough as nails, check. But so was Joel Lanning, and that's the direction we need to be talking about. Ehlinger is inconsistent with his arm, struggles with reads, is a terrible RPO QB and, most importantly, goes brain dead in clutch situations. The latter is his death knell. You either have it, or don't, at that position. Ehlinger doesn't.
- Our options at QB? Shane Buechele? Decent arm, no mobility, as durable as a set of china. And then there's Cameron Rising. Freshman, mobile, strong at 230 lbs, pocket presence and seemingly a football IQ beyond his years. Yeah, we've heard this shit before. But there's nothing now at QB for Texas, so nothing to lose. SC is starting a QB now who should be in high school, so fuck the glass ceilings.
- Idiotic penalties yesterday. This from our head coach (more on him later): "Herman pointed out that he’d rather have players making aggressive penalties (like a roughing or pass interference) rather than administrative ones (like jumping offside). Collin Johnson was flagged five yards on UT’s opening drive for not having his knees covered, which is a new NCAA protective rule this season."
- Yes, you read that true - Our coach can't have his players take care of basic uniform shit that results in a penalty and can't instill discipline enough to keep his team from committing fatal ones. Holy crap.
- And about Tom Herman. The naïve amongst us might have thought we saw a team that was unprepared, undisciplined and not ready to play, against a team that had no coach. The naive amongst us might have thought that Texas would be extraordinarily ready for our team that pushed out shit in at home exactly one year ago. The naive amongst us would have thought that we'd have a huge advantage over a team that has been in utter disarray for weeks now. Ah, of course, this is because we are uninformed.
- Herman, when asked how big a setback this loss was, said, "Not very." Really, Tom? Are you so divine and beyond any and everyone that you think another tank job is ok. You're the first coach, in 125 years of Texas football history, to open back-to-back seasons with losses to an unranked team. Let that sink in.
- And to top off the march up to Mount Delusion: "We know how much better we are now than we were probably at any point last year. We didn’t show it in the first quarter and the fourth quarter.” That's the Texas head coach, after losing to Maryland, again.
- Great, or even good coaches, can survive while being unbridled and arrogant assholes. Crap coaches? Well, they better take the hits, resolve to be better and keep the any hit of unbridled arrogance to themselves. That hasn't registered in Austin. Hasn't registered any more than candy ass shit like bringing a baseball bat on board the team bus at TCU last year, taking a sledge hammer to locker rooms, donning gold teeth, calling radio stations to defend his honor, mocking the opposing team's QB or any of the other myriad of tomfoolery that Herman has conjured up.

Herman is taking it in the ass right now. Hard, and justifiably so. Not only did he his team lay an egg after 8 months of prep against a team it had to be prepared for. But, as icing on the cake, Herman is telling us - the fans, alumni, media and smart football people - that he knows more than anyone and that, well, we just misread that clusterfuck of an outcome yesterday. He knows that 2 + 2 = 5 and, if you tell him otherwise, he'll tell you that you're uninformed.

Want more?

Ask.
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There was a lot of salivating when that hire was made.
It's funny when y'all have a meltdown(not meant in a way of disrespect, it's just nothing anyone would have conceived when ol Darryl was alive).
I watched part of the game and they still haven't gotten rid of the lackadaisical effort from some players.

How many coaches, that have brought a non-P5 team to the top of everyone's buzz, actually gone on to succeed at the bigger school? I guess Todd Dodge will be next. ooops that high school where he excels.

Summy caught lightning in a bottle with JFF and the great line that Sherm put together. But other than recruiting some good talent, his practices were a lovefest. His press conferences were either deer in the head lights or condescending. His great first game record really came to a halt last year and this(with Zona).
Kingsbury made that team in the first two years, now look where he is at Tech. They're not progressing.
Ags didn't progress. THeir home record vs. conference schools was abysmal .
 
captjohn67 said:
I thought the Auburn/Washington game was rather odd and don't want to take away too much from it, but I'm not sure Kam Martin is the answer at RB. I've never been impressed by him and am thinking Whitlow will get more carries as the year progresses. Ryan Davis is fun to watch and needs the ball in his hands as often as possible.

