On The Trail Of the Montauk Monster, Word Comes Of Montana's Monstrous Rattlesnake

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- There is a growing sense the Montauk Monster that floated onto a sandy Atlantic beach last month is really the remains of a dead raccoon. Gothamist has the latest on the Long Island sensation, including more yucky pictures. Meanwhile, the Daily Bellwether just got a tip about a giant serpent found in Ohio. But the same story had already surfaced a day earlier in Montana. And just in time. Now there won't be any monotony on the front involving unnatural, abnormal, brutish and hideous creatures. Since the story broke out west first, we'll call it the Montana Monster -- a rattler that is nearly 10 feet long, twice normal. After all, who wants to imagine such venomous mankillers slithering around in Ohio.

Michael Bobcock, outdoor editor at the Great Falls Tribune, reports that a photo of the snake is circulating on the Internet (see above). He's on the case but hasn't been able to track down where it originated:

"Scary fellow, wouldn't you think? That would be like stepping on a log that wanted to kill you and swallow you whole. That thing could take a large hog, big dog or even the neighborhood wangsta -- a kid who wants to be a gangsta but only pretends."

Bobcock is suspicious about the size of the snake in the picture. It might be photoshopped. So far, he can't prove it is genuine.

Cleveland Browns Great Jim Brown: Tackled In New York Tab Flap

CLEVELAND (TDB) -- Jim Brown is in the middle of a scrum in New York, where a city councilman says the retired Cleveland Browns great's new snack food company OG Nation stands for "original gangster." The company markets beer and says in ad copy "Lagers have been around for 2,000 years dating back to the days of the original gangster Egyptians." The gist: Brown is trying to make cash off the thug culture.

Gothamist has the latest from New York. It notes the Arizona-based company headed by the Cleveland Browns legendary No. 32 is reportedly getting ready to market a "Thug Chips" line of pretzels, pork rinds, dips and potato chips.

Brown's company called the attacks worse than a cheap shot.

"This is the most insidious kind of racism, because it masquerades as piety, when it's really just political grandstanding. Jim Brown has worked tirelessly for decades to give a voice to the disenfranchised, dispossessed and marginalized members of our society. This is Amer-I-Can Foundation, Jim Brown has crusaded tirelessly against gang involvement, preaching self-empowerment through education. These people who are accusing him of 'marketing the gang lifestyle' demonstrate their complete ignorance of the cause he has been championing for so long. What have they been doing to foster greater equality of opportunity in our society?"