The PhinsiderThe PhinsiderA Miami Dolphins blog, for the fans, by the fans! Articles
Dolphins sign Donald Thomas
2008-05-24 01:27:00 [Editors Note by Matty I] This was originally posted by "JMFlyer" as a fanpost, but I bumped it up to the front page. Also, here's the official story from MiamiDolphins .com. [end note] Miami signed rookie 6th round pick Donald Thomas to a 4 year contract according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Thomas is expected to compete for a starting guard spot this season. Thomas was a former walk on at Connecticut. He is the 5th of the Dolphins 9 picks to sign. Only Phillip Merling, Chad Henne, Kendall Langford, and Shawn Murphy remain unsigned. No other NFL team has more than 1 player signed. Nice work by the front office! Dolphins sign Thomas More About: Sign
Around The AFC East: New York Jets
2008-05-23 19:30:00 It's time for the 3rd and final installment of this week's "Around The AFC East ." And to help us out, Brian Bassett of The Jets Blog is helping us out. Below is his response to my question. Head over to his site to see how I responded to his question. Matty I: To say the Jets spend some money this off-season would be an understatement. So which of the big acquisitions do you think will make the biggest impact on the team in 2008? Brian Bassett: For me, it's Alan Faneca at Left Guard and Kris Jenkins at Nose Tackle. The Jets missed Pete Kendall's presence in 2007 between LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson and C Nick Mangold, both now entering their third year. Brick had some memorable games, like the one in which he held court at home against Jason Taylor, but as the season wore on, the line was more and more outmatched. The Left Guard position stranded D'Brickashaw into allowing far too many sacks, and turning the team's running game lopsided ... More About: New York , York , New York Jets
Around The AFC East: New England Patriots
2008-05-23 16:30:00 Moving on to the 2nd installment of this week's "Around The AFC East ," we now turn our attention to the New England Patriots . And helping us out is the relatively new blogger over at Pats Pulpit (who is doing a hell of a job, by the way), MaPatsFan. His response to my question is below. Head over to his site to see how I responded to his question. Matty I: I haven't really talked with you about last season's Super Bowl, so let's start with that game. Seemingly everybody thought the Pats would win that game and complete the perfect season. What exactly went wrong in that game? Do you blame the offensive line the most for not keeping Tom Brady protected? Are the coaches also to blame for not really making any adjustments? MaPatsFan:From a philosophical level, I think the Patriots bought into the hype. They were the heir apparent to the "Perfect Season" crown and paid the price. NE came to put the crowning achievement on their ... More About: New England Patriots , New England
Around The AFC East: Buffalo Bills
2008-05-23 06:15:00 Last year, to help pass the time of the NFL's "dead season, " we had a feature every Friday until the start of the season called "Around The AFC East ." It was a chance to talk about some of our divisional rivals and hear what their thoughts were about the upcoming season. From what I could tell from some comments and a few e-mails, it was rather popular. Well it's back for 2008. Every Friday, each of the AFC East SB Nation sites will exchange questions and comments about carious topics. And though we don't have a Jets blog at the moment, we were lucky enough to get Brian Bassett from the premier Jets site on the net, The Jets Blog, to help us out. So to get us started, let's talk Buffalo Bills . And to do that, we enlist the help of Brian Galliford from Buffalo Rumblings. Below is his response to my question. You can head over to his site to see my response to his Dolphins-related question. Matty I: It seems like the Bills have really add...
Possible destination for Taylor: San Diego?
2008-05-23 05:08:00 What should come as no surprise to anybody, the Jason Taylor trade rumors are already circulating. On today's NFL Total Access on the NFL Network, Adam Schefter said that the Chargers have already begun exploring the possibility of trading for Taylor. Meanwhile, the Washington Post is reporting that the Dolphins have already turned down an offer from another team for Taylor: And, according to league sources, the Fins have already denied an overture for a fourth round pick for Taylor from one NFL team and may in fact holdout for at least a pick in the first three rounds. The paper also says the Redskins are not interested in Jason. So perhaps the unspecified team were the Chargers. However, a 4th rounder isn't going to cut it, nor should it. One idea that some have had is trading Taylor to San Diego for wide receiver Vincent Jackson (who the Chargers are reportedly shopping). Of course, a straight up player-for-player deal likely wouldn't be enough ... More About: Destination
Parcells likes Beck, but "does he have balls?"
