(About that header: I’m going to presume you’ve switched on your sarcasm meters.)
After my post yesterday about the statistical anomaly of Georgia’s 2009 turnover margin number, I thought I’d look for other statistical or situational nuggets that might suggest that the Dawgs’ prospects in 2010 aren’t as marginal as many pundits have already declared them to be.
So, consider this: Georgia’s two leading rushers in 2009 were Washaun Ealey and Caleb King. That, despite Ealey not seeing the field until the third quarter of the LSU game and King making his first appearance midway through the first quarter of the Arkansas game.
Ealey didn’t play in enough regular season games to qualify for inclusion on the list of leading rushers on the SEC’s stats page. Had he been there, he would have ranked sixth in yards per game and third in yards per carry. As it is, on the list of top returning running backs in the conference, he’s second behind the Heisman Trophy winner, Mark Ingram.
In other words, there’s no comparison between the shape Georgia’s running game is in going into the 2010 season and the shape it was in after Moreno left early for the NFL. That should be particularly good news for whomever wins the starting quarterback job this season.
Get The Picture 
I knew Ealey did well and was fun to watch, I had no idea he did that well. I feel considerably better now. Thanks Senator.
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CSS finally got the OL situation figured out as well, about midway through the season. Josh Davis was a revelation.
Now we go into 2010 knowing that the OL will be: Boling, Glenn, Jones, Davis and Davis.
We also have Strickland and Bean for quality depth.
I hope that people really enjoy and appreciate Boling next season. He has been a really under-the-radar, special player in Athens.
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Don’t forget Sturdivant.
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I know this is more appropriately a DHale ?, but any word on his rehab?
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I don’t think I’ve seen anything more recent than this note a couple of months ago in the Red and Black.
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I would love to think that Sturdivant is going to come back, but find that highly doubtful at this point.
I hope that he has a career like Anthony Munoz, but those are very rare.
It is just hard to write a starting lineup with a guy who has not made it past the 1st game of the season 2 consecutive years.
Anything we get from Sturdivant is a bonus.
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On Munoz, fwiw:
Muñoz was the third overall pick in the 1980 National Football League draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. His selection was viewed as a major risk by many pundits since *knee problems limited the 6′-6″, 280-pound Muñoz to just a combined eight games in his junior and senior seasons*, though he did return for USC’s 17-16 Rose Bowl win over Ohio State on New Year’s Day 1980. However, Muñoz became a starter in his rookie season and remained a fixture at left tackle for the Bengals for 13 seasons and is considered one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history. Despite his history of injuries, Muñoz missed just three games during his first 12 seasons. His rigorous workout routine included working out in the weight room he had installed in his home and running three to four miles every day.[2] In addition to his talents as a blocker, Anthony Muñoz was also a capable receiver, notching 7 receptions for 18 yards and scoring 4 touchdowns on tackle-eligible plays, including one in 1985 from left-handed rookie quarterback Boomer Esiason against their upstate rival, the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland.
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If I was on the staff, I would lightly pencil in Sturdivant for 2nd team RT. Anything more, and you are asking for a Braves-Hampton snafu.
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But only if the line manages to stay healthy. Sturdivant’s injury both years (and Vance’s added in to 08) has caused shuffling on the line and a seemingly a 2-4 game period of adjustment before things get settled. And last year, it seemingly wasn’t until Josh Davis returned that the line gelled.
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A stronger, more experienced o-line. two top backs and a bunch of stud WRs. Me thinks the qb, whoever he is, is going to have one easy time back there.
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Didn’t get a chance to look over the TO margins yesterday but the statistics say it all:
8 wins: recovered TOs – 10 lost TOs – 13
TO margin – -.38
5 losses: recovered TOs – 2 lost TOs – 15
TO margin – -2.60 (TWO recovered TOs!!! Thanks Willie!)
One other interesting note: from November on, our penalties declined significantly. Not surprisingly, we went 4-1 in that stretch.
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Seriously, CWM shouldn’t have taught the DBs to drop interceptions.
Let’s let the CWM thing go. CMR did what we needed to do, and CWM was a loyal soldier for nine years. No need to rub his face in the mud any more than it has been.
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Yeah, I agree. I’ve been trying to lay off Willie since he was fired.
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Willie did start players that could not catch a cold versus play makers that got more Int’s in limited playing time than their senior counterparts.
