Original Pelicans have feelings, too

Count Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul among the many people who aren't excited about the name change of his former team, the New Orleans Hornets.

"Pelicans???#ImNotRollin," Paul tweeted.

The Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Pelicans aren't rolling with it, either. In fact, as retribution for New Orleans stealing its name, the Class-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers is asking its fans to help select the team's new nickname from a list of current and former New Orleans sports squads, including the Jazz, Voodoo, Bayou Bengals and Ragin' Cajuns.

Should the fans decide to drop Pelicans for a Louisiana-themed moniker, the ballclub will implement New Orleans-themed promotions - including Mardi Gras Mondays, Fat Tuesdays, Big Easy Fridays and a season-long "Superdome" promotion providing ticket discounts to anyone with a "bald dome."

The club also would rename parts of the ballpark - dubbing the restrooms the "French Quarter" - play "When the Saints Go Marching In" during the seventh-inning stretch, offer foods such as crawfish, jambalaya and gumbo and turn plush dolls of its mascot, Splash, into voodoo dolls.

■ ANOTHER CATFISH - Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o isn't the only football player who's been duped by an imaginary online girlfriend.

At least four Washington Redskins players were part of a "catfishing" scheme involving contacts through social media from a "Sidney Ackerman," who had sent them photos of adult entertainer C.J. Miles and claimed they were herself.

The conversations went on for months, and several players attempted unsuccessfully to meet "Ackerman" before NFL security investigated the matter and told the players to avoid any further contact with her.

Although Ackerman and Lennay Kekua, Teo's fake girlfriend, don't exist, Brent Musburger still thinks they're hot.

■ KELLY CLARKSON! - Charles Barkley never ceases to entertain. While calling Thursday's Clippers-Suns game in Phoenix, the TNT analyst proudly told broadcast partners Reggie Miller and Kevin Harlan that he waxes his eyebrows.

"There ain't no shame in my game," Barkley said. "I get my eyebrows done."

Back in the studio, Barkley was mocked mercilessly. In "40-Year-Old Virgin" style, Ernie Johnson ripped black electrical tape off Shaquille O'Neal's eyebrows, Chris Webber applied lip gloss and said "You don't want to know where I get waxed," and Kenny Smith showed off his manicured nails, saying "There ain't no shame in my game, either."

The "Inside the NBA" crew continues to wax the competition as the best studio show on TV.

■ NOTHING TO MOAT ABOUT - Despite their AFC title game loss, Tom Brady has been Sir Lancelot to Bill Belichick's King Arthur. In keeping with the medieval theme, a moat surrounds Brady and supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen's new $20 million, 22,000-square-foot Los Angeles mansion.

If any unwanted visitors make it over the moat, we're guessing Brady will stick out his cleats and kick them back into the trench. The Patriots quarterback reportedly handed a special VIP moat pass to wideout Wes Welker, but he dropped it.

COMPILED BY TODD DEWEY
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL