Shaquille O’Neal publicly declared his distaste for the nickname “Pelicans”. Apparently he is not familiar with what a “pelican” actually is, saying “I don’t think I’ve seen a Pelican before. Pelicans, are they that big white bird?” Obviously all is lost for the Pelicans franchise, as O’Neal’s opinions are inherently correct no matter the claim. He would have named the team, “Tigers, Crawfish or something.” Though the “New Orleans Something” does not quite have the local relation, I suppose it has a decent ring to it.