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Cal Football

Bears Make Another Big OL Portal Addition in Lovell

May 11, 2022
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Former ASU 6-7/335 offensive guard Spencer Lovell officially visited Cal over the weekend, followed by a trip to the Palousse on an official visit to Washington State through Tuesday. After returning from Washington, the redshirt junior was ready to make his decision.

“I just committed to Cal,” said Lovell. “I think the combination of the culture, the offense, where Coach Musgrave really plays to the strength of his players, his and Coach Wilcox and the staff’s high level of coaching experience -it all felt right. As a vet coming into their program, Coach Angus (McClure was really open to me to work with techniques I’ve been taught previously. He’s not a cookie-cutter coach where everything has to be done the same way. Whatever is a strength in an individual player, he’ll work with them.”

After his visit, Lovell noted that the culture of the program, both with the staff and players made a big impression on him. Tonight, he reiterated that fit played a big role in his comfort level in committing to the program.

“I really like the group of guys there, especially the O-line,” said Lovell. “I met a good amount of them.

“I get along great with Coach Angus and Mike (Saffell). I can really be myself around them and just be me. It was nice to have that. I thing the combination of Coach Angus and Mike works really well. Mike’s played a lot and was an All-Conference center. He has recent playing experience and Angus has been around for forever so I think it’s a good combo.”

Lovell graduated last semester and is planning on enrolling in one of Cal’s certification programs. He’ll have two years of eligibility.

“I talked to (QB transfer) Jack Plummer about the certification programs and it sounds like a good fit for me,” noted Lovell.

The Bears also pulled in a commitment from 6-4/295 former Montana State sophomore right tackle TJ Sessions earlier this week. The addition of two veteran linemen dramatically improves the depth of the Cal O-line heading into the 2022 season.

A former 3 star recruit out of Fort Collins, Colorado, Lovell signed with ASU in 2018, playing in nearly every game after redshirting his freshman year in the O-line rotation and special teams. Following ASU’s spring ball, he was slated to start at offensive guard this season before entering the transfer portal. With his size, he can play either guard or tackle but seems potentially better-suited on the inside. He could immediately battle to start opposite Cindric or Brian Driscoll, depending on which player ends up at center following Driscoll’s return in the fall.

Other stories:

Lovell Impressed by Bears' Culture on Visit to Cal

Bears Make a Key Addition With Portal Transfer OT TJ Session

Discussion from...

Bears Make Another Big OL Portal Addition in Lovell

15,834 Views | 37 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by 82gradDLSdad
Goobear
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7:18p, 5/11/22
Spencer Lovell welcome to Cal Football! Wishing you nothing but the best of success! Go Bears!
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harebear
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7:26p, 5/11/22
Great great news! Really happy about this addition. Welcome to Cal, Spencer!
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FireFighterBest
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7:38p, 5/11/22
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!! So awesome!!!
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FireFighterBest
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7:44p, 5/11/22
Welcome Lovell!

The portal has been a major boon to the Bears in 2022!
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KenBurnski
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8:03p, 5/11/22
He's a BEAST. My soul got pancaked just from looking at his photo. Really stoked about him. WELCOME.
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BearoutEast67
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8:30p, 5/11/22
Awesome!!!
Donate to Cal's NIL at https://calegends.com/donation/
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UrsineMaximus
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9:02p, 5/11/22
"As a vet coming into their program, Coach Angus (McClure) was really open to me to work with techniques I've been taught previously. He's not a cookie-cutter coach where everything has to be done the same way. Whatever is a strength in an individual player, he'll work with them."

An odd quote. Sounds like he wants to continue doing the techniques he knows and was taught at ASU, why wouldn't he stay there then? One would think he should be open to new techniques, who knows he may actually learn new things and become a better player. Seems like a strange beginning to a new relationship.
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MoragaBear
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In reply to UrsineMaximus • 9:25p, 5/11/22
Staff
UrsineMaximus said:
"As a vet coming into their program, Coach Angus (McClure) was really open to me to work with techniques I've been taught previously. He's not a cookie-cutter coach where everything has to be done the same way. Whatever is a strength in an individual player, he'll work with them."

