Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - Deadline Passed, Florida State & Clemson DID NOT Withdraw From ACC | New CFP Tiebreaker Criteria
Episode Date: August 16, 2024The deadline to withdraw from the ACC in time to play the 2025 football season for another conference came and went on Thursday, August 15th. Despite persistent rumors throughout the summer, Florida S...tate and Clemson did not make any official declaration by the deadline. This means the earliest either school could play for another conference would be for the 2026 football season. The legal process will continue to play out and perhaps they will have their ducks in a row for a formal declaration by next year. The Seminoles and Tigers are both involved in lawsuits against the ACC in an effort to break the Grant of Rights agreement. Hosts Alex Donno and Kenton Gibbs discuss the deadline passing and explain why they aren’t surprised. A report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel last week predicted that neither school would make a move before the deadline. The guys look at an ACC prediction from Stewart Mandel of The Athletic. He has the Virginia Tech Hokies finishing third behind Florida State and Miami. Could they really finish higher than Clemson and NC State? The guys ponder a new report that the College Football Playoff committee is removing conference championships as one of their tiebreakers for selection. For your next listen, check out the Locked On College Football podcast! From NIL deals to never ending conference realignment rumors, Spencer McLaughlin gets you ready for an exciting season on the gridiron! Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.eBay MotorsFrom brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. As playoffs wind down, the sports stop sporting like we want them to. But this summer, FanDuel is hooking up ALL CUSTOMERS with a boost or a bonus, DAILY! That’s right, there’s something for everyone, every day, all summer long! Visit FANDUEL.COM and add a big win to your summer bucket list!FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Well, the deadline to withdraw from the ACC was August 15th.
It's August 16th now.
And you are locked on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team, every day.
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I've got to wonder, are there teams that are projected to finish near the bottom of the conference standings
that aren't getting enough respect heading into the 2024 season?
We actually, Kenton and I found someone who's higher on the Virginia Tech Hokies than we are.
I didn't think outside of Blacksburg, that was even possible.
I do want to talk about a college football playoff committee criteria change.
That's a little bit of a puzzling one to us.
We'll explain why.
But Kenton Gibbs, he's Kenton Gibbs from Lockdown Wolfpack.
I am Alex Dono from Lockdown Keynes.
You know, Kenton, there was a lot of chatter up until about three and a half weeks ago that Florida State,
and or Clemson would make some public declaration by August 15th
that they were going to withdraw from the ACC,
and it's August 16th now, you know, they haven't withdrawn.
I'm shocked.
I'm so surprised, Donnell.
I'm so confused.
I thought that it was all over.
I thought they played their last game as members of the ACC.
What happened?
What's going on?
well, I, you know, I'm so upset that I'm not prepared for this month.
I'm lying.
I knew I was right all along.
I knew exactly what this situation was.
We all knew that these deadlines were going to be important,
at least the people without their tiger shaded or nose-shaded glasses on.
We all.
We are.
And I'll say this, because a lot of people like to say,
oh, well, you know, most of the logical fans already didn't expect.
We'll call those logical fans to the front because you're ill.
logical ones are loud and wrong a lot.
They're happily loud and wrong
and they're spreading their loud and wrong
everywhere like ego was and
what was it?
Which is the one
with Star Lord
and the raccoon?
Oh, the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Yeah, like in Guardians of the Galaxy
3, he's a lot or two,
he's a lot like ego.
Your loud and wrong ones are spreading
their loud and wrong everywhere.
And we're here to get it under control
because we told you.
We thought this shouldn't be a surprise to anybody.
Oh, look, the deadline passed and they're not withdrawn.
We knew.
We told you that the courts have to play out,
and there are very strong repercussions to not to trying to circumvent the court.
There will always be repercussions to that.
So here we are.
The 15th has passed.
And oh, look at that.
Still got 15 members, huh?
Well, and I just want to add that, like, here on Locked on ACC,
we're not right about everything all the time.
