Dannen: Quit Whining and Give Me Money

orclover11

All-Conference
Dec 1, 2014
1,537
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One week left of the best time of the year to be a Husker fan!
Geez I hope we get three blowouts like last year and can at least fantasize about a good season until the Indiana game. We will learn a lot though in that first game against Ohio State
 

Cruel Halo

All-Conference
Jun 27, 2003
6,818
2,017
97
Nebraska has 27 guys listed on the roster of football coaches. That doesn't include the other unnecessary glut throughout the Ath Dept.

It reminds me of one of the mergers I was involved in and the execs from the acquiree were bitching and making their case as to why they should not get the axe. "Look at our history."

My colleague looked at them directly in the eyes and said, "You and your team of intellectual simpletons are the reason your company is on that side of the table."


They blew up their bottom line with corp housing, jets, assistants to assistants, consultants, HR woke garbage, ridiculous perks, non-focused marketing, WTFdirector titles and out of this world bonuses all while they lost sight of the reason as to why they were in business.

Nebraska better figure it out soon. They have a bunch of academics, buffoons and near sighted jocks trying to run a multi-million dollar businsss.
 

Truewooper

Senior
Jun 1, 2022
1,602
621
113
Nebraska has 27 guys listed on the roster of football coaches. That doesn't include the other unnecessary glut throughout the Ath Dept.

It reminds me of one of the mergers I was involved in and the execs from the acquiree were bitching and making their case as to why they should not get the axe. "Look at our history."

My colleague looked at them directly in the eyes and said, "You and your team of intellectual simpletons are the reason your company is on that side of the table."

They blew up their bottom line with corp housing, jets, assistants to assistants, consultants, HR woke garbage, ridiculous perks, non-focused marketing, WTFdirector titles and out of this world bonuses all while they lost sight of the reason as to why they were in business.

Nebraska better figure it out soon. They have a bunch of academics, buffoons and near sighted jocks trying to run a multi-million dollar businsss.
Yeah I keep thinking the smartest thing would be to cut the AD staff. Save some money. Because we need to take the money we get from BIG. And pull out the 20 million (45 if Congress can get their heads out their ***) Then whatever u need for the coaching salaries. (27 might need to be 24 or 23) Then it trickles down to the rest. AD staff seems the most needed to trim with comments like that.
 
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Zeke Husker

All-Conference
Aug 23, 2025
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Yeah I keep thinking the smartest thing would be to cut the AD staff. Save some money. Because we need to take the money we get from BIG. And pull out the 20 million (45 if Congress can get their heads out their ***) Then whatever u need for the coaching salaries. (27 might need to be 24 or 23) Then it trickles down to the rest. AD staff seems the most needed to trim with comments like that.
That’s a good plan. I wasn’t terribly concerned about the overall status financially of Nebraska, but with recent news about tickets far from being sold out and this info with the NIL being middle of the pack in the Big Ten it definitely is concerning. At this rate Nebraska better being in favor of a lower NIL cap than what the top of the Big Ten is wanting otherwise we’re gonna get left behind.
 
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Truewooper

Senior
Jun 1, 2022
1,602
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That’s a good plan. I wasn’t terribly concerned about the overall status financially of Nebraska, but with recent news about tickets far from being sold out and this info with the NIL being middle of the pack in the Big Ten it definitely is concerning. At this rate Nebraska better being in favor of a lower NIL cap than what the top of the Big Ten is wanting otherwise we’re gonna get left behind.
I never thought we'd be able to compete with the big dog. Rhule and Dana keep acting like we can. We need to identify talent develop it. They act like we are a 8 to 9 win team that has maximized its talent.

At least if the protect sports act went through collectives would be gone and the BIG money is enough to cover the 45 million.
 
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Zeke Husker

All-Conference
Aug 23, 2025
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I never thought we'd be able to compete with the big dog. Rhule and Dana keep acting like we can. We need to identify talent develop it. They act like we are a 8 to 9 win team that has maximized its talent.

At least if the protect sports act went through collectives would be gone and the BIG money is enough to cover the 45 million.
These recent revelations tell me that Nebraska has no place being in a super league of 30ish teams. Let’s be real. I don’t even know if there are 30 teams that could fund at that level might be more like 16.
 

WTFMatt

Senior
Feb 14, 2010
1,060
932
113
Nebraska can't compete and won't ever be able to compete with the current semi-pro league that is college football. It comes down to dollars that NU does not have compared to the top teams. I'm afraid to say it, but professional college football has passed NU by.
 

Truewooper

Senior
Jun 1, 2022
1,602
621
113
These recent revelations tell me that Nebraska has no place being in a super league of 30ish teams. Let’s be real. I don’t even know if there are 30 teams that could fund at that level might be more like 16.
Oh yeah no. Unless we discover a big oil well beneath us we cannot be in these open pay leagues where money is no consideration.

What's still crazy is we still aren't getting good coaches. Say what you want about Iowa. They get as much as they can out of the talent they have. There is a chart somewhere we are the worst at getting the most out of our talent.
 

Truewooper

Senior
Jun 1, 2022
1,602
621
113
Nebraska can't compete and won't ever be able to compete with the current semi-pro league that is college football. It comes down to dollars that NU does not have compared to the top teams. I'm afraid to say it, but professional college football has passed NU by.
Might as well go back to a big smash mouth football brand. We might have a cap on how good we can be. But damn would it be fun again.
 
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Zeke Husker

All-Conference
Aug 23, 2025
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Oh yeah no. Unless we discover a big oil well beneath us we cannot be in these open pay leagues where money is no consideration.

What's still crazy is we still aren't getting good coaches. Say what you want about Iowa. They get as much as they can out of the talent they have. There is a chart somewhere we are the worst at getting the most out of our talent.
You are correct about though I believe going forward things will become more difficult for them.
 

Scoop123

All-Conference
Jan 9, 2026
833
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Nebraska can't compete and won't ever be able to compete with the current semi-pro league that is college football. It comes down to dollars that NU does not have compared to the top teams. I'm afraid to say it, but professional college football has passed NU by.

I hear where you're coming from - but I'm not ready to wave that white flag yet. For discussion's sake, let's just say you're right. Let's assume we don't have the money many of the top schools have and that will keep us from beating them consistently..

That just keeps us out of the top 5, maybe Top 10. But we have the money (right now), facilities, support and everything needed to be a #10-20 team (I think #5-10) even without the crazy large money coming in. Agree?

Rhule has massively under-performed with the resources he has been given. hard to want to dig deeper in the wallet when he hasn't delivered on these dollars.
 

BobVH5150

Junior
Jul 9, 2025
240
367
63
Fire him now. Football is the revenue maker, football must win to maximize revenue. That is it. Squeezing fans instead of putting a good product on the field is insane. This is what you get by hiring a journalism major to run a half billion a year business.
Deserves mention that the university takes advantage of our self supporting athletic department by counting on it to fund other university programs. That's why FB is like Wal-Mart: Spend as little as possible and keep it profitable enough to support the University at large.
 

FAGA

Redshirt
Jul 2, 2026
27
12
3
Its time to stop caring. "College football" is meaningless.
I am checking out for good.
Used to spend those funds going to Lincoln.
Now, going to Three Forks. To fish.
No brainer.

It just doesn't matter anymore.

Matt Rhule is literally the head coach.

Bob Devaney. Dr. Tom Obsorne....Matt ******* Rhule?

So long, pedos
 

steinek11

All-Conference
Apr 18, 2004
13,743
1,574
113
Nebraska can't compete and won't ever be able to compete with the current semi-pro league that is college football. It comes down to dollars that NU does not have compared to the top teams. I'm afraid to say it, but professional college football has passed NU by.
But you’re missing the point that we get prison graped by teams who spend a lot less.
 