An odd quote. Sounds like he wants to continue doing the techniques he knows and was taught at ASU, why wouldn't he stay there then? One would think he should be open to new techniques, who knows he may actually learn new things and become a better player. Seems like a strange beginning to a new relationship.
There's a big difference between him continuing to use the exact same techiques as at his prior school and a coach taking a guy going into his fourth season and completely breaking down his game and making him start over. He said he coaches to a player's strengths.
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HoopDreams
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9:27p, 5/11/22
gotta say that Saffell is going to be a monster recruiter for us
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4thGenCal
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In reply to HoopDreams • 10:25p, 5/11/22
HoopDreams said:
gotta say that Saffell is going to be a monster recruiter for us
Totally agree, Mike is a very outgoing positive person - his attitude is awesome and has excellent people skills for a relatively young age. Coach Wilcox loves him and I sure hope we can keep Mike on the staff long term.
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bonsallbear
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10:37p, 5/11/22
This man is enormous! Have we ever had an o line man this big? And this is not big around the middle.
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79 Bear
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11:14p, 5/11/22
Curhan was huge. Saw him walk by one game and he stood out from everyone else. Pretty similar size to Lovell. Both 6' 6". Curhan listed at 313. Lovell at 325.
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Big C
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11:22p, 5/11/22

Spencer, welcome to the Cal Family! Go Bears!!!
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91Cal
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8:15a, 5/12/22
Welcome to the Cal family, indeed, Spencer and family! Go Bears!
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JSC 76
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In reply to bonsallbear • 8:35a, 5/12/22
bonsallbear said:
This man is enormous! Have we ever had an o line man this big? And this is not big around the middle.
I stood next to Ryan O'Callahan once, after the Vegas Bowl (2005). A very very large human being.
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GoOskie
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In reply to bonsallbear • 8:43a, 5/12/22
bonsallbear said:
This man is enormous! Have we ever had an o line man this big? And this is not big around the middle.
Tarik Glenn was pretty huge.
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82gradDLSdad
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In reply to MoragaBear • 8:52a, 5/12/22
MoragaBear said:
UrsineMaximus said:
"As a vet coming into their program, Coach Angus (McClure) was really open to me to work with techniques I've been taught previously. He's not a cookie-cutter coach where everything has to be done the same way. Whatever is a strength in an individual player, he'll work with them."

An odd quote. Sounds like he wants to continue doing the techniques he knows and was taught at ASU, why wouldn't he stay there then? One would think he should be open to new techniques, who knows he may actually learn new things and become a better player. Seems like a strange beginning to a new relationship.
There's a big difference between him continuing to use the exact same techiques as at his prior school and a coach taking a guy going into his fourth season and completely breaking down his game and making him start over. He said he coaches to a player's strengths.


So Moraga, just for my own info, could he have stayed at ASU? Does his move have to do with grad programs? Was he going to start at ASU? I'm just interested to know what makes these guys switch schools and specifically what made this guy switch. Just curious
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MoragaBear
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In reply to 82gradDLSdad • 10:09a, 5/12/22
Staff
82gradDLSdad said:
MoragaBear said:
UrsineMaximus said:
"As a vet coming into their program, Coach Angus (McClure) was really open to me to work with techniques I've been taught previously. He's not a cookie-cutter coach where everything has to be done the same way. Whatever is a strength in an individual player, he'll work with them."

An odd quote. Sounds like he wants to continue doing the techniques he knows and was taught at ASU, why wouldn't he stay there then? One would think he should be open to new techniques, who knows he may actually learn new things and become a better player. Seems like a strange beginning to a new relationship.
There's a big difference between him continuing to use the exact same techiques as at his prior school and a coach taking a guy going into his fourth season and completely breaking down his game and making him start over. He said he coaches to a player's strengths.


So Moraga, just for my own info, could he have stayed at ASU? Does his move have to do with grad programs? Was he going to start at ASU? I'm just interested to know what makes these guys switch schools and specifically what made this guy switch. Just curious
Yes, he could've stayed at ASU. He'd won the starting RG spot by the end of spring ball. But it's such a &$*%show there that since he already graduated, it made sense for him to make a move to likely start somewhere else, preferably in the Pac-12.

He was really impressed with the culture in the program and right now it's pretty toxic in many ways at ASU. If anyone saw the video of the guys in the locker room there ripping on their former QB for transferring and more than that, showing how much they disliked him, it was a pretty jarring thing to see.

This was a football and culture decision for him, not academic.
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82gradDLSdad
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In reply to MoragaBear • 12:18p, 5/12/22
MoragaBear said:
82gradDLSdad said:
MoragaBear said:
UrsineMaximus said:
"As a vet coming into their program, Coach Angus (McClure) was really open to me to work with techniques I've been taught previously. He's not a cookie-cutter coach where everything has to be done the same way. Whatever is a strength in an individual player, he'll work with them."

An odd quote. Sounds like he wants to continue doing the techniques he knows and was taught at ASU, why wouldn't he stay there then? One would think he should be open to new techniques, who knows he may actually learn new things and become a better player. Seems like a strange beginning to a new relationship.
There's a big difference between him continuing to use the exact same techiques as at his prior school and a coach taking a guy going into his fourth season and completely breaking down his game and making him start over. He said he coaches to a player's strengths.


