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      in Soccer

      Premier League star’s shock after gang take over home he owns & turn it into cannabis factory with hundreds of plants

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      A CRIMINAL gang took over a Premier League star’s home and forced his tenant to let them grow cannabis.The cuckoo-plot crooks left the female occupant surrounded by hundreds of plants.
      A criminal gang took over a Premier League star’s home and forced his tenant to let them grow cannabisCredit: Getty
      The cuckoo-plot crooks left the female occupant surrounded by hundreds of plantsCredit: Getty
      But when police raided the home, the player had to prove his innocence to avoid charges.
      Police also released the tenant without charge after deciding she was set up by the gang.
      A source told The Sun: “This player owns the house in the North West as part of a buy-to-let empire.
      “Another family member manages the properties but they couldn’t believe it when cops found a large-scale cannabis farm.
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      “The plants were taken away and destroyed and the player had to show paperwork to prove that while he was the owner of the property, he had someone else living in it.”
      Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, production and possession of cannabis with the intent to supply is a criminal offence that can result in up to 14 years in jail.
      Landlords who fail to report suspicions of illegal activity can be liable and face the same penalty.
      Rental income could also be seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
      Most read in Football
      The number of cannabis farms operating in homes is growing.
      In June, more than 1,000 were raided, with plants worth £130million seized and 1,000 suspects arrested.
      Sham estate agents was a front for brazen drug lord who raked in £11m a YEAR
      Single plants are often attributed a value of £840 in criminal trials.
      The National Police Chiefs’ Council has said: “Organised networks involved in cannabis production are also directly linked to other serious criminality such as Class A drug importation, slavery, violence and exploitation.” More

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      in Athletics

      Controversial British athletics icon Dwain Chambers to make shock return to competitive sprinting aged 45

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      DWAIN CHAMBERS will run in a competitive race at the age of 45, yet he should really forget all about winning!Despite his dodgy drugs past, UK Athletics are open to him working with and talking to the current generation about his chequered past and complicated history.
      Dwain Chambers is still competingCredit: PA
      He is unlikely to qualify for the World Indoor ChampionshipsCredit: PA
      In his pomp, Chambers was one of the best sprinters around, winning bronze at the 100 metres at world level in 1999 plus gold over 60 metres indoors in Doha 14 years ago.
      But infamously, he was caught up in the USA BALCO doping scandal – in 2003, he tested positive for a banned steroid, was suspended from the sport for two years and was stripped of some medals.
      Chambers probably should have retired by now and given up competition but he will be the oldest person in the field at the two-day UK Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham.
      UKA Olympic Head Coach Paula Dunn said: “The reality is he’s not going to qualify for the World Indoors with the standards.
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      “He enjoys his athletics. He’s qualified as right.
      “He’s doing great work down in Lee Valley with his academy. So like every other athlete, he can continue to race.
      “I don’t think he has aspirations, realistically, to go to the World Indoors (in Glasgow) but he’s running very well for somebody who’s in his mid-forties.
      “Some people enjoy keeping fit and competing. He obviously feels he has more to give.
      Most read in Athletics
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      “And like any athlete he feels he wants to reach his full potential at the age of 45.
      “As a sport, we’re inclusive. So, he’s welcome to do that.”
      British track sprinter Dwain Chambers races a HORSE ahead of Cheltenham
      It is ten years since he last ran in GB colours, notably finishing fourth in the 100 metres final at the European Championships in Zurich.
      That year, he also ran at the 2014 World Indoors in Sopot, Poland, but came sixth as Teesside Tornado Richard Kilty claimed the 60-metre title.
      Some will not forgive Chambers for his indiscretions and UKA policy prevents someone who has served a drugs ban from being employed as a national coach.
      Dunn would have no issue potentially bringing him into a UKA camp on a one-off basis, especially as he tried to redeem himself, teaching people about the pitfalls of cheating.
      She said: “Dwain has done lots of workshops telling youngsters about the dangers and how you have to say focused on what you are trying to achieve without taking shortcuts.
      “So for me, it’s a story of redemption. He got caught, he owned up to it and he has tried to make the best of a situation.
      “If he can educate people about the pitfalls, I think that’s a bonus.
      “Sometimes the best people to give the message is the person who has suffered through some consequences.
      “So it is not off the table but I haven’t actually thought about it. Long-term, it could be something that could be useful for the programme.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “As an adviser and as a speaker to athletes in the areas that he talks in at the moment then he could be useful.”
      Sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey – who is Nitro in the BBC Gladiators reboot – has pulled out of the national trials. More

