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Cardinals to induct QB Warner into Ring of Honor

By WTOP Staff

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Kurt Warner, the quarterback who led the Arizona Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance, will become the 14th person inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor.

Warner, with the Cardinals from 2005 through 2009, directed Arizona to NFC West titles in his final two seasons. The 2008 team advanced to the Super Bowl, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a touchdown in the final seconds.

He had 22 career 300-yard passing games with Arizona and 22 consecutive games with a touchdown pass. He completed 65.1 percent of his passes for the Cardinals with a 91.9 passer rating, both franchise records.

The induction will take place at the team’s season opener against San Diego on Monday night, Sept. 8.

“I think now is the right time, especially with this being the first year of his eligibility (for the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said at a news conference. “The first game on national television, we think it’s the right time, and he’s definitely the right player. You just look at his whole NFL career, but especially what he did here for the Arizona Cardinals.”

Warner also quarterbacked the St. Louis Rams to two Super Bowls, winning one of them but many felt he was past his prime when he arrived in Arizona.

“The thing that I always think about is how the Cardinal organization gave me an opportunity when not many teams out there were going to give me an opportunity,” he said. “The one thing that I always say to myself is, ‘I want to make sure that when a team invests in me, that they get their investment worth,”

The Cardinals were an NFL wasteland and Warner had been replaced with the New York Giants when he came to Arizona.

“A lot of people looked at the Cardinals organization and said, ‘Well, they’ll never get to this point,'” Warner said at news conference to announce the honor. “Everybody was looking at me and saying, ‘Well, he’s never getting back to that point.’ So I thought it would be a great marriage”

Warner is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. Eleven of the 14 people in the Cardinals Ring of Honor are in the Hall of Fame.

That group includes “some friends of mine — Dan Dierdorf and Aeneas Williams, all the Hall of Famers,” Warner said. “Just humbled to be considered in that group.”

“The franchise dates back to 1898. When you think about the men that are in that Ring of Honor, there are now going to be 14,” Bidwill said. “They are the best of the best, not just in the Cardinals history, but really in the league too, because as you know, 11 of those 13 are also in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We hope that Kurt finds his way into the Pro Football Hall of Fame very soon. “

Bidwill noted the work Warner and wife Brenda do with their First Things First foundation.

“It’s not only about the way that he performed on the field and with the class that he performed on the field,” Bidwill said, “but also what he did off the field.”

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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