So Moraga, just for my own info, could he have stayed at ASU? Does his move have to do with grad programs? Was he going to start at ASU? I'm just interested to know what makes these guys switch schools and specifically what made this guy switch. Just curious
Yes, he could've stayed at ASU. He'd won the starting RG spot by the end of spring ball. But it's such a &$*%show there that since he already graduated, it made sense for him to make a move to likely start somewhere else, preferably in the Pac-12.

He was really impressed with the culture in the program and right now it's pretty toxic in many ways at ASU. If anyone saw the video of the guys in the locker room there ripping on their former QB for transferring and more than that, showing how much they disliked him, it was a pretty jarring thing to see.

This was a football and culture decision for him, not academic.


Wow. That's incredible. Good for the kids to get a chance to just pack up and leave a bad situation. I hope he and we thrive because of the move.
Thanks for the quick reply.
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bonsallbear
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In reply to 79 Bear • 1:20p, 5/12/22
L79 Bear said:
Curhan was huge. Saw him walk by one game and he stood out from everyone else. Pretty similar size to Lovell. Both 6' 6". Curhan listed at 313. Lovell at 325.
Lovell is listed at 335! Who was bigger?
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CamHand
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In reply to bonsallbear • 1:51p, 5/12/22
No answer to who was bigger, but a comment on size. I happened to be at the Long Beach airport when the Steelers were flying back home from the '81 SuperBowl. I don't recall any of them being that big. Confirmed just now at https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/1981_roster.htm. Not one even close to 300 lbs. I vaguely recall a High School team about a decade ago being the first to register their OL as averaging over 300... probably not all super athletes, but YIKES!
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MoragaBear
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In reply to CamHand • 3:55p, 5/12/22
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CamHand said:
No answer to who was bigger, but a comment on size. I happened to be at the Long Beach airport when the Steelers were flying back home from the '81 SuperBowl. I don't recall any of them being that big. Confirmed just now at https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/1981_roster.htm. Not one even close to 300 lbs. I vaguely recall a High School team about a decade ago being the first to register their OL as averaging over 300... probably not all super athletes, but YIKES!

When I was a freshman at Miramonte in '79, Miramonte played Salesian in the first round of the NCS playoffs. Back then, only the four 2A division winners went to the playoffs and the four 3A division winners. Salesian was on the level of De La Salle that year and it was a year or two before De La Salle went on their run. Salesian was 10-0 with two 1,000 yd running backs and a line that averaged 305 across, which was bigger than most NFL lines. Miramonte somehow managed to win a 10-0 game in the rain in richmond. They went then went to coliseum for the 2A championship game and were leading 10-0 before Cal hoops Hall of Famer Jack McKeen's son Bryan had his collarbone broken by Jack del Rio on a hard sack and they couldn't score anymore after that. Hayward won 12-10.
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82gradDLSdad
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6:52p, 5/12/22
One of the biggest hs players I ever saw was Kevin Gogan. He went to Sacred Heart in SF, my hs. He was so big he was awful. But he played both football and basketball and stuck with it. Went to UW on a football scholarship. I couldn't believe it, he was so slow. Obviously they knew better and the rest is history. I've ever since been a fan of recruiting size out of his if you can't get the best guys.
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philbert
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6:55p, 5/12/22
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bledblue
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In reply to bonsallbear • 9:09p, 5/12/22
bonsallbear said:
This man is enormous! Have we ever had an o line man this big? And this is not big around the middle.
I saw Troy Auzenne on the sidelines once, and he's every bit of 6'8". I don't recall anyone on our teams being taller than that. I'm pretty sure he wasn't 330 when he played here though.
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92GoBears92
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In reply to bledblue • 8:31a, 5/13/22
I used to work in the General Book department at the asuc in the early 90s. One day I was setting up a display in the hall and was asked about a couple of books. I turned to converse with the guy and it was Troy Auzenne next to Todd Stuessie. I'm 5'9" but felt like I was looking even with their navels. Both were huge.
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82gradDLSdad
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In reply to 92GoBears92 • 8:55a, 5/13/22
92GoBears92 said:
I used to work in the General Book department at the asuc in the early 90s. One day I was setting up a display in the hall and was asked about a couple of books. I turned to converse with the guy and it was Troy Auzenne next to Todd Stuessie. I'm 5'9" but felt like I was looking even with their navels. Both were huge.


Hmmm, wonder why we were good back then.
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YamhillBear
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9:24a, 5/13/22
All this good news on the OL recruiting front is fantastic. As with many of you, I feel like the entire success of the offense starts with the OL: a strong OL multiplies the strengths of the offensive "skill" positions and a weak OL negates them. And as for Lovell, is it just me, or does dude look like he's in his 30's?!
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82gradDLSdad
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In reply to YamhillBear • 9:26a, 5/13/22
YamhillBear said:
All this good news on the OL recruiting front is fantastic. As with many of you, I feel like the entire success of the offense starts with the OL: a strong OL multiplies the strengths of the offensive "skill" positions and a weak OL negates them. And as for Lovell, is it just me, or does dude look like he's in his 30's?!