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      in Soccer

      Ex-footballer Michael Boateng appears in court over £1m haul of crystal meth

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      A FORMER professional footballer has appeared in court over the massive seizure of £1 million worth of crystal meth.Around 20 kilos of the Breaking Bad drug was found during a Valentine’s Day raid on a flat in Croydon, South London.
      Boateng, 32, previously played for Bristol RoversCredit: Wikipedia/@Oneova
      Former Crystal Palace academy player Michael Boateng, 32, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to supply a Class A drug – Methylamphetamine.”
      It was one of the biggest ever seizures of crystal meth in the UK and raises fears that the highly addictive drug is taking root here.
      Boateng appeared in custody at Croydon magistrates’ court around 11am today and spoke only to confirm his name, age, and address in southeast London.
      Mr Harris, defending, made no bail application or indication of plea ahead of Boateng’s next hearing at Croydon Crown Court on March 15.
      Crystal meth
      District Judge Dean said: “I am remanding you in custody until then.”
      Right back Boateng was on the books at Palace as a teenager between 2005 and 2007 when they were competing in the second tier Championship.
      The defender went on to play for Bristol Rovers before having spells at Bromley, Sutton United, Newport County and Whitehawk.
      After hanging up his boots in 2013, Boateng qualified as a personal trainer, with Prem stars like Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho and Spurs’s Ryan Sessegnon among his clients.
      Most read in Football
      Police said the operation which led to his arrest “was part of ongoing work to disrupt and prevent serious violence in Croydon.”
      A Met spokesperson said: “An estimated £1 million worth of crystal meth has been seized by police after a drugs warrant was carried out at a flat in Croydon on February 14.
      “A 32-year-old man was arrested at the scene and later charged with possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.”
      The explosion of crystal meth in the US was highlighted by the drama series Breaking Bad, in which a science teacher, Walter White, begins cooking the drug to make money after learning he has terminal cancer.
      Until now, its use has not been widespread in the UK mainstream drug culture. More

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      in Soccer

      Shock for Ryan Reynolds after cops find traces of cocaine in Wrexham’s toilets on 3 occasions

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      COPS found traces of cocaine in Wrexham FC’s toilets on three occasions during their record-breaking 2022-23 season.Officers tested for the Class A drug on three matchdays, a Freedom of Information request revealed.
      COPS found traces of cocaine in the public toilets at the club which is owned by Hollywood star Ryan ReynoldsCredit: AFP
      Police launched operations to test for the Class-A drug at the Welsh club’s Racecourse Ground last yearCredit: EPA
      Cops mounted a hat-trick of operations to test for remnants of the Class-A drug at the Welsh club’s 10,700-capacity Racecourse Ground last year.
      Traces of cocaine — linked to footie violence — were found at the ground last February at games against Wealdstone Athletic and Dorking Wanderers, and two months later for the clash with Oldham Athletic.
      It comes after the 2022 Boxing Day match when a fan was caught snorting powder in the toilets.
      He admitted possessing cocaine and was fined and banned from matches for three years.
      READ MORE ON WREXHAM
      Lee Fernandes, of the UK Addiction Treatment Group, said: “Unfortunately it has become commonplace for men to associate a football game with taking cocaine and drinking alcohol.
      “Mixing cocaine use with alcohol, plus the added adrenaline from the excitement brought about by the football match can lead to bouts of aggression from fans.
      “Cocaine is a highly addictive substance that we see ruining lives every day.
      “It can go from being a social drug to something much more sinister very quickly.”
      Most read in Football
      North Wales Police were the only force to respond to the FOI request. Wrexham were approached for comment.
      A Sun investigation in December 2021 – after cocaine-fuelled violence marred England’s Euro final with Italy – found traces at the grounds of clubs including Arsenal, Man City, Spurs, and Chelsea.
      Some police forces are known to have started to use sniffer dogs outside grounds in a bid to deter fans from taking illegal drugs into the stadiums.
      Ryan Reynolds reveals ‘all kinds of weird and unexpected horrors’ after ‘incredibly stressful’ Wrexham takeover More

