- 6 weeks ago
Wyc Grousbeck joins! The Greg Hill Show!
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00:00And with us this morning, I believe the official title now is alternate governor and CEO of the Boston Celtics, Wick Grossbeck. Wick, good morning.
00:10How are you doing, Hillman? Where the heck are you?
00:11I'm in New York. We had a little radio award ceremony.
00:17I could have zoomed in, I guess. I guess I could have zoomed in, but here I am.
00:21We are delighted you're here. And you and I had an interesting conversation the other night.
00:26And I think there's always around these parts, oftentimes the bunch of wild speculation about who does what job, who has what share of equity.
00:38And so now that this deal has transacted, could you let us in a little bit on kind of how this is going to work out with this, maybe what you would call this new ownership group?
00:48Well, it's new and old. There's 13 of us that rolled into this new one.
00:52So it's like, and there's 11 new ones. So we are, we're actually, it's almost like revitalized or a new roster, but, but with a lot of this, but a lot of the same players as well.
01:02So it's really nice. These guys are terrific. And Bill came in, we spent the last part of the summer together, shoulder to shoulder, like we say, side by side, raising the rest of the money for the closing.
01:14So we did that together, the two of us. And, and so glad that everybody came in. We got it closed in August and he and I are going to be side by side running it.
01:23He said, I'd like you to stay. And I said, I, I haven't had a boss for 23 years. So I don't want to be like a jerk about it.
01:30I don't want this to sound the wrong way at all, but I'm just going to be totally honest.
01:33Cause you've just bought this thing, bought control. And I just don't want you to have any, I haven't had a boss. I don't know how I would react after, you know, I'm over 60 now is 40.
01:42When I came in, it's like, you know, he goes, no, no, no, we're going to be partners. So we're going to do it. And like this, and they've asked me to stay for five years or more, you know, honestly.
01:50So I couldn't be happier with, first of all, just the new group coming in. It's a group that wants to win deep down to the core. That's what it takes to win a bid for a team because the numbers are so high and they're crazy.
02:04The winning bidders are going to be the ones that love it the most. Okay. They're not the ones that are going to be trying to get the best deal. And so these guys are the real deal. And I'm, I'm proud to be part of it.
02:12Kind of like, great. You don't have a boss either.
02:16Well, I'm married.
02:17So I've got one.
02:18That's a good one to have.
02:19Yeah, I'm married.
02:20When it comes to this season and wanting to win, Jalen Brown is going to be a big leader for this team.
02:25What has he been like going into the season?
02:28I mean, he's always been focused. He's always been, you know, in every way, mentally and physically, like ripped going into the season.
02:35You can be mentally ripped. Jason is mentally ripped. I think I, Jalen, I mean, I just made that up.
02:40But he's as focused, as ready. You know, he kind of like, looks like a superhero out there, basically.
02:47And we got a lot of guys with a lot of, I don't know, energy, juice, strength.
02:53Um, we're flying around in practice. Um, I'm really excited to see tonight against Philly, you know, a rivalry game to open up the, open up the season.
03:02We'll see what happens. But I really like the squad. I like what Joe's got them doing. Joe's in attack mode.
03:06How difficult will it be to balance the importance from an organizational point of view of wanting to wait on Jason Tatum until he is fully healed up?
03:19Plus, uh, and his desire, it appears to be back on the basketball court. Like, I feel like if he, like, I feel like he wants to play tonight.
03:26Yeah. Uh, I, I'm sure he does. Um, everybody knows exactly what's going to happen. We're not going to ever ask him to come back.
03:35We're assuming he's not coming back and we're not even gonna have any discussions about it. Um, if, if at the end of, at some point, he's going to be ready to come back.
03:44Whenever that is, we'll get five doctor's opinions. We'll ask him how he feels and then we'll all decide jointly. Um, you know, let's do this.
03:51Whatever month that is, whenever that is, but there's no discussions in the meantime. I mean, we're just, he's expected to not be here this season.
03:58Wiggy's been counting on him back in January.
04:00Yeah. Well, I mean, that's what he said. So I've never, I've, I've bet on Jason Tatum basically since the day Danny brilliantly drafted him. Um, we've been all in on Jason Tatum and he's one of my favorite people on the planet for everything he does.
