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[quote name='MrDingleDangle' timestamp='1346690442' post='1154062']
I hate having the to wait till Monday night. Especially because of this stupid double header the game will start at 4pm on the west coast, which means i wont get out of work and to someplace i can watch it till probably halftime
[/quote]

This week it's probably a good thing it's on Monday. One more day for healing before the game.
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[url="http://www.bengals.com/media-lounge/videos/Marvin-Lewis-Press-Conference-9312/72b4a013-b801-44dd-a387-4be52979ee4d"][img]http://prod.static.bengals.clubs.nfl.com//assets/images/imported/CIN/videos/video-thumbnails/2012/09-September/lewis120903--nfl_thumb_105_70.jpg[/img][/url]
[b] [url="http://www.bengals.com/media-lounge/videos/Marvin-Lewis-Press-Conference-9312/72b4a013-b801-44dd-a387-4be52979ee4d"]Marvin Lewis Press Conference (9/3/12)[/url][/b]

(14:10)Posted 51 minutes ago


Views: 48
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[url="http://www.bengals.com/media-lounge/videos/Jeff-Faine-in-the-Locker-Room-9312/9f2ed05e-0519-4819-aabb-b0704c42c3a9"][img]http://prod.static.bengals.clubs.nfl.com//assets/images/imported/CIN/videos/video-thumbnails/2012/09-September/faine120903--nfl_thumb_105_70.jpg[/img][/url]
[b] [url="http://www.bengals.com/media-lounge/videos/Jeff-Faine-in-the-Locker-Room-9312/9f2ed05e-0519-4819-aabb-b0704c42c3a9"]Jeff Faine in the Locker Room (9/3/12)[/url][/b]

(4:29)Posted 59 minutes ago


Views: 72
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[quote name='MrDingleDangle' timestamp='1346690442' post='1154062']
I hate having the to wait till Monday night. Especially because of this stupid double header the game will start at 4pm on the west coast, which means i wont get out of work and to someplace i can watch it till probably halftime
[/quote]

DVR???
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[b] Bengals center Jeff Faine cramming for Monday Night test[/b]


By Paul Dehner Jr. | CBSSports.com September 3, 2012 3:10 pm ET


[color=#333333][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3][url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/396156/jeff-faine"]Jeff Faine[/url] came to terms with retirement. After being released by [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/TB/tampa-bay-buccaneers"]Tampa Bay[/url] in March, he understood his nine-year run in the NFL may have come to an end.

The former first-round pick of the [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/CLE/cleveland-browns"]Browns[/url] in 2003 didn't want to see his career conclude, but didn't plan on playing for the sake of playing. Grinding for a paycheck didn't sit well. He needed the perfect opportunity.

“It was tough how it first happened, because I wasn't expecting it that way,” he said of facing possible retirement. “I kind of went through a rough time with it. But I was at peace with it leading up to this.”

Four teams spoke with him over the past few months and two offered. For him, coming to [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/CIN/cincinnati-bengals"]Cincinnati[/url] in the wake of[url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1226141/kyle-cook"]Kyle Cook[/url]'s foot injury made perfect sense. He could insert as a starter on an emerging, young team in need of exactly what he offers in the middle: Experience.

The field and locker room feel different these days for Faine. When the depression of retirement sets in a fresh perspective emerges. He now shifts from watching Monday Night Football on his couch to lining up at the center of it across from [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/417708/haloti-ngata"]Haloti Ngata[/url].

Faine was given 10 days to learn a playbook, meet teammates and prepare to line up between a rookie and second-year player making his fourth start. He spent the past four days watching film of every preseason game with the lineman, making every call prior to the play.

In the past, this may have been met with a grimace. Today, he relishes the otherwise unenviable task.

“I'm smelling the roses a lot more than I did,” Faine said. “I'm going to enjoy every second, every minute that I'm here. Enjoy just being back involved in the game and loving it again.”
The Bengals are loving him, too. With Cook sidelined indefinitely -- he's expected to be placed on the IR/eligible to return list Tuesday – Faine brings a presence with knowledge of the offensive system due to his time running a similar scheme in Tampa Bay.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#333333][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3]“Strong, aggressive, good athlete, moves well on his feet,” Marvin Lewis said. “We thought he was by far the best option for us.”

