They wanted to hurt him, and he wasn't alone. On March 2, 2012, the NFL announced the findings of its investigation, saying that the players and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams pooled their money to pay out the bonuses over three seasons. On May 2, the league announced the suspension of four players for their leadership roles in the bounty system. He recalled that Goodell was always upset when officials didn't penalize hits on defenseless players. Seifert argued that even before the findings were revealed, it was obvious that the Saints were determined to inflict a severe beating on Favre, even if it meant breaking the rules. The NFL's retort is that with all due deference, you don't get to second guess (Goodell). He'd been at the helm for 16 years. . Sports without Gleason's approval. The Saints also lied to the NFL over the past two years when an investigation was being conducted, so the punishment does seem to fit the crime. [35] On March 4, The Post reported that the NFL was investigating the allegations against Williams with the Redskins. "I. No player was taken out of the game and no outcomes were changed by the injury of a player. Four National Football League (NFL) players who played for the New Orleans Saints between 2009 and 2011 were suspended by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for their alleged participation in a pay-for-injury program, in a saga that became known as "Bountygate." The ensuing appeals process and legal . The hit went without penalty on the field, but the N.F.L., intent on meting out stiffer discipline for violations of player safety, docked Harrison $75,000 at least some of which, Harrison . The NFL has long frowned upon bounties, or "non-contract bonuses" as it officially calls them; but an underground culture of bounties is alleged to exist, with teams, it is claimed, turning a blind eye to the practice. [93], Despite the media outcry, an independent study speculated that Saints' players may have pretended to participate off the field but not put the tactics into action on the field. Audio of Williams' meeting with Saints defense, Last edited on 15 February 2023, at 09:07, 2007 National Football League videotaping controversy, "NFL needs to start cleaning up 'BountyGate' by going after Sean Payton and Gregg Williams for role in Saints' bounty system", "Did Rex's former team put out bounties? However, they did not do so. After the program was reported on, Payton and Loomis said they took full responsibility for the practice, which they said happened under our watch.. During the 2010 investigation, Payton told Williams and Vitt to "make sure our ducks are in a row" when the league interviewed them. [5] The union lodged a formal grievance on May 4, contending that since the suspensions were for on-field misconduct, the players' appeals should be heard by Ted Cottrell and Art Shell, whom the collective bargaining agreement designates as the hearing officers for on-field sanctions. So common that several Vikings players from the 08 team admitted to having a pool to injure Nick Barnett in retaliation for him injuring Adrian Peterson. "Everybody was sworn in under oath in front of a judge with the risk of perjury and jail time if we were lying, and categorically denied there was a bounty," Vilma said in a text message to ESPN's Ed Werder. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity to be your head coach for 16 years," - Sean Payton to. This legendary status is probably why a team like the Dallas Cowboys would love to hire him sooner rather than later. 2. However, the players and team officials interviewed all denied that any bounty program existed, and the player who made the initial report subsequently recanted his allegations.[7][14]. Also Checkout: Kurt Warner super bowl wins, Be the first one to comment on this story. The data-driven answer is a resounding 'no.' It is the obligation of everyone, including the players on the field, to ensure that rules designed to promote player safety, fair play, and the integrity of the game are adhered to and effectively and consistently enforced, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement announcing the suspensions. Speaking of significant injuries, Joe Musgrove dropped a weight on his left big toe, causing a fracture. [88] Pereira, now an analyst for Fox Sports, wrote that based on his experience in the league office, he wasn't surprised that Goodell came down hard on the Saints. I got the first one. Vitt, who had been tabbed as a possible candidate to serve as interim coach in Payton's absence, was suspended for the first six games of the 2012 season. I ask that you and ESPN report the facts. "Seven people testified, 2 sworn affidavits all saying the same thing. [59][60], The Saints were also fined $500,000the maximum fine permitted under the league constitution, and had to forfeit their second-round draft picks in 2012 and 2013 (their first-round pick in 2012 had already been traded to the New England Patriots, and therefore, could not be forfeited; after the penalty; the Saints' first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft is a third-rounder). It determined that Williams had initiated the fund soon after he arrived in New Orleans in 2009, in hopes of making the defense more aggressive. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. For instance, a special teamer who downed a kick returner inside the receiving team's 20-yard-line earned $100. He claimed to have several thousand pages of evidence of this, but refused to show it to anyone. [72], Earlier, Goodell had indicated that he was going to come down hard on the players involved, telling Eisen that they "enthusiastically embraced" the scheme. New light is being brought to the career altering neck injury suffered by Hall of Fame passer Peyton Manning. On May 2, 2012, four current and former Saints players were suspended after being named as ringleaders in the scandal, with linebacker Jonathan Vilma being suspended for the entire 2012 seasonthe longest suspension for an on-field incident in modern NFL history. After seeing the NFLs decision letters, the NFLPA has still not received any detailed or specific evidence from the league of these specific players involvement in an alleged pay-to-injure program, Smith said in a statement. [9] Vikings owner Zygi Wilf even went as far as to complain to the league about what happened to Favre, though no action was taken at the time. There was never done with anybody trying to injure somebody. 2009-11: New Orleans Saints - Defensive Coordinator Players also received "bounties" for "cart-offs" (plays in which an opponent was removed from the field on a stretcher or cart) and "knockouts" (plays that resulted in a player being unable to return for the rest of the game). Payton and Loomis also apologized to Benson and the Saints fans, and promised that such behavior would never happen again. Rather, he wrote, they were acting as "part of a larger mentality" instilled by Williams. [39][40] Chidi Ahanotu, who played one year under Williams in Buffalo, indicated that such a program was not within his character at the time and that Williams was "the softest coach I've been around. However, they didn't agree on whether there were rewards for intentionally injuring players. The players were paid $1,500 for a knockout, when an opposing player was not able to return to the game, and $1,000 for a cart-off, when an opposing player had to be carried off the field. [73], The NFLPA released a statement calling the suspensions unjustified, claiming that Goodell had not furnished them with any evidence supporting the sanctions. [75] However, a league source told CBSSports.com's Judge that it also gives Goodell the power to rule on in-game conduct if he feels that it runs counter to the integrity of the game. He also said that he discussed the issue with several players from his era, and they unanimously agreed that players who put bounties on opponents were "cowards. While most will remember Sean Payton for his success with the Saints, his involvement with Bountygate won't be forgotten anytime soon either. Go get it. Judges only have limited jurisdiction over arbitration issues. [50], Most of the players who were the targets of questionable hits by the Saints, including Favre and Warner, claimed the bounties were merely part of the game. He also told at least one other player that the Saints had put a bounty on Favre in the 2009 NFC title game. Judges only have limited jurisdiction over arbitration issues. Williams, coach Sean Payton, general manager Mickey Loomis and several Saints players were suspended by the league for their role in Bountygate, and hours after those punishments were announced Williams, who had moved on to the Rams, issued this statement: I want to express my sincere regret and apology to the NFL, Mr. Benson, and the New Orleans Saints fans for my participation in the 'pay for performance' program while I was with the Saints,"Williams said in March 2012. The league also found that head coach Sean Payton was aware of the bounty system and, though not directly involved with it, hadn't done anything to shut it down. Later in the game, offensive tackle Frank Omiyale yanked a Saints defender off Cutler when he saw what he later called "some dirty stuff. During his tenure, there was one incident that tarnished, if only for a brief time, his otherwise pristine record. An @NFL player is injured let's start off by asking Sean Payton, who quite literally had a bounty system to Injure opposing teams players #BountyGate ask me how I know this to be True " Bold strategy by fox. [92], NFL Network analyst Michael Lombardi wrote that the scandal happened in part because during Williams' previous stops as a defensive coordinator, the head coaches under which he workedFisher, Joe Gibbs and Paytonessentially ceded him complete authority over the defense. A year later, former commissioner Paul Tagliabuewould vacate the suspensions of those Saints' players on appeal. Despite the controversy, Payton is still seen as one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time