2008-05-22 20:12:00 You know how I've been saying for quite some time now that I think this new regime does indeed like John Beck ? And remember how many people (especially the national media) believed that the selection of Chad Henne meant this new staff doesn't really like Beck? And remember how I disagreed, saying that passing on Henne at #32 was more of a signal that this regime liked Beck rather than the selection of Henne at #57 signaling they disliked him? Alright. I don't want to get ahead of myself. After all, it's still early. However, the Miami Herald's Greg Cote throws out this little nugget which may be overlooked by some because it's in a blog post about Jason Taylor: For what it's worth, someone I know very well knows someone who recently played golf with Bill Parcells. The subject of Beck came up. Tuna said he likes what he sees of Beck in terms of skills but needed to find out, "Does he have balls?" (Tuna's words). That means the Dolphins need to b... More About: Balls
OTA Thoughts
2008-05-22 06:15:00 Yesterday's Offseason Training Activity brings us a lot to talk about. And yet again, Jason Taylor has found a way to make himself the top headline - and he wasn't even there. As you all know, Tony Sparano told the media yesterday that's he's been informed Taylor will not be at any of the off-season activities and also does not plan on being in training camp once July rolls around. Instead, he wants to be traded. I don't want to continue to harp on this subject, but I did want to throw in my 2 cents. And basically, my thoughts on this are pretty basic. Jason Taylor is wrong here. He's now a liar, having written in his ESPN blog that he'd be in Miami for all the mandatory practices as well as having said on the radio that after this dancing stuff was done that he'd be back in Miami, and I'm having a hard time trying to convince myself of anything other than that Taylor is just dead wrong here. All he's doing now is tarnishing his reputati... More About: Thoughts
Jason Taylor to skip training camp, demands trade
2008-05-21 20:37:00 Head coach Tony Sparano, at his press conference today following an OTA, decided to tell the media exactly what's going on with this Jason Taylor saga. And it's getting ugly: "This is what I know and I'm glad we know this. We got new information and that's important. I know that Jason is not going to be at any OTAs [Organized Team Activities]. I know that Jason is not going to be at any minicamps. I know Jason is not going to be at training camp." "Jason is a player under contract with the Miami Dolphins. He knows that. Both parties are well aware of the information. That's all I'm going to say about it." It's also being reported that Taylor's agent has told the Dolphins on many different occasions that he will not be reporting to training camp for the Dolphins because he is demanding a trade. So now this is getting very ugly and it's going to be interesting to see who blinks first. Will it be Taylor, as he gets hit with a fine each day he misses training camp? ... More About: Demands , Training , Trade , Camp
The Idea of Leadership
2008-05-21 18:15:00 I really don't want to continue to harp on this Jason Taylor crap, but there's an interesting angle in all of this that I wanted to touch on. I saw this fanpost by "jvw" and it got me thinking. Should Taylor even be considered a leader anymore? Or are his "Hollywood dreams" getting in the way? Taylor writes in his ESPN.com blog: I know what the reaction's going to be: Oh, he's the leader of that team, and he needs to be there. But, see, there're different types of leadership in sports. There're guys that can talk all the time, and try to lead by saying: "Oh, this is what we need to do, let's go, rah, rah rah.'' They're rah-rah guys. And then they're guys, like me, who lead by example. And people are saying now, "Your example should be being there working out with the team.'' Well, at the end of the day, I will show up and I will do anything I need to do, and I will be the best football player I can be. Now to me, leading by example means just that: l... More About: Leadership , Idea
Comparing The Deals: Jake Long vs Matt Ryan
2008-05-21 06:15:00 Incase you missed it, the Falcons yesterday reached an agreement with the 3rd overall pick in the draft, Matt Ryan . And the deal is ridiculous. It's a 6 year, $72 million deal that includes $34.75 million in guaranteed money. Yes, that's right. Matt Ryan is getting $72 million from the Falcons as the #3 overall pick. And we wonder why the owners opted out of the current CBA. Consider this. Last season's #1 overall pick, JaMarcus Russell, signed a 6 year, $61 million deal which included $29 million in guarantees (that could increase up to $32 million). And he had to hold out until September 10 to get that deal. Matt Ryan, on the other hand, gets a deal that is worth $11 million more in total value and $5 million kore in guaranteed money less than 4 weeks after he was drafted 3rd overall. Not first. Third. Wow. OK. Let me take a deep breath before continuing. Alright. The point of this post, though, is no... More About: Long , Jake
Owners opt out of CBA