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      in Soccer

      Former Ajax and Holland star Quincy Promes sentenced to six years in prison after importing 1,370kg of cocaine

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      QUINCY PROMES has been jailed for six years – but is avoiding prison by staying in Russia.The Dutch footballer, 32, was sentenced for helping smuggle 1,363kg of cocaine.
      Quincy Promes was handed a six-year prison sentence for smuggling drugsCredit: Getty
      The footballer is in Russia and did not return for the trialCredit: Instagram @qpromes
      The court heard Promes had a “guiding and facilitating role” in the illegal activity.
      The drugs were intercepted after being imported into Antwerp before traced messages implicated Promes.
      It is understood the cocaine arrived disguised in a sea salt shipment from Brazil.
      The two batches of 650kg and 713kg arrived on Dutch shores in January 2020.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      The Public Prosecution Service also found another 32-year-old suspect guilty of importing, exporting, transporting and possessing the drugs.
      Promes, a one-time Arsenal transfer target, currently plays for Spartak Moscow and prosecutors claimed he thinks he is “untouchable” in Russia as he refused to return to Holland for the trial.
      There is no extradition treaty between the two countries so the former Ajax winger did not show up and made no statement in response to the charges made against him.
      Prosecutors, who also wanted to know “how such a successful footballer allowed himself to be drawn so deeply into crime”, initially wanted a nine-year sentence.
      Most read in Football
      They alleged that Promes “normalises and almost romanticises the cocaine trade”.
      The court also heard that there was extra focus placed on Promes because of his public image as a role model.
      Last year, Promes was sentenced to 18 months behind bars for stabbing his cousin in the knee at a family party.
      Quincy Promes’ football career
      CLUBS

      FC Twente 2011-14 – 35 games (11 goals)
      Go Ahead Eagles 2012-13 (loan) – 41 (17)
      Spartak Moscow 2014-18 – 135 (66)
      Sevilla 2018-19 – 49 (3)
      Ajax 2019-21 – 53 (22)
      Spartak Moscow 2021-present – 99 (46)

      INTERNATIONAL

      Netherlands U19 2011 – 5 (0)
      Netherlands U20 2012-13 – 4 (1)
      Netherlands U21 2013-14 – 10 (7)
      Netherlands 2014-21 – 50 (7)

      TROPHIES

      Russian Premier League 2016–17
      Russian Cup 2021–22
      Russian Super Cup 2017
      Johan Cruyff Shield 2019
      Russian Premier League Golden Boot 2017-18

      The footballer, who spent a season with Sevilla and has 50 Holland caps, has appealed the sentencing but was ordered to pay compensation to his relative.
      Promes, though, has continued playing football with Spartak – racking up eight goals and eight assists in 21 appearances before the winter break.
      Away from football, Promes is a wannabe rapper and even freestyled with compatriot and close pal Memphis Depay.
      Promes featured at Euro 2020Credit: Getty
      The winger has 50 caps for the Netherlands national team but is now playing in RussiaCredit: AFP or licensors
      He was also sentenced last year for stabbing his cousin at a family partyCredit: Instagram @qpromes
      The footballer is a wannabe rapperCredit: Instagram @qpromes More