Zeke Husker

All-Conference
Aug 23, 2025
1,390
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I hear where you're coming from - but I'm not ready to wave that white flag yet. For discussion's sake, let's just say you're right. Let's assume we don't have the money many of the top schools have and that will keep us from beating them consistently..

That just keeps us out of the top 5, maybe Top 10. But we have the money (right now), facilities, support and everything needed to be a #10-20 team (I think #5-10) even without the crazy large money coming in. Agree?

Rhule has massively under-performed with the resources he has been given. hard to want to dig deeper in the wallet when he hasn't delivered on these dollars.
We have the resources to be a #15 at best. 9th in Big ten in NIL, and assume similar compared to SEC. Problem is that gap will keep widening from the top programs. We wouldn’t belong in a super league and if we were involved in a 30 team league it would be very ugly. Without cupcake type of non-conference games it’s the case where having a winning record for half of the 30 would be near impossible. I just don’t see more $ coming in unless it’s more corporate sponsorships. Selling naming rights to the football stadium. Unfortunately don’t own the basketball arena so can’t do anything there. Many of us believed NIL would help Nebraska get back closer to the top…..but it’s not panning out that way. It’s also exasperated by the fact we get regularly smashed by programs that are spending less.
 
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WHCSC

All-Conference
Feb 4, 2002
10,903
3,758
88


“We are not flirting with the top of the league when it comes to our player support, whether NIL or rev share or cumulative dollars. Part of our challenge right now is to put us in the same position at the top of the league as we are with facilities and infrastructure and other investments.”

“The No. 1 item on the job description for my job today is ability to generate revenue,” Dannen said. “I will say I do almost feel like we spend more time apologizing for doing the job that athletics requires in 2026.

“If we don’t do our job, our future is severely limited. No one’s doing this because they like having people upset and calling and yelling and threatening. That’s not the way this is done.

“We’re doing it to put the University of Nebraska athletic program in a better position for success. Today the economic piece is much more relevant and prevalent than at any time in our past.

“But let’s not forget. We had suites before anyone else. We were finding ways to generate revenue before anybody else did. Which is why we don’t have debt. In some ways, we went 25 years and rested on that.

“Right now it’s time to turn it up. We didn’t do it because we didn’t have to. Today we have to. There’s a fine line. Depending on where you stand on that line, we either push across it or we don’t push far enough.”
He’s not wrong
 

WHCSC

All-Conference
Feb 4, 2002
10,903
3,758
88
The #1 job of the AD is to generate revenue

Of course, this has been the #1 job of the AD since we joined the B1G

Winning is far, far down the list of priorities

Yet another thing I’ve been posting about for years and years officially confirmed as fact
The ADs job is the same in every conference
 

RBigredMax1

All-Conference
Jul 16, 2025
1,938
3,266
113
Its time to stop caring. "College football" is meaningless.
I am checking out for good.
Used to spend those funds going to Lincoln.
Now, going to Three Forks. To fish.
No brainer.

It just doesn't matter anymore.

Matt Rhule is literally the head coach.

Bob Devaney. Dr. Tom Obsorne....Matt ******* Rhule?

So long, pedos
Will Ferrell Reaction GIF
 

dinglefritz

Heisman
Jan 14, 2011
52,445
13,969
78
He’s not wrong
Even though the volleyball program turns a profit, it’s still a drain on NIL dollars that could go to football. A booster of substance buddy of mine said before last season that he wouldn’t give any more money to football NIL. He directed his dollars to volleyball. People think we attract girls soley because of our success. 🙄. $$$$$
 

Spinner4

Senior
Jun 5, 2022
650
916
93
Nebraska can't compete and won't ever be able to compete with the current semi-pro league that is college football. It comes down to dollars that NU does not have compared to the top teams. I'm afraid to say it, but professional college football has passed NU by.
Saying we can't compete with the big boys in NIL is false. A lot of experts in NIL potential have put Nebraska in the top 5 schools for NIL funding. We have a fantastic market radius without competition and we have a strong fan support

The problem is the donors are being pinched for other funding requests. We are spending crazy amounts on facilities. Top 5 in the capital project spend in the B1G in the last 10 years, and that's in the conference with the top overall spend for capital projects

In the last ten years we have spent close to Ohio state and Oregon which is crazy because Ohio State built a new entire sports complex and Oregon had to basically reconstruct its football field (not like a renovation but an almost complete rebuild). We spent on fluff.

