A number of sports figures participated in college graduations over the weekend, including Chargers QB PHILIP RIVERS delivering the commencement address at his alma mater N.C. State on Saturday at PNC Arena. In Raleigh, J.P. Giglio wrote Rivers gave “a heart-felt and inspired 11-and-a-half minute commencement speech.” Rivers said in his address, “What fires you up? Life is too short to just go through the motions. Discover your passion and do it to the best of your ability.” His speech also touched on "the importance of his family” (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 5/13)….Former NBA coach DON NELSON “returned to Iowa City to earn his bachelor’s degree in physical education” from the Univ. of Iowa, 50 years after he left the school for the NBA “just 10 credits shy of graduating.” Nelson received a “hearty ovation inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena during the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences commencement” (IOWA CITY PRESS-CITIZEN, 5/13)….NBA Kings Assistant GM SHAREEF ABDUR-RAHIM today is expected to receive his degree in Sociology from the Univ. of California-Berkeley “with a 3.8 grade-point average” (SACBEE.com, 5/11)….Allegheny College during its commencement ceremonies Saturday “became the eighth institution” to present ARNOLD PALMER with an honorary doctorate (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 5/13).
