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An open letter to Mr. Ted Black/ MSG


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Posted

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

 

:worthy: :worthy: :worthy: :worthy: :worthy:

 

Never gets old

Posted

If it's true that they pulled the HD plug on DirectTV, it's because they were ordered to give MSG HD to Verizon by the FCC. They gave DirectTV the signal in the past, just so they could tell the FCC that they don't withhold the signal from competition. With the FCC ruling against MSG, it's not in their interest for DirectTV subscribers to get the HD signal, so they pulled the plug. It was all for show.

 

Can anyone make the case that watching a Sabres game in HD or SD should be more difficult than watching a Bills game? If you people watch the Bills then do you use an antenna, cable, sat or fiber optic?

 

If MSG wins in court then the HD signal will be pulled from Verizon next.

 

Does anyone here hate MSG as much as I do? Will you give in to them and get Time Warner? Could anyone have imagined a situation like this a five years ago? Did the Sabres see this coming?

Posted

I was referring to what the original poster did.

 

I know someone out in cyberland got it.

IOW it was a "hit-and-run." Got it.

 

As for the original poster, um, sir, would you rather have Larry Quinn back to run the show? I think not, and I KNOW the rest of us certainly don't want him back. Just ask Rene Robert.

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

MSG lawyers are hard at work trying to pull the plug on Sabres fans with Verizon. Fans will have to wait until November 14th to see the games in HD at the earliest. Check out this news story.

 

John Eggerton -- Multichannel News, 10/14/2011 11:11:54 AM

 

 

MSG Holdings will not have to start making the high-definition feeds of its regional sports networks available to Verizon and AT&T until at least Nov. 14, but has to strike a carriage deal by Oct. 22, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

 

On Sept. 22, the Media Bureau ruled that Cablevision/Madison Square Garden Network violated the agency's program-access rules by withholding HD versions of MSG and MSG-Plus from Verizon and AT&T, which it said was an "unfair act" that "had the effect" of "significantly hindering AT&T [and Verizon] from providing a competing video service."

 

It gave MSG 30 days, or until Oct. 22, to strike a carriage deal on reasonable terms and conditions for HD carriage.

On Sept. 28, Cablevision and MSG appealed the decision and asked the FCC to stay the order pending that review, arguing it would cause "irreparable harm" to have to deliver the RSN programming per the order.

 

The Media Bureau decided not to stay the entire order, saying that the parties still had to strike a deal by the October deadline. But it said it would stay the order to the extent that carriage did not actually have to start until at least Nov. 14 to give it time to consider the petition for review.

"We are pleased the FCC staff has issued a stay of its decision so the full FCC can review the serious concerns we have raised," said Cablevision in a statement. "As we have said, the record evidence clearly demonstrates there has been no competitive harm to the nation's two largest phone companies as a result of not having two HD channels they already receive in SD. We continue to believe that in a highly competitive marketplace that Verizon and AT&T should be required to compete based on the quality of their products and not by manipulating federal law."

Posted

MSG lawyers are hard at work trying to pull the plug on Sabres fans with Verizon. Fans will have to wait until November 14th to see the games in HD at the earliest. Check out this news story.

 

John Eggerton -- Multichannel News, 10/14/2011 11:11:54 AM

 

 

MSG Holdings will not have to start making the high-definition feeds of its regional sports networks available to Verizon and AT&T until at least Nov. 14, but has to strike a carriage deal by Oct. 22, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

 

On Sept. 22, the Media Bureau ruled that Cablevision/Madison Square Garden Network violated the agency's program-access rules by withholding HD versions of MSG and MSG-Plus from Verizon and AT&T, which it said was an "unfair act" that "had the effect" of "significantly hindering AT&T [and Verizon] from providing a competing video service."

 

It gave MSG 30 days, or until Oct. 22, to strike a carriage deal on reasonable terms and conditions for HD carriage.

On Sept. 28, Cablevision and MSG appealed the decision and asked the FCC to stay the order pending that review, arguing it would cause "irreparable harm" to have to deliver the RSN programming per the order.

 

The Media Bureau decided not to stay the entire order, saying that the parties still had to strike a deal by the October deadline. But it said it would stay the order to the extent that carriage did not actually have to start until at least Nov. 14 to give it time to consider the petition for review.