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I’m all for forgiveness, redemption and those things. But I’m not in favor of whitewashing facts. CWM is a good man, a loyal man and a poor defensive coordinator.
I wish him the best and hope he becomes the new DC at Tennessee, at an annual salary of 700k.
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The OL for the 2010 season looks great and with our backs the offense should have a stellar year. However looking into the future I am again having some concerns with the OL.
Just looking at the numbers we have three seniors with a wealth of experience on this OL:
Josh Davis – Sr
Chris Davis – Sr
Clint Boling – Sr
That is three for sure OL bodies that need to be replaced. Add a possible 4th (Gordy Glenn) if he has a monster year and leaves early to the NFL. So far we have two commits in the 2010 class and one of those has a jacked up knee. Georgia signed three last year but one of the prized recruits from the 2009 class has had two back surgeries and one of the others could potentially move to the DL (probably doubtful).
After the 2011 season we are losing five OL bodies in Strudy, B. Jones, Strickland, “Beans” Anderson and B. Harden. So are we planning to sign 6-8 OL recruits with the 2011 class? Good luck with finding that many quality lineman that want to come to Georgia. Am I off based here or what? Let me know if I am but it just seems that Georgia is putting itself in another possible bad situation concerning the OL.
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I have been scratching my head entering signing day myself. It appears we are “Calloway-ing” this OL class.
I saw Houston play in that All-Star game, and god bless him, if he is 6’5″, I am an astronaut. He was dwarfed by the other OL there. I don’t think he is going to be a Kevin Perez-esque, 5’11”, but he is definitely not 6’5″.
And, as you said, Long has a bad back and Benedict had a devastating knee injury.
We let 4-5 guys walk right out of the state this year with very little effort to recruit them. I am shocked and dismayed that we seem to be repeating the same mistakes we made during Calloway’s tenure. You simply cannot have too many offensive linemen, and right now, we are running a deficit.
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Actually, I have to admit that I’m surprised a coach as respected as Searels hasn’t been able to attract some top-flight linemen. He’s done a good job of developing who we’ve got, but I was expecting us to start hauling in some big fish on the O-line after his initial success.
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Just looking at the AJC Top 50 here are the top lineman listed:
Austin Shepard OT Bama
Ed Christian OG Auburn
JaWaun James OT UT
Kenarious Gates OT UK
Kolston Houston OG GA
Morgan Bailey OT GT
So out of that group of six the flagship university of the state could only manage one. Like I said maybe next years crop of quality OL will be huge but what are the chances of Georgia landing most of them?
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We’ve got a ton of guys buried on the depth chart right now.
Tackle material — Harmon, Long (hope his shoulder injury isn’t re-occuring, Owens (what happened to him?)
Guards/Centers — Burnette, Lee, Strickland, Harden.
I think if we sign 3-4 O-linemen a year and develop them we will be OK. This year may be an exception because that is actually a pretty deep roster, especially compared to previous ones at UGA. However from a fan’s perspective it’d be nice to see more of these linemen pan out as contributors. More Bolings, less Perezes, IMO
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I spent the entire off-season believing the OL (and therefore the running game) would be our major strength this season. Now, part of the problem during the early part of the season may have been having Samuel in the backfield, but in any case I’ve become jaded: I’m not prepared to take the OL for granted this time around. I am excited about King and Ealey, but having them in the backfield didn’t stop Joe Cox from throwing interceptions in the later part of the season, and I’m not sure how much it will help Murray/Gray/Metty. I’ll believe it when I see it.
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2 things on that…
1)we started out with Sturdivant at LT, and once he went down, we spent the next 4-5 games scrambling to get a good combo. This year, we go in knowing what the starting lineup will be.
2) Over the last month of the season we developed an identity on offense. When CMR was the offensive coordinator, we knew our identity on offense. Ball control running, short passing game, play action deep ball. Bobo’s first 1.5 years, we appeared to be a different team from possession to possession. I believe that it was called “being balanced.”
From the UF game on in2009, we got back to what we should do, run the football, short passing game and play-action deep balls. Our run/pass ration went from 50/50 to 60/40, but that is still good balance. To protect our freshman QB next year, we must remember our identity from the last half of 2009.
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Maybe not entirely, but the rate sure slowed down, especially after Florida.
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Good points, and you’re probably right. I really think we have the potential to be scary on offense this year. I’m just tempering my expectations.
