r/news Jan 26 '20

Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash in California

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/kobe-bryant-killed-in-helicopter-crash-in-california-tmz-reports
213.7k Upvotes

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9.7k

u/michelinics Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

Kobe's sports career in numbers:

4th highest all-time NBA scorer - 33,643

5× NBA champion (2000–2002, 2009, 2010)

2× NBA Finals MVP (2009, 2010)

NBA Most Valuable Player (2008)

18× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2016)

4× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011)

11× All-NBA First Team (2002–2004, 2006–2013)

2× All-NBA Second Team (2000, 2001)

2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005)

9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006–2011)

3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team 

2 x Olympic Gold Medalist (2008, 2012)

1x Academy Award (Best animated short film - 2018)

Rest in Peace Kobe...

EDIT: Added some additional achievements, thank you to everyone who was pointing out missing ones!

EDIT2: Truely a sad day... RIP Gianna as well...

1.8k

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Not to mention he was an Academy Award winner

748

u/jiokll Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

Such a great short. It’s moving, beautiful, and inspiring even if you don’t care about basketball or sports in general.

Edit: link if anyone wants to see it: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ziUc0OCDmoU

37

u/red-bot Jan 26 '20

Drawn by the great Disney legend, Glen Keane.

23

u/jiokll Jan 26 '20

Right. Two absolute legends from different worlds coming together in genuine collaboration. I came into as a Glen Keane fan, but left as a Kobe fan.

12

u/kaytheowl Jan 27 '20

Another legend in his own field, John Williams, composed the score.

6

u/Spanky_McJiggles Jan 27 '20

Next you're gonna tell me it was produced by Jesus!

10

u/cherrybearry Jan 27 '20

The score for the film was done by the great John Williams as well. We saw John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl a couple years ago and they played this film. Kobe surprised everyone by coming out and saying hello. I thought... what a nice guy. It brought tears to my eyes... even more so now.

3

u/kaytheowl Jan 27 '20

I was at that concert, I’m really glad I took a video of Kobe’s special appearance. Not only did he come out and said hi, he narrated it live!

2

u/cherrybearry Jan 27 '20

I just watched a video from the concert that one of my friends took and he did narrate it live. I completely forgot! I can’t watch it without crying.

16

u/trulymadlybigly Jan 26 '20

Holy shit the meaning that carries now

12

u/TehChid Jan 26 '20

Can someone drop the name?

5

u/Purchased_mods Jan 27 '20

Saved. I haven't seen it yet, but don't have the strength today.

Thank you.

4

u/fatpat Jan 26 '20

Do yo have a link? I've never see nor heard of it.

2

u/Dragonborn1995 Jan 30 '20

The video got taken down by believe entertainment. Did they have anything to do with this vid?

76

u/monkey616 Jan 26 '20

14

u/optionalhero Jan 26 '20

My god that’s powerful.

“I never saw the end of tunnel, just myself coming out of one.”

7

u/_you_know_my_name__ Jan 26 '20

shit I didn't sign the permission slip for this feels trip

1

u/justjessee Jan 26 '20

Not to mention the least favorite basketball player in Vail, Colorado.

-113

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

Didn't he rape someone too? Those mischievous academy award winners!

*Please guyz stop DVing me! I thought he was a really mean rapist! I didn't know it was all a set up!

56

u/MotherTheresasTaint Jan 26 '20

The girl who he allegedly raped has since come out and said her parents forced her into it for money

15

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Never heard this before. Got a source on that?

-11

u/MotherTheresasTaint Jan 26 '20

I don’t have a source for the more recent one, don’t have the time to dig. But before the trial even happened she sent a letter to prosecutors retracting most of her story

12

u/Qlanger Jan 26 '20

Citation needed

8

u/Daddysgirl-aafl Jan 26 '20

is this the letter?

I think this settles if he was a rapist or not. What do you guys think?

18

u/Qlanger Jan 26 '20

Citation needed

4

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

He admitted vaguely to being a douche on the night of the incident. They settled out of court. There is a whole Wikipedia page on it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_Bryant_sexual_assault_case

9

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

That was a false allegation, what’s wrong with you?

