No B-grade movie, this was real-life monster encounter

"Monsters" seem to have a way of finding producer Doug Hajicek.

Hajicek, of Blaine, is producer of the series "MonsterQuest," running Wednesday nights on History, the new name for the History Channel. Hajicek comes up with the ideas for each episode about the creatures and monsters and ways to analyze evidence and gather more through forensics about reported incidents. He got one idea for an episode after a frightening 2004 encounter on a fishing trip in the remote wilderness of Ontario, Canada.

"Something attacked our cabin. I think I had an encounter with a monster," Hajicek said Thursday. "To me it was funny, it was ironic -- I was in a B-movie. At about 4 in the morning, I went to brush my teeth. ... The moment I turned on the light, I heard all this screaming outside. The cabin, sitting on wood blocks, started rocking and shaking, from both ends; stones started hitting the cabin. It was being lifted and shook. Of course, I have no cameras. ... I pitched the channel about doing an episode; we ended up doing two."

What'd they discover? "We collected DNA off an unknown animal, with one chimp gene," Hajicek said. "People who want to know more can watch the show. They are [repeating] it all year." The name of those episodes are "Sasquatch Attacks: 1 and 2." History describes the series as smash hit. It's even spawned a popular video game "MonsterQuest."

Does he make sure there's a gun wherever he stays? "Nooo. Never armed, [except with] my ability to deal with adrenaline," Hajicek said.

Skeptics might think some "monsters" are teenagers being pranksters. "No," Hajicek insisted. "It was more than one animal. To me it sounded like whatever it was, it had big lungs."

Whether it's a relative of Bigfoot or Nessie, Hajicek needs to remember that he's interloping in their neighborhood. "You're absolutely right," said Hajicek, who tells part of the story at startribune.com/video. (By the way, there's a "MonsterQuest" marathon today on History.)

The caller has never heard me say or write that Jr.'s a "bad dad." He seems to like fatherhood, based on the restraining order ex-girlfriend Angela Nazario got against Jr. after, according to her court file, he allegedly "grabbed the back of my neck and slammed me down on the marble floor."

Word is Nazario wanted baby Devin at the Super Bowl, even though at 1 he won't remember it, because there is no guarantee Jr.'s ever going to get there again, as great an athlete as he is. Nazario is pleased that there are photos of this Super Bowl trip that Devin can see one day. Jr.'s brother, Marcus Fitzgerald, and Jr.'s assistant, identified in those court papers as Shawn, acted as intermediaries who transported Devin between parents. Because I know the hearts of women, part of me can't help thinking that Nazario did this because she still has affection for the father of her child.

Speaking of children, I've heard a rumor that Devin's got a cousin, which means that Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder sports editor Larry Fitzgerald Sr. has another grandson. I am sure that big-hearted Sr. is getting with the program and loving his grandsons even though he's 0 for 2 in the daughter-in-law department, as in December 2007 Big Fitz told me, "No, you can't call me Grandpa unless there's a marriage." Sr. has not responded to a voice mail seeking confirmation that he now has two grandsons.

Not a 'CCO regular yet Settle down, Facebookies. Joe Schmit doesn't have anything approaching a long-term contract on WCCO-AM to replace Jack Rice.

Imaginations have been off and running since someone on Facebook posted congrats to the former KSTP-TV sports anchor and current John T. Petters Foundation head. "They asked me if I would fill in and I said, 'Yeah, that'd be fun,'" Schmit told me Friday. He's also booked to be a celebrity on one of those WCCO-AM-sponsored cruises. "I'd certainly be interested in seeing what happens. I'm just doing one day: Thursday. Hey, I'm a free agent. I'm like Manny Ramirez. I've turned down $25 million a year already."

Michele Tafoya is also among the fill-in hosts.