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      in Soccer

      Hippy crack footballer’s transfer breaks down after more clubs start testing aces for laughing gas

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      TOP football clubs have started testing players for nitrous oxide use, with a growing number addicted to the “laughing gas” drug.Teams are noticing huge differences in the expected lung capacity of players and how they can actually perform.
      One footballer saw his transfer collapse after signs that his nervous system was ravaged by his use of laughing gas was found (stock image)Credit: Getty
      Top football clubs have started testing players for nitrous oxide useCredit: Alamy
      One player set to sign for a ­second-tier Championship club saw the deal collapse after doctors carrying out his medical discovered signs that his nervous system was ravaged by his use of the gas.
      The revelations come days after The Sun revealed that a Premier League star was in rehab for addiction to nitrous oxide, also known as “hippy crack”.
      His usage came to light when a car he was travelling in was stopped by police who found dozens of canisters.
      His family alerted the club and a medical intervention was made.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Dozens of Premier League stars, including England internationals, are known to be regular users of the drug — with many wrongly believing that it is harmless.
      But long-term use can reduce the body’s levels of Vitamin B12 — essential for nerve function.
      It was criminalised last November in a government crackdown and is now a Class C drug, in the same category as cannabis.
      One Prem player spent £10,000 on laughing gas canisters for a recent birthday party. And now clubs are testing for nitrous oxide abuse when carrying out medicals.
      Most read in Football
      A source said: “One player was massively addicted. He was with a club and during a fitness test they said the nerves in his legs were f****d.
      ‘Hippy crack’ laughing gas to be BANNED in major clampdown on ‘scourge’ of anti-social behaviour
      “He admitted he was doing loads of balloons and they got rid of him.
      “His agent got him into another club for a trial and they were keen to sign him.
      “But when they carried out his medical they basically said ‘You’re an addict’ and ended their interest. He’s now without a club.”
      Other players have been questioned by medical teams after their legs twitched uncontrollably while they were being treated for other injuries.
      Another source said: “It’s an absolutely massive problem, which clubs are only just starting to understand and get a grip on.
      “Players think they can get away with it because it doesn’t show up in drug tests and until recently it wasn’t illegal, but some are addicts and it’s having a hugely negative effect on their health and their careers.”
      In 2022 doctors warned they were seeing increased numbers of patients with neurological injuries caused by laughing gas including spinal cord and nerve damage.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Sport science professor and former FA performance head John Brewer warned of the impact that it could have on players.
      He said of the drug: “If you’re a top-level footballer trying to make skilful movements and pass a ball effectively, you don’t want your nerves to be damaged in any way because you need that peripheral ability to sense movements.”
      PREM STAR DRUG RIDEAmir Razavi & Richard Moriarty
      A PREMIER League rising star has been fined after he was caught inhaling laughing gas while driving.
      Man City defender Jamal Baptiste, 20, remained stationary at traffic lights in his VW Polo for about a minute after they turned green.
      He was seen inhaling the balloons with a pal in Dagenham, East London, on July 7 last year.
      He pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and was given six penalty points and a £1,000 fine by magistrates at Bromley, South ­London. He also had to pay a £400 victim surcharge plus costs of £110.
      It comes a week after The Sun revealed that a Premier League star was receiving rehab treatment for addiction to nitrous oxide.
      Baptiste is a former West Ham ­centre-back once billed as the next Rio Ferdinand by the club’s former striker Carlton Cole.
      Last May the club reportedly offered Baptiste a new deal but slashed his wages due to issues off the pitch.
      He moved to Man City on a free transfer in September. He is described on the club website as “an athletic and technically gifted defender who featured twice for West Ham while representing England at youth level.” More

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      in Soccer

      Premier League star becomes first footballer to go to rehab for addiction to illegal laughing gas