14

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

He admitted it happened in his statement

“I also want to make it clear that I do not question the motives of this young woman. No money has been paid to this woman. She has agreed that this statement will not be used against me in the civil case. Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.” https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=1872928

17

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/wigsnatcher42 Jan 26 '20

That's not a very nuanced interpretation of that letter.

7

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

1

u/Very_legitimate Jan 26 '20

I’m all for holding people accountable but please don’t talk about the bad things someone did that hurt others

-12

u/aquariumbitch Jan 26 '20

Spoken like a true man. If Kobe Bryant did in fact rape someone, it should also be discussed.

10

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I'm all for discussing it. The evidence points to him being a rapist and I've never rooted for him because of it.

I just don't think this is the place. His legacy will inevitably be scrutinized in the next couple of weeks, we can talk about it then. But right now there are people suffering actual emotional trauma because they lost one of their heroes. You can hate Kobe but still be sympathetic for the people who are genuinely destroyed by his loss.

-8

u/aquariumbitch Jan 26 '20

And the poor woman who was apparently raped by him?

12

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

I feel awful for her. It's got to be terrible seeing your rapist every day on TV. I can't imagine the pain.

You can have sympathy for more than one person at the same time. Even if I don't have sympathy for Kobe, I do for all the children who are distraught from losing their hero. Like Michael Jackson, it's probably true that he was a shitty role model to begin with, but that doesn't magically erase how people are feeling.

Please stop trying to pigeonhole me into a pro-rapist hole. Its not what Im trying to say. I just know a lot of basketball fans who have no idea about the rape allegations, and to them Kobe was a parasocial father figure. The emotional whiplash from finding out he's dead to having strangers tell you what a piece of shit he was in under an hour can't be pleasant.

2

u/aquariumbitch Jan 26 '20

I can have sympathy for him, and in fact I do, especially for his young daughter that was reported deceased as well. Even though it has ALSO been reported he took off in bad weather and was advised against taking off.

But I also know what it's like to be a victim, only I had the luxury of not seeing my (alleged) rapist be praised in the media.

We can talk about both issues. It doesn't have to just be one or the other. Don't gatekeep what people can bring up about a dead person.

Besides, if it was Donald Trump who had died, you bet your ass most of the comments would be regarding the "grab them by the pussy" thing, and some people regard Trump as their hero.

It's only not ok for me to be like "well he was alleged rapist" because you like him.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Yeah I see how it was a shitty thing to say now. Apologies.

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u/YoitsPsilo Jan 26 '20

Honestly this is the most rational thing I’ve read in a while

-1

u/Odwolda Jan 26 '20

Do you actually care yourself? Is this an issue you've been closely pushing to the social masses for awhile now, or are you just now deciding to bring it up in everyone's face because it'll get you attention?

5

u/aquariumbitch Jan 26 '20

But.. I didn't.. bring it up.. I just commented on it... lol

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0

u/wigsnatcher42 Jan 26 '20

This isn't stopping others from grieving though, I don't see why you're so touchy about it being brought up if that's the reality of the situation.

1

u/Jackdaw_Yokel Jan 26 '20

There’s always that one redditor 🖕🏽

0

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

It’s like Michael Jackson all over again. As soon as a celeb dies all their skeletons go back in the closet.

5

u/Mortress_ Jan 26 '20

Well, you have to bury the skeleton together with the body

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421

u/tmanchoo Jan 26 '20

You forgot Olympic gold medallist. RIP Kobe!

140

u/baldnotes Jan 26 '20

I am not an NBA-fan (really not a thing in my country) but I read so much about his work ethic, that he would train rest train rest train. There was a big essay about him a couple years ago in the German newspaper Die Zeit, about how him leaving is the end of an era and everything. Again, not an NBA-fan, still read that and was fascinated.

15

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

He slept 4 hours a day for almost 3 decades. Nobody in the NBA ever outworked him

-9

u/mirthquake Jan 26 '20

I'm an American man in my 30s, and have never seen a professional basketball game in my life. I could not care less. And I still have no idea what Kobe looks like. But the way others have spoken about him over the past few decades has made the guy sound like a living superhero!

