OT: New Orleans Pelicans???
The New Orleans Hornets are expected to become the New Orleans Pelicans, perhaps as early as the 2013-14 season, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.
Yahoo! Sports, citing numerous sources, reports the team also considered Krewe and Brass as potential nicknames.
LINK Well I must say, Pelicans is an upgrade over Krewe and Brass.
December 4th, 2012 at 7:48 PM ^
but Krewe? Are they competing in AAU leagues?
December 4th, 2012 at 8:06 PM ^
You realize Krewe is a very popular term there. It is what they call the “crew” or club that sponsor and make the Mardi Gras celebrations. Many join one and are also constant social clubs or party.
December 4th, 2012 at 9:34 PM ^
Thanks for the info.
December 4th, 2012 at 7:49 PM ^
Were they hoping not to sell any merchandise at all? If that is their goal they may achieve it.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:03 PM ^
Well, if you think about it . . . are Yankees, Packers, 49ers, Red Sox, Lakers, etc. really "tough" nicknames? Sometimes uniqueness is the real key.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:07 PM ^
I will be waiting for you to post a picture with your "Pelicans" jersey.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:14 PM ^
Well, you'll be waiting awhile for that one, because I've outgrown the habit of wearing sports team jerseys.
Really, though, think about it . . . the most popular franchises in baseball are called the Yankees and Red Sox? The most popular franchise in basketball is the Lakers? There's an NFL team called the Ravens, and an NHL team called the Penguins. Are those names really more badass than Pelicans?
December 4th, 2012 at 8:15 PM ^
That, and the yankees, red sox, and lakers have a history of winning.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:17 PM ^
That's the point. People don't care what a sports franchise's name is if it's successful.
December 4th, 2012 at 9:27 PM ^
But they're not successful. That's the point. :P
December 4th, 2012 at 10:35 PM ^
Will a particular name make the team successful?
If yes, choose that name.
If no, who the fuck cares what they are called?
December 5th, 2012 at 11:46 AM ^
People thought the Oklahoma City Thunder was a ridiculous name (me included), no one cares about the name anymore..they are just another good NBA team.
They all sound stupid at first but you just get used to them
December 4th, 2012 at 8:17 PM ^
I have a feeling that if New Orleans was your team you would not be so willing to have a Pelican for your mascot.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:24 PM ^
Louisiana is the Pelican State. The state flag has a pelican on it. It's not just some random name. It has an association with the area. What's the problem?
December 4th, 2012 at 8:37 PM ^
lol stop feeding the trolls, snarling wolverine. Totally agree. If LeBron plays for the Pelicans, the Pelicans will have the top-selling jersey. Hell, you could make their uniforms ugly as sin as well and it'd still be the top-seller
December 4th, 2012 at 10:28 PM ^
If we had a team called the Detroit Robins, would we embrace it? I think so. Baltimore embraces their Orioles. But here's the thing... a pelican is a goofy ass bird.
December 4th, 2012 at 10:32 PM ^
Uhhh, helloo..They bring babies to loving mothers and fathers!...ahhh shucks, that's a stork.
December 5th, 2012 at 12:55 PM ^
I currently live in New Orleans and I thought this would the type of name that people down here would embrace. For reasons that nobody can really put their finger on, everyone down here seem to hate it. The Pelicans name is about as popular as Maryland and Rutgers being added to the B1G.
http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ssf/2012/12/initial_reaction_to_pelicans_n.html#incart_m-rpt-2
December 4th, 2012 at 8:35 PM ^
I don't see what's wrong with it. It's the weird, outside-the-box names that are the most memorable. The Detroit franchise is named after an auto engine part, for crying out loud.
I think I'd actually be more likely to buy a shirt with a cartoon pelican on it than one with a "scary" mascot like a panther or whatever.
December 4th, 2012 at 9:38 PM ^
December 4th, 2012 at 10:07 PM ^
December 5th, 2012 at 12:49 PM ^
Yeah, I know the history behind the name Pistons. I'm just saying though, the franchise never felt any need to change the nickname into something "tougher." Ditto for the Red Wings - that's a pretty weird name if you think about it.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:52 PM ^
I think Ravens is a pretty badass nickname.
December 5th, 2012 at 12:28 AM ^
It was to honor Edger Allen Poe’s, The Raven, as it was written while Poe was in Baltimore. Poe’s Raven can be quite menacing.
December 4th, 2012 at 9:19 PM ^
I'm sure "let's read this to the boys before they go to bed" seemed like a great idea at the time. How would the dads know their attempt at getting a bunch of 10 year-olds interested in literature would have such impact?
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted – nevermore!
December 4th, 2012 at 10:25 PM ^
December 4th, 2012 at 7:50 PM ^
December 5th, 2012 at 12:27 AM ^
No worse name would have been Hurricanes .
(Too soon?)
December 4th, 2012 at 7:50 PM ^
December 4th, 2012 at 8:07 PM ^
December 4th, 2012 at 8:25 PM ^
December 4th, 2012 at 8:34 PM ^
Sinner.
December 4th, 2012 at 11:33 PM ^
December 4th, 2012 at 11:33 PM ^
December 4th, 2012 at 7:53 PM ^
I'd take the Krewe or the Brass over the Pelicans. The Pelicans nickname just doesn't fit like the other two.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:02 PM ^
Go back to New Orlean Jazz and make Utah change their name.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:02 PM ^
It's a shame New Orleans couldn't trade the Hornets name to Utah to get the Jazz nickname back. Would have been too logical, I suppose.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:45 PM ^
Legal issue or awesome? Or both
December 4th, 2012 at 9:07 PM ^
Considering that Utah is the Beehive State, that is WAY too logical
December 4th, 2012 at 8:05 PM ^
Does that mean the bobcats are going to change back to hornets?
December 4th, 2012 at 8:11 PM ^
Jordan mentioned he would be open to that so expect it at some point.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:11 PM ^
I think they should be the Krewe and Brass because of Jazz..errr yes Salt Lake should give them back there name.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:17 PM ^
Here's an idea; a name for a New Orleans NBA basketball franchise. Call them the Jazz. Obvious, right? New Orleans; birthplace of jazz. Basketball; the jazziest of all sports with a quintet of players all improvising. The Jazz. It's so obvious. Who else would use a name like the Jazz? Like, some team in Utah? Are you kiddking?
You're welcome.
[edit. - woops; guess I wasn't the only one with this idea]
December 4th, 2012 at 8:16 PM ^
December 4th, 2012 at 8:24 PM ^
Haha. I asked the same thing.
December 4th, 2012 at 8:19 PM ^
Jerry Kill hereby petitions Norwood Teague to change their name to the Minnesota Intheweightrooms
December 4th, 2012 at 8:22 PM ^
December 4th, 2012 at 8:28 PM ^
It just sounds strange to me. I've never heard of anyone having a Pelican as a mascot.