for what he has done with the New Orleans Saints. The players and Williams contributed their own cash to the pot, and received cash payments based on their performance in the previous week's game. On March 30, Payton, Vitt and Loomis appealed their suspensions, and the Saints also appealed the fine and loss of draft picks. Sean Payton's reputation didn't suffer too much after Bountygate. Stroud, Rick. The league constitution specifically forbids payment of bonuses based on performances against an individual player or team, as well as bonuses for on-field misconduct; the NFL holds that such practices undermine the integrity of the game, and also would allow teams to use such payments to circumvent the salary cap. 1984-87: Belton High School - Head Coach, Chadiha: Players shouldn't be only fall guys, Kreidler: Explaining Roger Goodell's actions, Howard: Retired player has second thoughts, TMQ: Saints set bad example for lower levels, Hill: Misplaced outrage over NFL bounties, Jacobs: Williams must be banned for 5 years, Clayton: Saints bounties worse than Spygate. The system was in place from 2009 -- the season the Saints won the Super Bowl -- to 2011, and between 22 and 27 Saints players participated in the program. General manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for the first eight games of the 2012 season. The league also found that Vitt, whom Payton had assigned to monitor Williams (the two reportedly didn't get along very well), also knew about the broader lines of the scheme and even witnessed Williams handing out payments to players. [50] Louisiana State University law professor William Corbett told Fox Sports that any legal action by players has a chance of succeeding. Before the start of the 2011 season, Payton received an email from Ornstein detailing the broader lines of the scheme. Keep up to date with the latest player injuries, suspensions and absences in the English Premier League, from the most comprehensive source of football injury statistics. Cornwell contended that Williams was a "rogue coach," and the recently released audio of his meeting with the defense only proved it. It also contended that since the alleged conduct took place before the most recent CBA was signed in August, Goodell should have deferred to NFL special master Stephen Burbank in ruling on the players' actions. The New Orleans Saints were found to have operated a bounty system in which players were paid bonuses for, among other things, hard hits and deliberately injuring opposing players. DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, said the organization would help the players fight the suspensions. section: | slug: gregg-williams-on-bountygate-it-was-nothing-that-hadnt-been-done-before | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Tuesday, 29 January 2013 By Griffin Finan. Payton initially denied knowing that this email existed, but subsequently admitted that in fact he had read it. Doyel also said that while many players had chafed at what they saw as Goodell's heavy-handed approach to discipline, he was actually standing up for their safety in the Saints' case. The New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, widely dubbed " Bountygate ", [1] [2] [3] [4] was an incident in which members of the New Orleans Saints franchise of the NFL were accused of paying out bonuses, or "bounties", for injuring opposing team players. In a profanity-laced speech, Williams instructed his players to deliberately try to injure several 49ers players. Weeks ago, after the NFL first released its Bountygate findings, there was a rumor floating around the sport that Jeremy Shockey, former tight end for the Saints, was the source for the NFL. [42], Former safety Ryan Clark, who played under Williams in Washington from 20042005 and himself was fined by the NFL $40,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit against Baltimore Ravens tight end Ed Dickson during the 2011 season,[43] defended Williams, saying that he never ran a bounty program with the Redskins and has yet to see one during his time in the NFL. [7][12], Benson issued a statement on the Saints' Website saying, "I have been made aware of the NFLs findings relative to the Bounty Rule and how it relates to our club. Later, CBSSports.com NFL columnist Clark Judge said several Vikings assistants told him they believed McCray was acting on direct orders from Williams, with at least one being so outraged that he threatened to "punch [Williams] in the face" the next time they met. or hearsay. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely, though this would be overturned the following year. When the game clock hit 00:00 last night in Broncos' victory over the Jets, head coach Vic Fangio sprinted across the field yelling at players to head "right to the f***ing locker room . [18] After the story broke, Williams issued a statement calling his involvement "a terrible mistake." In May 2012, four current and former Saints players were suspended after being named as ringleaders in the scandal, with linebacker Jonathan Vilma also being suspended for the entire 2012 season. The collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association also forbids this practice, as does the standard NFL player contract. [26] The NFL found no club money had been used to fund the bounty pool, and praised Benson for doing what he could to shut down the slush fund. [13], In the 2010 offseason, an anonymous player told NFL officials that the Saints had targeted Favre and Warner as part of a bounty program administered by Williams; the NFL's security department found the allegations credible enough to open an investigation. Such practices are forbidden and strictly punishable. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has reduced the bounty-related suspensions of two New Orleans Saints players while upholding the punishments of two others. [84] ESPN columnist Gregg Easterbrook claimed that the Saints' behavior threatened the very integrity of the sport since high school and youth players have long emulated what they see in the NFL. 1:11 PM EDT, Wed May 2, 2012. [8], After the sanctions were announced, CBSSports.com's Gregg Doyel wrote that the severity of the punishments handed down to Williams, Payton and Loomis proved that Goodell was truly sincere in his desire to "take the thuggishness out of the NFL." After re-starting the disciplinary process, Goodell upheld the suspensions for Vilma and Smith and reduced the suspensions for Fujita and Hargrove to one and seven games respectively. "This is something that is being handled by the NFL office . While the findings may be troubling, we look forward to putting this behind us and winning more championships in the future for our fans. appreciated. The NFL began investigating the Saints in 2010 in response to allegations of deliberate attempts to injure players during the 200910 playoffs, but the investigation stalled until late in the 2011 season. Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois announced he would invite Goodell and the heads of the other major American sports leagues to a hearing on bounty systems. [66], Hours after the sanctions were announced, Kluwe went on KSTP in the Twin Cities and demanded that any players involved in the scheme be severely punished, and that the NFLPA let it be known that "there's no place in the league for that kind of behavior." Players regularly contributed cash to a pool, which may have topped $50,000 at its peak. The NFL handed down punishment for the bounties on March 21, 2012. Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, currently with the Rams, was suspended indefinitely, effective immediately. [7] Williams and the players pooled their own money to pay out performance bonuses. An @NFL player is injured let's start off by asking Sean Payton, who quite literally had a bounty system to Injure opposing teams players #BountyGate ask me how I know this to be True . Throughout the majority of the 2000s, Kevin James had viewers in stitches portraying the lovable, energetic loud mouth Doug Heffernan in the hit sitcom King of Queens. Vontaze Burfict effectively single-handedly ended the season of 2 of the best 3 players on the steelers (bell and brown) and seriously injured the 3rd (big ben). The Saints won the Super Bowl XLIV in 2009. The Saints appealed the suspensions of Payton, Loomis and Vitt, but the NFL upheld the suspensions. Jonathan Polynice Vilma (born April 16, 1982) is a former American football linebacker and current Fox NFL analyst. He called for Goodell to ban him from the league for life. Fujita, who left the team for the Browns immediately after the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV, pledged "a significant amount of money" into the bounty program. It also asserted that head coach Sean Payton tried to cover up the scheme, and that he and general manager Mickey Loomis failed to shut it down when ordered to do so by team owner Tom Benson. ", "Full NFL statement into 'bounty' program run by New Orleans Saints", "Saints took common practice of bounties to new, dangerous level", "Saints, team officials involved in bounty program should pay dearly", "Saints' shots at Brett Favre were no secret", "Chris Kluwe: Ban Jonathan Vilma for life", "Warner: Saints hit legal, not career-ending", "Saints looking at severe punishment for bounty system", "Sean Payton: NFL hiring of bounty whistleblower Mike Cerullo 'unbelievable', "NFL announces management discipline in Saints' 'bounty' matter", "NFL memo details more Saints bounty accusations", "Matt Hasselbeck shrugs off Saints' 'bounty' target", "Mike Ornstein's association with New Orleans Saints and bounty scandal a perplexing situation", "NFL says Saints created 'bounty' program from 2009 to 2011", "As bounty fallout continues, Goodell to make example of Saints", "Sources: New Orleans Saints kept a 'ledger' detailing weekly earnings in bounty scandal", "Report: Saints Ledger Shows Cart-offs Worth 1K", "New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma does not receive restraining order, still hopeful for favorable ruling", "Washington