04:15And so I'll never bet against Jason Tatum, but nor will he be asked by the Celtics to come back early. That's not going to happen.
04:21His videos of him, just like the way he looks and it's just the excitement of like, wow, this guy could, you know, especially today's modern medicine.
04:28But when you talk about this team, the one thing that I've kind of noticed and, you know, just some of the additions that you guys made in the off season, a team that wants to play with a very, very fast and high pace, because it seems like a lot of athletes, whether it's Simmons, whether it's the new kid, Josh, uh, Manant, uh, where it's unbelievable.
04:48Yeah. And so is that like the kind of look that we're going to see from the Celtics team this year?
04:52I mean, the guy that's got the fastest up and down the court is actually Chris Bruchet, who's a center. I mean, he's, he's like a, you know, a greyhound up and down the court. He's unbelievable. There's, there's a lot of motion. There's a, there's people, uh, I mean, that's what Joe, I mean, from the first practice of training camp.
05:07And I saw a bunch of the practices they've been flying around, like I've never seen in 23 years. So, uh, that's going to be exhausting. We're going to have to play a lot of guys, no doubt, uh, platoon them in, uh, or whatever Joe was saying. So we'll probably play, I think, 11, 12 guys a game. And that's great.
05:22Speaking, speaking of Joe, some reporting this week that the Knicks were interested in talking with him. Did, did Brad just laugh and hang the phone up?
05:30Joe Missoula? The Knicks? Oh, okay. Well, um, I'll leave Brad to, to discuss that. Um, but I, I think Joe's very happy to be, he's always told me how thrilled he is to be with his hometown team. He's grateful and he wants to do it forever. I feel the exact same way about my hometown team. Joe and I are, uh, two of the same, same right there. I'm not really Joe Missoula, I understand, but we're very similar in that way. Uh, we love Boston and he's where he's supposed to be.
05:57Wiggy brings up a lot of the new guys on the team, but Peyton Pritchard, Derek White, guys like that who made such an impact the last two years. How are they looking coming into the season?
06:06They look, I mean, they look, uh, really good and they look, and Peyton looks ready to start, which he'll be doing. Uh, Derek is, uh, his usual unbelievable self. Look, it's training camp. Let's see what happens tonight when you start getting punched in the mouth by, you know, a very tough team, Philly. Um, but, uh, I can't wait. I'm really fired up about it. It's going to be a different feeling. We're not the favorites, clearly. We're not.
06:27Anybody's picked to even barely make the playoffs or, you know, be in the middle of the pack. And, uh, we'll just take that in and use that as energy and see how the guys respond.
06:35And it's kind of been the last several years where the pressure has been preseason, at least, you know, either the favorite to get to the finals, the favorite to repeat all of that. This year is presenting something sort of like the 08 Patriots where a great team losing its best player. And you'll see, you know, they went 11 and five. It was a good year, but not quite what they wanted. What do you think Brad Stevens is going to do this season?
06:56And that may not enhance the team right now, but is there the potential for deals that you could see that would be preparing the team for Tatum's inevitable return?
07:04Well, I, uh, it's possible. I mean, I think we probably have, uh, some roster moves we'd like to make either this year or in the off season. You know, I mean, we were thin at center. We've got four good guys, but we lost three centers in the off season because we had to get under the second apron per league rules. Basically. I mean, you can call it league rules. There's really no choice.
07:25And nobody will be over there for three over it for three or four years, like period. That's just, you can't do it anymore. So we've got a harder cap than we used to have. Uh, so that position, but we've got four guys competing for it and hopefully two or three of them really step up and we don't need to make a move. So I'm, I'm just saying this isn't the roster we're going to carry forward necessarily. It never is.
07:44When we won it two years ago, Brad moved Marcus smart, um, and Grant Williams, you know, tough guys to lose and Malcolm Brogdon. And we got a championship. So, you know, he does. I, I, I can't wait for Brad's moves when they come because in general, uh, they're pretty smart.
08:00Help me out on the apron thing, because when that comes up, people go, well, you can spend whatever you like, you know, fans go, Hey, you can spend whatever you want. Like from a perspective of, of somebody who's been doing this and is doing it every single day.
08:14Uh, that impacts the, the impacts, the future impacts what you're doing. And it's, and it's, and it's from a league.