"We are pleased the FCC staff has issued a stay of its decision so the full FCC can review the serious concerns we have raised," said Cablevision in a statement. "As we have said, the record evidence clearly demonstrates there has been no competitive harm to the nation's two largest phone companies as a result of not having two HD channels they already receive in SD. We continue to believe that in a highly competitive marketplace that Verizon and AT&T should be required to compete based on the quality of their products and not by manipulating federal law."

 

 

If you posted about anything else, EVER, it might help your credibility a bit. As it stands, I really don't care about your corporate struggles, and I'm asking for the mods to get this stuff off of the board. You're very obviously a champion of Verizon rather than the Sabs.

Posted

"As we have said, the record evidence clearly demonstrates there has been no competitive harm to the nation's two largest phone companies as a result of not having two HD channels they already receive in SD. We continue to believe that in a highly competitive marketplace that Verizon and AT&T should be required to compete based on the quality of their products and not by manipulating federal law."

 

He does have a point, this is BS. But yeah, I'm guessing a PR person assigned to push this in the forum.

Posted

If you posted about anything else, EVER, it might help your credibility a bit. As it stands, I really don't care about your corporate struggles, and I'm asking for the mods to get this stuff off of the board. You're very obviously a champion of Verizon rather than the Sabs.

 

My cred? I've been watching the Sabres since 1980. You know that game when Lindy Ruff got his face cut by Billy Smith? I saw that. I was 8 when Larry Playfair came to my school. None of the other kids knew who he was. I didn't need an intro by the principle. When I was 14 a teacher came into my french class and did a great impression of Gilbert Perreault. I was cracking up but no one else knew what was going on.

Do you want to hear some random opinions? Trading Housley for Hawerchuk was a big mistake. Mogilny is the biggest waste of talent that the Sabres ever had. Tim Connolly is a close second. I've wished many times that the Sabres could have had 2006 scoring power when Hasek was in his prime. Why couldn't Andreychuk have been a fast skater like John Tucker? Would he have been as good as Mario?

 

You want to silence me because you have 7286 posts and I have 7282 less? Please answer these questions with post number 7287 0r 7288. What is more important than the fans' ability to watch the games? How does more difficult viewing, which lowers TV ratings, help the Sabres? Are you happy that fans with Dish, Verizon or an antenna on the roof are suffering because of MSG? Do you think that group covers about 1/3 of the homes in WNY? If you have Time Warner then you have a low quality product with a high price. This is why they fear DBS and fiber optic. They need laws to get monopoly power so we don't have a choice. I hope MSG never pulls the plug on you because I would never wish that on any fan.

 

Watching a Sabres game in HD or SD should be as easy as watching a Bills game. 100% of the homes in WNY can watch the Bills in SD or HD.

Posted

My cred? I've been watching the Sabres since 1980. You know that game when Lindy Ruff got his face cut by Billy Smith? I saw that. I was 8 when Larry Playfair came to my school. None of the other kids knew who he was. I didn't need an intro by the principle. When I was 14 a teacher came into my french class and did a great impression of Gilbert Perreault. I was cracking up but no one else knew what was going on.

Do you want to hear some random opinions? Trading Housley for Hawerchuk was a big mistake. Mogilny is the biggest waste of talent that the Sabres ever had. Tim Connolly is a close second. I've wished many times that the Sabres could have had 2006 scoring power when Hasek was in his prime. Why couldn't Andreychuk have been a fast skater like John Tucker? Would he have been as good as Mario?

 

You want to silence me because you have 7286 posts and I have 7282 less? Please answer these questions with post number 7287 0r 7288. What is more important than the fans' ability to watch the games? How does more difficult viewing, which lowers TV ratings, help the Sabres? Are you happy that fans with Dish, Verizon or an antenna on the roof are suffering because of MSG? Do you think that group covers about 1/3 of the homes in WNY? If you have Time Warner then you have a low quality product with a high price. This is why they fear DBS and fiber optic. They need laws to get monopoly power so we don't have a choice. I hope MSG never pulls the plug on you because I would never wish that on any fan.