JAx State played a quality opponent but they made tons of mistakes (149 yds in penalties) and am convinced coach Grass is just average. QB (Cooper) is Cam size and will get better but some throws were wtf. It's hard to replace a Roc Thomas and they haven't. The defense is still special (as always) but an undefeated record in conference play (like is the norm ) is going to be tougher to do this year I think.
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Aubbie one of my favorite plays.
 
scarf31 said:
I always wondered what offensive football would look like if you mixed together, the most archaic and asinine aspects of the pro-style and spread offenses...

No longer have to wonder anymore thanks to Mr. Harbaugh.
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POY candidate
 
pressitup said:
Too many flags
You can't tackle in this game without a flag
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college football is getting as bad as the nfl with all the bullshit safety rules, tons of commercials, constant flags, reviews and fake injuries

sick of the never ending weather delays for lightning when they played the game for over 100 years during thunderstorms with 0 lighting related injuries.
 
sleepy said:
college football is getting as bad as the nfl with all the bullshit safety rules, tons of commercials, constant flags, reviews and fake injuries

sick of the never ending weather delays for lightning when they played the game for over 100 years during thunderstorms with 0 lighting related injuries.
Click to expand...

There are things that I don't like about big time college football. It hasn't changed my enthusiasm for it, yet, but I can sense it coming. Stuff that wear on me is the over-commercialization and the TV money, the coaching money, the off-the-field news stories, the glorified quasi-pro product, the announcers hardly talking about the teams and talking about national story lines during the games. Some day I will probably just drop down and follow IAA or the lower divisions. My problem is that it is harder to consume and follow. If I get past that, I could see myself not caring about IA college football, but still passionately following the sport, just at a different level.
 
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s--k said:
There are things that I don't like about big time college football. It hasn't changed my enthusiasm for it, yet, but I can sense it coming. Stuff that wear on me is the over-commercialization and the TV money, the coaching money, the off-the-field news stories, the glorified quasi-pro product, the announcers hardly talking about the teams and talking about national story lines during the games. Some day I will probably just drop down and follow IAA or the lower divisions. My problem is that it is harder to consume and follow. If I get past that, I could see myself not caring about IA college football, but still passionately following the sport, just at a different level.
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Be awesome to enjoy the college part of college football again. Ah the dream
 
s--k said:
There are things that I don't like about big time college football. It hasn't changed my enthusiasm for it, yet, but I can sense it coming. Stuff that wear on me is the over-commercialization and the TV money, the coaching money, the off-the-field news stories, the glorified quasi-pro product, the announcers hardly talking about the teams and talking about national story lines during the games. Some day I will probably just drop down and follow IAA or the lower divisions. My problem is that it is harder to consume and follow. If I get past that, I could see myself not caring about IA college football, but still passionately following the sport, just at a different level.
Click to expand...
sleepy said:
college football is getting as bad as the nfl with all the bullshit safety rules, tons of commercials, constant flags, reviews and fake injuries

sick of the never ending weather delays for lightning when they played the game for over 100 years during thunderstorms with 0 lighting related injuries.
Click to expand...

Y'all didn't feel good cuz "the U" had uniforms made from plastic pulled from the depth of the abyss?
Wonder if they smelled like fish?
 
I'm trying to figure out how ODU gave up almost 600 yards to Liberty including 238 on the ground? Will be interested to hear what Dollaz has to say about his game.
 
Virginia Tech defense is a BEAST!!! Hawaii can score "like a rabbit on a date". Rainbows WAY under-rated in the Mountain West
 
Agree on both team, Rat.

V Tech D was the best I saw all weekend, although faking injuries should embarrass the coaches and the players. That's beneath a good team.

Everyone I've talked to is puzzled by how Hawaii is suddenly a powerhouse. I didn't see it coming and I haven't read a good explanation for how they did it.
 
Hawaii was rated 2nd from the bottom in the Mountain west pre-season just above pathetic San Jose State then WIN @ Colorado State WIN 43-34 followed by WIN @ home vs Navy 59-41. either the Rainbow's are that GOOD or BOTH Colorado State and Navy are that BAD. I already bopped Memphis -4 @ Navy week two on the open and the line now -6 1/2 with a -7 @ Westgate
 
B.A.R. said:
Post of the day.