2008-05-20 22:05:00 I'm sure everyone has heard by now that the owners have voted unanimously to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement. This was widely expected because the owners feel like they gave up too much in this most recent labor deal. There's plenty of stuff that you can read about what this means or could mean, but let me try and simplify it. The 2008 season will remain unchanged. The 2009 season will also go on without any issues, with each team operating under a $123 million salary cap (roughly). The complications come in when the 2010 season rolls around. As it stands now, that would be an "uncapped" season, meaning there would be no set salary cap for teams to operate under. Here are some of the things you need to know if 2010 is played as an uncapped year: A player would need 6 years of NFL service before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Currently, a player only needs 4 years of service to become an UFA. What t... More About: Owners
Jason Taylor to miss this weekend's mini-camp
2008-05-20 17:30:00 Well we already knew that Jason Taylor likely wouldn't be in Miami until Thursday at the earliest because he has commitments to Good Morning America and Live with Regis and Kelly. Well, after those, he'll be flying back to Los Angeles to handle some things there, whatever that means. What it means to the Dolphins is that Taylor will not be at this weekend's first veteran mini-camp. Yes, it is voluntary and all, but I'll all but guarantee you he'll be the only veteran not at this camp. Here's what he writes for his ESPN.com blog: And a lot people are wondering if I'm then going to fly to Miami for Friday's voluntary minicamp. Well, I won't be there. I'm going to be in L.A. on Friday. Got some things to do there. I know what the reaction's going to be: Oh, he's the leader of that team, and he needs to be there. But, see, there're different types of leadership in sports. There're guys that can talk all the time, and try to lead by saying: "Oh, thi... More About: Mini , Miss , Camp
6 new Dolphins I'm most excited to see: Defensive edition
2008-05-20 06:15:00 We're now just 3 days away from the first veteran mini-camp under the new regime, which begins on Friday and runs through Sunday. The next round of OTAs are also underway. So with that in mind, it's time to talk about the new defensive players that I'm most excited/anxious to see on the field. You'll remember that I gave out my offensive list last week, and you can click here to revisit that. Below are the 6 new Dolphins on the defensive side of the ball that I can't wait to see: Phillip Merling - Besides just being the Dolphins top 2nd round pick (and the 32nd overall), there are other reasons to be excited or anxious to see him on the field. He was widely regarded as the best run-stopping defensive end in the draft and now he'll be attempting to learn a new position: the DE in a 3-4 scheme. Some also think Merling might be able to transition to the pass-rushing OLB spot in a 3-4. While I really don't see this as an option, it'll be inter... More About: Edition
Dolphins sign 3 rookies
2008-05-20 00:16:00 As "JMFlyer" points out in this diary, the Dolphins today signed 3 more rookies, bringing their total of signed draft picks to 4. The 3 they signed today are RBs Jalen Parmele and Lex Hilliard, and DE Lionel Dotson. Parmele and Hilliard were 6th round picks, while Dotson was a 7th rounder. The terms of the contracts weren't disclosed, but it's likely they each signed 3 year deals. As soon as I hear or read any figures, I'll pass them along. The Dolphins now have 4 draft picks signed while no other team in the NFL has even signed one. Kudos to this front office forworking quickly. The Dolphins also added an undrafted free agent, center Matt Spanos. Spanos is out of USC and started 9 games for the Trojans last season. More About: Rookies , Sign
Weekend Roundup
2008-05-19 06:03:00 I hope you all had a great weekend. Here's what you may have missed while you kept busy the past couple of days: JASON TAYLOR UPDATETonight Jason Taylor will compete in the finals of Dancing With The Stars. Yesterday, as "dolfanstanley" pointed out in this diary, Taylor was interview by ESPN for a "Sunday Conversation." You can watch this interview right here. The two most interesting tidbits from this are as follows. When asked about the perception that some fans have about Taylor skipping OTAs and the offseason workout program, Taylor had this to say: "I'll guarantee you this: I’m in 5 times better shape right now than I was the year I won Defensive Player of the Year." Then when asked how he thought he'd be remembered 10 years from now, either as an actor or a football player, Taylor responded: "Well I hope more for acting." So let's discuss this for a second. First, as far as missing the workout program and missing OTAs, I think the in... More About: Roundup , Weekend
Will Allen in trouble with the law
2008-05-17 22:54:00 Both the Palm Beach Post and the Sun-Sentinel are reporting that Will Allen may have been involved in a money dispute that might have resulted in Allen pulling a gun on somebody in the parking lot of a Bed, Bath & Beyond. The investigation by the Davie Police Department is still ongoing and no charges have been filed. The premise of this report is that there was a dispute over money in the parking lot. A report on local TV says that Allen had to borrow money to pay gambling debts. Then when the lender demanded repayment, Allen pulled a gun on him. Allen could potentially face discipline from the league if he's found guilty on any kind of gun charges. But it's important to note that nothing has been confirmed by the police. In fact, Lt. William Coyne says that there are varying stories on the incident: "There was a dispute over money between Will Allen and another gentleman. Both parties came to the police station and made a report." "We have two ...
