A week back, the Nevada Senate voted to approve $380 million for the MLB side Oakland Athletics’ Las Vegas ballpark. Meanwhile, in Oakland, 27,759 A’s fans gathered at their home turf and held the ‘reverse boycott’ during the Oakland-Tampa Bay matchup, to prove their value to A’s front office. The sad plight of the Oakland faithful gained traction in the NBA when Stephen Curry voiced his concern for the A’s and the community around the team. One of Curry’s teammates, however, seems to be a fan of Oakland’s arch-rivals.
Recently, Oakland’s arch-rivals San Francisco Giants outsmarted San Diego Padres. The game made news for the NBA world, not because the Giants won, but due to a GSW star’s appearance in the game. Stephen Curry’s teammate not only showed up, but he performed the ceremonial first throw.
Stephen Curry’s teammate performs ceremonial first throw for Athletics’ rivals
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The rivalry between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants is one of the most intense rivalries in MLB history. In the parlance of the league, the A’s-Giants rivalry is known as the ‘Bay Bridge Series’ or the ‘Battle of the Bay.’ The iconic series is named after the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge which links the two cities. Having resided in Oakland for quite some time, Stephen Curry is a supporter of the A’s. But the fellow Golden State Warriors star Gary Payton II is a Giants faithful.
Prior to the matchup with San Diego, Gary Payton II showed up at the Giants’ home, Oracle Park. Honoring his presence, the hosts gave him the chance to do the ceremonial first throw. Oracle Park and the Giants have now taken to Instagram with the 30-year-old’s moments from the ballpark. Payton II could be seen making the first throw. Besides, the Instagram post includes Payton II’s pictures with the Giants’ ace Brandon Crawford. “Young Glove throws a strike,”?Oracle Park captioned their post.
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Interestingly, Gary Payton II’s antics at Giants’ turf come a few days after teammate Stephen Curry sounded concerned about the rivaling side.
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Stephen Curry’s two cents on the Athletics plight
For quite some time, things have not been going smoothly between A’s front office and fanbase. Citing unfair treatment from A’s new owner John Fisher, many fans stopped showing up for Oakland’s games. Fisher, on the other hand, has been on the move to relocate A’s to Las Vegas. Like a lot of Oakland faithful, Steph Curry too does not want the Vegas move to happen.?Just keeping as many professional teams in this area because it matters. The community has something to look forward to and be proud of and bring out that Oakland pride,? Curry said in an interview with ABC News.
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Anyhow, GSW stars’ back-to-back MLB antic might have given the Dub Nation some breathing space amid the ongoing tumult. Perhaps a lighter deviation from the uncertain future and disheartening trade rumors.
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