Voting is closed.
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+ 1

Also, some masochistic tendencies came to the forefront last night as I re-watched Maryland / Texas. After the 8th time it was run, unsuccessfully, I'm convinced that it's not a good idea for a WR screen in the flat, thrown by a QB with limited arm strength, often thrown inaccurately, and thrown to a WR who instantaneously has a DB on top of him 3 yards behind the LOS because a pathetic attempt was made to block said DB.
 
Frank Costanza said:
+ 1

Also, some masochistic tendencies came to the forefront last night as I re-watched Maryland / Texas. After the 8th time it was run, unsuccessfully, I'm convinced that it's not a good idea for a WR screen in the flat, thrown by a QB with limited arm strength, often thrown inaccurately, and thrown to a WR who instantaneously has a DB on top of him 3 yards behind the LOS because a pathetic attempt was made to block said DB.
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I rewatched it too. We looked slower. How is that possible?

I am convinced we look at 3-star players and then they are upgraded to 4-stars by the recruiting gurus BECAUSE we looked at the kid. And I have strong belief that nepotism has killed us too. Sick of hearing about how great our recruiting classes are and then seeing middle of the pack bigten teams out-athlete us. It's stupid. Horns never waste time disappointing either. They go out and get their ass kicked by a lesser program within the first three games every year .. 2018 terps, 2017 terps, 2016 cal, 2015 cal, 2014 ucla and byu, 2013 BYU and Ole Miss. I never even get a chance to have false hope with these boobs.
 
s--k said:
Indiana ended the game SOD at the FIU 1 up by 10 with like :05 left. It was almost like IU was intentionally trying not to score with their final play calls. Which is fine with me clinging to a +13 FIU wager. But got really lucky. Most coaches don't care, they punch it in.
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How did FIU look? I dont habe them rated highly but seemed like they hung in. Though Butch seems like the kind of guy to hang in vs P5 schools then lose to crappy G5 schools.
 
Very impressed with Auburn. That defense is a problem. To that extent, Browning continues to look lost when playing tough defenses.

Georgia looked like I thougt they would. The freshman QB will be a star.

VT looked good (thought QB play was spotty). That sets up a nice fade in the future.

FSU has talent. There skillplayers look real. I think the QB will be good. They will improve, im gonna ride them.

I was high on Miami....yikes.
 
RetroVK said:
I rewatched it too. We looked slower. How is that possible?
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No kidding. Seemed to be running in molasses. Having a 280 lb. LB who is a "cornerstone" of the defense probably doesn't help in that respect.

Last night there were simultaneous re-runs of the Texas, Alabama, OU and Auburn games. The athleticism and speed in the first game looked nothing like that in the latter 3. Nothing. Completely different zip code.
 
Frank Costanza said:
No kidding. Seemed to be running in molasses. Having a 280 lb. LB who is a "cornerstone" of the defense probably doesn't help in that respect.

Last night there were simultaneous re-runs of the Texas, Alabama, OU and Auburn games. The athleticism and speed in the first game looked nothing like that in the latter 3. Nothing. Completely different zip code.
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Horns and Blue fans sound alike on so many things. We might need a support group.
 
Dollaz said:
How did FIU look? I dont habe them rated highly but seemed like they hung in. Though Butch seems like the kind of guy to hang in vs P5 schools then lose to crappy G5 schools.
Click to expand...

They don't know who their QB is going to be and will probably keep rotating BGSU trans Morgan and Alexander, a backup from 2016. The FIU running game was pretty good. Although RB Anthony Jones who ran for 88y and 2 TDs was shot today with non-lifethreatening injuries. Have to think he won't play this week. He would appear to be their best option at RB and the running game is the best part of their O right now. Their front D wasn't bad vs IU, secondary is young and IU had some success vs them. Ramsey played most of the game, but IU Fr QB led the Hoosiers to 10 pts in his first ever college action...so FIU D wasn't any big challenge for him to face. One of IU's TDs was a pick-six. FIU lost 3 TOs in the first half.

Looking at it from an ODU perspective, man, I have to believe that this D is going to be pissed. Coming back home embarrassed, I really think they bring an A+ game on that side of the ball. That turns the conversation to the O. ODU has not proven to be a reliable passing team, but can be a great running team. So the ODU strength on O probably what FIU is better at matching up vs the run. And ODU's O weakness appears to also be FIU's D weakness.
 
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