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By Zachary Kersh
With the 2017-18 NBA season almost upon us, across the country, the Eastern Conference has made historic and game changing moves this offseason, preparing to battle for the top spot and in hopes for the ultimate goal, a title. However, to win the war, teams must first win multiple battles. The offseason has been full of unexpected trades, shocking signings, and unmatchable performances. According to ESPN’s website, these are the Eastern Conference's wins and seeding predictions:
Big time trades are not only exciting to follow, but allow teams to obtain whichever players they desire. On August 22nd, All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving was sent to the Celtics for fellow All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Anter Zizic, and the 2018 first-round pick from the Brooklyn Nets. In my opinion. The Celtics won this trade. Kyrie Irving is amazing scorer and is underrated in his abilities to lead a team. On September 24th, it was announced that, after multiple trade rumors, Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks had been sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second round pick via the Bulls. I believe the Thunder are the clear winners of this trade. They acquired a veteran player who is still a game changer. In addition, with the acquisition of Paul George, the Thunder will be one of my favorite teams to watch. Draft trades can make a team much better, through youth, better players, or picks. The 1st pick of the draft belonged to Boston, until the 76ers traded their 3rd overall pick and either a 2018 or 2019 1st round pick (whichever is favorable) for the rights to whatever player they desired. With this trade, I can see the 76ers becoming one of the NBA powerhouses in the next few years. Another blockbuster trade that shocked the NBA was between the Timberwolves and Bulls. The bulls traded All-Star Jimmy Butler and the 16th overall pick, for the 7th pick, Zach Lavine, and Kris Dunn. Finally. Minnesota has formed a powerful core. I think with Jimmy Butler, a three-time all-star, the Timberwolves will shock many teams and fans alike. Following locker trouble with D’Angelo Russell, he was traded to the Nets for Brook Lopez and 27th pick. In the draft, teams used their designated picks to select young players that they believed would be valuable to their team. With the 1st overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, the 76ers selected point guard Markelle Fultz from Washington. An elite scorer from all parts of the floor, he could potentially be the last piece of the 76ers future core, along with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. I expected them to make this pick, since I believe they need a facilitator to help out all other positions. With the 3rd pick, the Celtics selected small forward Jayson Tatum from Duke. One of the best scorers in the class, Tatum’s tremendous 6’8” frame paired with his athleticism could be just what Boston needs to defeat the Cavaliers. With the 7th pick, the Bulls selected center Lauri Markkannen from Arizona State, a floor-spacing threat at 7’0” tall. He has the potential to become one of the best shooting centers in the NBA, but still has work to do around the post. In free agency, J.J. Redick signed with the 76ers for one year, $23 million. Kyle Lowry returned to the Raptors on a three-year deal worth nearly $100 million. Finally, All-Star Gordon Hayward signed with the Celtics for four years, $128 million. The Celtics have once again risen to the top. I still do not think they have a chance of defeating the reigning NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors. The biggest rivals are often between teams in the same conference, such as the Wizards and the Celtics, or the Cavs and Raptors. The Eastern Conference is no exception; therefore, the main focus is being the top seed in either the east or west. Last year, The Celtics earned the top position, followed by the Cavaliers, Raptors, Wizards, and Hawks. The Cavaliers won the Eastern Conference in the playoffs, though they lost to the Warriors in the Finals. This year, I expect the Wizards to obtain the third seed, and the Raptors to fall to fifth. I believe the Bucks will earn the third seed, with one of my favorite players, Giannas Antetokounmpo, posting career highs. Though the Eastern Conference has 8 less average wins per team than the Western Conference, teams have an average of 1.49 wins in the difference of each seed, compared to the West’s 2.31. Glenelg ninth grader Niko Garbis feels, “That with the addition of many high-performance players, the Eastern Conference will become even more competitive and therefore even more entertaining and exciting.” Hopefully he is right. With many new faces, jerseys, and rivalries, this NBA season should be one to remember. By McKenna Rueter