Cook shouldered a heavy mental load at the position making every call and check on the line. Faine estimates 85 percent of the playbook is the same and about 20 percent of the language. The gameplan isn't expected to change just because Faine's been on the roster for less than a week. And certainly [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/BAL/baltimore-ravens"]Baltimore[/url] won't offer any vanilla defensive looks.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3]“With those guys you see a lot of different looks, you see a lot of different personnel,” Faine said. “Especially this first game, it will be a little bit more on the mental side. I'm just trying to fill that spot. I'm not really trying to make it mine from my style of calling it or anything. I'm trying to fill it.”[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#333333][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3][i]Follow Paul Dehner Jr. for Bengals updates on Twitter [url="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNFLCIN"]@CBSSportsNFLCIN[/url][/i].[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3][url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/nfl-rapidreports/20037000/new-bengals-center-jeff-faine-cramming-for-monday-night-test"]http://www.cbssports...nday-night-test[/url][/size][/font][/color]
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[color=#393939][b]NO BAD SNAPS:[/b] So far so good.[/color]
[color=#393939]During [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/jeff-faine/9298bec7-883d-4510-856c-eb2d9dc8a7f7/"]Jeff Faine[/url]'s first practice as the Bengals center, there were no bad snaps and that's exactly what offensive coordinator Jay Gruden wants to avoid next Monday night in Baltimore.[/color]

[color=#393939]"He did a remarkable job for his first day," said offensive line coach Paul Alexander, "but we’ve got a lot to do before Monday night."[/color]

[color=#393939]Ever since he returned from Florida Friday, Faine has been going at it hard. He and Alexander watched the four preseason games while Faine made the calls, and during Sunday' walkthrough he made acquaintances with his two young guards as sophomore [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/clint-boling/f7ed97f5-f482-4f8d-b799-6e57357a7b43/"]Clint Boling[/url] looks to make his first NFL start at left guard and freshman [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/kevin-zeitler/6872c3b8-cf27-4731-bfae-bcae68fb85a8/"]Kevin Zeitler[/url] makes his first at right. Faine, a veteran of three teams and 117 NFL starts, seemed hard to faze Monday.[/color]

[color=#393939]"It’s going to be one of those things where we’re going to have to feel our way through it and just continue to communicate," Faine said. "The advantage these guys have got is they know the scheme. I’m still learning, but I’ve got a little bit of experience on my side. We’re just going to have to mesh it together."[/color]

[color=#393939][b]LOCKER GAMES:[/b] Lewis says there's a reason the Bengals do everything, so take note of the new locker arrangement now that the temporary stalls have been removed from the middle of the locker room with about 25 fewer players around for the regular season.[/color]

[color=#393939]Dalton remains in the corner near the equipment room and next to him is rookie receiver [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/mohamed-sanu/2ec826da-ce44-498c-8d77-174bbd664114/"]Mohamed Sanu[/url]. Next to him is Sanu's best friend on the team, fellow rookie receiver [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/marvin-jones/1e8a8414-cc83-4d5e-a61a-9236316539e4/"]Marvin Jones[/url], and next to him is veteran backup quarterback[url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/bruce-gradkowski/57583383-3d4b-4bc3-806c-146278ff452b/"]Bruce Gradkowski[/url].[/color]

[color=#393939]It tells you they think the kids are going to be around awhile. Lewis wouldn't elaborate, but Sanu could figure it out.[/color]
[color=#393939]"Ask little questions," Sanu said. "It gives us a better understanding of how to approach the game and everything else."[/color]

[color=#393939]Sanu got a text from Jones on Saturday telling him they were next to each other in the corner "with Andy and Bruce," and Sanu thought, "That was pretty cool. That's a great location."[/color]

[color=#393939]Of course, ever since the draft, when Sanu arrived with the third-round pick and Jones came via the fifth, they've been joined at the hip. The Jersey Sanu and the California Jones hit it off from Day One. They were roommates during the spring camps and at the NFL rookie symposium and Sanu says, "We're tight. He's like a brother to me."[/color]
[color=#393939]Jones, who did most of his 16.7-yard per preseason damage with Gradkowski, was just happy to get a wooden locker.[/color]