08:21Well, it's totally different now. If I can just jump, you know, I think I know what you're, where you're going. Sorry about that hill, man. Uh, but anyway, jumping in, um, it used to be, Hey, what's your wallet? Like, Hey, are you wealthy enough to own this team? Hey, do you want to go for it? Or are you, you count nickels or something like that? That's what it might've used to been. Cause it was just a tax. Okay. Uh, now it's freezing draft picks, losing draft picks, not being able to use your
08:44mid-level exception, not being able to aggregate players in trades. So you have to find a one-on-one exact match basically for, uh, for your player, not being able to add a penny. So you're like, right now we have a draft pick.
08:55I think it's maybe frozen or something like that. We can't trade it in like 2031. We can't trade a first round pick. That's just the tip of iceberg, frozen iceberg. The tip of it, it gets worse. Then it moves to the back of the round.
09:08Uh, and then you, you know, so there's stuff that like GMs and fans, GMs for sure know this stuff. Fans will learn it and they, they won't recommend it because it cripples you in the future. So it's, it's basketball penalties. It's basketball penalties, but you cannot incur your, it's nuts.
09:26Who was, what, who promoted that? Was that the, what owners were the ones that were driving that?
09:30All 30 of us, all 30 of us. The idea is not to let someone come in from wherever with 170, 200 billion dollars.
09:38And buy a championship. That's not good for anybody. That doesn't make any sense.
09:41Like the Dodgers? You mean like the Dodgers?
09:43I'm not commenting about baseball. I mean, Wiggy, you should have grown up with a ball, a bat and ball in your hand because, you know, they have 15 year deal, $760 million deals for, it's like, you know, a bad marriage.
09:57And it's all deferred money until they're all in their forties.
10:00But no, it's nuts. So we were looking for a harder cap because then it's parity. We've had seven champion, different champions in the last seven years in the NBA.
10:07And we just signed a $77 billion TV contract because of it. So look, it's working. And that's the way the league has to operate it.
10:14Let's operate on whether or not Brad Stevens is a better GM than everybody else, as opposed to if I'm as rich as Steve Ballmer, which I can assure you, I'm not even like the letter B in his name, but we've won twice since I've been here.
10:25Well, one of the things you bring up the parity, and it's interesting when I start to look at this, especially the Eastern Conference, and I know Tatum's hurt, but then I start to look at this team and some of the moves that you made.
10:36And I think that you guys are right up there with Cleveland. I think that you guys are right up there with the Knicks.
10:44And then it seems like it's wide open. I don't know what Detroit's going to be or Orlando's going to be.
10:48And that's why I feel like, you know, I have the Celtics in my top three this year finishing in the Eastern Conference because I think it's wide open, kind of what we see in football.
10:58There's not that one dominant team.
11:00Well, now I'm glad I brought you the bag of swag that you requested as a gentle request came in from him.
11:05Yeah, we'd love to have you on as long as you bring Wiggy some swag.
11:08No, no, no. Wiggy said that. I said, I told these guys, I told these guys.
11:12No problem, Wiggy. I mean, I'm a swag guy. I love doing it.
11:15Hey, I'm always bought my swag anyway.
11:17I said, Wick would like to come in, which is one of the amazing things about you that's not appreciated enough.
11:23And Wiggy goes, tell him to bring some swag.
11:26That's okay. No problem. He's a fan. Wiggy is a true fan.
11:28I spent a lot of money in that pro shop downstairs at North Station.
11:33You know, the NBA model is actually, I feel like other leagues are adapting the max salary for the prime years as opposed to what you alluded to, 760 million 15-year deals.
11:44Well, just wait for baseball.
11:46I mean, all the reports are baseball is going to take, you know, a run at a hard cap.
11:51And that's not going to be, I mean, it's in the Premier League, you know, everybody I know,
11:55and I know probably 10 guys who own Premier League teams, let's just put it this way.
12:00Chelsea was just sold a couple of years ago.
12:01They have been losing $100 million a year for 20 years.
12:04I mean, that's just not a business model.
12:06That's an expensive hobby.
12:08So, anyway, we're just trying to run, our players are like the highest paid group of players in the world.
12:13We're splitting $14 billion with them this year.
12:15Our players are going to be paid $7 billion.
12:17It's working.
12:17We got plenty of money to go around.