The Glenelg Field Hockey team comes back together to fight their way to the top after a devastating loss against Hereford in the 2016-2017 State Semifinals. Facing off against their usual rivals in the county, the team is making strides for a promising season with the state’s title in their sights. With sixteen new faces to the Varsity team, Glenelg will be coming out with a new image to start this year’s season. Head Coach, Nicole Trunzo comments on the leadership seen seen on the field as she has “a small Seniors class this year lots with underclassmen stepping up to work together with the Seniors to become a stronger team.” With such a young team, spectators and opponents question the team’s ability to perform. Senior captains Paige Reese, Maddy O’Brien along with Junior captain Jenny Giampalmo plan to lead the team to prove them wrong through their skill and fierce competition. The Gladiators will be facing some tough competitors this season such as, Severna Park, Broadneck, and Marriotts Ridge. Over the years, the bracket has increased in difficulty, adding tough 4A schools to challenge Glenelg. 4A are higher ranked out of county teams that have been added to the Gladiator’s bracket. Facing Severna Park and Broadneck will require Glenelg to fight hard to show their full potential. Going into the season with the image of a power house, a big target was painted on the team’s back. Although the Gladiators were beat by Severna Park and Broadneck, these games forced the girls to play their hearts out and strive for their personal bests. Transitioning from nail biter games with 4A schools to in county games the Gladiators are on the road for domination. Well into the 2017-2018 season the team has proved itself to be a thriving and strong competitor of the county with many wins. Playing games near and far, Glenelg continues to dominate the competitors. With hard work, dedication, and grit Glenelg Field Hockey can make history. By Justin Robertson
In what was considered to be one of the most boring games of the year, the week three matchup between the San Francisco Forty-Niners and the Los Angeles Rams turned out to be a candidate for the most breathtaking game of the year. After leaning on Todd Gurley’s three touchdown performance in the first half, the Rams lead by 11. After the half, the Niners made an astonishing comeback that included an onside kick recovery, two Carlos hyde touchdowns, and 19 fourth quarter points. However, this was not enough, as the Rams won the game with a final score of 41-39. After four weeks of the NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, and the Los Angeles Rams are the leaders in their divisions, while the NFC North has a two way tie for first place between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. In what is perceived as one of the toughest divisions of football, the NFC East is looking very competitive, with the Philadelphia Eagles surprisingly in the lead, but the local Washington Redskins are not far behind. After losing last year’s Super Bowl, in what was one of the biggest collapses of all time, the Atlanta Falcons have looked like one of the most dominant teams in the NFL. Just like last year, Atlanta has a very explosive offense with a young and talented defense. Through four games, quarterback Matt Ryan has led the Falcons offense to a 3-1 record, while being in the top four in the NFL for total yards. The NFC West once again looks like a poor division, however the Rams have taken the lead for first. The Rams have looked like a completely different football team than last year, with a new head coach and sophomore quarterback, Jared Goff. While the Rams have excelled this year, Seattle, a usual super bowl contender, has struggled mightily, having a record of 2-2 after four weeks. Finally, the Detroit Lions have looked like one of the league's’ best defensive teams, creating an NFL leading 11 takeaways. When asked about the best team in the NFC, Glenelg Sophomore Cole Miller exclaimed, “Both the Packers and the Falcons have looked great so far, but because of Atlanta’s more young and promising defense, Atlanta has looked like the best team in the NFC so far.” While these teams are having success, other teams and individuals are not so lucky. It did not take long for star players, such as David Johnson, to seriously get injured. Johnson, one of the most premiere running backs in the league, injured his wrist in the Cardinals’ week one game against the Detroit Lions. The injury required surgery and Johnson is now not expected to return until December, hurting the Cardinals’ playoff chances. While injuries can be a cruel cost of playing in the NFL, some of them have allowed rookies to jump up in the depth chart and contribute to their team's success. For most players, they are already in full rhythm after three weeks of the 2017 NFL season, but for the 2017 NFC rookie class the journey has just begun. From learning playbooks to handling the pressure of being the face of their franchises, the first year for rookies is often the hardest. While most rookies need a year or two to come to their full skill level, some have already shown flashes of their potential. Second round pick, Dalvin Cook, for the Minnesota Vikings has already looked like a rookie