 

Watching a Sabres game in HD or SD should be as easy as watching a Bills game. 100% of the homes in WNY can watch the Bills in SD or HD.

 

shizac, man. i've seen some comebacks before, but ... man. um. wow.

 

okay, so ... we have a new board member who is *extremely* passionate about getting HD into every home. i can get behind that. metaphorically speaking, as it were ...

Posted

My cred? I've been watching the Sabres since 1980. You know that game when Lindy Ruff got his face cut by Billy Smith? I saw that. I was 8 when Larry Playfair came to my school. None of the other kids knew who he was. I didn't need an intro by the principle. When I was 14 a teacher came into my french class and did a great impression of Gilbert Perreault. I was cracking up but no one else knew what was going on.

Do you want to hear some random opinions? Trading Housley for Hawerchuk was a big mistake. Mogilny is the biggest waste of talent that the Sabres ever had. Tim Connolly is a close second. I've wished many times that the Sabres could have had 2006 scoring power when Hasek was in his prime. Why couldn't Andreychuk have been a fast skater like John Tucker? Would he have been as good as Mario?

 

You want to silence me because you have 7286 posts and I have 7282 less? Please answer these questions with post number 7287 0r 7288. What is more important than the fans' ability to watch the games? How does more difficult viewing, which lowers TV ratings, help the Sabres? Are you happy that fans with Dish, Verizon or an antenna on the roof are suffering because of MSG? Do you think that group covers about 1/3 of the homes in WNY? If you have Time Warner then you have a low quality product with a high price. This is why they fear DBS and fiber optic. They need laws to get monopoly power so we don't have a choice. I hope MSG never pulls the plug on you because I would never wish that on any fan.

 

Watching a Sabres game in HD or SD should be as easy as watching a Bills game. 100% of the homes in WNY can watch the Bills in SD or HD.

 

I don't want to silence you at all, if you want to talk about hockey. But you're obviously connected with some media distributor that doesn't get MSG in HD, and are doing this as part of your vocation. And I don't like you pushing your agenda in the forum, so yeah, I'll ask mods to delete stuff. Whether they do or not isn't up to me.

Posted

I don't want to silence you at all, if you want to talk about hockey. But you're obviously connected with some media distributor that doesn't get MSG in HD, and are doing this as part of your vocation. And I don't like you pushing your agenda in the forum, so yeah, I'll ask mods to delete stuff. Whether they do or not isn't up to me.

 

You want to talk hockey. Everthing you know about the NHL comes from your ability TO WATCH THE GAMES. Just like me. Unless you've played in any NHL games.

You didn't answer one of my questions, so I'll try a new one. Let's say the Sabres finally win the cup this year. It could happen, they haven't been this good since 2006. How would you feel if you couldn't see it happen for whatever reason? I know that's highly unlikely since that would be on NBC, but try to imagine that feeling. Would you start to think that MSG execs are the bad guys instead of me?

You guys think I have an agenda? Maybee I'm a MSG lawyer with a guilty conscience. Ever consider that?

Posted

You didn't answer one of my questions, so I'll try a new one. Let's say the Sabres finally win the cup this year. It could happen, they haven't been this good since 2006. How would you feel if you couldn't see it happen for whatever reason?

 

I plan on being in Buffalo, downtown somewhere (bar, plaza, sold out Pilot field, whatever) weeping with thousands of my closest friends if that day comes. As long as that place has the game in HD. :)

Posted

You want to talk hockey. Everthing you know about the NHL comes from your ability TO WATCH THE GAMES. Just like me. Unless you've played in any NHL games.

You didn't answer one of my questions, so I'll try a new one. Let's say the Sabres finally win the cup this year. It could happen, they haven't been this good since 2006. How would you feel if you couldn't see it happen for whatever reason? I know that's highly unlikely since that would be on NBC, but try to imagine that feeling. Would you start to think that MSG execs are the bad guys instead of me?

You guys think I have an agenda? Maybee I'm a MSG lawyer with a guilty conscience. Ever consider that?

 

 

1. Everyone has a choice. I choose cable, so I don't get NFL Network or the opportunity to order the NFL package. My choice.