How much of the Osborne Legacy Complex really matters or changes a dam out come to a game. I'm not saying it isn't "nice" but How many people profited on it? Law firms, contractors, etc

And all the bad mouthing about NIL from Troy and beat writers in the state etc is by design. THEY DO NOT WANT TO SPEND ON NIL OR THEY WOULD!

Brother Rhule was brought in to lead you to the light of "Nebraska way" blue collar hard work walk-on, cheap labor. TO won with 5 star talent, don't let them lie to you.

Your butt only hurts in the seats when we are losing. Fix the winning and you don't have to have an amazing chair to sit in. You'd be happy with $5 fold out chair from wal-mart
 

Zeke Husker

All-Conference
Aug 23, 2025
1,390
1,411
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Saying we can't compete with the big boys in NIL is false. A lot of experts in NIL potential have put Nebraska in the top 5 schools for NIL funding. We have a fantastic market radius without competition and we have a strong fan support

The problem is the donors are being pinched for other funding requests. We are spending crazy amounts on facilities. Top 5 in the capital project spend in the B1G in the last 10 years, and that's in the conference with the top overall spend for capital projects

In the last ten years we have spent close to Ohio state and Oregon which is crazy because Ohio State built a new entire sports complex and Oregon had to basically reconstruct its football field (not like a renovation but an almost complete rebuild). We spent on fluff.

How much of the Osborne Legacy Complex really matters or changes a dam out come to a game. I'm not saying it isn't "nice" but How many people profited on it? Law firms, contractors, etc

And all the bad mouthing about NIL from Troy and beat writers in the state etc is by design. THEY DO NOT WANT TO SPEND ON NIL OR THEY WOULD!

Brother Rhule was brought in to lead you to the light of "Nebraska way" blue collar hard work walk-on, cheap labor. TO won with 5 star talent, don't let them lie to you.

Your butt only hurts in the seats when we are losing. Fix the winning and you don't have to have an amazing chair to sit in. You'd be happy with $5 fold out chair from wal-mart
I no longer have hope on potential. The reality is we are middle of the pack in the Big Ten. Average. Expect between 5 and 7 wins a year
 
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huskerdude88

Junior
Jan 8, 2005
1,037
256
77
I read this as excuses to cover his a55 when this season doesn't go as planned. To be fair to him though he's not wrong we do need more money and we need to spend. The problem is everytime donors have given to this program they've seen us squander the capital on ridiculous contracts and projects that get us nowhere to being better. All the while seeing us get taken to the woodshed by far inferior teams like Iowa and Minnesota.
 
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1NebrFan

Sophomore
Dec 3, 2004
213
156
38
Saying we can't compete with the big boys in NIL is false. A lot of experts in NIL potential have put Nebraska in the top 5 schools for NIL funding. We have a fantastic market radius without competition and we have a strong fan support

The problem is the donors are being pinched for other funding requests. We are spending crazy amounts on facilities. Top 5 in the capital project spend in the B1G in the last 10 years, and that's in the conference with the top overall spend for capital projects

In the last ten years we have spent close to Ohio state and Oregon which is crazy because Ohio State built a new entire sports complex and Oregon had to basically reconstruct its football field (not like a renovation but an almost complete rebuild). We spent on fluff.

How much of the Osborne Legacy Complex really matters or changes a dam out come to a game. I'm not saying it isn't "nice" but How many people profited on it? Law firms, contractors, etc

And all the bad mouthing about NIL from Troy and beat writers in the state etc is by design. THEY DO NOT WANT TO SPEND ON NIL OR THEY WOULD!

