SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- NBA MVP
and Charlotte, North Carolina, native Stephen
Curry banged the Carolina Panthers'
ceremonial "Keep Pounding'' drum before Super Bowl 50. After banging the
drum four times while the Panthers ran onto the Levi's Stadium field, Curry
raised his arms in the air and yelled, "Let's go!" The Golden State Warriors star guard
banged the drum before Carolina's home opener against Houston in September. He
said he has been a huge Carolina fan since the organization played its first
game in 1995. The "Keep Pounding'' drum has become symbolic for the
organization since former linebacker/coach Sam Mills died of cancer in 2005.
Mills began Carolina's 2003 run to the playoffs with the message for players to
"keep pounding,'' as he had in his battle with cancer.
Mills was diagnosed with cancer
before the 2003 season and was initially given only three months to live. Curry
said earlier this year, when Golden State played the Hornets in Charlotte, that
he planned to go to the Super Bowl if Carolina made it because it was a day off
for the Warriors. Curry wore a pair of specially made Under Armour shoes,
colored blue in honor of the Panthers, for Saturday night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