[color=#393939]"It's nice to be able to see the whole locker room. It's great to be part of an official NFL locker room," Jones said.[/color]
[color=#393939]More lockers: Faine, 31, is next to offensive de facto captain left tackle[url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/andrew-whitworth/3a81696e-e6b3-4abd-8dd0-85e8748fa086/"]Andrew Whitworth[/url], 30, the two oldest offensive starters. Wide receiver[url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/armon-binns/c95674cc-e1f2-48f0-ac2d-5d4e141ab158/"]Armon Binns[/url] is next to wide receiver [url="http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/aj-green/d1e7b054-2722-4a10-9dad-687267489bd5/"]A.J. Green[/url]. [/color]

[color=#393939][url="http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Notes-Fresh-legs-Kirkpatrick-back-to-rehab-Dunlap-sits-Rey-returns-No-bad-snaps-Locker-games/26eaaece-ce92-47d5-897f-19ce5e9ca34e"]http://www.bengals.c...7f-19ce5e9ca34e[/url][/color]
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[size=6][b]More Monday notes: Mates call on Geathers; Middle men; Lucky seven[/b][/size]

Posted 8 minutes ago

Geoff Hobson Editor Bengals.com


Left end Robert Geathers, Dean of the Bengals with 118 games in stripes, is the textbook NFL warrior. Reliable and respected. Tough, smart, passionate. No flash. Just crash. If there's one guy that can answer the bell next Monday night in Baltimore (7 p.m.-ESPN) with nary a preseason snap, well, just ask his teammates.

"He shows us the way," says right end Michael Johnson.

"He's been playing football for 25 years. He’ll have no problem," says defensive tackle Pat Sims.

"I've been calling every day, every night, making sure he's eating right,' says WILL backer Thomas Howard.

As usual, Geathers hears them all and just smiles, shakes his head, and says just enough to let you know he's ready.

"It's time to go. T. Howard needs me," Geathers says.

But, seriously, he thinks he'll be OK. He had arthroscopic surgery to clean out his knee the first week of camp, but it looks to be in better shape than starter Carlos Dunlap's sprained knee because he practiced Monday and Dunlap didn't. That would be Geathers' 89th start since arriving in 2004 if Dunlap can't go.

"I'm on the roster. My teammates are depending on me. They're counting on me. It's time to go," Geathers said. "I should be fine. I've seen every block. I've seen every scheme. I've played against those guys."

Geathers knows all about Monday night ESPN openers and the Ravens. And, yes, it was Sept. 10, too. It was 2007 at Paul Brown Stadium and Geathers was one of the architects of the 27-20 win when he had a stat in ever defensive category, capped off by returning an interception for 30 yards.

Of course, that was five years ago and not only are none of the Ravens skill players around from that game, but the Bengals have only two other defensive starters from Sept. 10, 2007: tackle Domata Peko and cornerback Leon Hall.

If Dunlap can’t go, the question is if they can get production when they rotate for Geathers and Johnson. Geathers is the oldest guy on the line at 29 and he may be relieved at times by one of the two youngest, 23-year-old rookie tackle Devon Still, as well as Jamaal Anderson, a rookie when Geathers had that big game. They may also give Sam backer Manny Lawson some work there.

But like his mates, head coach Marvin Lewis has no doubts that Geathers can roll off the injury list and give him a productive night on first and second down and maybe on third down if he goes inside. Lewis loves the fact that Geathers didn't get beat up during training camp.

“If last week were a regular-season week, Robert would have played and practiced, but it wasn’t. Plus, we get him back moving and doing the things defensively he has to do back with the defensive guys and hold him out of the game," Lewis said. "We made progress. Same thing with BenJarvus (Green-Ellis). Those guys were at the point where you’re ready to play, but we had the luxury of preserving them. I think it worked out well. But now we’ve got to get ready to play a very tough, physical football game.”

[b]STARRY, STARRY NIGHT: [/b] Marvin Lewis loves his middle backers. He broke into the NFL coaching them and coached the greatest of the 21st century when Ray Lewis roamed the middle for him during his six seasons as the Ravens defensive coordinator.

And you get the sense he's got great hope for Vontaze Burfict, the rookie free agent from Arizona State that made the club as a backup in one of the best NFL stories of the preseason. Burfict went from being a top-round projection to going undrafted in spate of bad decisions his final year in college. But his climb back began when Lewis had a heart-to-heart with him at his pro day and the rest may be history.

"We’ve improved the interior of the defense at linebacker with Burfict," Lewis said Monday. "He has the chance to be a good player, and he certainly has been an upgrade on special teams. That’s why he got to stay."