of the year candidate. Through four weeks, Cook has racked up 444 total yards and two touchdowns, helping the Vikings jump to a record of 2-2. However, even the young Cook could not escape injuries, as he tore his ACL in week four, and is now out for the year. Eagles rookie kicker Jake Elliott has also shown what he can do on the field. After an injury to the original Eagles’ kicker, Philadelphia signed Elliott on September 12. The fifth round pick started his season off a little shaky, missing a two field goals in two starts, but he quickly redeemed himself, nailing a 61 yard field goal in week three to beat the Giants as time expired. With nearly a fourth of the season finished, the NFC is shaping to be very thrilling. The teams currently first in their divisions have looked exceptional, however, there is still plenty of time for the teams behind to catch up. All it takes is an injury to a key player, or a rookie to live up to their potential, for a team to jump up in the standings, and hopefully go all the way to Super Bowl LII. By David Toronto
The home run. This day and age in the MLB, clubs really rely on the long ball. The Baltimore Orioles did not disappoint by blasting 232 homeruns this season. The Orioles offense is one of the best in the entire MLB. The stellar infield consists of 2x Gold Glove winner Manny Machado, 2x home run leader Chris Davis, former #1 overall pick Tim Beckham, and the new breakout second baseman Jonathan Schoop, Schoop had an all-star season, he batted .293 with 32 home runs and also 105 RBIs. Superstar third baseman, and Schoops’ best friend, Manny Machado was a great leader all season and made a valiant effort to push this team into the second wildcard spot for the 2017-2018 pennant chase. Machado lead the team in homeruns with 33, not to mention his 95 RBI’s. The slugger himself “Crush” Davis, had a solid 26 homer season even though he was on the DL for a month of the Orioles season. He is still the king of strikeouts and with nearly 200 he is 3rd in the MLB in that category. The new shortstop acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays, Tim Beckham, has flourished in Camden Yards. Twenty seven year old Beckham has hit 10 home runs and 26 RBIs so far batting leadoff. Beckham will be a staple in Baltimore with the aging J.J Hardy on the last legs of his career. The O’s outfield is no joke either. New 11-million dollar man Mark Trumbo didn’t live up to his 47 homerun season in 2016. He only had 23 home runs and 65 RBI’s in his 2017- 2018 campaign as the Orioles right fielder. The rookie Tre Mancini is making his case for A.L Rookie of the year. Mancini batted .293 with 24 homers and 78 RBIs. Mancini, or Boom-Boom, has been the spark plug the Orioles needed to make a run for the postseason. Also, Adam Jones has been holding down center field for the O’s for nine years and he shows no signs of slowing down. The 5x All-Star batted .285 with 26 home runs and 73 RBIs. Jones has had an amazing streak of seven consecutive seasons with 20 or more home runs, with a career high 33 in 2013. The Orioles offense continues to impress and will keep doing more of the same with the bright young players in their clubhouse. The Orioles pitching has been the main problem for the club. Their bullpen has been one of the best the past couple of years with the emergence of Michael Givens and Brad Brach. But Orioles favorites Darren O’Day and Zach Britton have been outstanding out of the bullpen for many years. But most of the starters for the Orioles have not been good at all in the 2017-2018 season. Chris Tillman battled injuries this year and had a record of 1-7. Wade Miley, the southpaw acquired last year from the Seattle Mariners, had an up and down season with a record of 8-15. Ubaldo Jiménz is not much better either with the record of 6-11. There are a few bright spots in the Orioles starting rotation. One bright spot is Kevin Gausman, Gausman had a slow start but he has really picked it up down the stretch with a record of 11-12. The ace of this rotation, Dylan Bundy, has been the best starting pitcher for the Orioles this year. With a record of 13-9 he has been mostly dominate this year. Bundy has been getting extra rest with the crowded rotation ever since the trade for Jeremy Helickson the day before the MLB trade deadline. Although the Orioles lost swiss-army knife Hyun-Soo Kim in the deal, Bundy has excelled with time off. He pitched for a complete game against the Seattle Mariners only allowing 1 hit while striking out 12 batters. The postseason chances slipped away from the Orioles this year. There is a bright future with lots of young talent still waiting to be called up from the minor leagues. Mitchell Walker, A freshman at Glenelg High School, believes, “The Orioles will be a great team in the future. They had a good season but it could have been better. I have been a fan all my life and I’m looking forward to what this team has to offer.” Orioles fans have a lot to look forward to from the home run hitting rookies, to the fireball throwing young pitchers. This team has only one goal going forward , a third World Series Championship. By Torin Alexander