Brother Rhule was brought in to lead you to the light of "Nebraska way" blue collar hard work walk-on, cheap labor. TO won with 5 star talent, don't let them lie to you.

Your butt only hurts in the seats when we are losing. Fix the winning and you don't have to have an amazing chair to sit in. You'd be happy with $5 fold out chair from wal-mart
I've never seen a list that puts Nebraska in the top 5 in NIL money. Most lists I have seen are close to this.....Texas Longhorns: $49.3 millionOregon Ducks: $43.4 millionLSU Tigers: $42.8 million
Ohio State Buckeyes: $39.3 millionMiami Hurricanes: $38.5 millionUSC Trojans: $35.2 millionNotre Dame Fighting Irish: $35.1 million
Ole Miss Rebels: $35.1 millionTexas Tech Red Raiders: $35.0 millionIndiana Hoosiers: $33.1 millionTexas A&M Aggies: $33.0 million
Michigan Wolverines: $31.3 millionTennessee Volunteers: $31.0 millionAlabama Crimson Tide: $30.9 millionOklahoma Sooners: $30.6 millionGeorgia Bulldogs: $30.4 millionAuburn Tigers: $29.0 millionFlorida Gators: $28.1 millionMissouri Tigers: $27.3 millionHouston Cougars: $27.0 millionPenn State Nittany Lions: $26.6 millionClemson Tigers: $26.3 millionVanderbilt Commodores: $25.5 million
Kentucky Wildcats: $24.4 millionArkansas Razorbacks: $24.0 million
 
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orclover11

All-Conference
Dec 1, 2014
1,537
1,130
113
Nebraska can't compete and won't ever be able to compete with the current semi-pro league that is college football. It comes down to dollars that NU does not have compared to the top teams. I'm afraid to say it, but professional college football has passed NU by.
I don't think we are asking too much to beat a top 25 team once every 35 opportunities. We can certainly spend in the top 25, and we could hire competent efficient leaders to get us into the top 15, and occasionally flirt with the top 5. Considering our history, fan base, locale this should be expected. There aren't that many competent teams with nearly as much support as us.

Nebraska football is the most inefficient program in the sport(power 4) by far...the least amount of wins per dollar spent or earned by far, the least amount of meaningful wins by far over the last 25 years. It has nothing to do with Lincoln, or the location, or the talent pool. It has everything to do with the motivation model being broken, and a pathetic psyche of the leadership thinking we can't "care deeply" about football without it being "immature and toxic", while still loving the fact you can make millions by just pushing out a half-finished product. And now our leaders are using "revenue" as a replacement for "wins" because greed is in right now.
 

Spinner4

Senior
Jun 5, 2022
650
916
93
I've never seen a list that puts Nebraska in the top 5 in NIL money. Most lists I have seen are close to this.....Texas Longhorns: $49.3 millionOregon Ducks: $43.4 millionLSU Tigers: $42.8 million
Ohio State Buckeyes: $39.3 millionMiami Hurricanes: $38.5 millionUSC Trojans: $35.2 millionNotre Dame Fighting Irish: $35.1 million
Ole Miss Rebels: $35.1 millionTexas Tech Red Raiders: $35.0 millionIndiana Hoosiers: $33.1 millionTexas A&M Aggies: $33.0 million
Michigan Wolverines: $31.3 millionTennessee Volunteers: $31.0 millionAlabama Crimson Tide: $30.9 millionOklahoma Sooners: $30.6 millionGeorgia Bulldogs: $30.4 millionAuburn Tigers: $29.0 millionFlorida Gators: $28.1 millionMissouri Tigers: $27.3 millionHouston Cougars: $27.0 millionPenn State Nittany Lions: $26.6 millionClemson Tigers: $26.3 millionVanderbilt Commodores: $25.5 million
Kentucky Wildcats: $24.4 millionArkansas Razorbacks: $24.0 million
Do you have more issues with reading comprehension or copy and paste? Just wondering... I think you missed the most important word in that sentence top 5 "potential"... potential
 

regoratsginrom

All-American
May 15, 2004
9,272
6,237
113
Fire him now. Football is the revenue maker, football must win to maximize revenue. That is it. Squeezing fans instead of putting a good product on the field is insane. This is what you get by hiring a journalism major to run a half billion a year business.
Hey, I take umbrage at that!!
 