12:19So, we appreciate our partnership with the players.
12:21And we're, anyway, the new rules just make it, any team, any fan can hope that their team can probably get there with either this year or next year.
12:29You know, that's the way we want it to be.
12:31It's better for the fans.
12:32And you said the $77 billion TV deal that goes into effect with NBC.
12:35We see Michael Jordan, a guy that you've been partnered with in other ventures.
12:39What do you expect to see from Michael Jordan and his role on the NBC?
12:42I'm thrilled.
12:43MJ's excited about it.
12:44And he's, and I think it's really cool.
12:46I'm glad to have NBC back.
12:49TBS was great and all, but NBC and now we got Amazon Prime, you know, doubleheader Friday night, Amazon Prime.
12:56I think we're on that against the Knicks.
12:58It's a new world.
13:00We're going to streaming.
13:01We're going back to NBC, but it's also Peacock with NBC.
13:04It's just, you know, it's the evolution of the sport.
13:06It's great.
13:07Speaking of media, did you take in the media coaches game?
13:10I did.
13:10I watched it from the cafeteria as I was eating some lunch and I just, I could barely even eat.
13:15I was watching those guys get beaten like 57 to four, I think.
13:19So I'm surprised they let him up, give him four.
13:21But that's Joe Mazzula for you.
13:24This is a boomer take here.
13:25But on the, on the TV deal, any concern that, you know, you may price some fans out the, the, the more you go to different platforms with different games that, that everybody has to pay separately for?
13:40Well, possibly, I think, Hillman, what you can do though, is you can get stuff generally a la carte.
13:46Okay.
13:46So it used to be the old cable bundle.
13:48You had to sign up and that started getting more and more expensive as we all know, those of us who have cable.
13:53So now you can have a choice if you want to watch a particular game or pretty soon.
13:56Anyway, I'm pretty sure if you look at our streaming, you can buy, buy the game, buy the team, you know, or buy the season.
14:04I think we're trying to make it just where people want to watch it on their phone or wherever on the go.
14:10We're just trying to make it available.
14:11That's where people want.
14:12They don't all want to be like, where's my cable box anymore?
14:16Having said that, we do understand it's not cheap to watch these things or to attend the games.
14:21We try to keep our ticket pricing, you know, below the street price so that you can always kind of get out of your tickets if you're, you know, you can't make the game.
14:29We're trying to be fan friendly.
14:31We're fans who bought the team and we've tried to do that, but we also need to pay our players so we can win.
14:36Are there going to be more things that you do like Celtic City again?
14:40I know they're starting five, which Jalen Brown is in, but I think it's really cool to kind of get the behind the scenes of organizations, what guys go through.
14:49So is it, you know, going to be something we see more moving down the road to, like you said, get fans into seeing something completely different?
14:56Yeah, more short form stuff.
14:57That Celtic City, that was, I think, nine parts and, you know, that took a long time and HBO did a great, I think, a really good job on that, Bill Simmons and all.
15:06And we're excited about that and appreciative of that.
15:09But we do a lot of short form stuff.
15:12And the other day I was in a meeting, I can't remember how many billion views of media our social department had, but, you know, it's a couple billion, like, views of the videos.
15:22And not just little 15-second clips of highlights, but, like, short form stuff we do.
15:26We do stuff with Shadow Lion, which is Tom Brady's company, and others.
15:30So we love doing that.
15:31And that's what we're trying to, you know, entertain the fans that way.
15:34Celtic City was so good.
15:35And the history, you know, we're old, but the history of the organization and, you know, Friday night at the Tip-Off Gala, you guys were honoring Chuck Cooper, who was the first black player drafted in the NBA by the Boston Celtics.
15:54And it's so interesting to – because there are – that perspective of what was going on then in the NBA and what the Celtics were doing, I think, is not known by some.
16:07I think – for sure.
16:08And when I came in even 23 years ago, I didn't know the story that we had the first black – I say we.
16:14I wasn't around, obviously, and can't take credit for it, but the first black player, Chuck Cooper, the first all-black starting five, and the first black head coach, Bill Russell, were all here in Boston.
16:23I mean, I think it's a credit not only to those players who earned their way on and broke barriers, but it's also to Walter Brown, the original owner, and Red Auerbach, who came in in 1950 and just stood everything on its head.