 

2. Yes, it will be on NBC.

 

3. Yes, you have an agenda. If a high percentage of your posts were about hockey, as opposed to 100% of your posts being about this, you would have more credibility. In fact, there's a whole thread about the lack of HD for some fans. The posters in that thread also post in other threads about hockey. That's how I know they're not shills, and that's how I know that you are one.

 

4. You're not an MSG lawyer with a guilty conscience. For one thing, you wouldn't take a position on a message board that is contrary to what you're paid to do. For another, I don't know a lawyer who has a guilty conscience about anything he or she does for a client. We're not built that way; we know how to detach. For a third, I don't know a lawyer who would write so poorly while claiming to be a lawyer. I mean, I can write like crap, too, but I generally don't do so when I'm identifying myself as a lawyer.

 

I'm going to leave this argument alone now; it isn't worth my time. Next time you act like a shill, I'll be back to call you a shill. If you start posting in the forum about the Sabres, I'll be happy to interact accordingly.

Posted

Hey SabresHD I support your cause 100% I am a Time Warner Subscriber because Fios doesn't have Sabres in HD and I CANT GET IT HERE in Cheektowaga! But I must say I do as usual have to agree with Eleven and you seem to be taking it entirely the wrong way.

You should start a seperate thread relevant to your soapbox and let it be known that it is your soapbox!

Of course somebody will chime in with the did this really need it's own thread when this one was already ongoing? lol.

But stand up for your cause if thats what youre doing. Its a message board and you may have an agenda. Even if I agree with it you need to mix it up a little don't you think? This is after all a Sabres board and even though your rant is Sabres related, It really belongs on a DBS board.

 

Let me ask YOU a question. What are you're thoughts on CHZ? :devil:

Posted

 

You're not an MSG lawyer with a guilty conscience. For one thing, you wouldn't take a position on a message board that is contrary to what you're paid to do. For another, I don't know a lawyer who has a guilty conscience about anything he or she does for a client. We're not built that way; we know how to detach. For a third, I don't know a lawyer who would write so poorly while claiming to be a lawyer. I mean, I can write like crap, too, but I generally don't do so when I'm identifying myself as a lawyer.

 

 

 

Every bright person knows that I was kidding when I claimed I was a lawyer. That was a little joke for everyone who thinks that it must be part of some elaborate plot. I'm a huge Sabres fan that loves HD and hates Time Warner. Yes, it is that simple. You wrote "we" when referring to lawyers. I hope that you were kidding as well. It seems that your ability to detach only applies to your logic and reason. If you're not kidding then you can't refute a single argument on a hockey board. I hope your bosses don't find out. That is, your true bosses at Time Warner. You cable guy. That was another joke if you didn't get it.

 

I just wanted everyone here to know what was going on since this is a Sabres forum. I started two threads since nothing is more important than THE FANS' ABILITY TO WATCH THE GAMES. My goal was to get Sabres games in every house. I guess too many of you will put up with MSG's BS. FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Too bad for about 1/3 of the homes in WNY.

Posted

I'm going to leave this argument alone now; it isn't worth my time. Next time you act like a shill, I'll be back to call you a shill. If you start posting in the forum about the Sabres, I'll be happy to interact accordingly.

 

Promise? Those of us who are dissatisfied with how MSG handles the Sabres in HD would really appreciate it...

Posted

Every bright person knows that I was kidding when I claimed I was a lawyer. That was a little joke for everyone who thinks that it must be part of some elaborate plot. I'm a huge Sabres fan that loves HD and hates Time Warner. Yes, it is that simple. You wrote "we" when referring to lawyers. I hope that you were kidding as well. It seems that your ability to detach only applies to your logic and reason. If you're not kidding then you can't refute a single argument on a hockey board. I hope your bosses don't find out. That is, your true bosses at Time Warner. You cable guy. That was another joke if you didn't get it.

 

I just wanted everyone here to know what was going on since this is a Sabres forum. I started two threads since nothing is more important than THE FANS' ABILITY TO WATCH THE GAMES. My goal was to get Sabres games in every house. I guess too many of you will put up with MSG's BS. FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Too bad for about 1/3 of the homes in WNY.

 

11 adds a *lot* to the board, settle down. I'd say the most important thing is for the Sabres to win, win, win. I think I'd go so far as to say I'd rather have the Sabres win and me personally not get to see it, than see them lose in stunning HD; but I'm pretty selfless that way.

