OT: NILish related: How much do you care?

Called3rdstrikedawg

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May 7, 2016
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% of income isn’t a measuring stick for how much you care. I care way too much but I’m limited in what I can give.
I think this is a significant % of our fan base. It is unfortunate, but I'm quite sure a large number of us, especially those who "used" to give and buy gear and tickets and spend hard earned money toward " fan support" of the Bulldogs, are essentially living pay check to pay check or close to it. Now, those of us who still pay bills and car notes and house notes even though we are in our retirement years but still work to make ends meet are at our own fault for not being more responsible like some of you. Someone mentioned tithing. I can assure you I am one of those former heathens that took money meant for the offering plate and used it following or buying tickets for MSU sporting events. I believe athletes are extremely over coddled, especially now. And they are indeed taking advantage of the situation. Anyone that thought NIL was going to be used as designed or was going to remotely level the playing field, should definitely be ready to accept that programs like MSU today are where Southern Miss was 20 years ago. Except the race to the bottom is exceedingly faster now than 20 years ago. Where are our multi-million $ donors that our Rivals have ponying up? Stop begging the common fans who love State but plainly cannot afford the NIL that it will take to remain competitive. The Bell Cows of College Football have proved they not only have the means to destroy the sport financially, but they have resoundly stated they have no problem doing it to get to that Super League they have always wanted with no regulations on how much money can be spent to remain at the TOP!
 

mcdawg22

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2004
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Just a little food for thought RE: Bulldog Club vs NIL
Right now Zavion Thomas and Will Rogers aren’t making a dime off of NIL, but BC contributions are paying Zach Arnett over a million dollars a year to be a defensive analyst at Ole Miss.
 
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Perd Hapley

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Sep 30, 2022
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I'm convinced State fans don't care if they lose their athletic programs and their school becomes an afterthought. You have to view NIL as helping your school.
The way I see it, we’ve already lost football…..whatever part of it ever mattered, anyway. Basketball isn’t far behind.

Baseball is about all that’s left, but its rapidly getting tainted as well.

The school becoming an afterthought? Not really sure what that means. An afterthought to who?
 

DoggieDaddy13

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Dec 23, 2017
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Allow me to continue to beat this horse:

We know college football matters not a whit in the Almighty's grand scheme for our lives.

I had an epiphany Saturday evening: The NIL, the Portal, Lane Kiffin are like the fire God brought down on Sodom and Gomorrah.

Repent!
 
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The Cooterpoot

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Sep 29, 2022
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The way I see it, we’ve already lost football…..whatever part of it ever mattered, anyway. Basketball isn’t far behind.

Baseball is about all that’s left, but its rapidly getting tainted as well.

The school becoming an afterthought? Not really sure what that means. An afterthought to who?
It means it falls off the map without P4 athletic status. You no longer are a part of the SEC and attendance will fall off tremendously. You lose academic programs. You become USM, a local suitcase college.
 

The Peeper

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Feb 26, 2008
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Just a little food for thought RE: Bulldog Club vs NIL
Right now Zavion Thomas and Will Rogers aren’t making a dime off of NIL, but BC contributions are paying Zach Arnett over a million dollars a year to be a defensive analyst at Ole Miss.

I don't believe Bulldog Club donations can go to pay for Arnett according to this, its a 501(c)(3). That's why you always hear about deep pocket donors and companies paying off contracts. You CPS's correct me if I'm wrong:

"Most importantly, organizations that hold 501(c)(3) status must not serve any private interests, and their earnings must be used for charitable purposes only. In addition, all assets are permanently dedicated to a charitable purpose. 501(c)(3) organizations are highly regulated entities. Strict rules apply to both the activities and the governance of these organizations to ensure they truly fulfill their IRS-defined purposes."
 

mcdawg22

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Sep 18, 2004
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I don't believe Bulldog Club donations can go to pay for Arnett according to this, its a 501(c)(3). That's why you always hear about deep pocket donors and companies paying off contracts. You CPS's correct me if I'm wrong:

"Most importantly, organizations that hold 501(c)(3) status must not serve any private interests, and their earnings must be used for charitable purposes only. In addition, all assets are permanently dedicated to a charitable purpose. 501(c)(3) organizations are highly regulated entities. Strict rules apply to both the activities and the governance of these organizations to ensure they truly fulfill their IRS-defined purposes."
From an article.
Notably, Lebby has a duty to mitigate the buyout owed to him by both the Bulldog Club and the university by finding employment elsewhere after his firing.

The same was true for Arnett, who was fired before the conclusion of the 2023 season. Arnett now works as an analyst at Ole Miss, where he earns $67,800 annually.
 