16:36I mean, I'm getting goosebumps talking about Red.
16:37We brought him back.
16:38The first thing we did in 2003 is brought him back to be team president.
16:42I listened to every word that guy said for the next four to five years, and then he did pass away, sadly.
16:48But I listened to everything he said, and all I try to do – and I couldn't shine his shoes, but all I'm trying to do is do what would Red do in decisions when it comes to the Celtics.
16:59What would he do?
16:59He would put the Celtics first, and that was the biggest lesson I ever learned.
17:03Never forget, Rick Pitino fired him, if I'm correct.
17:05Well, I think that's correct.
17:07He's not walking through that door just like Larry Bird.
17:09But when you talk to Bill, because you said you guys are partners, does he understand the magnitude of what this franchise means, not just in the NBA, but just in sports in general?
17:21Because there's only a handful of franchises, I think, that have that type of moniker when it comes to –
17:28For sure he does.
17:28He grew up here on the North Shore.
17:31He had Celtics birthday parties when he was a kid.
17:33He's got stories about it.
17:35He's very authentic.
17:35He's the first potential owner that I met with my team, with Rich Gotham and Sully and so forth.
17:42And when he walked out last – it was last September – he walked out of that meeting.
17:46It was the first meeting we had had pitching the team to people.
17:49We looked at each other and we're like, I hope that's the guy.
17:52He's the real deal.
17:52I wanted to bring him here today, but his schedule didn't work.
17:55He wants to – I'm sure he'd love to come on, and you can meet him yourself.
17:58But I will tell everybody he's the real deal, and I'm really glad he's here.
18:00Wick, the decision you made to replace Danny when Danny left with Brad was one that wasn't met with unanimous support.
18:09Would you say that's the best decision you've made in your stewardship as someone who's been leading this franchise?
18:15I just was at a business school class last night or yesterday afternoon talking about the Celtics, doing a little yearly lecture thing I do, and I actually said that was the best decision I ever made in the 23 years.
18:28So I guess I would.
18:30It sounds a little pompous to say that, but promoting Brad was the best decision I've made the whole time because I needed a partner to be the GM.
18:40The lead owner and the GM and the coach need to be on the same page, the three of you, and we need to be partners.
18:47That's the way I have been running this team in the past.
18:49And the idea then – you can say anything.
18:52You can say you're out of your mind.
18:54You can stomp out of the room.
18:55But you end up on the same page, and there's no hard feelings.
18:57You just get it done.
18:59Okay, that's the way we run the Celtics.
19:00I needed somebody in between me and Brad that would be a partner.
19:04I said, Brad, who's the list?
19:06Danny's gone.
19:06I know you and Danny put together a list of successors.
19:09Who's the list?
19:10You know, I need a partner.
19:11And he read two guys off, and I go, I don't like either one of them.
19:14He read three guys off, and I go, I don't even know those guys.
19:17So, no.
19:18The answer is no.
19:20It's not going to work for me.
19:21And I thought for a minute, and I said, Brad, actually, you have a brilliant basketball mind.
19:25You've been doing the draft and the roster with Danny for eight years here now as coach, but you've been right there doing it.
19:31You did it at Butler and got to the NCAA finals twice.
19:33You know what you're doing, obviously.
19:36Actually, and you are my partner for sure.
19:38I think it's you.
19:39There's a million coaches.
19:41Let's team up, and then we'll go find a coach.
19:43And he's like, give me the night to think about it.
19:45I didn't even consider it.
19:47He didn't ask for the job.
19:48And the next morning, he walked in.
19:50He goes, I'm your guy.
19:51And that led directly to 2024 because he brilliantly put that roster together.
19:56But he said he's going to make some trades.
19:59And the next thing you know, we got Holiday and Porzingis, and we're in the finals.
20:02I mean, he's unbelievable.
20:04How does he balance, I guess, because he was a coach and that passion for being on the sidelines, coaches, that X's and O's, coming up with plays, to then be, okay, now I'm building the team.
20:18But I'm still – he must still have the love and passion for coaching.
20:22I think he does.
20:24But he is such a – I mean, he's just really one of the most authentic, incredible guys.
20:30He's all in on Joe, which means he doesn't bother Joe.
20:34He'll talk to Joe, I'm sure, after games.