Video Time: Old & New
2008-05-17 07:00:00 It's Saturday, so it's time to break out another video. Today I got two for you. One features an old Dolphin and the other features one of the newest Dolphins. First up is the new Dolphin. Below is Akin Ayodele, reporting from the Playboy Golf Tournament for Jim Rome Is Burning: So he seems like he's having a good time this off-season. To be honest, I've always thought of him as a pretty good player. But I never realized a) how big he is; and b) how outgoing he is. He should get along well with a lot of the current players (Channing Crowder comes to mind right away). Anyways, the 2nd video is after the jump... This next video is a classic catch (really, one of the best you'll ever see) by one of the most popular Dolphins over the past decade. It's Oronde Gadsden and his freakishly large hands making a remarkable catch against the Jets: So that's all for this week. Barring any breaking news, I'll see you back here Sun... More About: Video , Time
Dolphins waive Drew Mormino
2008-05-16 22:47:00 Today the Dolphins announced that they have waived guard/center Drew Mormino after failing his physical. Mormino was entering his 2nd season and was expected to compete for the starting guard spot opposite of Justin Smiley. Instead, Mormino (who spent the '07 season on IR) will be searching for a new job. For the Dolphins, this means a couple things. First, it shows that this new regime has no tolerance for players who are often injured. So everyone better get in shape and stay healthy. Second, it means Jake Long will get to wear the #77 that he wore at Michigan that was previously worn by Mormino. Most importantly, though, it means that, as of now, the two players competing for the remaining starting spot along the offensive line will be two rookies, Shawn Murphy and Donald Thomas, and the inexperienced Ikechuku Ndukwe. I'd also expect a veteran or two to join the competition by the time training camp rolls around. Thoughts on this move?
6 new Dolphins I'm most excited to see: Offensive edition
2008-05-16 06:15:00 Well in one week, the Dolphins will be holding their 2nd mini-camp. Though it is "voluntary," it's expected that most of the veterans will be in Davie for the camp. After all, with Bill Parcells in town, "voluntary" means "you better be there." This will be our 2nd chance to see the rookies and our first opportunity to see the other new players that this regime has brought in. So what I wanted to do was just talk about some of the players I'm most excited/anxious to see in a Dolphins uniform as we head towards training camp in July. Today we'll look at the offensive side of the ball and then we'll talk about the defensive side of the ball some time next week. The list isn't in any particular order and I'm sure everyone's list would be different, which is why I encourage you all to tell us who you are most excited to see. My offensive list is below: Chad Henne - Just because I'm a very vocal John Beck fan doesn't mean I hope Henne fa... More About: Edition
Quick Ronnie Brown Update
2008-05-15 18:04:00 Buried deep in the comments section of this blog post by the Sun-Sentinel's Harvey Fialkov is a nice little nugget that Harvey tells us about how Ronnie Brown is coming along. He writes: Ronnie is way ahead of schedule. He spoke to the rookies at the recent minicamp and they were impressed by Brown's size, particularly, Jalen Parmele. With an ACL, you never know how complete the rehab is until he starts cutting. He still has more than two months before he has to face that. Again, more great news regarding our ground game for 2008. Yesterday we heard that Ricky Williams was in great shape. Today we learn that Ronnie is still ahead of schedule with his rehab. Of course, it's still early and I don't think any of us should get our hopes up. There's a good chance that Ronnie could suffer some kind of setback once he does start cutting. It's important, though, that Ronnie not rush things. Having Ricky around will allow Ronnie to come back slowly... More About: Update , Quick
Thursday Nuggets
