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Marrone mixes up Bills routine with music, games

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — First, Doug Marrone began introducing his personal musical playlist during practice — from Johnny Cash to Iggy Azalea.

Now it’s airsoft, a game much like paintball, but featuring soft, plastic pellets as ammunition.

The Buffalo Bills coach isn’t missing any beats when it comes to keeping his players loose as the team wound down a three-week series of voluntary minicamps.

“Oh yeah, I got shot right in the chin,” Marrone said following the team’s final session Thursday, and a day after canceling practice to take the team to a nearby indoor airsoft facility.

“It was bad. Right underneath my mask,” he said with a laugh, pointing to a barely visible spot on his jaw, where linebacker Kiko Alonso got him.

And Marrone gave back, too.

“Me? Yeah, I got my share,” he said, noting the teams were mixed with defensive and offensive players and coaches.

Marrone called the break from practice an opportunity for the Bills to bond in a competitive setting, but away from the routine of on-field drills. And he’s doing it during a condensed offseason in Buffalo.

After wrapping up a three-day mandatory minicamp next week, the Bills will have only a month off before reporting for training camp on July 18. That’s earlier than normal, because Buffalo will open the preseason playing the New York Giants in the annual Hall of Fame game, Aug. 3.

Entering his second season in Buffalo, Marrone is also keeping the mood of practice upbeat by pumping up the volume to motivate his players and add an element of crowd noise which the offense struggled with on the road last season.

Marrone isn’t the first coach to play music or use extra-curricular activities as team-building methods.

He is intent on devising new ways to develop chemistry and leadership on a team attempting to end a 14-season playoff drought — the NFL’s longest active streak.

“I do see a team that is coming together and is getting to know each other better,” Marrone said. “We became actually a part of a team yesterday.”

The players are buying in.

They enjoyed the break from practice on Wednesday.

“The little bone he threw us by us going to the little arena yesterday was good,” safety Da’Norris Searcy said. “It was a good bonding experience for the team. It gave everybody a chance to interact with each other, not necessarily on a player-coach level, but on a friend level.”

Just don’t suggest Marrone’s getting soft.

“I know the naysayers will pick at it and say, ‘Hey, you don’t deserve a day off. You haven’t been to the playoffs,'” center Eric Wood said. “I’d be willing to bet we’ve worked as hard or harder than any other team in the league to this point, and yesterday was fun. To go out and mix up the teams and go out there and compete and have fun was pretty awesome.”

And they’re fine with Marrone’s diverse playlist, which includes Run DMC, James Brown, U2, Metallica and Eric Church. And then there’s, of course, The Isley Brothers’ “Shout,” which the Bills have adopted as their theme song.

“It’s been louder than any game I played in. But it was cool,” said defensive tackle Kyle Williams. “You want to go out there and have a good time but, obviously, still get your work done.”

Added Searcy: “So far, I haven’t heard a bad song. I like it all. Just keep them coming.”

NOTES: The Bills’ mandatory camp opens on Tuesday. … Marrone expects all players to be present, including DT Marcell Dareus, who has taken the past two weeks off to deal with his off-field legal issues stemming from a drug charge in Alabama and an accident resulting from an alleged drag race outside of Buffalo. … DE Bryan Johnson sustained a sprained left knee in practice this week, and is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

___

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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