Posted

Dear Mr. Black,

 

As the regular season approaches, we got the news that the FCC ruled against MSG, and in favor of Sabres fans. The Sabres made a 10 year agreement with a broadcaster that needed government force, in order to provide the signal to more fans. MSG did everything that they could to withhold the HD broadcast from Verizon subscribers, but they have publicly stated that they’re not finished, which was made clear by this public statement:

 

“Today’s disappointing rulings do not appear to be based on the facts. The data clearly demonstrates that there has been no competitive harm to the nation’s two largest phone companies as a result of not having two HD channels they already receive in SD. New York is the most competitive market in the country and this decision only hurts fair competition and consumers. Instead of competing on the merits in the marketplace, Verizon and AT&T are manipulating federal law to gain an unfair advantage and we have every intention of pursuing relief in the courts.”

 

Let’s address the absurd part of this statement. Where do you buy a new SDTV? I haven’t seen one in years. Do they even make them anymore? Do you ever watch hockey in SD when HD is available?

The important part of the statement says that they will seek “relief in the courts.” So MSG has their lawyers working to find a way to pull the plug on many thousands of Sabres fans, because they want to do us a favor as injured consumers.

 

You either want MSG to succeed with their relief or you want the FCC ruling to stand. If you want your partners to win then do the Sabres believe that fans’ without Time Warner Cable are disloyal and deserve to be punished? If you want MSG to fail then why do you tolerate this behavior? If they get their relief then what will you say to fans with Verizon? What guarantees that this will never happen to Direct TV?

 

I think it’s time that the Sabres seek relief in the courts and broadcast every game on Ch. 49 or Ch. 67, in 720p/60. Watching a Sabres game should be as easy as watching a Bills game, even if you watch them over the air with an antenna on the roof.

 

Honestly,

 

Alex

 

p.s. As for the Dish, do you or Mr. Pegula watch MSG’s Fuse network and dance the night away?

 

 

I actually wanted to quote notwoz first.

 

SD TVs are available. Check discount retailers and, if you're smart, check charity shops. You probably can get a nice one for $50.

 

And I don't understand the hatred for MSG for not dealing with Verizon subscribers on HD, either. I don't get NFL Network on Time Warner, and I'm a subscriber who does NOT want to pay for that channel, i.e., I'm very glad that TW has made a stand and NFL refuses to bend. There probably are a lot of Verizon folks who feel the same way about the Sabres; not everyone is a hockey fan. If MSG is so important to you in HD, switch to a carrier that has it. There are several alternatives; vote with your dollars.

 

ON EDIT: This is the same person who posted something similar a couple of weeks ago. I identified the agenda right away, then; I didn't do it so quickly this time. OP has an agenda, likely corporate, and this whole thing should be ignored.

 

Eleven hit the nail on the head with the bolded part. I don't know why you think every carrier has a fundamental right to broadcast the content you want in the format you want. These are businesses in a competitive market. They make choices in the free market system that they think enhance their business position. We tell them whether they are right by how we spend our entertainment dollars. Decide what is most important to you, and choose one of the many alternatives available to you, and count your blessings that you live in a time when you have so many choices. 10 years ago we barely had a choice. 20 years ago we didn't have any choices. 30 years ago we had rabbit ears.

 

I respect your right to bitch, but please confine it to one thread.

Posted

You want to talk hockey. Everthing you know about the NHL comes from your ability TO WATCH THE GAMES. Just like me. Unless you've played in any NHL games.

You didn't answer one of my questions, so I'll try a new one. Let's say the Sabres finally win the cup this year. It could happen, they haven't been this good since 2006. How would you feel if you couldn't see it happen for whatever reason? I know that's highly unlikely since that would be on NBC, but try to imagine that feeling. Would you start to think that MSG execs are the bad guys instead of me?

You guys think I have an agenda? Maybee I'm a MSG lawyer with a guilty conscience. Ever consider that?

 

I think you could go a long way towards ending the (logical, IMHO) questions about your credibility if you flatly stated that you do not work for and are not in any way affiliated with a media distributors. You've danced around that specific question, which leaves the impression that 11 is right.