2008-05-15 06:15:00 DOLPHINS STARTING NEGOTIATIONSThe Miami Herald is reporting that the Dolphins, though they haven't reached out to either of their 2nd round picks yet, have indeed reached out to at least one of their draft picks. The agent for 7th round pick Lionel Dotson said the Dolphins have already delivered an offer. The agent, Kenny Zuckerman, believes that the Dolphins, with the people they have in place, are very comfortable in establishing the market if they have to. It seems like their primary concern is getting everybody in camp. Bruce Tollner, the agent for 6th round pick Jalen Parmele, also expects the Dolphins to come calling sooner rather than later. He believes that the Dolphins "will be on the front end of the signings." The most interesting of all the negotiations, though, will be with their first 2nd round pick, Phillip Merling. The intrigue here will be the fact that Merling was the 32nd overall pick. In any other year, that's the final pick ... More About: Thursday
Ricky excited for upcoming season
2008-05-15 02:51:00 One of the best pieces of news this off-season for all of us Dolphin fans has to do with Ricky Williams. Williams is reportedly in "tip-top shape" and is excited about this season. And for once, it seems that luck is on Ricky's side. You see, Cedric Benson invited Williams to spend a day on Lake Travis a few weeks back. Williams declined the invitation. And Benson? Well he had a rough day. That's the kind of change in luck that Dolphin fans are all hoping for out of their team. Last year was a very unlucky season, where the breaks all just seemed to go against them. But this year will hopefully be different. And some of that has to do with Ricky. Williams, who will be 31 next week, doesn't have the usual wear and tear that a typical 31 year old running back has. He'll also benefit from only having to share the workload, as he's expected to split carries with a healthy Ronnie Brown (at least, that's what Bill Parcells told h... More About: Season , Upcoming
The story that won't go away...because Jason Taylor will not let it
2008-05-14 06:15:00 I'm as sick of this story as anyone right now. But it just won't die, and this time that is thanks to Jason Taylor himself. In a blog for ESPN The Magazine, Taylor wrote the following: It'll be strange to see [Zach Thomas] in another uniform this coming season but that's the league nowadays. He'll go continue his legacy in Dallas, and I'll go and continue my legacy in…oh, I'm not talking about that right now. Continue your legacy where? Where, Jason? Tell us! Seriously, this is something he didn't have to write. This story had seemed to quiet down for now since the draft last month. But then Taylor, who is a smart guy, just had to add in that little part above. Think about it. Taylor could have easily said he'd be continuing his legacy in Miami, and then that would be that. And even if it wasn't true and he did still want out of South Florida, he could have just written "Miami" just to keep things quiet for now... More About: Story , The Story , Jason Taylor
First over/under for Dolphins win in 2008
2008-05-14 03:37:00 Sportsbook.com has released their over/under win totals for all NFL teams for the 2008 season. The Dolphins come in with the 2nd lowest total, with the win total for 2008 set at 5 1/2 wins. They are tied with the Chiefs, who are also pegged at 5 1/2 wins. The lowest total belongs to the Falcons, with 4 1/2 wins. As for the rest of the AFC East, the Patriots' total is set at 12. The Bills and Jets are both pegged at 7 1/2 wins. But back to the Dolphins. Five and a half is a tough play and both the over and the under pay out less than even money. I think most realistic Dolphin fans would tell you that 5 to 6 wins is probably what we should expect. So what do you think? If you HAD to bet, would you take the over or the under for the Dolphins in 2008? Poll Place your bets: Will the Dolphins go over or under 5 1/2 wins in 2008? Over Under 39 votes | Results
Kickin' It
2008-05-13 06:15:00 Yesterday in my "Weekend Roundup" post, I talked a little bit about the kicker situation. But I wanted to really get more into that because I think it's a lot more interesting than some realize. Last season, Jay Feely was about as reliable as they come when it came to field goals. He ranked 3rd among all kickers in the NFL with at least 10 field goal attempts with a 91.3% FG percentage, including connecting on all 13 field goals that were within 39 yards. Yes, reliability as a field goal kicker was a big time plus from Feely in 2007. However, that only tells half the story. The problem with Feely was with his kickoffs. Despite coming off of a career high in kickoff length (64.6 yds) in 2006 as well as never having a kickoff length less than 62 yards (which he did in his rookie year), Feely struggled mightily in '07. His kicks traveled an average of just 57.8 yards, which was good enough for 34th among all players who had at least 10 kickoffs.&nb...