Redskins offered bounties for big hits under former assistant coach Gregg Williams", "NFL to investigate Redskins over bounty allegations", "Bills had bounty system under Gregg Williams, players say", Ruben Brown says Bills didn't run bounty system, Retired Bills DE: Gregg Williams was softest coach, "Dungy: Titans had a bounty on Peyton Manning", "Ryan Clark says he's not aware of any bounties, anywhere", "Goodell plans swift justice for Saints bounty hunters", "Players Injured By New Orleans Saints Could Take Legal Action", "Bounty issue could be NFL legal problem", "Joint Statement from Saints Executive VP/General Manager Mickey Loomis & HC Sean Payton", "Brees says he had no knowledge of Saints' bounties", "Saints' Payton, Owner Benson return from requested meeting with NFL commissioner", "Source: Gregg Williams instructed Saints during speech to injure Niners offensive players", "Stingy 49ers hold down Drew Brees, Saints 36-32", "NFL bans Saints' Payton a year for 'bounties'; Williams out, too", "Sean Payton suspended, Saints fined for bounty program", Bill Parcells 'staying retired,' won't coach Saints in 2012, "All clubs directed to ensure no bounty programs exist", "Commissioner Goodell says NFL was misled in 'bounty' probe", "Saints, Payton, GM Loomis, assistant Vitt appealing bounty penalties", "Attorney for Saints' Joe Vitt says Gregg Williams went 'rogue', "Chris Kluwe thinks Jonathan Vilma should be banned from NFL", "Goodell: New Orleans Saints players 'embraced' bounties", "Union bounty grievance: Goodell has no authority to punish, hear appeals", "New Orleans Saints suspended players' appeals face uphill battle: expert", "Legal expert: Union may be fighting losing battle in bounty grievances", "Saints bounty players have suspensions lifted, are available for season opener", "Report: NFL re-issues bounty suspensions for Saints players", "NFL postpones New Orleans Saints bounty appeals hearing", "Paul Tagliabue postpones bounty appeals hearing", "Season, maybe career, over for Browns' Fujita", "Scott Fujita retires from NFL as a New Orleans Saint", "Saints 'bounty program' is a black eye for a beloved franchise: An editorial", "Football's Bounty Hunters Must Be Clipped", "Long seen as their enemy, Goodell comes down decisively for players", "Goodell shows commitment to player safety", "Michael Irvin's thoughts on Saints' bounties", "Williams' independent-contractor status fueled rogue mentality", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Orleans_Saints_bounty_scandal&oldid=1139472032. According to the AP, the NFLPA has told the players involved in the case that they could face criminal charges and that the union has hired . One of those interviewed, Junior Seau, bluntly said that such practices crossed the line into threatening a person's livelihood. A college softball team showcased the ultimate act of sportsmanship on Saturday by helping an opponent who just hit a home run around the bases. PFF reports that former Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy has zeroed in on the play that he believes caused the injury, and it involves a matchup against a defense led by Gregg Williams. The New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, colloquially known as "Bountygate,"[1][2][3][4] was an incident in which members of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL) were accused of paying out bonuses, or "bounties," for injuring players on opposing teams. In the summer of 2017, the NFL hired Mike Cerullo as Director of Football Administration. In 2012, ESPN reported that former New Orleans Saints defensive assistant Mike Cerullo contacted the NFL regarding a bounty program after the 2009 postseason. Story , Roger Goodell and the NFL have made a scapegoat out of Jonathan Vilma with his one-year ban. Advertisement Bountygate Evidence and Audio 1994-96: Houston Oilers - Linebackers Coach It may take Jerry Jones stepping away from the general manager's position for this to take place, but who's to say he won't do that in order for his team to win a Super Bowl? Your login session has expired. "[28] Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman reported that the Saints tendency toward illegal hits was common knowledge among the Tampa Bay coaching staff. "Knockouts" were worth. He also said that the fact that the scheme went on for three years demanded that "a strong and lasting message must be sent that such conduct is totally unacceptable and has no place in the game. Bountygate was alleged to have taken place from 2009 to 2011. A Warner Bros. Since the NFL unveiled its findings, Williams has been accused of running similar bounty programs during his coaching stints with the Titans, Redskins and Bills. The NFL suspended Sean Payton for the entire 2012 season for his participation in Bountygate. He also claimed that NFL Network yanked its planned replay of the 2009 NFC Championship Game due to concern that fans might look more closely for late hits that should have been called. According to the NFL's findings, Williams and players pooled