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Official NFL Offseason Thread: Come back NFL! Come... back...

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Wellington said:
Here are my predictions:

More teams go with a running by committee approach. Last year who did this? Pats, Jets, Browns, Texans, Colts, Jags, Titans, Broncos, Raiders, Cowboys, Eagles (when they ran), Falcons, Panthers, Saints, and Bucs. Face it, defenses are too big and strong and bonafide starting RBs are getting more breathers.

The NFC will still be the JV league. There are too many mediocre teams, and there is not enough player or coaching talent out there to bring them to another level. That said, I expect the NFC West (minus the Cards) to make a quantum leap. I expect the Rams to win the division with the Niners and Seahawks fighting for second.

I fully expect the starting QBs that were drafted in 2004 to have breakout years; Rivers, Ben, and Eli. Ben showed flashes of it last year towards the end of the season, Rivers will be shackled less by Marty ball, and Eli will step up and showed what he did at the start of the 06 season. I expect the pecking order to be Ben, Eli, Rivers, with Rivers hitting a sophomore slump.

The Raiders will win 4 games next year.

The Titans won't live up too their hype.
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I like the way you think. If Steelers defense plays well, no telling how far we can go. I just hope the Steelers line remembers to at least try and pass block this year. They got manhandled during at least 4 games last year and they did not play well for much of the season.

zesty said:
I'm beginning to think that Bill Simmons might have killed himself Sunday night. Four days later and still no crow-eating article about Indy winning the Superbowl? He would have written half a dozen "Tom Brady Is My Lord And Savior And I Want Him Inside Of Me" articles by now if the Pats had made it and won.
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Brady probably tricked him into his house for an "exclusive interview". We are never going to see him again.
I can't stand Simmons. I want
 
I like the way you think. If Steelers defense plays well, no telling how far we can go. I just hope the Steelers line remembers to at least try and pass block this year. They got manhandled during at least 4 games last year and they did not play well for much of the season.
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Ugh especially with Hartings retiring ... I fear for Ben. I keep seeing that hit Baltimore layed on Ben when 2 defenders came unblocked. (shudders)
 
Dr. Jade said:
Ugh especially with Hartings retiring ... I fear for Ben. I keep seeing that hit Baltimore layed on Ben when 2 defenders came unblocked. (shudders)
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Ben took some really bad hits this year. Ben remembered that hit too the 2nd time he played Baltimore as he was obviously scared of getting hit.

The Center position is obviously one we should be concerned about, but we also need to look at the entire right side of the line. They did a horrendous job pass blocking and so many guys were getting through untouched.

Ben also has to take better care of the ball next season. I will give him a pass over the first half of last season because he had his face bashed in. He pretty much did a great job at everything over the 2nd half and hopefully he keeps that up going into next season.
 
Number one priority for the Bears this offseason more than anything else has to be the O-line. We were really lucky to not have suffered any serious injuries on that aging line this past year.

The age for our starting O-line on kickoff gameday next year

C Olin Kreutz 30
G Ruben Brown 35
G Roberto Garza 28
T Fred Miller 34
T John Tait 32

Troubling is the fact that we really don't have any quality backups, and the ones we do have aren't that much younger. So come NFL Draft, O-line O-line O-line.

Number two priority is giving Briggs the money he deserves. Yes we always seem to produce a probowl OLB whenever we lose one (Rosie Colvin and Warrick Holdman before that), but I don't think we've got such a guy waiting in the wings this time.

Number three priority is figuring out our QB situation. I'm not ready to dump Rex, 'cause we've invested massive amounts of time on the guy, but it would be a disservice to not at least investigate possible deals (McNabb, Carr are the only that come to mind). Forget about going through the draft, as we've more than had our fill of young QB's. If Rex could promise to bust his ass this offseason working on his awful mechanics, this could be a lot easier to ignore. I shouldn't have to cross my fingers everytime we snap the ball.

Number four is what to do with Thomas Jones. The guy is quality, and if we can squeeze out another year with Jones-Benson combo, then go for it. Personally, I don't think Jones comes back to the team without a fat contract extension, along with promises of being the focus back under any circumstances.
 
I know it's probably premature since we don't know how Benson would handle a full season as the premier back, but I wouldn't be totally opposed to shopping Jones around.
At least see if there's any interest.
 
It is almost never worth it to spend too much money on your running backs. Good running backs are a dime a dozen these days.

Spend it on the line and get a speed and power running back on the cheap.
 
Brett Favre is not the one holding back the packers. The one holding back the packers is that stupid useless GM Ted Thompson. He has single handedly ruined one of the most storied franchises in NFL history. The seachickens didnt win a SB under him and neither will the Packers.