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      A PREMIER League star has become the first footballer to go to rehab for an addiction to laughing gas.He will be followed by other addicted stars, as sources warn that usage is rife among elite players despite it now being illegal.
      A Premier League star has become the first footballer to go to rehab for addiction to laughing gas (stock image)Credit: Getty
      Nitrous oxide, also known as ‘hippy crack’, comes in canisters and was made a Class C drug last NovemberCredit: Getty
      The player was admitted to a medical centre after his worried family asked his club for help.
      Police had stopped a car in which he was a passenger and found dozens of canisters in the footwell.
      The incident a few weeks before Christmas did not lead to police action as they could not prove who they belonged to.
      But a source said: “His family became aware and asked the club for help.

      “The player was told if he wanted to save his career, he had to go to a specialist residential centre and get some help.
      “He’s basically undergoing detox in the same way you would if you were hooked on alcohol or any other drug.
      “He’s the first Premier League footballer to be treated for addiction to nitrous oxide but, given how rife its use is among players, it’s unlikely he’ll be the last.”
      Nitrous oxide, also known as “hippy crack”, comes in canisters — sometimes super-sized — that are used to fill balloons, which are then inhaled repeatedly.
      Most read in Football
      It gives a quick high but comes with the risk of heart attacks, strokes and brain damage, while some users have died after taking it.
      Prolonged use can also lead to depression, memory loss, incontinence, hallucinations and nerve damage.
      The law was changed last November to make it a controlled Class C drug, with possession for inhalation now a criminal offence.
      It would be almost impossible for any footballer convicted to play where there are strict drug laws, such as the US and Saudi Arabia.
      However, a source said dozens are heavy users, with many starting in lockdown.
      Routine drugs tests are also unlikely to detect it.
      The source went on: “One Premier League star recently celebrated his birthday and splashed out on almost £10,000 of canisters.
      “Loads take them because they can’t get caught with it in their system.
      “It’s happening at all clubs and some of those using are very well-known players. I’m not sure any of them know it’s now a Class C drug.
      “No footballer would dream of having a stash of cannabis in their house, but many have a supply of balloons for them and their pals.
      “They seem to have no idea just how dangerous using it can be.”
      Websites sell a canister and nitrous oxide for a few quid, after the buyer confirms it is for food production and they are over 18.
      Previously users would buy single-shot canisters but many have switched to super-sized tubes delivering 80 times the usual dose.
      Stephen Ream, of solvent abuse and drugs charity Re-Solv, said: “The new large canisters are a real worry. One young man we’ve been supporting was using ten a day.
      “When you are doing the little ones, you know how many you’re getting through, but when you use a big one, you lose track.”
      In 2022, Kayleigh Burns, 16, of Liverpool, died after inhaling gas at a party in Leamington Spa.
      She had complained of feeling “too hot” before she collapsed.
      Sport science professor and former FA performance head John Brewer warned players to steer clear as it can reduce levels of vitamin B12.
      He said: “B12 is essential for nerve function.
      “So if you are a top-level footballer trying to make skilful movements and pass a ball effectively, you don’t want your nerves to be damaged in any way because you need that peripheral ability to sense movements.”
      He also said that it can cause anaemia, which reduces stamina levels.
      The star is set to be followed by other players (stock image)Credit: gETTY
      STARS ON THE GAS
      A STRING of Premier League players have been caught using nitrous oxide.
      In 2013, then-Spurs star Kyle Walker was pictured inhaling it.
      Jack Grealish was snapped inhaling from a balloon in 2019
      Leon Bailey also filmed himself inhaling in a car after partying all night last March
      Raheem Sterling was seen doing the same two years later, getting a rebuke from Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers.
      In 2018, Arsenal stars Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Matteo Guendouzi were filmed taking it at a pre-season bash.
      The following year, Jack Grealish, then at Aston Villa, was snapped inhaling from a balloon.
      Last year, Everton midfielder Dele Alli was pictured at a do surrounded by gas canisters and alcohol.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Villa’s Leon Bailey also filmed himself inhaling in his car after partying all night last March.
      None of these players are the ace in rehab. More

