Report: Hornets becoming Pelicans

Bobcats to become Hornets?

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8711940/new-orleans-hornets-change-nickname-pelicans-according-report

tardust,


I saw this report last night and almost fell off my bar stool. The Pelicans? How much dorkier could they get?


bob


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Yea thats a weird name to use. I know it wouldn't happen but something like the New Orleans Hurricane would be a fitting name. I could think of a hundred names I would like better than Pelican. Ughh.

"And now introducing your PELICANS!!!!!"

Huh Whaddya, prejudiced against Pelicans? It's a beautiful bird. Very basketball apropos; I mean, who can fly higher, a hornet or a pelican?

More teams should consider changing their names. It may be a way to attract new fans. How about Saco? The Kings? What king? George III? The perfect name for them would be the Gold Rush.

How about the Lakers? There isn't a lake in all L.A. The closest thing to a lake would also happen to be the perfect name for them: the L.A. Tarpits.

Come to think of it, I'm sending an email today to Dummy Stern saying, "Dear Dummy: In keeping with the Truth in Advertising law, I am hereby advising you that you should change their team name immediately to the Brooklyn Thugs. Sinskaly, Spike."

At least, given New Orlean's french history and culture, the way to say Pelican in french is...


Pelican.

When the NBA has their Hispanic Appreciation day, when LA becomes Los Lakers and Miami becomes El Heat, I guess New Orleans will become Los Alcatraz?

Kinda reminds you of when Portland was called "The Jail Blazers", doesn't it?



bob


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Louisiana is the pelican state. It's about as sure a sign as you can get that the team will stay in New Orleans for the foreseeable future.

Should make for an interesting logo. It's hard to imagine a way to make a pelican look fierce or intimidating. While elegantly efficient at catching fish, they're sort of a dorky looking bird.

Look at that defensive wingspan!







I'm coming for YOU!






Bad locker room chemistry












Personally, I'd go for more of a Mad Stork look, with the right coloring and pouchy jowls like a pelican...







bob


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Personally, the pelican is just about my favorite bird. When we lived in St. Pete Beach, I volunteered at a bird sanctuary and was in charge of both ends of the pelicans—intake and outflow. At the outset, I was a little offended that they seemed to be looking down their noses at me. But, once we grew to know one another, I realized they looked like wisdom personified.

Every noon, the really experienced keepers (not I) would take food scraps down to the nearby beach, and hundreds of pelicans would descend upon them. Their job was to walk among the pelicans, parceling out food and watching for fish hooks. It's a terrible problem down there because the pelicans like to situate themselves near fishermen and steal fish as they're caught.

If they found a pelican who had been hooked, they'd either remove the hook on the spot or (if the job were more complex) would cradle the gull under their arms and take it to the facility's hospital.

They had about 50-75 caged pelicans on premise—mostly disabled, but some with long-term injuries. About once a month, they'd take the healed ones down to the beach and set them free. It was a really rewarding sight. Their "cage was actually a vast space enclosed by chicken wire. Every day, gulls from the surrounding area would roost on top of the enclosure trying to figure out how to GET IN.

I think Pelicans is a great name for the New Orleans team because I feel pelicans are the most aerodynamically sound of all birds. Just watch one coast, without any wing movement, for upward of a mile just a foot above the water. You'll never see a prettier fast break.

Sam

I suppose that's what I get for calling pelicans "dorky." The logo actually isn't that bad (thanks, Bob). My in-laws live at the beach in San Diego county, and we see hundreds of pelicans flying along the coast, especially at sundown, and diving and catching fish in the ocean. Sam, you are absolutely correct that they glide effortlessly.

They are one of my favorite birds as well, and I enjoy watching them glide with their wingtips just above the water or diving and catching fish. But, hey, they are dorky looking compared to a hawk, eagle, falcon, or other raptor.

And I also think it's a good name for the New Orleans team. Anthony Davis's unibrow looks sort of like a pelican in flight.

Outside,

Immediately after I sent out the above post, I thought to myself, "I hope no one's ever seen a pelican land when fishing." Legs and wings everywhere; but (uncannily) usually with a fish in the bill-pouch. I could watch it all day because it's the only time I've ever though of myself as comparatively smooth.

We're just about to depart for Boston, where we'll take off tomorrow morning for eight days in Aruba. I will have my laptop, but I'll also have a feverish desire to relax, and I'd prefer to spend the bulk of my board time moderating. So, just in case you don't see much of me on the board, it's only temporary.

Take care,

Sam