The Maryland Terrapins have impressed many with their recent play, starting 2-1. The Terps, coming off an abysmal 3-6 conference record, have showed potential as they head into the middle of the season. Though they are not ranked, it seems that Maryland has a bright future with their new roster. But what made this team become a fan favorite? What seems to have happened over night, has taken years to achieve. We’re going to take an inside look of why Maryland has become a dark horse in college football. New Coach During the season of the 2015-2016, the Terrapins had fired the previous coach, Randy Edsall, after having a 22-34 record over 5 seasons. Unfortunately, things went from bad to worse over the next 3 years. Maryland continued to have losing seasons with their current coach, D.J. Durkin. In his case, Durkin never really had anything to work with.He had to deal with many problems, like a below average team and complications with the coaching staff that was created by Edsall. Its understandable that he has overall record of 7-7 with a team that has been playing at such a low-level of football for the last 5 years. Recruitments In the spring of 2016, Maryland was able to acquire 4 star recruit Kasim Hill, who is the starting quarterback, and also Anthony Mcfarland who was the 2nd best recruit in Maryland, having multiple offers including Alabama. Right now, Mcfarland is a third string due to inexperience, but people can understand his potential heading into future. Kevin Contreras, a Junior at Glenelg, states, “I think Mcfarland will contribute nicely to the team, it's only a matter of time before he starts to show his true talent.” Clearly, many Maryland football fans are excited to see the new recruitment class bring a new era of Maryland football. With Hill and Mcfarland showcasing the possible future for Maryland, fans of the team are enthusiastic for the upcoming seasons. Because of the new recruitments and a new coaching staff the Maryland team has the ability to prove something this year. Whether it results in a bowl game or even an improvement from last years record, the Terps have acquired talents that have the ability to influence the entire team.This was proven in their first game against Texas who was ranked 23rd at the time. Many people were shellshocked by the win because the last time the team won a game against a ranked team was 7 years ago against the Russell Wilson led Wisconsin Badgers. Chris Patchen, a Senior, thinks “It's a fantastic win for Maryland. To beat a ranked team shows improvement and potential.” To conclude, the Maryland Terps are now seen as an incoming threat to the future college football. Though most teams improve by recruiting top notch players, Maryland is showing a new way of becoming an elite team. By building the roster than just continuing to recruit, the team can grow together than just being shadowed by one or two people. With recruitments that have the potential to be great and recurring players that improved over the offseason, it's safe to say that the Terps are finally in good hands. By Ryan Hack
The NFL season kicked off on September 7, 2017 with a long lasting battle between the Kansas City Chiefs and the defending Super Bowl Champions, the New England Patriots. The Chiefs were able to pull ahead with a touchdown at the end of the third quarter, moving on to win 42-27 to start off the season. The rest of the week one games took place Sunday and Monday night. The New England Patriots have made the playoffs in 13 of the past 14 years, only missing them in 2008. According to Junior, Daulton Der, the Patriots have been good for such a long time because “Bill Belichick is a great coach, and he gives Tom Brady the weapons he needs to do his thing.” The AFC East also includes the improving Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, along with the New York Jets. The Dolphins lost their quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, to an ACL injury, so they signed Jay Cutler to lead the team. The Buffalo Bills are coming off a mediocre season, when they finished 8-8, and were able to take a 21-12 victory week one against their division rival, the New York Jets. The Jets have been falling in the standings over the years, and are now arguably the worst team in the league, not making the playoffs since 2010. The AFC North was a close race between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens in 2016. The Steelers won the division after beating Baltimore in week sixteen last year, with a touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Antonio Brown with nine seconds left in the game. Pittsburgh went on to the AFC championship before falling to the Patriots. The Ravens added multiple players over the offseason to improve the defense, including safety, Tony Jefferson, and cornerback, Brandon Carr. On offense, Baltimore signed running back, Danny Woodhead, and wide receiver, Jeremy Maclin. The Ravens have not been to the playoffs since 2014, but hope to start another streak