 

FWIW, as an unaffiliated Sabres fan using DirecTV, it drove me crazy too when I wasn't getting the games in HD a couple of years ago. However, at that time there was no way for out-of-towners to get HD. In your case, you have an option that gives you HD. If enough people move to that option, it will probably affect the corporate decision-making. I can still understand your frustration though.

Posted

Eleven hit the nail on the head with the bolded part. I don't know why you think every carrier has a fundamental right to broadcast the content you want in the format you want. These are businesses in a competitive market. They make choices in the free market system that they think enhance their business position. We tell them whether they are right by how we spend our entertainment dollars. Decide what is most important to you, and choose one of the many alternatives available to you, and count your blessings that you live in a time when you have so many choices. 10 years ago we barely had a choice. 20 years ago we didn't have any choices. 30 years ago we had rabbit ears.

 

I respect your right to bitch, but please confine it to one thread.

 

Fundamental rights? When did I quote John Locke or Thomas Jefferson? I never cited the Constitution. Did you read and understand my open letter? The Sabres got in a TEN YEAR DEAL with Madison Square Garden, a NYC based company that is trying to pull the plug on Sabres fans. Dish fans already get nothing! I want the Sabres TO END THIS DEAL AND BROADCAST LOCALLY SO WE CAN ALL SEE THE SABRES ANY WAY WE WANT. We can all watch the Bills with cable, DBS, Fios or with an antenna on the roof. I ASKED MR. TED BLACK TO TRY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR SABRES FANS. DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW?

 

As for your lecture on technology, we have fiber optic cable in 2011, but Time Warner is afraid that the fans will find out how good it is. They don't want to modernize. It will cost too much $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. That's why MSG's lawyers are trying to block the HD feed on fios. Paying the lawyers to steer you to Time Warner is cheaper than a MAJOR INVESTMENT in new technology.

 

When the slug logo was revealed in 2006, everyone in Buffalo flipped out. Every man in this town became a fashion expert on ###### EYE FOR THE HOCKEY GUY. This was an emergency!!!!!!!! MSG is not on Dish, is trying to pull the plug on Fios, and has no chance of an OTA broadcast for roof antennas. This is no big deal? About 1/3 of the homes are suffering, but who cares? As long as it's not a Constitutional Right, then the Sabres should not only stay in the deal for FIVE MORE YEARS, but they should extend it FOREVER. Are you bright enough to get that sarcasm?

 

How can I persuade fans that seem to want to take MSG's BS? This is masochism.

Posted

Fundamental rights? When did I quote John Locke or Thomas Jefferson? I never cited the Constitution. Did you read and understand my open letter? The Sabres got in a TEN YEAR DEAL with Madison Square Garden, a NYC based company that is trying to pull the plug on Sabres fans. Dish fans already get nothing! I want the Sabres TO END THIS DEAL AND BROADCAST LOCALLY SO WE CAN ALL SEE THE SABRES ANY WAY WE WANT. We can all watch the Bills with cable, DBS, Fios or with an antenna on the roof. I ASKED MR. TED BLACK TO TRY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR SABRES FANS. DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW?

 

As for your lecture on technology, we have fiber optic cable in 2011, but Time Warner is afraid that the fans will find out how good it is. They don't want to modernize. It will cost too much $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. That's why MSG's lawyers are trying to block the HD feed on fios. Paying the lawyers to steer you to Time Warner is cheaper than a MAJOR INVESTMENT in new technology.

 

When the slug logo was revealed in 2006, everyone in Buffalo flipped out. Every man in this town became a fashion expert on ###### EYE FOR THE HOCKEY GUY. This was an emergency!!!!!!!! MSG is not on Dish, is trying to pull the plug on Fios, and has no chance of an OTA broadcast for roof antennas. This is no big deal? About 1/3 of the homes are suffering, but who cares? As long as it's not a Constitutional Right, then the Sabres should not only stay in the deal for FIVE MORE YEARS, but they should extend it FOREVER. Are you bright enough to get that sarcasm?

 

How can I persuade fans that seem to want to take MSG's BS? This is masochism.

 

I just switched to cable...because a letter isn't going to show me the game now... :thumbsup:

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