Despite the addition of Chris Paul and first place in the Pacific Division standings, the Los Angeles Clippers are still … well … the Los Angeles Clippers.

The front office wants superfan “Clipper Darrell,” aka Darrell Bailey, to drop the Clipper nickname.

After Bleacher Report was denied media credentials while doing a profile on the man who has stood by the Clippers through thick and a whole lot of thin, Bailey called team president Andy Roeser to get an explanation.

Carl Lahr, senior vice president of marketing and sales, eventually returned Bailey’s call last week and informed him that the organization didn’t need him doing stories or speaking to the media on behalf of the team.

“We got to talking and I said the way I feel, you don’t want Clipper Darrell no more,” Bailey told FishbowlLA Wednesday. “You want Darrell Bailey back. They said, ‘You would do that?’”

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That didn’t take long. Per a report on SportsGrid.com, someone has quickly taken Clipper star Blake Griffin‘s exclamation of “Lob City!” and mocked it up at Skreened.com.

For $29.95, this new-era, Chris Paul-led Clippers alley-oop refrain can be yours. It’s all part of a two-word bit of marketing thunder innocently coined by the team’s Kia-jumping big man:

As soon as the words “lob city” left Griffin’s mouth, the sports world had a new catchphrase on its hands. All morning on radio, TV, and the Internet, it’s been “lob city” this, “lob city” that. You can’t get an update on the trade without hearing about this new, mythical city, where basketballs are constantly lobbed.

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Last night on 710 ESPN Radio, Dave McMenamin (pictured) revisited with amazement a radio interview that former Lakers coach Phil Jackson gave to John Ireland a year ago, ahead of a team road game with the New Orleans Hornets. The Zen Master perfectly predicted the mess that is this week’s NBA veto of the Chris Paul trade.

McMenamin follows up last night’s broadcast today with an extended blog post. He tried to get in touch with Jackson for further comment, but the son of Jackson’s agent politely declined, on Phil’s behalf.

The other Lakers media voice today that really matters in the wake of Stern’s a-Paul-ing judgment call is that of the point guard in whose hallowed footsteps CP3 would have been stepping. Magic Johnson is all over the topic on Twitter, suggesting it was the wrong decision by the commish and owners involved.

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Let’s see…First the Lakers, completely unable to contain Chris Paul, lose Game 4 to the New Orleans Hornets. Then we hear Kobe Bryant left the arena on crutches after the game, after twisting his ankle. Now the New Orleans Times-Picayune is reporting that Lakers backup Derrick Caracter was arrested in New Orleans for allegedly striking a pregnant waitress. He’s facing multiple charges.

Not good. Especially for a team still recovering from the PR-fallout from Kobe tossing homophobic slurs at a referee a couple of weeks ago. It’s the playoffs guys. Now is not the time to make Kevin Garnett look like a good guy by comparison.