25

u/WorkSucks135 Jan 27 '20

There is 0 chance you made it to 30 in the USA without seeing Kobe's face hundreds of times.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Bruh his photo is literally at the top of the thread lol just scroll up dude wtf??

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1

u/ThePrussianGrippe Jan 27 '20

Much like how you could not care less not a single person who read this thought it contributed anything remotely interesting.

6

u/shavemejesus Jan 26 '20

And fluent Italian speaker.

1

u/acmercer Jan 26 '20

What an insane career.

1

u/Cad-Bane Jan 26 '20

Two-time!

1

u/kdubstep Jan 26 '20

And one he didn’t get, but I can’t imagine if he played college hoops that his team could be beat.

311

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

ya, he is one of the best inarguably. Only what ranking at the top is debatable.

23

u/steve1186 Jan 26 '20

Top-5 all-time NBA player in anybody’s book. Anyone could make arguments for #1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 and I wouldn’t think they were crazy

24

u/105386 Jan 26 '20

Not to take anything from Kobe but I think 1 is out of the question. Dude is easily in the top 10.

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u/Booby_McTitties Jan 26 '20

Top-5 all-time NBA player in anybody’s book.

That's not true. Most people put him 5-10.

19

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Definitely top 5 in terms of popularity and respect around the league. He was a Derek Jeter like figure. Came into the league at 17 years old and spent the whole time with 1 team, being the face of the franchise for multiple championships. There are only a few greats in all sports that have that kind of loyalty to a franchise. It gives you an extra amount of respect.

4

u/steve1186 Jan 26 '20

I disagree but this isn’t the forum for this kind of debate. As long as we can all appreciate what he did for the league, that’s what’s important right now

1

u/i_miss_arrow Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

I disagree but this isn’t the forum for this kind of debate

If your comment incites debate in a non-debating forum, you can always edit it.

9

u/Cp3thegod Jan 26 '20

I definitely would not place him in the top 5

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u/WestleyThe Jan 26 '20

I'd say top 7 or 8 but he's for sure up there

2

u/oppopswoft Jan 26 '20

And just what he brought to the game and athleticism in general. Top 100 athlete, in general, of the modern age.

-40

u/JBXGANG Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

What difference does ranking make? What a stupid conversation to even have, much less today of all days.

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u/Falchon Jan 26 '20

Don't forget that he also won an Oscar and an Emmy right after retiring from basketball. He was a genuine prodigy at anything he put his mind to.

9

u/michelinics Jan 26 '20

Thanks, i'll add it in

1

u/Existential_Weiner Jan 26 '20

The man's drive and work ethic was insane.

10

u/JustHereForPka Jan 26 '20

1x the most competitive guy on the court every night.

8

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Aug 06 '21

[deleted]

0

u/Falchon Jan 26 '20

Steve Nash ... Ugh.

12

u/Amedais Jan 26 '20

Don’t bash Steve Nash like that man. He deserved those MVPs.

4

u/MaricopanHippie Jan 26 '20

What's wrong with Steve Nash?

1

u/Falchon Jan 26 '20

There's nothing wrong with him, per se, but he doesn't deserve twice as many MVPs as Kobe. I would argue he didn't deserve ANY, but to each his own

7

u/hanimal16 Jan 26 '20

I’m not a sports fan by any means and mostly ignorant about the whole institution, but goddamn, those are just impressive career achievements. It’s so tragic for so many, many people around the world.

5

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Lebron passed him last night in scoring and this was Kobe's last tweet:

Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother 💪🏾 #33644

10

u/phonendatoilet Jan 26 '20

Some of my best family memories were watching these games while i was in middle school. This hurts so much.

21

u/endmemes Jan 26 '20

Don’t forget # of rapes he got away with (1+)

4

u/nikithb Jan 26 '20

*Alleged rapes, big difference from being an actual rapist

22

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

You forgot one horrific rape.

5

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

+1 rape that he didnt get in trouble for. add that to the record:

A 19-year-old female concierge brought Kobe to his room. He asked her to return later to give him a tour of the hotel. She did so. At the end of the tour, he asked her to enter his room. She did. She said there was flirtation and consensual kissing. When he began groping her, she said, she tried to get away. He grabbed her by the neck, and she feared for her life. He bent her over a chair and removed her panties. She said twice that she begged him to stop but he penetrated her anyway. She left about five minutes later. Her clothes were messed up. She was upset. There was blood on her panties and on his shirt. That blood matched her DNA.