of playoff appearances in 2017. The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns both ended last season with a losing record, but had quality drafts. The Bengals took the fastest receiver in NFL combine history, John Ross, with the ninth pick overall, while the Browns had three first-round selections, adding defensive end, Myles Garrett, safety, Jabrill Peppers, and tight end, David Njoku. Over the past couple of seasons, the AFC South has been a close race between multiple teams, usually including the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Tennessee Titans. The Texans won the division in 2016, but mainly from the decline in talent from the Colts, after losing quarterback, Andrew Luck periodically throughout the season. Andrew Luck has been out the first two weeks of the season, and will continue to be out for the next couple of weeks, so backups Scott Tolzien and Jacoby Brissett will get the starts. The Titans are becoming a playoff quality team after going 2-14 just three years ago, led by quarterback, Marcus Mariota. The Jaguars are in the rebuilding process, so they are not expected to be one of the major standout teams moving forward in the 2017 season. Lastly, the AFC West is the tightest division in the entire conference. Both the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders are capable of winning the division. According to Junior, Patrick Held, the Kansas City Chiefs have excelled in the division because of “the battle between Patrick Mahomes and Alex Smith. It makes Smith work harder to keep his spot as starting quarterback, resulting in him playing better.” The Raiders are led by Derek Carr, and his weapons on offense including Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree make him complete his job better and easier. The Los Angeles Chargers can put up a decent fight, but have been falling apart each game late fourth quarter, preventing them from excelling in the division. Lastly, the Denver Broncos have gone downhill since their Super Bowl victory a couple of years back, but are also a team that could fight for a wild card spot. Through the first five weeks, the Kansas City Chiefs are the only undefeated team, while most teams are sitting at a 2-3 or 3-2 record. As it has been so far, the 2017 NFL season will continue to be something to look forward to, as it will be another close battle between many teams. By Liam Day and Philip Johnson
Another year, another season of the Alabama Crimson Tide being on top. The Tide was ranked number one in the country to start the season for the second straight year and the fourth time in eight years. They then kicked off week one with a dominant victory over Florida State who was ranked #3 at the time. Bama bested the Seminoles in every facet of the game and came away with a commanding 24-7 victory. Head Coach Nick Saban wanted the game to serve as an example to the rest of the country that Bama is back, and perhaps better than ever. The Tide followed the Florida State win with a 41-10 home win over Fresno State, a 41-23 win over Colorado State, and the 59-0 obliteration of Vanderbilt. Sice then they have blown out Ole Miss 66-3 and won a tough fight at Kyle Field when they beat Texas A&M 27-19. So what makes Alabama so good? How far can Saban’s team go? And who can step up to stop them? For the past ten years Nick Saban has created a championship atmosphere at Alabama; players expect to win every game. It has been dubbed the NFL factory after putting out first-round picks year after year. The Tides credentials make many like Glenelg teacher Mr. Johnson believe they will win the championship every year “With the crazy talent they possess on that team, you see why they win almost every year. I don't see why they won't keep winning the next few years”. This 2017 team is no different. With five and four star recruits across the board, especially on the defensive side of the ball, many believe this Tide team is one of the best. Offensive stars Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris, Calvin Ridley, and Ross Pierschbacher pave the way for the Tides dominant offense. With sophomore Quarterback Jalen Hurts coming off a Heisman candidate season, and reportedly making offseason improvements the media dubbed “stagnant Bama offense” will be rejuvenated and firing on all cylinders. With the New England Patriots former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, now calling the plays, the Tide look, to show the country their now dangerous on both sides of the ball. With all these weapons at their disposal, who could potentially take down the Tide? Coming off a huge win at top ranked Ohio State, the Sooners and Heisman candidate quarterback Baker Mayfield look to be the best team to challenge Bama right now. Oklahoma is perhaps the only team that suffered minimal damage due to players entering the draft. Stopping the powerhouse Alabama would be a Cinderella story this year and Oklahoma quarterback Mayfield is exactly that. As a former walk-on to Texas Tech, Mayfield was laid off after an injury when backup QB Clayton