Perd Hapley

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It means it falls off the map without P4 athletic status. You no longer are a part of the SEC and attendance will fall off tremendously. You lose academic programs. You become USM, a local suitcase college.
So, if we’re in a conference with TCU, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Iowa State, SMU, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, and so forth….we’re going to fall off the map? Doubt that.

As far as attendance, its already falling off, and has been for awhile. Attendance no longer really matters as we rapidly approach these $75-$100 million TV contracts. That gap between a 75% full and 100% full stadium is a drop in the bucket.

As far as academic programs and enrollment, that’s already been discussed. Everyone’s going over the cliff in 4-5 years. Everyone’s going to be cutting programs. And in MSU’s case, that might not be the worst thing for them to get rid of niche programs that don’t result in very lucrative job offers at graduation.

None of it really matters anyway. Everything is far too gone to be saved at this point. 10 years from now, we’ll either be out of the SEC entirely, or we’ll remain as members, but at a much lower revenue share than most other members, which is just going to put us even further behind. There just isn’t a viable path forward.
 

BulldogBlitz

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Dec 11, 2008
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I'm in an odd spot...I'm 7 hours east of Starkville, and am at 0 for NIL and whatever my annual is for BC and academic $$$s. However, if we were in the vicinity, I'd have me a store spokesman from one of the teams. Heh.
 
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Bulldog from Birth

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Jan 23, 2007
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I would have the ability to be a consistent monthly small donor without hardship. But I just can’t get there. I will continue to give to the Bulldog Club and have never had an issue giving there because it felt like I was investing in my Alma Mater. Even if it’s to pay a coach’s salary, it just felt like with that you were making a long term investment to someone who had a long term stake in your program. Honestly, if it were an NIL environment where players spent 3-4 years at your school, grew and developed, and we were all invested in the same goal, I’d likely donate. But this system is a joke. I don’t know who any of our players are. And I have zero belief that many of them will be around next year. It just feels icky to spend money that could be used to better my family just so some 19 year old can drive a nicer car or wear nicer jewelry than I’ll ever buy, just to ditch us for a few more nickels from someone else the next year. I just can’t get there personally. But I’m glad many other Bulldogs can. It’s a repulsive system but the one we have to operate in until it’s fixed.
 

8dog

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Feb 23, 2008
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And there was yet another anti trust suit filed by former players this week. I don’t know how the former player NIL issue ever ends.
 

Wesson Bulldog

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Nov 3, 2015
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This is me. NIL was intended for the players to be able to earn $ off their Name, Image, and Likeness (duh). This should be a two party system, not three. Someone benefits off a player's NIL, and they pay that player for it. Us fans are not benefitting one cent off a player, but we're expected to be the ones to pay them so the University can continue to reap the benefits? The whole system is FUBAR, and I want no part of it. If that makes me a bad fan then so be it. I have a million things that my money is better used for than to pay to recruit a football player who might play for us one season before he bolts.

To answer the OP, I care about 1%. I watch our games, I root for us to win, but I don't get upset when we don't, and I don't care enough to donate even $1. My money isn't going to fix anything, or make anything better. If I had millions, and could donate enough to make a splash, maybe I'd care a lot more. But in the grand scheme of things, whether or not State wins football games matters very very little in the quality of my life.
What he said^^^
 

DAWGSANDSAINTS

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Oct 10, 2022
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I give about 25% more now in 2024 to the Bulldog Club than I did the first year I contributed.
I have not given any to NIL that I’m aware of but I told them in a letter with my check to with it what was best.
The secretary who opened it may have gone shopping with it for all I know.
NIL is NOT by any stretch of the imagination what is was originally intended for so for that i said 17-it.
Not contributing to some 18 year old’s uncle Escalade payment.
 
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mcdawg22

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And there was yet another anti trust suit filed by former players this week. I don’t know how the former player NIL issue ever ends.
I saw that and of course knew it was coming.
1. You signed on the dotted line in 2010, Robinson and agreed to the stipulations that were in place then. I seriously doubt when EA reached out to you in 2013 and said we are putting you on the cover you didn’t say anything but Hell Yeah. It’s pretty telling that 10,000 players agreed to 600 and a free game.
2. Does this mean Travis Chapman can come back to State and say, now a starting IF gets a full ride, I only got 1/3, you owe me the difference because it has changed!
3. I left my company in 2018, and now they have a bonus program that pays 10% of my salary. I want that!!!
 
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Ranchdawg

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Dec 13, 2012
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I am also currently at 0%. I have honestly lost interest in college football. I still watch it but just do not care anymore
I contribute to the Bulldog Club and that's all. NIL is supposed to be for advertisers to use players names, images and likeness. I refuse to pay for the rights because I'm never going to use them. I agree with hatfieldms. I hate the direction college sports are going and I'm tired of the "give until it hurts" attitude.
 

85Bears

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Jan 12, 2020
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How long was Arnetts contract
The way I see it, we’ve already lost football…..whatever part of it ever mattered, anyway. Basketball isn’t far behind.