20:36I'm not in those conversations.
20:39I mean, I'm sure he's giving Joe everything Joe wants but not more.
20:43He's not a shadow coach.
20:46You know, that's just not Brad.
20:46Brad is like, this is what I'm doing.
20:48I'm going to do it to the best of my ability, whatever the Celtics need.
20:51And I just – you can never say anything.
20:53You can never – you'll never find anything out about Brad like you wish he hadn't done.
20:57He just does it right.
20:59And I think Joe feels very supported, hopefully by me, because I love Joe, but also by Brad.
21:04Knowing what you're going to deal with with Jason Tatum this season, have you guys set internally an expectation?
21:09Like, what's your expectation for this team?
21:11What do they need to accomplish this season?
21:15I haven't – I know what they're going to do.
21:17They're going to, you know, do everything – they're going to kill themselves to try to, you know, win these games.
21:22I'm sure of it because that's Joe Missoula, and that's the guys I've seen in training camp.
21:26I've set no expectations whatsoever.
21:29I'm going to go tonight and see what we see, and we're going to find out together, all of us.
21:34I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised, but I don't have any particular expectations.
21:38I just – I want to be proud of the season when I look back on it, and I think I will be.
21:42So many people thought the new ownership, the only way to take this to the next level as the people buying the Celtics at this price point would be to have their own arena.
21:51And so we've talked about it a lot.
21:53Obviously, I know you're happy with your lease with the Bruins.
21:56How much of a new arena was part of an equation in talking with the new ownership?
22:02Zero.
22:03I mean, or like one or two percent.
22:05I mean, we have a long-term, recently extended, and very mutually beneficial, I'd say, very happy arrangement with the garden.
22:13We're in there into, I think, the mid-30s.
22:15And so – but also, there's just a very basic fact of life, which we're very happy about, by the way.
22:22Boston is an incredible town.
22:24It's a small town, and we're like the world champions, you know, 13 parades in this century, right?
22:29So somehow we're taking this small town and turning it into the world powerhouse of sports, right?
22:34I couldn't be prouder of that, but there's no room for two giant arenas in Boston, okay?
22:38It's not a physical room, but there's not – you know, you've got to have the concerts.
22:41You've got to make it work.
22:42So we'll go – whatever we do, we'll do with the Bruins, I'm quite sure.
22:45And that's been a 23-year partnership that I've had with them.
22:49And if we renovate the garden together, great.
22:51If we decide to do something to the garden space, great.
22:54But it's not my – that's not my concern right now.
22:57I'm just worried about the basketball team.
22:58And in the coming years, I'm sure everybody will get around the table and figure it out.
23:04Well, Wick, we could not be more excited.
23:05Thanks for coming by this morning.
23:07Great.
23:08And, yeah, spread some good cheer down for the Celtics in New York.
23:12We'll be down there Friday night, and that's going to be a barn burner as well.
23:14We've got Philly and the Knicks to open it up.
23:16I want to thank everybody for supporting the team.
23:20And we've had a good run, and now we've got a little – maybe a little different year ahead.
23:24We'll see.
23:25But we're going to give you Celtics basketball, and I hope you like it.
23:27We love it.
23:28And good to know.
23:30And you said maybe five years, maybe ten years.
23:32Like you're around for the –
23:33I don't know.
23:33I mean, I'm just going to be one of those guys hanging on.
23:37I'm like George Blanda or whatever.
23:38If you remember him, like 50 years old, he's trying to kick field goals.
23:41That's probably going to be me.
23:43You still got them good seats, though.
23:44Yeah.
23:46I'll be there.
23:47Is that it?
23:47Now he's asking for seats.
23:48He's going tonight.
23:50He'll be there tonight.
23:51Hey.
23:52I didn't go as a kid, so I took a 40, so now I try to take advantage of it.
23:56And Greg is the George Blanda of radio.
23:58I mean, he's basically 100 and he's doing it.
23:59Right, right, exactly.
24:01Oiggy's hoping for the new cities.
24:03He'd like the new city.
24:04What do you think of the new city uniform?
24:06I love those things.
24:07There's still green in it, I don't think, for the first time.
24:09That's okay.
24:09That's all right?
24:10Yeah.
24:10Yeah.
24:10Yeah.
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