All of us in wisconsin know that once favre leaves, we will become the next oakland Raiders. Aaron Rodgers is not the answer. The coaches know it, the players know it, and the fans know it. Why do you think the collective state of Wisconsin keeps begging favre to comeback? We know he's lost much of his luster, But compared to what else we got (A-Rodgers, Ingle Martin) we know hes the best we can do.

This offseason the best the Packers can do is draft some tight ends (begone Bubba) and draft a QB. Make aaron Rodgers shat himself knowing he isnt going to just get the QB spot. We have a lot of guys in their last contract year we can trade away for a nice pick.

What QB should we draft? I dont know, but i'm willing to bet almost any QB is this years draft will be better than Joey Harrington redux (Aaron Rodgers).
 
woodchuck said:
levious is probably right about wade phillips if jerry jones picked him
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His daughter is pretty hot though... I didn't know about that before.
 
Eminem said:
I know it's probably premature since we don't know how Benson would handle a full season as the premier back, but I wouldn't be totally opposed to shopping Jones around.
At least see if there's any interest.
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well if they trade jones this offseason, the most they will probably get for him is a 3rd round draft pick, at worst maybe a 4th rounder, so i dont know if they should pull the trigger on that, hell he's under contract for farily cheap in the 2007 season and he produces, so im inclined to say let him play out the last year on his deal, i like the bears 2 back system

but i agree the bears need to address their OL in the draft, i'd also like they to pick up a safety as insurance to mike brown, chris harris and todd johnson are not the move back there
 
What is the deal with McNabb? I have no idea how the Bears could absorb his contract and hold onto other key players.

Also, this is going to be contract year for Rex, so he has to play. Have to find out if we keep him or not past the next season.
 
XiaNaphryz said:
Newberry dropped from Niners, hoping to sign with Raiders.
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sdf.gif
 
I know this is out of left field, but what happened to Corey Simon? Did they ever say what his non-football related injury was?
 
no offense to jeremy newberry cause he was at one time awesome, but when you say shit like "oh i want to play next year... but there's NO WAY i will practice every week!" then you can get the **** out. you can't NOT practice every week and expect to be successful or gel with your offensive line. adios newberry, it was good while it lasted. go rot away in oakland
 
Spectral Glider said:
My favorite Dr. Z piece every year:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/dr_z/02/08/announcers/index.html

And this year I agree with about 90% of it. Good stuff.
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I was just coming to post some things from that:
Zero
Joe Theismann, Mike Tirico and Tony Kornheiser, ESPN
I've raged against this outfit for years and it hasn't done a bit of good, so I won't waste an awful lot of space on their newest clown, Kornheiser, or their play-by-play guy, Tirico, who brings you only part of the action, and none at all if there's one of those interminable guest-in-the-booth abominations. But I will say that I approached their Giants-Dallas show in Week 7 with absolute dread because I knew the T.O. stuff would be once again flogged to death in tedious and humorless terms. And they didn't disappoint me. When I die and go to hell, hell will be a Kornheiser bit on T.O.-prolonged indefinitely. What I'd like to concentrate on is one of the more dishonest things I saw in a telecast, and the perpetrator was the one member of the team who knows something about football, Theismann.

Week 6, Chicago at Arizona, a defining moment for the Cardinals and their coach, Denny Green, and their offensive coordinator, Keith Rowen. The Cardinals are driving for the victory. The Bears can't stop them, no matter what defense they throw up. Rookie QB Matt Leinart is killing them with underneath passes, the same way Peyton Manning did in the Super Bowl ... ironic, huh? Down the field they come. Theismann has talked to Rowen, who told him that he knew he could beat the Bears this way ... if only Green would let him do it, but the coach was bugged by Edgerrin James bitching about not being permitted to close out the contest. This was the knowledge that Theismann had in the booth, and at one point in the drive, he muttered, "Don't stop throwing." It just popped out.

But they did stop. They reached the Chicago 23-yard line and brought in two tight ends and two running backs, the ultimate give up. Now Theismann had a decision to make. He could lay out his knowledge of the situation, as practically any honest announcer would, and it would have been fascinating, a real coup for a guy who has been much reviled during his career. But just then Kornheiser came up with one of his grade school pronouncements ... "You have to admit it, don't you ... you're rooting for them." And Joe, given the choice, opted for the low IQ route, a little bantering back and forth with his sidekick.

Well, the Cards' heavy offense was stopped and they missed the field goal and lost the game. And in his postgame press conference Green went into some contrived rage thing about how the Bears were "anointed." And then he made Rowen the scapegoat and fired him. The viewers of ESPN could have been privy to all this ahead of time, they could have been in on a real scoop. But Theismann chose to ignore journalistic integrity and play marbles with Bozo the Clown. Personally, the whole thing makes me sick.
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I like Tony outside of the booth. That is all.