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      in Boxing

      Deontay Wilder urged to RETIRE from boxing after hallucinogenic drug ‘took away his killer instinct’

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      DEONTAY WILDER has been urged by Carl Froch to RETIRE from boxing after hallucinogenic drugs “took away killer instinct”. Wilder in December suffered a shock defeat to Joseph Parker, which in turn blew his super-fight against Anthony Joshua. 
      Deontay Wilder after defeat to Joseph ParkerCredit: Getty
      Before the bout in Saudi Arabia, the American boasted of becoming a new man after taking psychedelic drug ayahuasca. 
      But retired former super-middleweight world champion Froch believes it contributed to Wilder returning gun-shy and to blame for his lacklustre performance. 
      He told Lord Ping: “I think ayahuasca affected Deontay Wilder’s performance, I think it took away his killer instinct and the desire to cause damage. 
      “I think it chilled him out too much, it’s not good for you. Bad move that. I think he should retire now, he’s lost to Joseph Parker, who lost to Diliian Whyte, come on. 
      READ MORE IN BOXING
      “He’s going on as well in age, he’s made plenty of money, he’s in touch with his spiritual side now and it’s put him at peace, but he’s no longer in a fighter’s frame of mind. He’s a lover.” 
      Wilder, 38, had just 40 seconds of action in nearly two years before he returned against Parker, 32. 
      And he landed only 39 punches from the 204 he threw, with onlookers scratching their heads at the showing. 
      In the build up, Wilder looked rejuvenated and revealed in an interview how it was inspired by his experience with South American psychoactive brew ayahuasca. 
      Most read in Boxing
      The drug comes from stewing the leaves and stem of a jungle vine that grows in the Amazon rainforest, and it is usually drunk as a tea.
      Ayahuasca takes 20 to 60 minutes to kick in, and its effects can last up to six hours.
      Typical effects include visual hallucinations, euphoria, paranoia, and vomiting.
      It contains dimethyltryptamine – or DMT – which is deemed a Class A drug in the United Kingdom, making it illegal on these shores.
      Ayahuasca is also banned in the UK, but can be taken legally elsewhere.
      Wilder told The Telegraph: “Ah, man, ayahuasca has been… Man, it’s been one of the top things in my life that I’m glad that I’ve experienced.
      “One of the best journeys to experience, it’s been a beautiful thing for me, and if you ask my wife, she’ll say that it made me more sensitive.
      What are the effects of ayahuasca?While the drug may affect people differently, some of the common effects include:

      Nausea/vomiting
      Diarrhea
      Anxiety
      Euphoria
      Intense visual and auditory hallucinations
      Powerful emotions
      Increased body temperature
      Feelings of connection and unity

      “And she’s probably right, but it also made me happier as well. I find myself appreciating even the smallest of the smallest things – and not saying that I didn’t before – but the appreciation level has increased.
      “Ayahuasca has done some beautiful things for a lot of individuals, not only just including myself, where they brought affirmation to their life or some type of understanding of the path that they are running in their life.
      “I’m looking forward to doing it many, many more times. I’m actually looking to do it after this fight as well.
      “They made the medicine on site, the DMT, and it was just a beautiful experience. I highly recommend everyone to try it out, I really do, it really has helped me in my life.
      “I am one of the happiest people I know in life, and God is good.”
      Wilder has refused to retire following defeat but faces a fight to ever get the chance to face Joshua, 34, again.
      In a lengthy message to his fans just a day after the loss, the former WBC champion insisted his boxing story is not over. 
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Wilder said: “I’m a warrior, I’ll be back soon. If not, then I appreciate the love and support everyone has given me over the years. 
      “Life is about falling and getting back up, you must get back up.”  More