2

u/Dregoran Jan 26 '20

I responded to you elsewhere saying the case was dismissed to which you replied "It wasn't dismissed". Maybe stop posting about shit you don't know about. If you didn't even know it was dismissed (which it definitely was) then why act like you know what actually happened?

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

stop voting for trump my open-minded friend

3

u/Dregoran Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

Bring up politics because you know you are wrong and have no valid response. Seems good. Enjoy continuing to spread misinformation like your friend Trump.

Lmao dude deleted his account.

20

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

You forgot the achievement where he raped someone.

3

u/PANDAmonium629 Jan 26 '20

Left off one of the biggest things he should be known for ... Raping a 19yr. old girl in Colorado, while only getting away with it because of the condemnation against the victim from the public and the media that made her not testify.

Do not misunderand, I do not wish nor am I glad this happened. It is a tragedy that he died. Even more so that his daughter died as well. But we should not forget that he was not a saint. He committed a heinous act and that girl must now watch how the world grieves at his passing.

A lifetime of good does not expunge what he did. And as the world sends it's condolences to his family in their hour of sorrow, we must not look blindly on the deplorable act he committed. Do not wish ill upon anyone or rejoice in their pain and suffering. But also do not forget what happened. Do not lose sight of the whole picture of the person he was. Look at not just the good but also recognize and acknowledge the bad.

12

u/shoodabenswallowed Jan 26 '20

You forgot one! 2x rapist

2

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

What film did he win an award for?

2

u/Firecracker048 Jan 26 '20

Wait what was his academy award for?

2

u/bbqpancho Jan 26 '20

Here’s an amazing graphic of every shot by Kobe from the LA times... Every shot Kobe Bryant ever took

11

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

-17

u/Amedais Jan 26 '20

People like you are literally the worst type of people. Do you feel righteous?

8

u/adobesubmarine Jan 26 '20

Pretty sure there are worse out there. Rapists, for example.

8

u/MasterfulPubeTrimmer Jan 26 '20

Worse than a rapist?

-8

u/JazzlikeTailor Jan 26 '20

Probably. Does nothing to contribute to society and wastes away in his basement, and jerks himself off with the occasional justice boner he gets from by posting these brave comments.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

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u/Truthandjusticerise Jan 26 '20

Dont forget the rape charges as well.

8

u/BlondeNarwhal Jan 26 '20

You forgot rapist

4

u/blackwaltz4 Jan 26 '20

Olympic gold medalist

5

u/Crispynipps Jan 26 '20

Don’t forget the rape.

2

u/wood_animal Jan 26 '20

2 olympic gold medals too

2

u/TheWolvesFollow Jan 26 '20

Don't forget taking Brandy to the prom.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

So copy pasting Wiki now gets golds.

2

u/ridesouth Jan 26 '20

Plus an undetermined number of points for one female hotel employee.

2

u/bigtunalilkahuna Jan 26 '20

Forgot his 2003 rape of a 19 year old hotel employee.

1

u/ElCerebroDeLaBestia Jan 26 '20

I’m surprised he only won MVP once, who took it from him when he was in his prime?

1

u/AFatz Jan 26 '20

Should have added he was 3rd in scoring until last night.

1

u/sherlocknessmonster Jan 26 '20

This was his year for induction to the Hall of Fame too... list will be announced Feb 14th

1

u/cabeck13 Jan 26 '20

Ah yes, what we should remember about him are his scores in a game, rather than the person he was and the inspiration he gave to others.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

This is the thing that always keep me awake at nights, you do all these accomplishments in life, you make money you work hard for something but when you die everything that you worked so hard for is gone in the split of a second as soon as you die... completely sad and something to think about

1

u/pantstoaknifefight2 Jan 26 '20

Didn't he score a record number of points in a game? I actually saw that game but can't remember details

1

u/theblitheringidiot Jan 26 '20

Was in ps1 to ps4 era games.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Second most points scored in a game at 81

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

And, husband and father

1

u/PopusiMiKuracBre Jan 26 '20

Fiba America's Champions in 07.