Five
ESPN No. 2 team of Brad Nessler, Ron Jaworski and Dick Vermeil
Like lilies of the valley that raised their heads during the recent warm spell, only to fade into oblivion when the frosts came, they appeared only once. This was for Oakland-San Diego in week No. 1 as the second ESPN game, and the brilliance of their work only pointed out the insipid quality of the network's A team that had preceded them.

Nessler comes from college football, where they work at the job a lot harder, and he was smooth as silk as the play-by-play man. Vermeil and Jaworski? Well, it was like sitting in a team's film room watching a game with the coaches. Everything nailed perfectly on the first look, without benefit of replay, everything laid out without hype or cheapness. And the nuances they caught make you wonder why no one else can see these things.

Example: Randy Moss raises his arms in disgust because his quarterback, Aaron Brooks, has failed to see that he was open. And yes, he did look open at the time, and about 90 percent of network announcing teams would have pointed that out. Jaws nailed him in his tracks, telling us that the ball was already gone when cornerback Quentin Jammer dropped off his coverage on Moss, creating the impression that Randy was free. And Moss was merely doing a cheap trick to embarrass his QB. Yes! That's what is known as analysis.

Dick Vermeil (teaming with Bryant Gumbel) on NFL Network -- We saw him near the close of the season. I'm sorry it wasn't more often. How good? On just about every play you are told exactly what has happened ... "Griffith missed his block and Ware slipped in for the tackle" ... "Johnson didn't read the blocking and hit the wrong hole" ... "good job by DeAngelo Hall of getting a bump that disrupted the pattern." Everything on the first look. No hype, no hysterics, no plugging the superstars. Why can't they all do that? Because the production people really don't understand the excellence of this kind of work.
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I missed this team. I like Jaws, he is usually the only sane person on NFL live. I'll look out for him next year.
 
good article by Dr. Z. i agree as well. the MNF team is ****ing atrocious. i hope Tony K is off the broadcast next year. all he does is pop in with idiot comments about "LOL THAT GUYZ ON MY FANTASY TEAM OMFG" or some other bullcrap. tirico sucks nuts, theismann is awful, and the fact that they have a joke of a special guest lineup makes me sick.

you know as crappy as matt millen is as a GM i actually liked him a lot as an announcer. come back to broadcasting matt!
 
Mrbob said:
What is the deal with McNabb? I have no idea how the Bears could absorb his contract and hold onto other key players.

Also, this is going to be contract year for Rex, so he has to play. Have to find out if we keep him or not past the next season.
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Give it up. He's not going no where. There's no chance, unless he gets hurt bad for the next 2-3 seasons. He has a huge contract and he doesn't want to go. Reid still wants him. He had a great year until he got hurt. Any success that the Eagles had later in the year was due to improvements in the running game and defense. His passing rating was 95 or so. Ranked as the number 2 QB in the NFC based on rating. We still had the number one offense in the league when he was playing He solved most of his problems from earlier in his career except accuracy and he's not terrible in that department. He throws for 100 more yards per game than JGar, has a bigger arm, etc. The only monster game JGar had was against Carolina, where he threw for 300+ yards.

So, no, McNabb is not going anywhere. He won't be traded, let go, whatever. I'll bet a 6 month ban on that. And another 6 month tag that I'm whoever's bitch.
 
Chargers are left with a pretty big void on defense as far as coaching. Their LB coach, Manusky was supposed to be the heir apparent to Phillips, and of course we hired him as our new defensive coordinator.
 
Turner wanted 49ers structure with Cowboys


Norv Turner apparently wanted to take a piece of San Francisco with him to Dallas.

Sources close to Turner said Thursday that the 49ers' offensive coordinator likes how things are going with the 49ers so much that he presented Cowboys owner Jerry Jones with a structure of operations similar to what Mike Nolan has with the 49ers.

Turner issued a statement through the 49ers' public-relations department:

"I have a great situation with the 49ers and I'm excited about continuing the progress we made on offense from last season. John York and Mike Nolan were instrumental in lending their support to me through the interview process in Dallas. That reassures to me how well our structure and leadership is here in San Francisco."

Nolan is the central figure in the 49ers' organization, as he owns final say on all matters pertaining to player personnel and the coaching staff. Turner wanted far more control than he had in his previous two head-coaching jobs with the Redskins and Raiders.

Jones announced on Thursday he had hired Wade Phillips, formerly the Chargers' defensive coordinator, to replace Bill Parcells as Cowboys head coach.