1NebrFan

Sophomore
Dec 3, 2004
213
156
38
Do you have more issues with reading comprehension or copy and paste? Just wondering... I think you missed the most important word in that sentence top 5 "potential"... potential
Is that the best comeback you have?...just wondering. Potential? As the legendary football coach Bill Parcells famously put it: "Potential means you haven't done anything yet." Let me know when that potential translates to actual dollars which is the only thing that matters. You don't think the ones on the list could POTENTIALLY do more too? Unless you are counting Buffett as part of that potential, then I would agree that potentially we could be in the top 5 for NIL.
 
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Scoop123

All-Conference
Jan 9, 2026
833
1,441
92
We have the resources to be a #15 at best. 9th in Big ten in NIL, and assume similar compared to SEC. Problem is that gap will keep widening from the top programs. We wouldn’t belong in a super league and if we were involved in a 30 team league it would be very ugly. Without cupcake type of non-conference games it’s the case where having a winning record for half of the 30 would be near impossible. I just don’t see more $ coming in unless it’s more corporate sponsorships. Selling naming rights to the football stadium. Unfortunately don’t own the basketball arena so can’t do anything there. Many of us believed NIL would help Nebraska get back closer to the top…..but it’s not panning out that way. It’s also exasperated by the fact we get regularly smashed by programs that are spending less.
Penn State is a good example. Usually ranks 20-25 in NIL (just above us in spending) and has been consistently a top 10 team. Coaching matters.
 

Maui-Wowi

Redshirt
Aug 24, 2026
4
4
1
"This'll be the first year we can do whatever... we have the money now," Rhule said during the November bye week. "I can't complain anymore. We got what we need."

Rhule on Jan 8


The grift continues.
The Flim Flam man has been gaslighting us since the day he arrived.

This NIL is just the newest excuse to why we’re not winning.

Someone should tell Sam it takes a coach who believes in power football, controlling time of possession, special teams, field position and putting your best players on defense.

There are plenty teams out there doing far better than us with way less.

But the administration needs more money… and rightfully so eh? It’s apparent they are maximizing what they have currently been given smh.

Dannens complaint should be his ticket out the door.
 
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Zeke Husker

All-Conference
Aug 23, 2025
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Penn State is a good example. Usually ranks 20-25 in NIL (just above us in spending) and has been consistently a top 10 team. Coaching matters.
They are an exception, not every team in the 20s in NIL spending is going to be top 10 in the field results. Coaching matters, but we are at 9th in big ten NIL spending and finished near that. Frustrating is losing to teams regularly that fund less
 

cbredman

All-Conference
Dec 9, 2004
4,019
3,336
113
Fire him now. Football is the revenue maker, football must win to maximize revenue. That is it. Squeezing fans instead of putting a good product on the field is insane. This is what you get by hiring a journalism major to run a half billion a year business.
Expecting us to dominate on the field without as much NIL support as the top teams is insane. What do you expect our AD to do in this world of CFB? I mean come on man. Our fan base wants incredible results and for us to do it on a shoe string budget. Makes sense. :cautious:

We have to spend on staff and facilities. We also have to spend on players - more than we are now.

Bunch of financial geniuses on this board that apparently are very familiar with running a multi-million dollar organization.
 

Huskers+123

Junior
Dec 6, 2024
180
213
43
Its time to stop caring. "College football" is meaningless.
I am checking out for good.
Used to spend those funds going to Lincoln.
Now, going to Three Forks. To fish.
No brainer.

It just doesn't matter anymore.

Matt Rhule is literally the head coach.

Bob Devaney. Dr. Tom Obsorne....Matt ******* Rhule?

So long, pedos
Thank you for leaving. We are all better off for it.
 
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