In this May 29, 2019 file photo, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry speaks to the media before practice for the NBA Finals against the Raptors in Toronto.(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Nathan Denette, SUB / Associated PressWhat next for Stephen Curry?
“Dancing With the Stars?” “The Voice?”
America’s favorite athlete, who seems to take on a new and different adventure every day, hooked up with the Manning brothers Monday night, appearing on the Manningcast(ESPN2) of the MNF broadcast of the San Francisco 49ers ’ game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Curry, just back from a Tokyo trip with the Golden State Warriors, where he thrilled another nation with his skills and mostly just his presence, sat in the Peyton and Eli during the third quarter, as the 49ers were stomping the Rams.
No big revelations, because the Manningcast is mostly small talk and mindless chatter with the drop-in guests, sandwiched awkwardly in with the football. Curry was the guest between Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and actor John Hamm.
The Curry highlight? Probably the Mannings showing an old Curry family snapshot of Steph in a football uni, No. 30, at age 8 or 9. Or maybe he was 19 at the time, with Curry it’s hard to tell. Amazingly enough, it’s a cute photo.
“That’s a star-studded running back right there,” Curry said. “Two touchdowns in the PAL league back in Charlotte.”
Curry explained the gigantic thigh and knee pads on his pencil-thin legs: Mom made him pad up to the max.
“My mom was like, if you’re going out there, you’re wearing every piece of equipment they’ve got.”
A million Warriors fans thank Sonja Curry for that tough love.
The Mannings asked Curry about the Warriors’ trip to Japan, and showed a video clip of Curry trying to move a champion sumo wrestler off his spot.
“Even crazier, he had socks on, on the hardwood floor,” Curry said. “I didn’t even know it at the time, it was even more deflating when I saw the video. I had all the traction with my basketball shoes, and he’s got socks on. … I literally couldn’t move him an inch, I gave it everything I had.”
One wonders why Curry was allowed to go one-on-one with a sumo champ. One envisions the headline: “Curry injured in sumo mishap.”
The Mannings asked Curry about his now-famous night-night gesture. He said it started during the first-round playoff series against Denver last season.
“I was talking to myself,” Curry said. “ ‘You’ve got to finish it, we’ve got to put this to bed, we’ve got to put them to sleep.’ I made a layup and I did it. … To see it kind of, you know, spread like wildfire around sports and around the world is pretty dope.”
Eli Manning said linebacker Von Miller has said Curry reminds him of Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp, because “neither player has a super flashy game.”
Eli to Curry: “Now, do you think Von has ever seen you play a basketball game?”
Good point.
“Flashy, to say I’m not that might be a little off,” Curry drily noted.
Funny, because seven or eight years ago might have fit the non-flashy description, but his flash has blossomed with his stardom. Cooper Kupp has never night-night-ed anyone, or shimmied after a touchdown.
Peyton asked Curry if he would rather face a zone or man defense.
“I’d rather see zone, because you know at the end of the day you’re going to get some type of space, almost guarantee you you can get a shot off, and for me, that plays into my strong suit. … Zone, for me, if I see that, I’m licking my chops. It’s go time.”
That was about it for Curry highlights.
Earlier in the program, Peyton gave viewers an insight into what’s up with those wrist cards worn by many quarterbacks, the little I-Hop flip menus they wear so they can read off plays in the huddle.
Here’s Peyton, wearing one such card, mimicking Jimmy Garoppolo in the huddle, reading Play Number 27 after it is sent by head coach Kyle Shanahan: “Let’s go explode gun rub right glib zebra scat left wide drag X hook, F trail, 10, 52 sprint draw easy, on two on two.”
I may have misheard a word or two, but you get the idea.
It wasn’t clear if Manning made up that play, or if it’s a for-real Shanahan play. If it’s real, you can see why it supposedly takes several years for a quarterback to even come close to synching up with Shanahan.
That also explains why maybe Garoppolo would prefer that the system be simplified. Just reading those plays off in the huddle might put you and your teammates to sleep.
Maybe that’s the difference between the two Bay Area coaching geniuses, Shanahan and Steve Kerr.
Shanahan: “Explode gun rub, yadda yadda...”
Kerr(giving a night-night gesture): “Give it to Steph.”
Scott Ostler is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: sostler@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @scottostler