Baseball is about all that’s left, but its rapidly getting tainted as well.

The school becoming an afterthought? Not really sure what that means. An afterthought to who?
Hundred of millions in tv revenue divided up but mom and pop peasant get to pay for NIL. Seems unjust. Privatize the profits and make the costs
Public. Same ole
 
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TrueMaroonGrind

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Jan 6, 2017
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I give zero. I’ve given just a bit here or there when they have done a funding drive only. Nothing significant. I’m still young and may give a little to whatever we are supposed to once I’ve gotten ahead. I mean I just paid off mine and my wife’s college a few years ago.

I struggle with contributing to something like NIL if I haven’t paid for my kids college or even simply saved enough for some goals that drastically impact my family’s life. I would love for us to be great in football but I just can’t justify it right now.
 

Dawghouse

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Sep 14, 2011
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What percentage of your monthly take home do you consider "worth it" to contribute to the success of MSU football?

It obviously means enough to everyone to be on a sports message board discussing/complaining/arguing about it and we are, after all, fans.

I'm just wondering if my current 0% is in the minority here?

ZERO.

I almost made it to the half of game 2, that's almost 4 1/2 hours of entertainment for the year. How much is that worth?

NFL is entertaining and they don't ask me to pay salaries, I just have to watch.
 

was21

Active member
May 29, 2007
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I’m also at $0.

And I’ll repeat what I’ve said previously, if my net income was $100 billion per year, it would still be $0. There’s nothing joyful or rewarding at all to me about reveling in the results of winning a fundraising competition more often than losing it. FBS football has been reduced to nothing more than that. It’s a nice flex for some to say “hey I got this guy here”. Good for them. Does nothing for me.

The whole thing is a giant lie. I won’t even type out or say “college football” anymore, because that’s a lie, too. These kids don’t study, go to class, or do a damn thing more than what has to happen to get paid. Which is no different from most of us in a lot of ways so I’m not hating on them personally, but there’s nothing “college” about it. It’s semi-pro football.

“NIL” is just another lie. All these individuals becoming millionaires off their “name, image, and likeness” are somehow faces that 99.9999999% of even the schools fans and alumni couldn’t pick out of a police line up, and have largely never heard of unless they actively sought them out through the real reason they are being compensated - that they are all, by the most amazing coincidence ever, really REALLY good at some sport. Like, way better than the best dude you ever saw on the intramural field or in a Sanderson pick up game. But, that’s not why they are being paid. It’s just that they are so damn marketable! They have the freshest imaginable social media takes, great fashion sense, and all that. Has nothing to do with anything else.

Student athlete = another lie. Nothing like getting ahead in your academic career and really making yourself stand out for future employers when transferring schools 3-4 times in 4-5 years. That’s what all the highly successful students I’ve ever known have done. You get a much deeper knowledge base from getting to take the same classes 2 or 3 times, due to credit hours not transferring over. Really broadens your perspective.
Thanks NIck.
 

Wesson Bulldog

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Nov 3, 2015
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My son is a sophomore ChemE major at State. He is on the Mad Dog rugby team. He receives all my NIL money. And, the team fundraises to buy equipment and make road trips. This weekend they are playing at Tenn. Tech, a 6 hr ride from Starkville. They are carpooling. I'm paying $150 for him to make the trip to play a game that he loves. We will make 4 trips to MSU for his rugby matches this fall and might make 2 football games.
 

85Bears

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Jan 12, 2020
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Unfortunately, as I found out last week for the eku game, that bucees stop will cost you time.

I'm disappointed that they didn't have some of my old favorites.
I keep telling my wife it’s a gas station, just a big gas station. it’s a giant 7-11.
 
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skipperDawg

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Dec 23, 2023
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Mannnn
I been giving s**t for 35 years..way before “paying players was legal “
Things never change..
Give $$$$ and we will put better products on field.
Nothing ever changed but MSU throwing out an above decent football team for a couple of years every now and then. If you youngsters think it’s gonna change if your lifetime, come see me , I got some beautiful ocean front property in Noxapator to sell you cheap.

Just good cheap entertainment boys.
 

skipperDawg

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Dec 23, 2023
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If you are not tithing a full 10% to your church, you need to be giving the rest to our football program.

If you are tithing a full 10% to your church, you're off the hook. But you should still try to contribute something so that one day we might win again.

If you are some sort of godless liberal democrat who does not believe in giving to a church, you should be giving 10% to our football program.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow and Hail State!
👏🏻
 

Chesusdog

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May 2, 2006
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What percentage of your monthly take home do you consider "worth it" to contribute to the success of MSU football?

It obviously means enough to everyone to be on a sports message board discussing/complaining/arguing about it and we are, after all, fans.

