Another early playoff exit for the Los Angeles Lakers has reopened familiar NBA arguments around LeBron James and his place in basketball history. Even after two decades of records, championships and longevity that few athletes in any sport have matched, the debate around James still refuses to cool down. This time, the criticism came from Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway Sr., whose latest comments about LeBron quickly became one of the league’s biggest offseason talking points following the Lakers’ postseason disappointment.
Hardaway did not simply leave James outside his personal GOAT conversation. The former five-time NBA All-Star went further by placing multiple legends ahead of the Lakers star and questioning whether LeBron carries the same mentality as some of basketball’s most feared champions.
Tim Hardaway Sr. Questions LeBron James’ Place Among NBA Greats
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Debates around LeBron’s legacy usually centre on comparisons with Michael Jordan. Hardaway’s list, though, pushed James far lower than many expected. The Hall of Famer named Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal as players he believes rank above James all-time. What caught even more attention was the reasoning behind it. Hardaway focused heavily on mentality, leadership and what he described as “killer instinct” during pressure moments in the playoffs. “These guys they go by championships, and they go by the killer tenacity that these guys have. Like Magic, Michael, Kareem, Kobe. They had killer instinct. They came out and they didn’t let their team wilder. They gave their team confidence. I love LeBron, I’m a LeBron fan. But at times, he doesn’t bring it the way we want him to bring it. Like James Harden, we want him to bring it. We know what he can do, we want to see that.”
The comparison to James Harden instantly became the most controversial part of Hardaway’s comments. While Harden has often faced criticism over playoff performances throughout his career, James remains a four-time NBA champion with one of the most accomplished postseason resumes in league history.
Lakers Playoff Exit Keeps LeBron James Legacy Debate Alive
The timing of Hardaway’s comments matters because questions around the Lakers’ direction are already dominating NBA offseason discussions. At 41 years old and entering his 23rd season, LeBron remains productive, but every playoff defeat now intensifies conversations about legacy, roster construction and championship expectations in Los Angeles.
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The Lakers are expected to stay active in trade rumours and free agency as they attempt to maximise what could be the final stage of James’ career. But criticism surrounding LeBron’s approach in big moments clearly has not disappeared, even among former NBA stars who openly admit admiration for him.
The Cincinnati Bengals will open their 2026 NFL season in what is expected to be an exhilarating game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This was revealed by NFL insider Jordan Schultz ahead of the league’s official release of the full schedule for the upcoming season on Thursday.
The matchup immediately sparked reactions among fans across social media, with many visualizing the level of entertainment the game is bound to offer. It’s a clash between two quarterbacks who entered the league as No. 1 picks and are both looking to brush off the disappointment of 2025.
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Both Cincinnati and Tampa Bay missed out on playoff football last season, and the game is an opportunity for the two to set the tone for the new season. It was the Bucs’ first playoff miss in five seasons, while the Bengals made it a streak of three seasons without postseason football.
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The two teams last met during the 2022 season, with the Bengals securing a 34-23 win over the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. They’ve squared up 13 times in the history of the NFL, with the Bengals leading the series with a 7-6 record.
Social media reaction to the Week 1 game ranged from excitement to anticipation, down to nervousness. Fans are waiting to see the Bengals’ electric offense face the Buccaneers’ physical defense in a compelling early-season encounter.
Going into this week’s US PGA Championship, there was a fascination with how Aronimink would play and what challenge it would present.
There was a strong feeling the Pennsylvania course might be ripe for being tamed.
Instead of having its belly tickled and rolling over, Aronimink bit back on day one of the season’s second major. It bit back hard.
At the completion of Thursday’s first round, only 32 players – barely a fifth of the 156-man field – had finished under par.
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The world’s best struggled to get to grips with the task presented by an undulating course with thick rough and sloping greens.
Fittingly, it was the world’s very best – Scottie Scheffler – who coped as well as anyone.
The defending champion is part of a seven-way tie for the first-round lead after plotting a three-under round of 67 which encapsulated his ability to play with relentless diligence and barely a flicker of fluster.
The world number one has often struggled to make fast starts – a trait which has proved particularly costly this season – but is now leading a major after 18 holes for the first time in his career.
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But the 29-year-old American is not surrounded by the usual suspects.