But we have been, to this point, we've been right.
And more importantly, we've been consistent on this one.
Because Kenton, you and I have been called haters because of shows we did three, four months ago.
Hell, sometimes even three, four weeks ago, we've been called haters because we said,
hey, they're not going to withdraw by the deadline.
When you watch certain other content creators every other day, it's like, oh, they're going to
withdraw by tomorrow.
Now they're going to withdraw by next week or the week after that.
we don't move the goalposts here on Locked on ACC.
We've been pretty consistent on this one.
Now, a couple of things because, again, I feel uncomfortable, you know,
taking a victory lap.
I just wanted to let people know we've been consistent on this.
But a couple things.
First of all, the fact that Florida State and Clemson didn't withdraw by the August 15th deadline.
Now, what the August 15th deadline was, it doesn't mean they're never going to leave the ACC.
We believe that they will.
It just means they missed the deadline to exit the conference.
by the start of the 2025 football season.
So this means now the earliest that Clemson and Florida State could play outside of the ACC
banner.
The earliest that could happen would be starting with the 2026 football season.
So that may now be where people put the target and the bullseye before they start moving
the goalposts again if it comes to that.
But 2026 is now the earliest they could join another conference.
That's number one.
And then number two, okay, maybe the.
this news that the deadline came and went. That might have surprised some people up until about
three, four weeks ago, because there was a lot of buzz, especially on the Florida state side,
that, hey, they might make a formal declaration of withdrawal by that August 15th deadline.
But Kenton, about three weeks ago, late, it was, I remember the day, because it was July 22nd,
the day that the ACC kickoff was starting in Charlotte on July 22nd was when that morning,
Keep Thamble of ESPN reported that they would not make any declaration by the deadline.
Do not expect that to happen.
So I wasn't like, you know, sitting up checking my my notifications last night until midnight to see.
I wasn't expecting either side to withdraw.
So this news may have been surprising to some people up until a few weeks ago.
But over the past three weeks since the family report, you really shouldn't have expected anything like this to happen.
No, I thousand percent agree.
It should not have been the expectation that, hey,
These guys are going to do something that is deleterious to not only the ACC, but themselves at a very high cliff.
They're going to do something that is going to put themselves in even more legal crosshairs.
They're going to do something that will cost them their money at the gate as well as their TV rights,
potentially in perpetuity because we all know that courts, you know, they say justice should be blind.
But every now and then, Lady Justice lifts up that little lips up little eye cover and says,
Did you just try to sperm me?
Oh, don't worry about it, buddy.
Now I'm going to come down on you twice as hard.
As the old saying goes, breaking rocks in the hot sun, you fight the law.
And the law won.
It will win every time.
So I'm not surprised by these teams not making that declaration because even if you do say,
well, they were still going to respect the legal process even after making that move,
that's fine.
but then you have to get into the legal process with another conference.
And what conference wants you when you potentially have a half a billion dollar ticket
hanging over your head?
Yeah.
Yeah, it comes back to that phrase that Brett McMurphy used in his report a couple weeks ago,
disruptive partner, right?
That if anyone may be concerned, you know,
by anyone I mean the Big Ten or the SEC,
if there's like any concern or reservation about adding Florida State,
he used the phrase, oh, they've been.
a disruptive partner. Well, yeah, I mean, if they were to make a declaration before they can
actually leave the, right, it would really make no sense outside of we're just trying to make
this power move and we're trying to make a declaration basically for the sake of public relations.
But maybe the public relations on that would be bad. Maybe that would be negative PR.
When the legal cases first or at least settle legal cases first, because we can all define
winning or losing in different ways. I think for Florida State and Clemson,
you know, being able just to leave the conference would be a victory.
So there are more steps that have to take place before they can make a declaration.
Maybe that declaration will happen next year before the August 15th deadline.
But we have a lot more to get to on this episode of Locked on ACC.