"Norv went in and told Jerry how he wanted it to be," a source close to Turner said. "Wade probably went in and was told how it was going to be."

The 49ers followed through with a pay raise and extension for Turner (he originally signed a three-year contract). Nolan spoke about a "proactive" approach to retaining Turner when his name first surfaced in connection with the Cowboys job two weeks ago. Perhaps that assurance and support from the 49ers enabled Turner to seek more power and control from the Cowboys.

In addition to personnel, Turner also reportedly balked at Jones' suggestion that offensive coordinator Jason Garrett have autonomy in calling plays. Turner was the Cowboys' offensive coordinator during two Super Bowl seasons, and his forte as a coach is his play-calling.
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http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?mode=blog

i love you mike nolan!
 
FrenchMovieTheme said:
stop letting kbar borrow your gaf account dm! that's against the ToS and you know it!
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Look at that, KBAR! It just rolls off the tongue. You cant even use those nicknames on Niners anymore, your team is a joke!
 
DMczaf said:
Look at that, KBAR! It just rolls off the tongue. You cant even use those nicknames on Niners anymore, your team is a joke!
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You owe us DM. If we had not given you T-Rat your team would have absolutely no hope for the future. In fact, I just heard on ESPN radio that Chris Simms ruptured his spleen again while taking a shit, SO BE THANKFUL!

So know your place, and STFU. Accept our holy gift as Iggle fans did and you may actually make it to the playoffs next year.
 
His name is just RAT! And he is just that. He deliberately injured all of our QBs to get the starting job for a few games. What a punk!
 
DMczaf said:
His name is just RAT! And he is just that. He deliberately injured all of our QBs to get the starting job for a few games. What a punk!
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I apologize. I forgot, we're going to need you guys to do the right thing and trade down with us in the draft, so that we can take Calvin Johnson...:D
 
jehuty said:
Brett Favre is not the one holding back the packers. The one holding back the packers is that stupid useless GM Ted Thompson. He has single handedly ruined one of the most storied franchises in NFL history. The seachickens didnt win a SB under him and neither will the Packers.

All of us in wisconsin know that once favre leaves, we will become the next oakland Raiders. Aaron Rodgers is not the answer. The coaches know it, the players know it, and the fans know it. Why do you think the collective state of Wisconsin keeps begging favre to comeback? We know he's lost much of his luster, But compared to what else we got (A-Rodgers, Ingle Martin) we know hes the best we can do.

This offseason the best the Packers can do is draft some tight ends (begone Bubba) and draft a QB. Make aaron Rodgers shat himself knowing he isnt going to just get the QB spot. We have a lot of guys in their last contract year we can trade away for a nice pick.

What QB should we draft? I dont know, but i'm willing to bet almost any QB is this years draft will be better than Joey Harrington redux (Aaron Rodgers).
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Yeah, this is the absolute truth. "Hey we have a ton of cap room, let's not do any contract negotiations with our top players, and let them leave for a song!" Terrible. He needs to leave. Mike McCarthy seems to be doing okay at coach, but I really don't think he was a step up from Sherman. Sherman got a screwjob hardcore.

I'd rather have David Carr than A-Rodg. I'd rather have Joey Harrington than A-Rodg.
 
skinnyrattler said:
Give it up. He's not going no where. There's no chance, unless he gets hurt bad for the next 2-3 seasons. He has a huge contract and he doesn't want to go. Reid still wants him. He had a great year until he got hurt. Any success that the Eagles had later in the year was due to improvements in the running game and defense. His passing rating was 95 or so. Ranked as the number 2 QB in the NFC based on rating. We still had the number one offense in the league when he was playing He solved most of his problems from earlier in his career except accuracy and he's not terrible in that department. He throws for 100 more yards per game than JGar, has a bigger arm, etc. The only monster game JGar had was against Carolina, where he threw for 300+ yards.

So, no, McNabb is not going anywhere. He won't be traded, let go, whatever. I'll bet a 6 month ban on that. And another 6 month tag that I'm whoever's bitch.
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Hahaha, give what up? I didn't even say I wanted McNabb.
 