Scheffler finds himself alongside German pair Martin Kaymer and Stephan Jaeger, South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter, Australia’s Min-Woo Lee, Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune and Alex Smalley of the United States – none of whom many would have expected to see at the top of the leaderboard.
England’s Dan Brown is one shot behind the leaders on his overseas major debut.
“Earlier in the week there was some chatter where people thought 15 to 20 under par was going to win. And I think that got to somebody in the PGA [of America], and they did something about it,” said Spain’s Jon Rahm, who finished one under par.
Rory McIlroy is 18 holes into his PGA Championship, and there are a handful of ways you could describe what went down in a four-over-74 round at Aronimink Golf Club that has him tied for 105th.
Poor scoring? There was that. Starting on No. 10, McIlroy played the back nine at even par, and he was even through 14 holes. Then he bogeyed 6. Then he bogeyed 7. Then he bogeyed 8. Then he bogeyed 9. According to stats guru and GOLF.com contributor Justin Ray, Thursday was McIlroy’s 990th PGA Tour round, including majors — and the six-time major winner had previously never made bogey or worse on each of his four closing holes.
Could you also call McIlroy’s round an ugly driving day? You could. He hit just five of 14 fairways, which tied him for 139th in the 156-player field.
“I started missing fairways,” McIlroy said. “I missed the fairway right on 4, the fairway right on 6, the fairway right on 7, fairway right on 9. From there, it’s hard — you know, I didn’t have great angles either. Then obviously you start missing it just off the edges of these greens, it gets tricky.
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“Yeah, I felt like I did OK. I made that birdie on 5 to get back to even par after the soft bogey on 4, then I just got on that bogey train at the end.”
What’s happening off the tee?
“I’ve sort of got, like I miss it right, and then I want to try to correct it,” McIlroy said. “And then I’ll overdo it, and I’ll miss it left. It’s a little bit of back and forth that way. So that’s pretty frustrating, especially when I pride myself on driving the ball well.
“I just need to try to figure it out. I honestly thought I’d figured it out. Coming in here, I hit it well on Sunday at Quail Hollow, and then hit it good at home on Monday. Then … hit it decent yesterday.
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“Just sort of, once I get under the gun, it just seems like it starts to go a little bit wayward on me.”
Was Aronimink itself behind McIlroy’s play? It might have been. Several players struggled. The leaders are only at three-under.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be as windy today as it was,” McIlroy said. “I think it’s the breezy conditions that are sort of making the scoring what it is. It’s hard to get the ball close. Some of the pins are tucked away. You’ve got — say you have a pin tucked over on the left side of the green and the wind’s coming off the left, it’s hard to get it over there.
“Probably just seeing a lot of guys hit it to 20 and 30 feet. They’re good shots. It’s just hard to make a lot of those putts.”
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But how would McIlroy describe his opening round?
In his press conference, he was asked that exact question by moderator Greg Dillard.
Charlotte Littlefield looks forward to witnessing her dynamic filly Concord Connie match her prior brilliance before contemplating elevated goals.
At her third start on Anzac Day at Flemington, Concord Connie unleashed a spectacular victory, prevailing by six lengths in quick time.
The filly makes her return to Flemington on Saturday for the K A Morrison Handicap (1400m) against the colts.
“We’re just trying to keep a lid on her at the moment and not get ahead of ourselves,” Littlefield said.
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“She has to back-up that performance before we start jumping up and down, but she’s in really good order.
“She’s doing everything you want to see, she’s ticked all the boxes, and we’ve got to get through one more day.”
Providing Concord Connie’s second success this campaign, the Flemington win prompts Littlefield to adopt a cautious approach moving forward.
A sharp gallop at Pakenham on Tuesday, preceded by a course proper hit-out last week, has the trainer confident in the three-year-old’s readiness.
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“She’s a naturally athletic, fit and a gifted horse aerobically,” Littlefield said.
“I can’t fault the horse, and we’ll see how she goes on Saturday.”
Littlefield experienced similar anticipation with retired Group 1 placegetter She’s Bulletproof, though she insists Concord Connie isn’t at that pressure point currently.
That said, the aftermath of the filly’s last-start dominance has heightened buzz, with Saturday’s outcome potentially amplifying it.
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“We haven’t gone to lofty heights, we’re in a handicap for three-year-olds,” Littlefield said.