Kenton and I have been higher on the Hokies than most, but we've got a ceiling for Virginia Tech.
Well, another national reporter seems to have a high.
ceiling for the Hokies than we have. We'll talk about that and so much more. We're only getting
started, my friends, on this brand new episode of Locked on ACC. You want to keep it locked.
And we're only getting started with Fanduil. Guys, we've been winning money, having a blast all
summer long, and yeah, we're coming up to the start of ACC football. We've got Florida State,
almost two touchdown favorites in Ireland against Georgia Tech. That game is just over a week away.
You can get some action on that.
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Thank you so much for making this episode of Locked on ACC.
Your first listened and your first watch today.
Also, for your next listen, make sure you check out the other shows to Kenton and I do.
He co-hosts Locked on Wolfpack.
I co-hosts Locked on Cains.
So between the two of us and Grayson, who co-hosts with Kenton,
we take you all around everything Miami Hurricanes, everything, North Carolina State Wolfpack,
and we cover all the other stuff here on Lockedon.
Locked-on ACC, part of the awesome Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day.
So, you know, Kenton, I think you and I, what do we have,
Virginia Tech finishing?
You might have had it a little bit different than I did.
I think I had the Hokies finishing fourth in the ACCC was the way I filled out my ballot.
I think we were both around fourth or fifth.
Do you remember where you had the Hokies?
I believe it was fifth or six myself.
I believe they were about that range myself, which again, most people think it's pretty
Well, actually, I'm sorry.
I think I had him fifth as well, actually, because I'm thinking it through in my head with Miami, Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina.
See, I think I had the Hokies right behind NC State at fifth.
Yeah, yeah.
And that's also where I have them slotted because, again, their floor is very low.
Their ceiling is very high.
And so how do you rate a guy like that?
How do you rate a team like that?
What do you say, right?
And in terms of the fact that, hey, I'm not.
not bed my rent on this. I'm not betting my car note on this. I'll go ahead and put them fairly high
because I'm going to go with a ceiling here. And I see them as having a ceiling that's fairly high.
So I think that that works out. But apparently there are folks who see a ceiling for them beyond
what I think, which is quite interesting. Yeah. And if you're expecting us to say conference champions,
it's not that. But I did find it interesting. I was looking at Stuart Mandel's newsletter on the
athletic. And he gave his prediction for how the ACC is going to finish 1 to 17.
And he's got Virginia Tech finishing third in the conference, Kenton. He's got Florida State
first, which is the way most people go. He's got Miami second. A lot of people have Clemson
second. He's got Miami second. Then he's got the Hokies third. So I was going to say,
like, he's our boy for being high on Virginia Tech, but he's not your boy because he's got the
Wolfpack finishing fifth. He's got NC State behind Clemson.
at number four and then NC State at number five.
So he's not your boy after all.
So here's the thing, right?
I'm a still rock with you because I like people who are willing to be different.
And in terms of do I see an ACC championship for Virginia Tech?
No.
But if somebody were to tell me, is it possible for that team to get to Charlotte at the end of the year?
I'd say yes.
Because of how their schedule works out and because of the holes that I see with other teams,
their schedule is soft enough to where they may not be tested at some of their weak points.
I could absolutely see him there.
With that being said, I think putting them at three is really high.
I really, because, again, I want to put you high because of your ceiling,
but your floor is also a reality.
And I don't want to be that guy that's like they're going to go to the ACC Championship
because I believe that they could get there when in reality their floor is about eighth to tenth.
I think that's an honest floor for them.
Because if everything goes, not everything, but a lot of things go wrong like we saw last year,
Ali Jennings is a star.
I don't care what conference he's in.
He is a bona fide star.
The only thing is he was banged up all last year.
So you didn't get to see this phenomenal receiver that dominated Virginia Tech secondary at Old Dominion, ladies in general.
They got old dominion on the schedule again this year.
And that's what I'm saying.
Ali Jennings is a star.