And, of course, Burfict grew up admiring Ray Lewis.

"What linebacker didn't?" Burfict asked.

"I've seen it on YouTube, but I've never seen it in person," Burfict said of Lewis' pregame dance. "It's going to be an experience just to watch him live on the sidelines during the game. That's going to be awesome."

Rey Maualuga, the Bengals' starting middle backer, also has an affinity for Lewis and keeps his advice on "How to Intimidate Other Men," taped to his locker.

"It's always Ray. Not just this week," Maualuga said.

[b]LUCKY SEVEN:[/b] Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden doesn't know how long he'll have seven wide receivers. It could be one day, one week, two months. But he doesn't know how they could have cut any of them.

"I would have hated to have been the one who had to let one of those guys go because they did everything we asked them to do," Gruden said. "You don't need to keep a guy at another position if the other guy is better."

Both Gruden and Lewis said it's not so much activating different receivers for different foes. Gruden said it's keeping "the five,' that are playing the most consistently, indicating two of them are going to be inactive Monday.

"It helps in practice to have all those healthy bodies running full speed," Gruden said. "(The defense) is going to see Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin and that's going to help give them a good look each week. We could get somebody dinged up and they could go in. That's a good problem."





http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/More-Monday-notes-Mates-call-on-Geathers-Middle-men-Lucky-seven/43d7e444-ebe8-4dbc-9e96-21a0c4a046b8
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[b]BENGALS[/b]: According to the [url="http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Notes-Fresh-legs-Kirkpatrick-back-to-rehab-Dunlap-sits-Rey-returns-No-bad-snaps-Locker-games/26eaaece-ce92-47d5-897f-19ce5e9ca34e"]Bengals' official website[/url], it looks as if Robert Geathers, and not Carlos Dunlap, will start at defensive end on Monday night when the Bengals play at the Ravens. That's a big break for the Ravens. Dunlap, who was the best defensive player I watched in training camp this year, remains sidelined with a knee injury. Geathers appears ready to go now after being out since his arthroscopic knee surgery on Aug. 2. "If last week were a regular-season week, Robert would have played and practiced, but it wasn’t," coach Marvin Lewis said.


http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54043/wake-up-ravens-have-message-for-a-j-green
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And with Geathers looking at making his team-leading 89th Bengals start if Dunlap can't go is what the article said... i hope they both can Go - they are an awesome tandom. Swapping in and out keeping fresh legs.... Flaccoooo on his back.... over and over again... and GENO gonna get some too..... love it....
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Can you imagine the blow up around here if Mike Brown cut a starting left tackle game week in hopes of a restructure?

The reality in Raven land is the LT spot has been a sore one for a while and McKinnie hasn't been helping matters this offseason. Hopefully it divides the lockeroom.
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[color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif][background=rgb(245, 245, 245)][url="https://twitter.com/jeffzrebiecsun"][b]Jeff Zrebiec[/b] ‏[size=3][s]@[/s][b]jeffzrebiecsun[/b][/size][/url][/background][/font][/color]
[color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif][background=rgb(245, 245, 245)][url="https://twitter.com/search/?src=hash&q=%23Ravens"][s]#[/s][b]Ravens[/b][/url] to this point are not saying that McKinnie has been let go.[/background][/font][/color]

[color=white][b]BLOGGERS:[/b][/color]






[b] LT Bryant McKinnie: 'I'm gone' from Ravens[/b]


By Josh Katzowitz | Blogger September 4, 2012 12:40 pm ET
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Early Tuesday afternoon, Ravens left tackle [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/302209/bryant-mckinnie"]Bryant McKinnie[/url] posted this interesting, somewhat-cryptic update on his Twitter page after contract negotiations with his team went awry.