I'm just wondering if my current 0% is in the minority here?

0%. Between my extremely modest income, crushing debt, 2 year old son, and ever-growing apathy, I'm tapped out. I bought tickets. I drove 5 hours to be there and got hotek rooms for teo nights. I bought a ******* $100+ polo at Maroon & Co, and $30ish worth of concessions. I'm not giving money to some ******* kid who's just gonna go to LSU or some other ******** next year.

Some dubmass is gonna say that if we don't give then we won't compete. I say go beg Simmons, Prescott, Cox, Slay, Gay, or any of our other current or former pro players. My poor *** is just trying to ******* survive.
 

85Bears

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0%. Between my extremely modest income, crushing debt, 2 year old son, and ever-growing apathy, I'm tapped out. I bought tickets. I drove 5 hours to be there and got hotek rooms for teo nights. I bought a ******* $100+ polo at Maroon & Co, and $30ish worth of concessions. I'm not giving money to some ******* kid who's just gonna go to LSU or some other ******** next year.

Some dubmass is gonna say that if we don't give then we won't compete. I say go beg Simmons, Prescott, Cox, Slay, Gay, or any of our other current or former pro players. My poor *** is just trying to ******* survive.
Exactly its about a grand for a weekend. Thats a pretty good contribution to the program and
the community.
 
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ZombieKissinger

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I would have the ability to be a consistent monthly small donor without hardship. But I just can’t get there. I will continue to give to the Bulldog Club and have never had an issue giving there because it felt like I was investing in my Alma Mater. Even if it’s to pay a coach’s salary, it just felt like with that you were making a long term investment to someone who had a long term stake in your program. Honestly, if it were an NIL environment where players spent 3-4 years at your school, grew and developed, and we were all invested in the same goal, I’d likely donate. But this system is a joke. I don’t know who any of our players are. And I have zero belief that many of them will be around next year. It just feels icky to spend money that could be used to better my family just so some 19 year old can drive a nicer car or wear nicer jewelry than I’ll ever buy, just to ditch us for a few more nickels from someone else the next year. I just can’t get there personally. But I’m glad many other Bulldogs can. It’s a repulsive system but the one we have to operate in until it’s fixed.
This is where I'm at. If there was ever something like a tiered salary cap with strict transfer portal where I felt like donations were helping us compete, I'd do it. Current state has reduced the value of the product to me so much that I'd much, much rather put money toward debts and investments at this point in my life. I give to church as well. And, sure, I subscribe to a few streaming services and go out to eat, but I value those things a lot higher than donating in the current state of athletics. I also understand that it's possible we drop a tier before there's any change in the system, but I don't have enough line of sight to any change coming to motivate me, and I can ultimately live with that.
 
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turkish

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Aug 22, 2012
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What percentage of your monthly take home do you consider "worth it" to contribute to the success of MSU football?

It obviously means enough to everyone to be on a sports message board discussing/complaining/arguing about it and we are, after all, fans.

I'm just wondering if my current 0% is in the minority here?
Zero. Would never consider paying a penny beyond tickets to a game, TV fees (although I’ve minimized that lately, too).
 

Chesusdog

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May 2, 2006
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Exactly its about a grand for a weekend. Thats a pretty good contribution to the program and
the community.

You know the thing that really broke my spirit this time? In one of the damn gift shops looking at all the overpriced apparel and I decided to take a look at stuff for my boy because damn do I love to see him in some maroon and white.

Maroon sweatpants, size 2T, $45.

I mean I could almost justify it for an adult sized piece of clothing, but for a little kid's pants as long as my damn forearm? Ya'll will read my last two posts and think I'm some cheap ***. Maybe I am, I try to give more than I take in life, but those tiny sweatpants were the proverbial straw breaking my giveadamn back.
 

Dawghouse

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2011
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It's a dick swinging contest and we can't measure up.

Sure you have a good night every now and then or tricked one into bed but eventually you lose out to the guy with more money, doesn't matter that you were hotter or more satisfying, he was richer. It always matters who's richer.

TLDR - It always matters who is richer.
 
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Bulldawg77

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Dec 1, 2019
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Hard to believe that we have two threads on this board a thread on the premium board amoung threads on ED and that other site (247)that have state fans actually boasting about not giving a dime to NiL. It’s not my place to say anything about how you spend your money, but don’t post negative BS on a state board when you don’t do anything to help. You can hate it all you want but 10 bucks a week or 10 dollars a month is something we all can do and yes it does move the needle when we get a large portion of the fan base to do this.
 
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NukeDogg

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Mar 15, 2022
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I have no desire to use the name, image, or likeness of any MSU players.
As a result, I am giving 0%.
A much more succinct way of saying exactly what I feel (and posted) a page ago. Those that use their NIL should pay them for it, not me.
 
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