If he can stay healthy, if everybody can add in, you know, grow a year from what they were last year.
and they can find a way to be more proficient at getting teams behind the chains.
And Kairon drones takes the next step.
I'm telling you right now, this team, the sky is the limit.
Well, and they've got one of the, I think one of the easier schedules in the ACC.
But you know what?
Their non-conference schedule is weird because, like, they face the easiest SEC opponent possible.
They play against Vanderbill, which the Hokies are favored in that opener.
They should win that game.
We can flex that.
ACC beats the SEC again.
We will certainly use that for our agenda.
But they've got Vanderbilt, which is on the road.
They play Marshall at home, which I guess could be a tricky game.
They're at Old Dominion.
Definitely could be a tricky game for them.
They're home against Rutgers, which, listen, I'm a Miami guy.
So I can tell you, that's not going to be an hecy game.
Shiano actually has some really good players there, and they're very physical at Rutgers.
They play on the road at Miami on a Friday night.
They play at Stanford, which shouldn't be that tough of a game, but a tough road trip.
Home against Boston College, home against Georgia Tech, at Syracuse, home against Clemson.
So they do have some tough conference games at Duke, home against Virginia.
And that's it for their regular season schedule.
So I don't know, there's like the Miami games, the Clemson games are tough for them.
The old Dominican game could be tricky.
The Rutgers game could be really tricky.
I see them probably in the 7, 5, 8, and 4 range.
So here's why I said they have a schedule that it's about,
can that schedule take advantage of their weaknesses?
You have multiple teams that run the ball well.
Shiana and Rutgers, like you said, physically.
That's where they hang their hat.
They hang their hat on those boys from New Jersey
are going to come and want to thump on you.
That's what they want to do.
However, if you get them down early,
it makes you have to abandon your game.
game plan. Same thing for Miami. Miami, for all that we talk about Cam Ward and how good he is,
you know, Damien Martinez and how physical of a runner he is and how decisive he is as a runner,
if you get them behind, you won't have to deal with Mark Fletcher and Damian Martinez in all these
different ways coming downhill at you, 35, maybe 40 times. You won't have to deal with it. Lastly,
Clemson. Now, I want to say this, all three of those games are, or every one of
of them except records is at home correct no Miami games on the road as well okay Miami is on
okay Miami is on the road and I'll tell you if Miami does what they're supposed to do that
the record the record game is home actually okay so every game is home except mine yeah all of those
games and I mean this from a very genuine standpoint there's nothing like playing in lane
state there's nothing like it there is not people tell you about inner the sand man I watched it
growing up. I experienced it once in my life. It is different. I am telling you as a football
for all your life, you grow up going to these different camps, go to these different schools,
all that. And every now and then, you know, being for Southeast Michigan, sometimes we had to
play a school in the boonies where it was like traveling and you'd like see civilization for a bit
and then you'd have five, 10 minute drive, but nothing that's going to Virginia Tech. Outside of Lane
stadium. There is nothing for at least 15 minutes in almost every direction. I have been there.
I called a college basketball game there once. And outside of going to the actual basketball
game did not leave my hotel room, had no desire to do so. I am, it is, it's an uncanny Valley
thing where you're like, yeah, it's a college time, right? It's supposed to be a there's nothing.
And then you walk in to everybody, you get in live and all that and then all of a sudden, everything is
deadly silent when it's time for that team.
Everything is the, but that's neither here nor there.
I'm saying all that to say, your only away game is at Miami who, let's just be honest,
for all of the passion that Miami fans have, if that team does not do what they're supposed
to do early, we have seen Miami crowds when that team is not good.
We've seen it.
It's a high ceiling, low floor situation.
If they're four and O heading into that game, it's going to be a fantastic crowd.
If they're two and two heading into that game, it's going to be ugly.
And that's what I'm saying.
So Virginia Tech has the opportunity to, again, be in either friendly confines or not necessarily scary confines in all of their big games this year, in all of their toughest games this year.