[indent=1]
Decision is made! I'm gone! — Bryant Mckinnie (@BryantMckinnie) [url="https://twitter.com/BryantMckinnie/status/243012427673923584"]September 4, 2012[/url][/indent]



That inspired a collection of “Wha?” and “Huh?” retweets from all the assembled media, including a devastatingly-clever “Gone to get lunch?” RT from me.
It was all surreal, until [url="https://twitter.com/RavensInsider/status/243022320770359296"]Ravens Insider[/url] reported that McKinnie sent him a text message that said McKinnie was no longer a member of the [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/BAL/baltimore-ravens"]Baltimore[/url] organization.
McKinnie was owed $3.2 million in base salary for 2012, but according to the [i]Baltimore Sun[/i], the Ravens wanted to renegotiate his deal in an attempt to cut his pay (hey, it's no big deal. He's only protecting the team's franchise quarterback).
Clearly, McKinnie wasn't interested in that. At this point, it's unclear whether the Ravens actually have waived McKinnie.
If he is gone, as [url="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNFLBAL/status/243022654565675008"]Rapid Reporter[/url] Jason Butt points out, [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/559237/michael-oher"]Michael Oher[/url] would move to left tackle (remember, the team brought in McKinnie because it was unsatisfied with Oher at the left tackle spot), 2012 second-round pick [url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1243444/kelechi-osemele"]Kelechi Osemele[/url] would suit up at right tackle, and the team would be down to eight offensive lineman.
"We couldn't come to an agreement on a contract restructure, which leads to me being released,” McKinnie told[url="https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/243024921373077504"]NFL.com's[/url] Albert Breer.
And if that's the route the Ravens want to take less than a week before the season opener, that is one strange move.

[i]For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow [b][url="http://twitter.com/EyeOnNFL"]@EyeOnNFL[/url] on Twitter[/b], and subscribe to our [b][url="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cbssports.com-pick-six-podcast/id349140950"]Pick-6 Podcast[/url][/b] and[b][url="http://www.cbssports.com/newsletter/dailynfl/"]NFL newsletter[/url][/b]. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: [b][url="https://twitter.com/#!/joshkatzowitz"]@joshkatzowitz[/url][/b].[/i]
[url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/20048447/lt-bryant-mckinnie-im-gone-from-ravens"]http://www.cbssports...one-from-ravens[/url]
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was fun while it lasted.


[color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif][background=rgb(245, 245, 245)]
[url="https://twitter.com/RavensInsider"][b]Aaron Wilson[/b] ‏[size=3][s]@[/s][b]RavensInsider[/b][/size][/url][/background][/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif][background=rgb(245, 245, 245)]
Restructured deal for Bryant McKinnie is done, per a league source. So, he remains the Ravens' starting left tackle.[/background][/font][/color]
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[quote name='Bengals1181' timestamp='1346787395' post='1154359']
was fun while it lasted.


[color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif][background=rgb(245, 245, 245)]
[url="https://twitter.com/RavensInsider"][b]Aaron Wilson[/b] ‏[size=3][s]@[/s][b]RavensInsider[/b][/size][/url][/background][/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif][background=rgb(245, 245, 245)]
Restructured deal for Bryant McKinnie is done, per a league source. So, he remains the Ravens' starting left tackle.[/background][/font][/color]
[/quote]

I don't think he's much of a player, anyway. Was always overrated, IMO.
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[quote name='texbengal' timestamp='1346787969' post='1154362']
I don't think he's much of a player, anyway. Was always overrated, IMO.
[/quote]

The thing that surprised me was the timing. Would have thought this would have all been worked out prior to the 53 cut down on Friday. And had they not come to terms with whatever the issue was, then they have juggle the oline 6 days prior to the first game. Seems very un-Raven like.
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[quote name='Phatcat' timestamp='1346789215' post='1154366']
The thing that surprised me was the timing. Would have thought this would have all been worked out prior to the 53 cut down on Friday. And had they not come to terms with whatever the issue was, then they have juggle the oline 6 days prior to the first game. Seems very un-Raven like.
[/quote]

x2. The timing was EXTREMELY odd.
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[color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif][background=rgb(245, 245, 245)]
[url="https://twitter.com/Bengals_Nation"][b]BengalsNation[/b] ‏[size=3][s]@[/s][b]Bengals_Nation[/b][/size][/url][/background][/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif][background=rgb(245, 245, 245)]
Bengals Nation - tomorrow nite @ Holy Grail from 6-8P. Kevin Zeitler & Marvin Jones will be there to sign autographs & answer fan questions[/background][/font][/color]
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[color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif][background=rgb(245, 245, 245)]
[url="https://twitter.com/RavensInsider"][b]Aaron Wilson[/b] ‏[size=3][s]@[/s][b]RavensInsider[/b][/size][/url][/background][/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Arial, sans-serif][background=rgb(245, 245, 245)]
John Harbaugh said that Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins sets himself apart with ability to penetrate, get off blocks[/background][/font][/color]
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