This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Enquiring minds want to know: Was a full-on brawl last Friday between the notoriously pesky Jazz Bear and a passionately misguided Cleveland Cavaliers fan legitimate or staged?
The heated, life-like altercation took place midway through Utah's 121-99 trouncing of the downtrodden Cavaliers. And the melee — which involved two Jazz-leaning security guards, and saw the very hairy bear top off his performance with a "Karate Kid"-style flourish — has drawn more than a few eyes and questioning, "Wait, was that actually real?" glances on the fool-proof internet.
So, was it real?
"Fake," a Jazz spokesman said Tuesday.
Oh, that crazy bear!
— Brian T. Smith
Twitter: tribjazz