FrenchMovieTheme said:
picdaygroup7a10d.jpg


damn larry allen looks like zeus from the hulk hogan classic no holds barred! he looks like a monster!
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Seriously! Larry looks like hes about to eat that cameraman. Thats one guy I wouldn't **** with even if I had a gun on me. Dude is a freak. Imagine what it would feel like to get punched in the face by him one good time...........:(
 
supposedly there is a "rumor" going around that the vikes are going to offer the cardinals the #7 pick + "a couple players" for larry fitzgerald. :lol that is the most ridiculous shit i've ever heard. first off fitz is a top 5 WR in this league. now i would love for that to happen cause that asshole abuses us twice a year and will for the next 10 years. but secondly si.com and others are reporting this as if it's a legit rumor when the whole situation is based off speculation from a minnesota newspaper on how the vikes could increase ticket sales (i.e. bringing home fitz who grew up there and was a vikings ball boy)
 
FrenchMovieTheme said:
supposedly there is a "rumor" going around that the vikes are going to offer the cardinals the #7 pick + "a couple players" for larry fitzgerald. :lol that is the most ridiculous shit i've ever heard. first off fitz is a top 5 WR in this league. now i would love for that to happen cause that asshole abuses us twice a year and will for the next 10 years. but secondly si.com and others are reporting this as if it's a legit rumor when the whole situation is based off speculation from a minnesota newspaper on how the vikes could increase ticket sales (i.e. bringing home fitz who grew up there and was a vikings ball boy)
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I would love that to happen, as long as the Cards draft more defensive busts like Antrell Rolle.
 
nameless supposedly we are in the running for cardinals LT Leonard Davis. he's not as a good as jennings, but maybe we can replace kwame the game with a competent blocker. i would seriously consider the offseason a great success if all we did was find a decent player to replace that pussy kwame harris
 
FrenchMovieTheme said:
nameless supposedly we are in the running for cardinals LT Leonard Davis. he's not as a good as jennings, but maybe we can replace kwame the game with a competent blocker. i would seriously consider the offseason a great success if all we did was find a decent player to replace that pussy kwame harris
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what is it about players named Kwame?
 
Outdoor Miner said:
First NFL mock draft is up (meh): http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jm-mockdraft020807&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Bears will not take a TE in the 1st round. Am I in some bizarro world where Desmond Clark did not put up some of the best numbers for a Bears TE in recent years?

45 rec, 626 yds, 6 TD's
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i like that pick. I'd settle for Gaines Adams or Jamaal Anderson, whichever is available, and i'd be happy. We need some youth on our d-line badly.
 
Eminem said:
I know this is out of left field, but what happened to Corey Simon? Did they ever say what his non-football related injury was?
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After trying to piece the story together myself I've come to a couple of perceived ideas on what is going on. Whatever the deal his case is still under review by the league/nflpa.

Hypothesis 1: The Colts believe Corey's injury is bogus and he is milking everything he can from his contract without having to play. He has a history of not being in shape which will make you believe he isn't really committed. He also sat out when franchise tagged so he could get bigger pay.

Hypothesis 2: Corey has an STD. I think because how the Colts front office were reacting and the fact the illness has never been made official it seems like a good guess.

Hypothesis 3: Corey has some sort of arthritis that prevented him from playing. I do not remember the exact name but it is the only illness I've heard attributed to him by people in the know. Fellow DT Montae Reagor of the Colts said he had this in an interview. It was also noted Corey looked like he was in good shape and ready to go coming into this season so if true would debunk hypothesis 1 about him mailing it in.


No one seems to know anything about his future either. When Polian was asked about him he said the league was still looking at his case. All I know is Simon/McFarland in the middle would be pretty sweet.
 
Flizzzipper said:
After trying to piece the story together myself I've come to a couple of perceived ideas on what is going on. Whatever the deal his case is still under review by the league/nflpa.

Hypothesis 1: The Colts believe Corey's injury is bogus and he is milking everything he can from his contract without having to play. He has a history of not being in shape which will make you believe he isn't really committed. He also sat out when franchise tagged so he could get bigger pay.

Hypothesis 2: Corey has an STD. I think because how the Colts front office were reacting and the fact the illness has never been made official it seems like a good guess.

Hypothesis 3: Corey has some sort of arthritis that prevented him from playing. I do not remember the exact name but it is the only illness I've heard attributed to him by people in the know. Fellow DT Montae Reagor of the Colts said he had this in an interview. It was also noted Corey looked like he was in good shape and ready to go coming into this season so if true would debunk hypothesis 1 about him mailing it in.


No one seems to know anything about his future either. When Polian was asked about him he said the league was still looking at his case. All I know is Simon/McFarland in the middle would be pretty sweet.
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Whoa. The whole "not being in shape" thing is a pretty interesting angle, though it's hard for me to believe. It seems like the linemen are the most down to earth guys on the team; but, then again, I can't believe anyone wouldn't want to play football at all times, any time they could. Blows my mind...

By the way, if you guys are looking for a way to waste a couple seconds on football-related material, check out the Jared Lorenzen (NY Giants) site at http://kingofrod.googlepages.com.
 
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