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McMahon honored for work to make sports safer

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — Jim McMahon got another rousing ovation in Chicago.

The “Punky QB” who once helped the Bears win a championship heard the cheers as he was honored Wednesday by the Sports Legacy Institute for his efforts to raise awareness about the long-term impact of repeated blows to the head and make sports safer for athletes at all levels. The Boston University-based group is at the forefront of the issue, and McMahon is lending his support.

He has opened up about his struggles with early onset dementia and suicidal thoughts, which he believes stem from the beating he absorbed through football. The recognition comes at a time when he’s going nose to nose with the league.

“I’ve never had a problem messing with the NFL,” he said to laughs from the audience.

McMahon is one of several players identified by name in a federal lawsuit filed in California last month accusing teams of illegally dispensing powerful narcotics and other drugs to keep players on the field without regard for their long-term health.

He also is part of a class-action lawsuit in which the NFL agreed to a $765 million settlement without acknowledging it hid the risks of concussions from former players. A federal judge has yet to approve the settlement, expressing concern the amount is too small.

But on Wednesday, the themes were awareness and safety. It was about education and reducing the risks athletes at the highest and lowest levels face, whether they’re professionals making millions or children learning the game.

It’s not just about football, either. It’s about all sports, particularly where players are susceptible to blows to the head.

“This is a major problem,” McMahon said. “It’s with all sports, any kind of contact activity. We need a program where we can get baselines of all these athletes from Little League on up. Get a baseline of their head and neck, what it looks like normal. It takes two or three minutes. If you get dinged in a game, you go into this machine … they can tell you right then and there whether you can go back into a football — or any kind of — game that you’re involved in.”

McMahon spoke in a ballroom a few blocks from Soldier Field, where he played his first seven seasons in a 15-year career. Teammates from the Bears’ Super Bowl run such as Gary Fencik and Otis Wilson were on hand.

Bob Costas addressed the crowd, praising NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as a “good man who loves the game and cares about the players” while calling for reform in a culture where big hits are celebrated.

“The challenge for football is to address this question,” Costas said. “Can the essence of the game be retained and with it it’s overwhelming popularity while at the same time significantly reforming the game. The truth is that we don’t know the answers, at least not for sure. But we sure do know by now what the questions are. And they’re questions we have to continue to ask.”

To Fencik, education is key. He’s healthy and considers himself one of the fortunate ones.

He said he’s not part of either lawsuit, but he wants to make sure the NFL takes care of its former players. He also wants to make sure children and their parents have the knowledge they need about head injuries.

“I just want to make sure people are aware that though it’s a hidden injury, it’s a very serious one when you get these concussions,” he said.

McMahon battled a long list of injuries throughout his career — to his kidney and ribs and head and neck. He said he had three to five diagnosed concussions and believes he had more that were not detected.

He also found out in recent years that he suffered a broken neck, which he believes happened in a playoff game for the Minnesota Vikings against the New York Giants during the 1993 season. But the low point for him was when he started having suicidal thoughts a few years ago because the pain in his head was so great.

They are a thing of the past thanks to treatment he receives every few months in New York. Doctors are able to realign the vertebrae in his neck through a nonsurgical procedure that allows spinal fluid to drain from his brain. That, in turn, relieves the pain in his head and helps boost his short-term memory while eliminating his moodiness.

“Because of the pain and depression, you feel like an idiot sometimes and it’s not a good feeling,” McMahon said. “I wasn’t a joy to be around. … That’s not what I wanted to be.”

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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