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One of the myths in football is that defense wins championships. I have always subscribed to the view that the offensive line wins the rings and the banners. The play of the offensive line is where it is at…always has been. It is imperative that UGA does not get into this routine about letting the O line glide for one recruiting season. When Coach Donnan came to UGA I asked him what was the biggest weakness he saw. He said UGA had a poor O line play and the line lacked technique and strength. Coach “S” knows O lines. I think he is the best in the land. UGA needs to let this man roam the fields and keep the roster fill with lineman.
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That is my question. Is the roster being filled based what we are losing and what we are signing? I see a shortage but what do I know I’m only a CPA that left the arena when I graduated HS.
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You are all missing the point. Mike Bobo has proved that he cannot beat a Top 10 Final AP Poll team, that he has a losing record to Top 25 Final AP Poll teams, and that he loses to Unranked teams not ranked in the Final AP Poll Top 25 four times already.
There is a common thread among all his losses, he throws the football too much, and only runs when it is 3rd and 10.
How in the hell are you going to fix that ? You mentioned defensive coaches not playing obviously better players in the secondary, but what the hell ? How can you say that when we waited until the 3rd quarter of the 5th game to rip the redshirt off Washaun Ealey, and we redshirted Knowshon Moreno. Even when we had Knowshon, the games we lost he averaged only 14 carries a game.
We are clueless on offense and again this season have failed to prepare any quarterback, just exactly as our Offensive Brain Trust did in 2006, 2009, and now 2010.
Our OL blocked well ?
Against whom ?
Georgia tek, who had zero defense.
Texas A&M who had zero defense.
Pardon me, but our weakness on Offense is obvious from reading all your posts – only you miss it.
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Hot damn, we’ve really been great on OFFENSE.
.
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OFFENSE.
We cannot line up and run a play without a Penalty.
We cannot line up and run a play without turning the football over.
We cannot figure out who Our Best Players are, and play them.
We give up on 3rd and 10 and run the football.
We cannot block for the pass.
We cannot block for the run.
We can hold.
We can false start.
We lose to an UNRANKED team in Final Poll EVERY YEAR for 9 years now.
We LOSE to the Top 25 teams MORE THAN WE BEAT THEM.
We have had 0 years when we got a great bowl game to cap a season.
We are an afterthought on the National Stage.
We are WORSE than LSU and FLORIDA in the Coach Richt Era.
We are WORSE than Alabama now too.
We are WORSE than Texas in the Coach Richt Era.
We are WORSE than Oklahoma in the Coach Richt Era.
We are WORSE than Southern California in the Coach Richt Era.
We are WORSE than Boise State in the Coach Richt Era.
We are WORSE than Ohio State in the Coach Richt Era.
We are CONSISTENTLY WORSE in the Coach Richt Era than ALL OF THESE TEAMS, INCLUDING NOW WE ARE THE 4TH BEST TEAM IN OUR OWN DAMN CONFERENCE.
17-19 vs AP Poll Final Top 25 and 8 Losses to UNRANKED teams.
Our Offense is the Problem. We do NOT have good play calls.
We waste the firepower handed to our Offensive Coaching Staff.
Bryan McClendon NEVER PLAYED RUNNING BACK for UGA.
Bryan McClendon was ONLY a RECEIVER for UGA.
His dad did. Maybe we should hire his DAD ?
He clearly cannot determine who should be our Running Back.
He clearly cannot teach any Running Back how to carry the ball so he doesn’t fumble it.
Bryan McClendon was a good Receiver when he played. Maybe he should coach Receivers ?
Why does it take until 3rd Quarter of 5th Game to play Washaun Ealey not Richard Samuel and not Caleb Freaking King ?
We Started Richard Samuel and Caleb Freaking do nothing King EVERY GAME at Tailback except 2 starts by Washaun Ealey.
WHO THE HELL DO YOU ANY OF YOU THINK IS A BETTER RUNNING BACK ?
I am not the 1 who is so damn smart, who should be hired as O.C. or head Coach. YOU ARE. You all say that Washaun Ealey CLEARLY IS OUR BEST RUNNING BACK.
So, why ?
Because we play FAVORITES, even those who have proven they are NOT as good as the ones BEHIND them on the Depth Chart.
Because our Running Backs’ Coach KNOWS NOTHING about Running Backs.
NOTHING.
.
Tony Ball NEVER PLAYED RECEIVER.