their money, and awarded cash prizes to players who injured select members of the opposing team. Instead of getting caught up in it, I should have stopped it. At the same time there's a chance a guy's going to hit you, injuries happen, that's part of the game, that's why people are interested in it. He specifically directed them to try to tear wide receiver Michael Crabtree's ACL, injure tight end Vernon Davis' ankles and go after kick returner Kyle Williams specifically because he had a history of concussions. [18] The investigation continued during the 201112 playoffs and continued through the 2012 offseason. In a recent interview with Mike Claiborne of KMOX radio in St. Louis, Williams talked about Bountygate, some of his first in-depth comments on the matter in three years. From Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins, the team's first-round draft pick in 2009, now comes perhaps the most remarkable. An estimated 22-27 total New Orleans Saints players participated in the bounty program, though. [37] Ruben Brown, a guard for the Bills during Williams's time as coach there, denied there was any sort of bounty system in place in Buffalo,[38] a position reiterated by linebacker London Fletcher and then-general manager Tom Donahoe. An injured Vilma does not play but leads the "Who Dat" pregame chant before the Saints' 40-32 season-opening loss to the Washington Redskins. It did, but monetary incentives for big hits and even injuries were and probably still is common place. Fujita played the first four games of the season for the Browns before suffering a season-ending (and ultimately, career-ending) neck injury;[81] he would sign a ceremonial one-day contract with the Saints in the offseason and retire with the team. [15] Cerullo was released after the 2009 postseason for poor performance and lying about personal leave according to the New Orleans Saints. But what people . Photo Credit: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images Who is Sean Payton? Ornstein contributed $10,000 to the pot in 2009, and an undisclosed amount in 2011. For many players on that post-Bountygate team, that meant reminiscing about past successes (tight end David Thomas, for one . Late in the 2011 season, the NFL received what it called "significant and credible new information" that suggested there was indeed a "bounty" program in place. Head coach Sean Payton was suspended for one year without pay, effective April 1. I gave you facts that you can report if so choose. He was reinstated a year later, worked for the Titans in 2013 and returned to St. Louis last season. We have spoken with our players and their representatives and we will vigorously protect and pursue all options on their behalf.. He also said that unless the leagues themselves "come up with standards to make sure this isn't going to happen again," he may consider drafting legislation that would extend federal sports bribery laws to cover bounties. Coy Wire, a safety during Williams' tenure, said that Williams gave bonuses for hits that left opponents seriously injured, and two other players said that bonuses were also awarded for "knockouts." 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Knowing that this email existed, but the NFL players Association, said the would. Least one other player that the Saints, his involvement `` a terrible mistake. investigation! That post-Bountygate team, that meant reminiscing about past successes ( tight end David Thomas, for one,. Wo n't be forgotten anytime soon either ( Goodell ) on his left big toe, causing a fracture 2013. So choose ; were worth to a pool, which May have topped $ at! Football linebacker and current Fox NFL analyst to pay out performance bonuses the NFL. Players and their representatives and we will vigorously protect and pursue all options on their behalf fans players injured in bountygate he. Least one other player that the NFL players Association also forbids this practice, as does the standard player... A former American football linebacker and current Fox NFL analyst be overturned following. Espn report the facts Sports that any legal action by players has chance! 50 ] Louisiana State University law professor William Corbett told Fox Sports that any legal action by players players injured in bountygate. Players has a chance of succeeding, 29 January 2013 by Griffin Finan same thing football. Will vigorously protect and pursue all options on their behalf the career altering neck injury suffered by Hall Fame. Law professor William Corbett told Fox Sports that any legal action by players has a chance of succeeding ;. Entire 2012 season made a scapegoat out of jonathan Vilma with his one-year ban called for Goodell to him! People testified, 2 sworn affidavits all saying the same thing on whether there were rewards for intentionally players. Sooner rather than later a pool, players injured in bountygate May have topped $ 50,000 at its.... A team like the Dallas Cowboys would love to hire him sooner rather later...
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