Nicholas shined in his position. He immediately transferred to Oklahoma and asked coach Riley for a tryout and weeks later he was the starting quarterback. Oklahoma is currently ranked #3 in the country with a punishing defense only giving up 12 points per game. Even with a gunslinger under center , Oklahoma may not need Mayfield to be spectacular to take down the Tide. With all the hype around Bama and the Sooners, many college football fans and analysts alike have overlooked the defending champion Clemson Tigers. That in part is due to the 9 players being drafted off last years team, most notably quarterback Deshaun Watson. However head coach Dabo Swinney has another talent filled roster this year and boasts arguably the nation's best defensive line. With potential first round picks Dexter Lawrence, Austin Bryant, Christian Wilkins all on the defensive line and a solid secondary behind them teams better watch out for the Tigers on their mission to repeat. On the offensive side Junior quarterback patiently waited two years behind Deshaun Watson for the starting job and he got it after a battle for the spot took all summer. He impressed many with his 3 touchdown performance in Clemson's first marquee win this season in a controlling 47-21 win over the Louisville Cardinals. Clemson's great lay early has their fans confident. Avid Tigers fan Mr. Kinloch expressed this sentiment “Oh I think were not only going to run the table but we’ll win the ACC, get the #1 seed for the playoffs ,and beat Alabama handily again”. Even though the Tide did not win the championship last year they are still clearly the team to beat. However the Tide are used to this feeling of having a target on their back more than any other team in football. As the 2017 season pans out teams will come to the forefront and teams will fade away but the question still remains. Who can take down the Tide? By Garrett Athey and Reagan Ahlquist
The MLB Postseason is coming up soon and the final teams are being decided. The current teams set to play from the American League include the Boston Red Sox, the Cleveland Indians, and the Houston Astros. The National League teams include the Washington Nationals, the Chicago Cubs, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The wild card teams were the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins in the American League, and the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Colorado Rockies in the National League. However, the Yankees beat the Twins 8-4, and the Diamondbacks beat the Rockies 11-8. These were the best teams from each division as they beat out the rest of the competition. With the World Series taking place in late October, these teams will battle it out to play in the championship game. In the American League the Cleveland Indians went on a historic run, winning 22 games straight which is the longest streak in the history of the American League. The Minnesota Twins are the biggest surprise to make the playoffs according to Senior Eddie Liembach, “It was a good season for the Twins because they made history by being the only team to lose 100+ games and come back the next season and make the playoffs..” The Houston Astros barely missed the playoffs last year, but have added more depth to their team in the offseason. They acquired ace pitcher Justin Verlander at the trade deadline helping them into the postseason with his stellar pitching. The Boston Red Sox got swept in the playoffs last year by the Cleveland Indians, but hope to prevent another sweep in the playoffs this year. They acquired Cy Young contender pitcher, Chris Sale, who is leading the league in strikeouts and innings pitched. The Cy Young is awarded to the best pitcher in the American and National League every season. The Yankees were carried this year by rookie sensation Aaron Judge who has been a powerhouse all season. Senior Brenden Rose said, “Judge was the most dominant player this season due to his incredible 52 home runs.” In the National League, The Dodgers, who finished 104-58, have the MLB’s best record and it is one of the best records in MLB history thanks to rookie sensation Cody Bellinger, who was an all star and led all National League rookies in homeruns. The Washington Nationals have been propelled with their pitching; last year’s Cy Young winner Max Scherzer is having another Cy Young caliber season. Last year’s World Series Champions, the Chicago Cubs, have made the playoffs once again as they hope to repeat. The Arizona Diamondbacks have made the playoffs for the first time since 2011 thanks to ace pitcher Zack Greinke having a comeback year. The Colorado Rockies have finally improved their pitching staff and can make a good run, they were one of the worst in baseball for the past few seasons. Each team had remarkable seasons, but only one can win the World Series in November. Fans are in for a treat for the World Series as each team is fun to watch and the star players are on display. The series will be an exciting one no matter who the teams are. |
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