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During halftime of last night's win against the Brooklyn Nets, the Clippers unveiled their new mascot and the reception was a bit chilly.Chuck The California Condor, as the colorful new mascot is known, descended from the rafters of the Staples Center Monday night as the appropriately surreal 2001: A Space Odyssey theme played. With a bright pink head, a blue beak and a gray body and wings, Chuck sports a snug Clippers jersey, plenty of safety gear and red Converse All Stars—aka his namesake Chucks. He's quite a sight.
Looks like they didn't take any of our suggestions.
Yes, what is going on here? Well, Chuck represents the California condor, the largest North American bird with an impressive wingspan of 9-foot-8, according to the L.A. Times. The actual bird can fly up to 56 mph and travel more than 160 miles during a single flight. The condor is also considered critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
For the record, here's what a real California condor looks like:
THIS IS WHAT A CALIFORNIA CONDOR LOOKS LIKE pic.twitter.com/aDcBt4Ug05
— Clips Nation (@clipsnation) March 1, 2016
Chuck's appearance on the court last night, however, left many people confused.
#Clippers new mascot Chuck the Condor looks like the lost member of the dodo family. #FollowThatBird pic.twitter.com/VZLNALbjKD
— Shannon Penn (@Shannon_Penn) March 1, 2016
Others speculated about his origin story:
Chuck the Condor seems like something the doctors would have invented to feed the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park.
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) March 1, 2016
Or thought he might be related to the first attempt at the disturbing New Orleans Pelicans mascot:
Come on clippers, did we really not learn from the pierre the pelican fiasco of 2013?! pic.twitter.com/dCNiNQc6Dv
— Chris Cole (@ccole20) March 1, 2016
Some thought he might be a part of some elaborate performance art piece:
Are we sure this isn't some high concept performance like @nihilist_arbys? RT@ChuckTheCondor It's me, Chuck!#HiChuck pic.twitter.com/NtiAX7UG34
— lobsterstyle (@lobsterstyle) March 1, 2016
And others just embraced the weird:
But many expressed outright dismay over Chuck's look:
It looks like the @Clippers have been sitting on that Chuck the Condor idea since the 90's.
— Derrick Holt (@TheDerrickHolt) March 1, 2016
The mascot does not look good.
Meanwhile Vince Staples thought Chuck looked a bit too much like Toucan Sam:
And wondered about owner Steve Ballmer's decision to go with Chuck:
Clippers players Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford, on the other hand, were supportive of Chuck, saying that he might help get more kids into the team. "I know my son will love it," Crawford told ESPN. He added, however, "I hope my daughter's not scared."
"It's like us. It used to be extinct, and now it's coming back," coach Doc Rivers also told ESPN. "In today's world, they're going to make fun of it for six months and then they're going to get over it."
Ballmer personally introduced Chuck, who proceeded to dance, do flips and dunk. Chuck then challenged the Clippers' owner to dunk as well and Ballmer gladly accepted and promised each person in the crowd a pair of Chuck Taylor All-Stars if he made it.
At least he delivered successfully there:
ICYMI, @LAClippers owner Steve Ballmer dunked last night & it was AMAZING.
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) March 1, 2016
(via @FOXSportsWest)https://t.co/JBjBSy3I0t