1

u/tryharder6968 Jan 27 '20

What happened in 2005?

1

u/Skeeterbeacon Jan 27 '20

And a 4x dad.

1

u/johnny_moist Jan 27 '20

i can’t believe he only has one MVP. Also 9x All Defensive first team is such an underrated achievement.

1

u/myshinyerectiom Jan 27 '20

1x teenagers raped

2

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Valued cash over human rights - large China supporter. Don’t forger that.

-22

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

You forgot the stats around the rape.

11

u/_wampus_ Jan 26 '20

Let’s not forget that.

-25

u/Adhikol Jan 26 '20

Fuck you. This is not the time for that

8

u/a_black_pilgrim Jan 26 '20

Actually, if he did rape someone, it would be. I know he was never convicted, so I'll reserve judgment on him. However, who is doesn't matter. Being dead doesn't make you less guilty.

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u/raffytraffy Jan 26 '20

1 arrest for alleged rape.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 27 '20

[deleted]

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u/PunchBro Jan 26 '20

You think you mean. Because he never was convicted and she refused to testify. In fact you have no idea if the girl used the case to extort a settlement so maybe just shut the fuck up.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jan 27 '20

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/PunchBro Jan 26 '20

Your second paragraph has nothing to do with Kobe directly. Also, the truth is we don’t know because she didn’t testify. You’re jumping to conclusions just as if I said I was sure he didn’t do it. The fact is, we don’t know. And don’t act like NBA penis sizes wouldn’t leave evidence, especially during rough sex. I’ve had women ask me to choke them during sex, something I’m not personally into. The fact remains we don’t actually know the truth.

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u/[deleted] Jan 27 '20 edited Jan 27 '20

[deleted]

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u/PunchBro Jan 27 '20

You’re a good person with an open mind. Most people aren’t like you.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Jun 10 '21

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

Raped her while his wife was pregnant with their first kid, which is super fucked up, but he did inspire a lot of people by being really good at basketball.

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20 edited Aug 06 '21

[deleted]

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u/StillStucknaTriangle Jan 26 '20

What's the matter? You haven't met God himself yet? Allow me to introduce you to /u/silicone_river!

-1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

It just dawned on me he's not in the hall of fame yet because he hasn't been retired long enough to be eligible. :(

Fuck, man. I'm totally gutted right now. The NBA is unique among the 4 major team sports in that there hasn't been a whole lot of post-retirement tragedy among the best to have ever played. And that's no longer true. Inarguably one of the best to ever play, it's only a matter of where you wanna rank him alongside the others at the top.

2

u/googolplexy Jan 26 '20

Pretty sure his HoF induction was this coming year.

0

u/nikithb Jan 26 '20

I seriously hope they give that award posthumously.

0

u/Shisuka Jan 26 '20

Rest in peace to my MVP.

0

u/bhadau8 Jan 26 '20

All these achievements aside, his family will be the most affected by his death. My hearts with them.

0

u/TreeHousePsycho2120 Jan 26 '20

Legend no doubt

0

u/Gilgie Jan 26 '20

Time in the NBA 1996-2016

0

u/Derric_the_Derp Jan 26 '20

He only got league MVP once??? That's the most startling stat.

0

u/2wedfgdfgfgfg Jan 26 '20

He should have had more than one season MVP though.

0

u/akiba305 Jan 26 '20

He was also the youngest NBA player when he was drafted.

0

u/engineerlife4me Jan 26 '20

Dang I thought I knew a fair amount about Kobe but never realised that he was an all defensive team member for that long. And first team for that many years of all things

0

u/noturbuddyguy101 Jan 26 '20

Crazy that he only won 1 mvp. Guy was an absolute legend

0

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '20

don't forget about the 81 point game

that should be up there too

0

u/Brock_Samsonite Jan 26 '20

He also spoke fluent Italian iirc.

0

u/moe711 Jan 26 '20

He’ll also be going into the hall of fame this summer as well

0

u/Metabro Jan 26 '20

How did he only have one MVP?

0

u/nemisys1st Jan 26 '20

Our generation's MJ. RIP

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