Kelly Tripucka frighteningly debuts the Charlotte Hornets’ ‘new’ uniform in 1988 (Video)

With news jumping out of the bag about the Charlotte Bobcats officially deciding to lose their original team name and glom onto the suddenly available “Hornets” nickname for their franchise in 2014-15, Ben Eagle at Sports Illustrated’s The Point Forward took the next natural step and mused aloud as to whether or not Michael Jordan-owned franchise will go for the full teal reveal.

Then Ben found a video along those revealing lines. It features former Hornets forward Kelly Tripucka modeling the old Charlotte Hornets’ (and now New Orleans Pelicans, because this is all very confusing) team colors and uniform at a 1988 press conference that is, well, somewhat horrifying. Watch:

I don’t know where to start. The unfurling of the uniform at the 14-second mark should not have been applauded. The odd touch that uniform designer Alexander Julian gave the Hornet forward at the 34-second mark was somewhat off-putting, and as Trey Kerby noted, Tripucka’s gushing over his being “into light blues, like this team, and purples and the mauves” should get you laughing in your cubicles. Even if this video is mostly NSFW. Especially when Kelly spins the mini-basketball.

(On a more personal note, my parents are big fans of Notre Dame basketball. Kelly Tripucka was a member of Notre Dame’s basketball team in 1980, the year I was born. I’m sure he’s probably a super sweet guy, but I really hope I wasn’t named after Kelly Tripucka.)