So, you know, they could have a year.
They could pop out with one of those surprising the Virginia Tech went 10 games that year type of years.
They could do it.
But would I bet the house on that?
No, I would not.
I agree with you that 8 and 4, 7 and 5 is about where I see it.
That's where I see it.
I want to see their win total is up to 7.5 now on Fanduil.
So if I'm feeling froggy, I would take the over,
but I don't see it being much better than 8 and 4.
But you know what?
I think that'd be a good season for them,
a really good season for them,
and it would show you that they're building something special there.
Something interesting made the news this week about the college
football playoff altering their criteria. But if they're altering it to be this, then how come
they left out an undefeated ACCC champion that last year? We will explain, you want to keep it locked
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So this is news, I guess, that came out yesterday that the college football playoff won't use conference titles as tiebreakers anymore.
And I understand why they're not doing that now, Kenton, because conference titles are now built into the framework that the top four rated conference champions will have the top four seeds and the first round buys.
So we're not using, you know, conference championships as a tiebreaker after that.
But then my question would be if they were already using, if they were previously using conference championships as tiebreakers, how did you leave out a 13 and 0 conference champion?
I guess Kenton, I don't know what the other tiebreakers are, but I guess a starting quarterback with two, you know, non-broken legs.
I guess that was higher on the list, which again, I disagree with.
I think Florida State earned a spot last year.
You know, for those of you who are listening and not watching,
my head was just cocked in a very awkward angle for the beginning of what Dono said,
because I am confusion.
If I could turn my head to 360 like the Mad Hatter, I would do it.
Because I'm so shocked.
I'm so surprised that that was actually a criteria.
How was that a criteria in the past?
I am going to say this.
Everybody, for all of the talk about Florida State fans,
and oh, they're conspiracy theorist,
and oh, now they're pushing that Florida,
that,
the standing up for Florida State got RG3 fire from ESPN and all that.
And Sam Ponder as well, apparently.
Oh, this is anybody with FSU ties is getting fired up out of there.
I'm going to tell you, all of this stuff is adding together to be very damn.
It really is.
Because what do you mean that was used to solve type breaker?
So what you are telling me,
when you are de facto telling me,
by saying that you're no longer,
using that as a tiebreaker because yes, Donnell, you're right.
It is built into the formula in terms of, hey, highest four conference champs, get a bot.
I get that.
But I'm confused in that if it was used as a tiebreaker last year, are you saying that
all of the other teams, including those with losses that got in last year, were so
much better in Florida State, you didn't even have to take a serious consideration
of like, are they tied?
Are they neck in neck?
Do we want to punish them for losing a quarterback?
More do we punish a law being the question?
Well, I mean, they need to admit they'll never do this,
but we already know that the real tiebreaker is,
who do we think is going to make the most money based on television ratings?
Right?
And nobody wants to admit that was the real tiebreaker was,
well, if Jordan Travis can't play,
they probably don't have a chance, so let's not put them in.
But they didn't want to outright say that.
But I don't know what you can hide behind now
that we realized that, oh, apparently conference champions was a tiebreaker.
And just so folks know, this is not just, you know, a Florida state issue.
This is, this is an ACC issue.
Because you don't, you don't automatically solve everything by going to 12 teams.
Because believe me, we're going to have arguments about, hey, how come, you know, a 10 and 2 ACC team was left out?
So an 8 and 4 SEC team could get, like, there's still going to be stuff that's not going to sit right with us with this 12 team playoff.
I'll tell you what, if a four-lost team gets into the playoff,
they better have multiple wins over single-digit teams, over single-digit.
I think the only team that has a chance, I don't think it's going to happen,
but the only team that has a chance is Florida.
Because if you've seen Florida's schedule,
if they find eight wins in that schedule,
they probably should be in the playoff.
Well, I mean, I know that Florida has the toughest schedule in the country,
literally, in terms of what he has been in the record,
you know that.
