The World Cup is an offshoot of the Olympics, and like the Olympics, held every four years. The opening match of the 2002 World Cup was held on May 31 in Seoul, Korea and the final match took place on June 30 in Yokohama, Japan. It would require the International Olympic Committee to change its constitution to allow multiple countries to co-host a Summer Olympiad.

“It’s a stain and stigma on my soul that can never be removed,” said Bill Walton in an interview with the U-T San Diego. “If it wasn’t for my failures, San Diego would have a vibrant, thriving NBA franchise playing in a new, sparkling waterfront arena. That’s the facts.”

But “predicting the fate of a professional sports franchise is impossible. But the Hall of Fame center is not the first to think that had he played up to expectations during his time with the San Diego Clippers, they wouldn’t have moved to Los Angeles,” concluded the interviewer. That’s why I had the 6-foot-11-inch basketball player — and Triton rugby team players, captains and coaches, too — sign a 2011 World Rugby Cup ball which Mayor Filner proudly retains: “Here we go — 2024!” (Signed: Bill Walton).

The USA does not directly finance the Olympics when a city wins a bid to host the games, unlike many countries. Instead, the government often pays for improving facilities and various other projects. The 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games were a success — the first major international event after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) made clear the games were important for the country and he wouldn’t stand in the way of money for security. Mitt [Romney] declined this time around.

Go Tritons! Go Bears! Go Chargers! Go Xolos! Go Padres! (If the padres hadn’t built the missions, we wouldn’t be living in towns called San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose.) 

— Richard Thompson
Alumnus ’83