“We haven’t gone too high and this might be her last run before she heads to the paddock with spring aims.
“She’s a filly that is still quite fragile at times, quite sensitive and I think doing too much at this time will be detrimental to her future.”
The situation surrounding all of Oleksandr Usyk’s world titles is now set in stone ahead of his clash with kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.
The WBC has controversially put its belt on the line for the fight, meaning that Verhoeven, despite being given little to no chance of winning, could win the belt on May 23 in Egypt.
The IBF has taken a similar stance, but, whilst Verhoeven cannot win that title either, the sanctioning body will immediately declare its heavyweight belt vacant if Usyk loses.
The conditions under which Usyk has been permitted to take the fight while remaining champion are:
1. If Usyk loses on May 23, 2026, the IBF Heavyweight title will be declared vacant immediately.
2. If Usyk wins on May 23, 2026, the IBF will acknowledge the WBC’s position in the rotation and order the IBF mandatory bout for one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter.
3. If the WBA grants a special permit, the IBF will acknowledge the WBA’s position in the rotation and order the IBF mandatory bout for one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter.
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4. The IBF reserves the right to amend the mandatory date in the event of substantial delays in the rotation.
Usyk will be ordered to face WBC mandatory Agit Kabayel following the Verhoeven clash, with promoter Frank Warren confident he would be stripped should he fail to fulfil the obligation.
We’ll need to wait a little while longer for Sunday night, but we now know what to look forward to. With the NFL’s release of the full 2026 regular season schedule, we have the entire “Sunday Night Football” slate to sink our teeth into. In all, there will be 18 games in the primetime window that’ll cap off our Sundays throughout the fall.
First up, when it comes to games kicking off on Sunday night, it will be an NFC East matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in Week 1. The Cowboys will be a popular staple in this window, as they are slated to appear on Sunday night three times, tying them with the Kansas City Chiefs for the most in the NFL.
Members of the Minnesota Vikings defense, including Harrison Smith, participate in a postgame interview with WWE superstar Seth Rollins and NFL insider Dianna Russini after defeating the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Dec. 25, 2025. The nationally televised Christmas matchup featured a festive atmosphere as Minnesota celebrated the division victory in front of the home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
Per annual tradition — and with a so-far impeccable streak of accuracy — VikingsTerritory has the Minnesota Vikings’ schedule hours ahead of the official NFL announcements.
Minnesota’s 2026 path now looks clearer ahead of the NFL making the full slate official.
The Vikings notably have nine true home games in 2026, seven true road games, and a date in Mexico City with the San Francisco 49ers.
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A Tough November Stretch Will Determine Minnesota’s Season
The leak is here. The NFL will confirm the games on Thursday night.
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during third-quarter action at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Dec. 16, 2024. Jones helped power Minnesota’s offense during the divisional matchup as the Vikings continued their push through the late stages of the regular season against NFC North competition. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
The Vikings’ 2026 Schedule
The following is not ten thousand percent ironclad, but we trust our sources enough to publish the docket online. We’ve done this annually — an early schedule release — since 2020 and have avoided major gaffes. If you’re spending thousands of dollars on airfare, hotels, and whatnot, wait until the 100% official details Thursday night to press the GO button.
Nevertheless, here’s the schedule:
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Week 1 — vs. Green Bay Packers (3 pm) Week 2 — at Chicago Bears Week 3 — at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 4 — vs. Miami Dolphins Week 5 — at New Orleans Saints Week 6 — Bye Week 7 — vs. Indianapolis Colts Week 8 — at Detroit Lions Week 9 — vs. Buffalo Bills (MNF) Week 10 — at Green Bay Packers Week 11 — at San Francisco 49ers (SNF) Week 12 — vs. Atlanta Falcons Week 13 — vs. Carolina Panthers Week 14 — at New England Patriots (TNF) Week 15 — vs. Detroit Lions (SNF) Week 16 — vs. Washington Commanders Week 17 — at New York Jets Week 18 — vs. Chicago Bears
Most expect Kyler Murray to lead the Vikings at QB1, and he’ll experience the franchise’s two main rivalries out of the gate.
