CFN has confirmed a legitimate "Squatch" sighting. No, we're not talking about a late-night campfire hallucination at the annual Honobia Bigfoot Festival involving magic mushrooms. We're talking about a bona fide spotting documented with real photographic evidence.
Only we're talking about Squatch, the former mascot of the Seattle Sonics, and not the hirsute beast hawking beef jerky. Matt Heuer, a 6-foot-8 fan (and former Sonics employee!), donned a Squatch costume and held a sign reading "HOMELESS," which he displayed during the Oklahoma City Thunder's game Nov. 4 against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden.
"I dressed as Squatch because I thought people here in Seattle and NBA fans would recognize it and remember how much fun it was to have NBA entertainment in Seattle," Heuer, who clearly misses the franchise in a demonstrative way, told a Seattle Post-Intelligencer sports blog.
"The Sonics were more than a basketball team to a lot of us. For me it was part of my relationship growing up with my dad, the team featured my idols and role models, they brought excitement to the city, the state and united our community. I really just wanted the discussion of the Sonics to be brought up again, and this is really the only relevant event we have left to demonstrate our loss and frustration."
This isn't the first time Heuer has made a Sonics statement. When the franchise first split for the Big League City, Matt brought along his 2-year-old nephew and another sign that read "CLAY BENNETT RUINED MY CHILDHOOD."
Heuer's latest Squatch stunt resulted in a friend starting a Facebook page dedicated to sending him to a Thunder game at the Oklahoma City Arena.
Like the Sonics, this Facebook page, which solicited PayPal donations and included an e-mail address, is now kaput:
"Though your support was very much appreciated some complications have forced this fan page to be terminated," read a Nov. 9 post on the Facebook page. "Everyone who donated money will be reimbursed in full. Sorry for the inconvenience."
That didn't sit well with visitors, according to unedited Facebook comments.
"David Stern strikes again??" asked Matt Reiss.
"What a croc of shit.. I'm taking all the money and going to vegas," wrote Anthony Ricciardelli.