Tony Ball taught AJ Green to be great ? I think not.
Tony Ball cannot teach Marlon Brown but CAN AJ Green ?
What’s that all about ?
Tony Ball was a Great Running Back.
So, why then is Tony Ball Coaching the Receivers Coach Richt ?
Shouldn’t Bryan McClendon have Tony Ball’s job and Tony Ball, Bryan McClendon’s job ?
They NEITHER are doing the job you put them in with NO NFL EXPERIENCE and with NO EXPERIENCE at the POSITION you have them BOTH as POSITION COACH for.
Why did we play Marlon Brown and LOSE AN ENTIRE SEASON throwing him only 2 passes all season long for only 15 yards ?
Why ?
Because our Receivers’ Coach KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT RECEIVERS.
He didn’t teach AJ Green. AJ Green was already All-America before Tony Ball was handed this CUSHY DAMN JOB “coaching” AJ Green.
In the Florida game at half time, they interviewed Coach Richt and asked him what they had to do to get AJ Green involved in the game ? Coach Richt glibly shot back : Throw him the ball ?
.
John Lilly was a Quarterback.
What the F does John Lilly know about Tight Ends ?
John Lilly coached Tight Ends for Coach Richt the last couple of years.
John Lilly 1st year TE Coach, NO TE caught more than 5 passes all season.
John Lilly this past year has 3 of the best TE in the nation.
He cannot figure out that ORSON CHARLES will star in NFL for 10 years.
He thinks Aron White is BETTER because he caught 3 passes entire 2008.
Orson Charles caught 23 passes for 374 yards his freshman year, not 3.
John Lilly has Aron White Starter at TE for 3 passes caught freshman yr.
Why did we LOSE to Okie State, LSU and the vols ?
Losses because we did NOT Start our Best Players, play FAVORITES.
FAVORITES who proved they are NOT as good as one behind them on the Damn Depth Chart.
You want to KNOW WHY WE BEAT Georgia tek & Texas A&M ?
Because ORSON CHARLES was Starting TE in those 2 games.
Why does it take 11 games to figure out Orson Charles GREAT Aron White back-up ?
Why ?
Because we play FAVORITES; that’s why.
Give me a Freaking Break 3 catches all of 2008 makes Aron White Starter until Game 12 of a 13 game season. YOU SAID Orson Charles should have been the Starter in Game 1. I am NOT the one who should be O.C. or head Coach. YOU SHOULD BE.
It takes us until Game 12 of 13 to make Orson Charles Starting TE ?
Idiots.
THERE is NO WAY to RANK the PLAYERS, and get your PLAYMAKERS on the DAMN FIELD and have Orson Charles NOT START until Game 12 in favor of Aron White.
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MIKE FREAKING BOBO.
Alias Bozo.
He had a fine senior season for UGA, 1 of the best ever as our QB # 10 UGA.
Having taught our QB Matthew Stafford to have 51 Interceptions and Fumbles to his 51 Touchdown Passes, he is PROMOTED to Offensive Coordinator.
You may recall the previous OC was arrested for DUI. Neil Callaway.
Then, again, you may not. I do.
Neil Callaway finally left after his DUI as our Offensive Coordinator.
He apologized for the DUI, Neil Callaway did.
.
.
2006 with Matthew Stafford and Neil Callaway Offensive Coordinator :
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79 NCAA Number 79 Passing Offense
90 NCAA Number 90 Total Offense
70 NCAA Number 70 Most Penalties
22 FUMBLES
16 INTERCEPTIONS
1 DUI by the Offensive Coordinator.
1 Beer Keg Photo at Talladega following Callaway’s example by his Starting QB
Any correlation there you think ? Nice coaching job.
Neil Callaway is 11-25 at UAB replacing Watson Brown 62-74 at UAB.
The DUI and Beer Keg Photos were Major Distractions in 2006.
.
SO, WITH THAT BACKGROUND NEXT OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR hired by Coach Richt is MIKE BOZO, I mean Booboo, I mean Bobo, sorry.
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2007 UGA with Matthew Stafford Mike Bobo Offensive Coordinator :
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84 NCAA Number 84 Passing Offense
74 NCAA Number 74 Total Offense
85 NCAA Number 85 Most Penalties
18 FUMBLES
10 INTERCEPTIONS
.
.