The Good Part
Nothing on the schedule can be considered wholly “easy” — the NFL doesn’t work like that when forecasting six months in advance — but this portion will be the time to stack wins:
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Week 3 — at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 4 — vs. Miami Dolphins Week 5 — at New Orleans Saints Week 6 — Bye Week 7 — vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Vikings will probably split with the Packers and Bears to get 2026 rolling, and then Kevin O’Connell’s team must exit Week 7 with a 4-2 record or so to be considered a contender.
Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard (16) attempts a field goal while punter Ryan Wright (17) holds during first-half action against the Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sep. 21, 2025. Reichard handled kicking duties during the early-season matchup as Minnesota battled Cincinnati in front of the home crowd on Sunday afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
Thereafter, taking on the Falcons, Panthers, Commanders, and Jets in six weeks isn’t the worst menu in the world. Minnesota has two true road games in the final eight weeks — a perk.
Murderer’s Row
Here’s the unfriendly part:
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Week 8 — at Detroit Lions Week 9 — vs. Buffalo Bills (MNF) Week 10 — at Green Bay Packers Week 11 — at San Francisco 49ers (SNF)
Depending on how Murray acclimates to the Vikings’ offense — or if J.J. McCarthy has found his way into the lineup — this four-game stretch may define Minnesota’s seriousness as a Super Bowl seeker. The Vikings will be lucky to split this foursome with a 2-2 record, and if they escape the aforementioned “easy” section with a 4-2 record, the club would sit at 6-4 heading into Thanksgiving.
The Viking Age‘s Adam Patrick noted on the Mexico City development, “Vikings players will also have to deal with playing inside a venue that is in an area where the altitude is over 7,200 feet, which is more than 1,500 feet higher than the altitude in the ‘Mile High City,’ Denver, Colorado.”
“There will be plenty of challenges for Minnesota, but at least the game will take place at a neutral site and not San Francisco’s Levi’s Stadium since the 49ers are technically the home team.”
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The other vicious part is at Patriots and home versus the Lions in Week 14 and Week 15. That will determine if Minnesota can dream big in January, its performance against those foes.
SI.com‘s Tony Liebert on the Patriots showdown: “Week 14 will reportedly feature Minnesota traveling to New England to face the AFC champion Patriots. That would be a Dec. 10 game, and it would mark the FOURTH straight season in which Minnesota has to go on the road to play a very tough opponent on short rest for TNF. The past three seasons have seen the Vikings play on Thursday night, on the road, against the Chargers, Rams, and Eagles.”
Preseason
For full context, these are the Vikings’ exhibition contests in August:
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Preseason Game 1 — at New York Giants Preseason Game 2 — vs. Baltimore Ravens Preseason Game 3 — at Denver Broncos
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman (51) celebrates with fans following a victory over the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Dec. 1, 2024. Cashman acknowledged the home crowd after the game as Minnesota secured another important win during the final stretch of the regular season in the NFC playoff race. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
All things considered, those games don’t matter much, but the Vikings may play more starters this go-round as the club didn’t seem fully ready for the regular season last year (mainly McCarthy as the first-time starter).
Oddsmakers expect Minnesota to finish the 2026 season with an 8-9 or 9-8 record.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Nikita Shulchenko is the MPTC Tour of Luzon champion. –JONAS TERRADO
The MPTC Tour of Luzon formally announced its 2027 edition during the close of this year’s 14-stage summer cycling odyssey in Baguio on Wednesday.
And the enthusiasm that greeted the announcement was understandable.
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“It’s a happy [development] because the race continues and it will help a lot of cyclists,” said 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines’ Ronnilan Quita, who placed fifth in the general classification standings.
For the second straight time, a visiting cyclist ruled the annual derby on wheels, with Russian Nikita Shulchenko taking home the top purse of P1 million after donning the yellow jersey since Stage 3 and holding off the late charge of Quita’s 7-Eleven teammate Antoine Huby.
Shulchenko, the ace rider of LCW UAE Cycle, won with a final lead of one minute and 34 seconds.
It’s unclear if Shulchenko and some of his prominent LCW teammates, like third-placer Ibrahiem Alrefai and two-stage winner Ivan Anisimov will run it back next year or if a new batch of foreign riders will try to steal the limelight anew from local riders.
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Whatever the field will look like next year, it will certainly face greater tests.
There are plans to push the Tour farther south, putting into play the famed “Tatlong Eme,” the steep and tight-curling zigzag mountain pass connecting the municipalities of Pagbilao and Atimonan in Quezon Province that has bedeviled several legendary cyclists in the past.