Weekend Roundup
2008-05-12 06:15:00 I hope you all had a good weekend and a nice Mother's Day. Not too much going on right now. But that will change in about a week and a half when OTAs kick off in Davie. Meanwhile, here's what you may have missed from this past weekend: VETS ON THE BUBBLEThe Palm Beach Post's Tim Graham took a look at which veteran players might be cut prior to September. His full blog post can be read here. I just wanted to talk a little bit about the defensive names on this list because we haven't really touched on them yet like we did on the offensive side of the ball. Also note that Graham defines "veteran" as a player that is entering at least their 3rd year in the league. One of the first names on this list is Travis Daniels. And he'll likely be a big topic of discussion once camp rolls around. He's a guy who showed a ton of promise in his rookie season, but has tailed off since then due to a lack of speed and some nagging injuries. Gr... More About: Roundup , Weekend
Video Time: Ricky Williams
2008-05-10 07:00:00 It's Saturday, so let's get to a couple of videos. Today I thought we'd watch a little of Ricky Williams back in his prime. Both of these clips are from the week 13 game in Buffalo back in 2002. Notice that great burst through the line and then the finishing speed to break away from everybody. What a combination of power and speed this guy once had. The first video is below. The second is after the jump. So that's if for now. Barring any breaking news, I'll see you back here on Sunday night/Monday morning. Have a good weekend, all! More About: Video , Time
Separated At Birth?
2008-05-09 17:19:00 Submitted for your approval. On the left is our very own 2nd round pick, QB Chad Henne. On the right is one of the stars of Family Guy, Glenn Quagmire. Separated at birth or what? All we need now is for Chad to walk around the practice facility in Davie shouting "giggity" left and right!! Ok, in all seriousness, you do have to admit that there is some resemblance between the two, right? Poll Do Chad Henne and Quagmire look alike? Damn right A little bit Eh...not really Not at all 311 votes | Results More About: Birth
Roster Turnover: Who's next to go?
2008-05-09 06:15:00 As it stands right now, the Dolphins currently have 83 players on their roster. The limit to enter training camp in July is 80. I would expect the next round of cuts to come following the next mini-camp, which is a voluntary mini-camp scheduled for May 23 and lasting through the 25. But who might be next to go? And I'm not talking about the undrafted free agents here. To my count, there are 15 undrafted free agents currently under contract by the Dolphins. Those 15 I'm excluding from this talk because they are, after all, undrafted players. So their expectations are far lower. And here's another interesting stat to just ponder. Of the 83 players currently under contract by the Dolphins, 45 of them were signed, drafted, or traded by this new regime during this off-season. That means that 54% of the roster right now was brought in by Bill Parcells and company. If you take away the 15 undrafted free agents, you're then talking a... More About: Roster
More Jason Taylor info coming soon?
More articles from this author:2008-05-08 22:40:00 Here's something interesting that a reader e-mailed to me, after which I further looked into it. Earlier today, Yahoo's Jason Cole was on the Jorge Sedano Show on 790 The Ticket. Cole and Sedano talked about things like "spygate" and the Cedric Benson stuff. But at the very end of the interview, which can be heard right here, Cole tells Sedano that he was on the set of Dancing With The Stars earlier this week. Sedano then asks Cole if there's any news on Jason Taylor , to which Cole replies: "Not yet. Maybe either tomorrow or Monday there'll be a story on it." Could there actually be some new info on this JT saga? Maybe. Or it could be that Cole wants people waiting for his latest column on Yahoo! Sports and he's trying to just drum up some interest in it. I guess we'll have to wait and see what Cole has, if he indeed has anything at all. More About: Info , Jason Taylor 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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