2008 UGA with Knowshon Moreno Mike Bobo as Offensive Coordinator :
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56 NCAA Number 56 Rushing Offense
116 NCAA Number 116 Most Penalties
19 FUMBLES
10 INTERCEPTIONS
.
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2009 UGA Mike Bobo Offensive Coordinator :
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80 NCAA Number 80 Passing Offense
75 NCAA Number 75 Total Offense
113 NCAA Number 113 Most Penalties
23 FUMBLES
17 INTERCEPTIONS
.
.
.
This, not only is NOT a good trend, but Mike Bobo has NEVER BEAT a Final AP Poll Top 10 team, LOSING EVERY GAME.
Duh.
5-6 vs. Final AP Poll Top 25 with 4 LOSSES to UNRANKED TEAMS.
Duh.
Has FAILED to PREPARE a SINGLE QUARTERBACK, ever.
Talks about VALUING THE FOOTBALL and how we have to do BETTER at VALUING THE FOOTBALL, because of ME in here.
Then, promptly goes out instead and HAS SOME OF THE WORST PERFORMANCES by his Quarterbacks on Offense EVER on ANY TEAM in the HISTORY of FOOTBALL with combined FUMBLES and INTERCEPTIONS now EXCEEDING the number of Touchdown Passes as OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR.
Plus, he cannot even line his players up and run a play without a penalty.
3rd and 10 ? Running Play. Every time.
1st down ?
Throw a Pass.
Mike Bobo is so predicable that UNRANKED TEAMS’ coaches UTTERLY take him to the DAMN CLEANERS.
4 LOSSES to UNRANKED TEAMS as Offensive Coordinator.
.
.
Bozo OC scored 12 points vs 6-Loss no Bowl Game South Carolina 2007.
Bozo OC scored 14 points vs 4-Loss vols 2007. vols scored 35.
Bozo OC put up 20 points vs 7-Loss Vandie 2007.
Bozo OC put up 24 points vs 5-Loss Kentucky 2007.
This was with Knowshon Moreno AND Matthew Stafford.
.
.
Bozo put up 14 points vs 5-Loss South Carolina 2008 Knowshon Stafford AJ Green.
Bozo put up 10 points vs Florida 2008 Knowshon Stafford AJ Green.
Bozo applauded by FL players when Joe Cox scored with 1 minute to go.
Bozo put up 17 points vs 7-Loss Auburn with Knowshon Stafford AJ Green.
Bozo 24 Mich St 27 vs 7-Loss Ar St, 26 vs 7-Loss vols, 24 vs 6-Loss Vandie
This was with Knowshon Moreno, Matthew Stafford AND AJ Green.
.
.
Bozo put up 10 vs Okie State UNRANKED Not Top 25 Final AP Poll 2009.
Bozo put up 20 vs 8-Loss Arizona State 2009.
Bozo put up 13 vs LSU who beat no Final AP Poll Top 25 team.
Bozo put up 19 vs 6-Loss vols. vols put up 45.
Bozo put up 27 vs 6-Loss UNRANKED Kentucky.
Bozo put up 17 vs Florida this year after 10 last year when he got applauds from the Florida players on the sidelines politely applauding Bozo for finally scoring with a minute left the only touchdown he got with Knowshon Moreno, Matthew Stafford and AJ Green.
.
.
It has been a MISERABLE RUN with Mike Bobo as Offensive Coordinator.
There is NO OTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.
Mike Bobo has NEVER BEEN OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR ANYWHERE.
But, we have to have a coach with 11 years NFL Experience to be our Defensive Coordinator, but our Offensive Coordinator can be of the same mold as all the other coach Richt hires on his “coaching staff” other than this 1 Defensive Coordinator with 11 Years NFL Experience.
No Knowledge of good play calls and no one ever said he did.
No Experience as Offensive Coordinator.
No NFL experience.
No Proof he can call plays.
Boos by EVERY FAN at Sanford Stadium for Bozo’s PLAY CALLS.
We have to have an 11-year Veteran to be our Defensive Coordinator at the 3rd highest pay of any DC in college football but our Offensive Coordinator can prove he knows NOTHING about Coaching an Offense, nothing about calling plays, or even getting the right players on the field instead playing favorites. Our OC can have zero experience except to have been QB coach at Jacksonville State College.
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Dear, Thomas Brown
FU!
p.s. find another team to pull for!
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Thomas Brown the dawg is much better than Thomas Brown the idiot posting rambling nonsense on a blog.
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