The Tour could also reach as far as Bicol, although Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Pato Gregorio, whose office supported the race, wants to go beyond Luzon.
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“The Tour de France doesn’t start in France, right? It starts in a different country,” Gregorio said. “In the near future, maybe we can start in Visayas, but still call the race ‘Tour of Luzon.’”
This year’s Tour of Luzon started in Calatagan, Batangas, with Stage 1 ending in Tagaytay. It was the only time that it was held in the southern part of the region.
The race ran through Central Luzon before heading up north, passing Clark (Pampanga), New Clark City (Capas, Tarlac), Palayan (Nueva Ecija), Bayombong (Nueva Vizcaya), Santiago (Isabela), Tuguegarao (Cagayan), Pagudpud, Paoay and Laoag (Ilocos Norte) for the first half.
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The latter phase had stops in Candon and Cervantes (Ilocos Sur), San Juan and Agoo (La Union), Mangatarem and Lingayen (Pangasinan).
Suncorp Stadium will play host to Sunday’s
Round 11 NRL game between Penrith Panthers and
St. George Illawarra Dragons. The game kicks off at 6:25 pm with Penrith Panthers heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Penrith Panthers vs.
St. George Illawarra Dragons
game and give you our free tips and bets.
Penrith Panthers vs St. George Illawarra Dragons Odds
Penrith Panthers vs St. George Illawarra Dragons Preview
Penrith enters the final game of Magic Round with an opportunity to continue refining its evolving attacking structure around Nathan Cleary. The Panthers have experimented with a slightly different shape in recent weeks, showing glimpses of their trademark fluency while still ironing out timing and execution. Against a vulnerable defensive opponent, this could be the perfect stage for Penrith’s attack to fully click into gear.
The Dragons were unable to capitalise on a chance to make a statement following the bye and defensive concerns remain significant, particularly on the edges. Their young middle rotation, led by the Couchman brothers and Hamish Stewart, continues to show promise, but the pack is still struggling to absorb sustained pressure against elite sides. If Penrith controls possession and wins the ruck early, the Panthers’ outside backs may enjoy a productive evening.
The tag team duo known as Jet Speed had a big night on All Elite Wrestling (AEW)’s “Dynamite” on Wednesday night.
“Speedball” Mike Bailey squashed Westbrook with relative ease to pick up his third win in three shows on AEW. Meanwhile, Kevin Knight successfully defended his TNT Championship against a returning Brian Cage.
Kevin Knight enters the ring during New Japan Pro-Wrestling at National Yoyogi Gymnasium in Tokyo on May 17, 2025.(Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
Afterward, Knight expressed his support in Bailey’s own pursuit of some gold. Bailey made it clear he was going after the AEW World Championship next. Darby Allin, the current title holder, defended it against Konosuke Takeshita as he gears up for a hair vs. title match against Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF).
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Knight gushed about his tag team partner.
“Man, ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey is a savant – a wrestling savant. He’s been wrestling for almost longer than I’ve been alive,” Knight said. “He’s been in every single situation that you can think of. He’s wrestled thousands of times. He watches wrestling all the time. He talks about wrestling all the time. He knows how to put everybody in the right place to get the best reaction from the crowd.
Mike Bailey enters the ring during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Best of the Super Jr. Final at Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo on May 28, 2023.(Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
“So, the fact that I got somebody like that on my side … and he kicks extremely hard. So, I think he’s extremely smart and I don’t have to feel those kicks, it’s a great combination for me. So, it’s no complaints from me.”
Knight shared some of the wisdom that Bailey has imparted on him through the years.
“The No. 1 thing is don’t over think it. Don’t over think it and do what you do,” Knight said. “Like, as simple as that sounds, that’s literally the advice that he gives you. And you just take that and go, ‘OK, don’t over think it and just do what you do.’ And you just go out there and do what you do and you come to the back and everybody’s happy and you just get ready for the next one.”
Both men have crushed it since joining AEW.
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Mike Bailey enters the ring during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Best of the Super Jr. Final at Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo on May 28, 2023.(Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
The two have been two-thirds of the AEW trios championship twice. They won the belts with “Hangman” Adam Page and then again with legendary Lucha Libre competitor Místico.
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