But I don't think anybody's schedule is good enough to warn,
losing. You lost
one third of your games.
Every time you walked on the field, there was
a one in three chance that you walk off a
loser. And they're just like,
yeah, you play really tough team.
Well, what the hell is the playoff? You're going to play
more tough teams. So with that in mind,
you know, I,
this is very damn. And this looks terrible.
And again, FSU fans,
I don't want,
I don't enjoy making fun of FSU
fans. I want to say that right now.
that for a very genuine standpoint.
And so with that being said, things like this make the FSU fans more and more
vindicated every day.
They really do it.
Because I'm still on your side in terms of that to snub.
I may not be on your side in terms of leaving the conference or whether or not to
run.
I may not be inside there.
But I am on your side for you all got snub.
And again, I'm struggling with the concept of, well, conference championships were the
tiebreaker, but these two teams were head and shoulders above them.
an Alabama team that barely beat Auburn that needed that they got the wheels
whipped off them at home by New Mexico State.
Because everybody loves to say, oh, that Florida State team barely beat a bad Florida team.
My brother in Christ, I don't know if y'all know how rivalries work.
There's a reason they say throw out the records.
Yeah.
There's a reason.
So, you know, there's all of the things that were used against Florida State,
either they already were shown to be BS in the past or the country.
coming the light is BS now, which is very disappointed.
So going back to the ACC standings, our predicted standings of how it's going to finish,
is there any team you feel like maybe gets outright disrespected with the preseason narratives?
Because like almost everybody on God's Green Earth is picking Stanford to finish dead last.
Most people have Boston College in their bottom three and Virginia in their bottom three.
Like, do you think any of these teams that people automatically pencil in as bottom feeders could actually surprise us in a positive way this year?
I don't know if this is a hot take, but I'm not going to leave the triangle.
I'm going to go with Duke.
Everybody thinks Duke is going to be terrible.
But if Malik Murphy is, what everybody says he is at quarterback, what he showed at Texas in his limited action.
If Mandy Diaz, who is a defensive guy, can put together a defense that's as swarming as last year as was,
And I get it.
There's going to be a drop off in Thailand, not quite the same guys.
They could find their way into a bowl game and maybe even beyond that.
Maybe go for a seven, eight wins if they find a way to again, Malik Murphy, be the guy that everybody thinks you are, be that special guy.
And then beyond him, the defense has to get right.
We can see it.
Yeah.
And I'm very curious to see what Manny Diaz does there because I'm, you know, Kenton, and I had this conversation with J.J. Jackson.
a few weeks ago when I was talking Duke with him,
that I'm very much of the mind that you aren't defined by your first head coaching job,
that you can evolve and you can improve.
Because the Manny Diaz that I covered at Miami,
I felt like was not good at the CEO parts of the job.
That it was, he's shown over and over again to be a very good defensive coordinator.
He's shown that at multiple stops, crushed it at Penn State, absolutely crushed it.
But, you know, can he bridge that gap?
happen to overseeing the entire organization.
And maybe he can because, again, I don't think, I mean, if you,
if people define, you know, Bill Belichick on his first couple of head coaching jobs
wouldn't have gone on to be the legend that he became in New England.
So you can absolutely, I'm not saying Manny Diaz will be Bill Belichick, but bear with me.
I think you can evolve and improve.
So I'm curious to see what he can do there at Duke, especially how much of an impact he can
have the first year, because some of Duke's, you know, top talent from last year under
Elko have left the program, including Riley Leonard.
That's why, like you said, we've got to see if Malik Murphy is the real deal or not.
And we're going to find that out this year.
A huge shout out and thank you to everybody who made Locked on ECC, your first listen
and your first watch today.
If you're watching us on YouTube, make sure to smash that thumbs up button, hit that
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And let's all be excited because the next time we speak, we're going to be
less than a week away from ACC football.
So we'll talk to you then on another episode of Lockdown ACC, part of the awesome
Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.