The OL is absolutely the key each and every year. It dwarfs in importantance each and every position group. You can control a game with a great OL and average everywhere else.
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Vandalus
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In reply to bledblue • 9:27a, 5/13/22
bledblue said:
bonsallbear said:
This man is enormous! Have we ever had an o line man this big? And this is not big around the middle.
I saw Troy Auzenne on the sidelines once, and he's every bit of 6'8". I don't recall anyone on our teams being taller than that. I'm pretty sure he wasn't 330 when he played here though.
I've hung out with Troy on a few occasions in a group with a bunch of the former OL who played during the Tedford years, and he is noticeably bigger than all of them. He makes 6'5" 310 dudes look small. He's a clear outlier amongst any group.
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Cal_79
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In reply to 92GoBears92 • 9:40a, 5/13/22
92GoBears92 said:
I used to work in the General Book department at the asuc in the early 90s. One day I was setting up a display in the hall and was asked about a couple of books. I turned to converse with the guy and it was Troy Auzenne next to Todd Stuessie. I'm 5'9" but felt like I was looking even with their navels. Both were huge.

Reminds me of meeting Gene Upshaw outside SF City Hall back when I was in high school. A very nice man. As we shook hands I kept looking up higher and higher and higher to see his face. He dwarfed me and it seemed as if he blotted out the sun.
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Bobodeluxe
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10:20a, 5/13/22
Tall people are definitely tall.

Big people are definitely big.

Big tall people are most definitely big and tall.

I could go on, but others will …

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TheFiatLux
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In reply to bledblue • 10:26a, 5/13/22
bledblue said:
bonsallbear said:
This man is enormous! Have we ever had an o line man this big? And this is not big around the middle.
I saw Troy Auzenne on the sidelines once, and he's every bit of 6'8". I don't recall anyone on our teams being taller than that. I'm pretty sure he wasn't 330 when he played here though.

True story. Troy and I were roommates at this place on the corner of 66th and Telegraph. One night someone broke into our place and came up the stairs... they saw Troy and immediately turned around and left as fast as they came in.

Yesh, he was (and is) a BIG dude.
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NVBear78
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In reply to TheFiatLux • 11:06a, 5/13/22
TheFiatLux said:
bledblue said:
bonsallbear said:
This man is enormous! Have we ever had an o line man this big? And this is not big around the middle.
I saw Troy Auzenne on the sidelines once, and he's every bit of 6'8". I don't recall anyone on our teams being taller than that. I'm pretty sure he wasn't 330 when he played here though.

True story. Troy and I were roommates at this place on the corner of 66th and Telegraph. One night someone broke into our place and came up the stairs... they saw Troy and immediately turned around and left as fast as they came in.

Yesh, he was (and is) a BIG dude.


Great story Ken!!!!


p.s. back in my day Cal had a huge Olineman named Leo Biederman who was 6'8" and 280 lbs. An absolute monster for the that time period. He lived in the football apartments next door to my frat on Warring.

One night some of our guys made a lot of noise very late while moving our dumpster up the driveway to the street. Leo's apt looked over our driveway and he came out on his balcony and started screaming at the top of his lungs for our guys to shut the F--- up. Naturally they hollered back and there was a nice little screaming match at about 1 AM.

The next night we were hosting a party with a nearby sorority. I was standing in our front courtyard when I looked up and saw Leo looming over me..... He told me that we need to quiet down, I innocently said let me see what I can do and he said No, you don't see what you can do, you turn the music down NOW.

Other football players and apartment mates gathered around Leo and frat members joined me in our "negotiations" with Leo. It was pretty humorous to see a couple of non football types from the apartment complex peek out from behind Leo and say , yeah, what he said!

I spotted Ken O'Brian who was on the team and I knew a little bit and went and chatted with him. He said that Leo was just pissed off because he was injured and couldn't play that week.

Long story short, the next day I went over with a couple of other guys from our frat to talk to Leo and his roommates about how we wanted to find a way to get along since this was the beginning of the school year and we had a long year ahead.

There was another starting OLineman living with Leo and what I always remember was they had the sofa's and chairs in their living room sitting on top of concrete blocks to make them high enough for those big guys to sit on them....

Go Bears!
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Big C
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In reply to Bobodeluxe • 1:51p, 5/13/22
Bobodeluxe said:
Tall people are definitely tall.

Big people are definitely big.

Big tall people are most definitely big and tall.

I could go on, but others will …


Sounds like somebody can scarcely conceal their envy, having spent their whole life hanging around Lilliputians.
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