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Watch parties draw thousands for US-Belgium

By WTOP Staff

JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — They turned out by the tens of thousands, some painted in red, white and blue, waving flags and chanting “I Believe!” in city parks, stadiums and sports bars from coast to coast on Tuesday to watch the U.S. national soccer team play Belgium in the knockout round of the World Cup.

Some were die-hard soccer fans. Others were newcomers, spurred on by the rising tide of support for the national team in the world’s biggest tournament.

They left without what they wanted: a win.

From Texas to Chicago to California, fans watched nervously as the U.S. and Belgium played 90 scoreless minutes before Belgium scored twice in extra time.

The U.S. responded with a goal but couldn’t tie the match to send it to penalty kicks. After 120 minutes of soccer, the Americans’ World Cup was over. America, in the middle of its World Cup frenzy, got a reminder that soccer can be a cruel, cruel sport.

“It was heartbreaking,” said Adam Graves, a 39-year-old special needs teacher who stood among about 2,000 fans sweating in the 95-degree heat in Austin, Texas, at a city watch party at a park near downtown.

“What a roller coaster. Just when you thought we were out of it, we were back in it. That’s what I love about soccer,” Graves said.

Others were more distraught.

“I thought we were gonna blow through this. I mean, I knew Belgium was good, but I didn’t think we were gonna go out like that,” said Sierra Kaufman, 19, of Redondo Beach, California, who had red, white and blue painted on her face.

“Half of these people came here just to dress up in USA stuff but I really wanted them to win,” she said.

Tuesday’s game was the fourth for the U.S. in Brazil as it tried to move deeper into the tournament. With every game, the crowds swelled as die-hard soccer fans joined the newcomers. Suddenly, America looked like a soccer-crazed country, as people skipped work and gathered in big crowds and watched the game play out on giant screens.

“They’re short people at work and they tried to call me in to work but I told them no way. I’ll let you know on Thursday if they’re mad,” said 25-year-old Alex Sanders, who chose watching the game on a Jumbotron at Redondo Beach in Los Angeles over his extra shift at Sports Authority.

Each game pulled in more fans: The U.S.-Portugal game drew 24.7 million television viewers overall, and the 18.22 million who watched on ESPN were the most the network has ever attracted for an event not involving American football. The Germany game averaged 10.7 million viewers, making it the third-most watched World Cup game ever on the network.

The swelling enthusiasm forced cities to make changes to accommodate crowds. In Chicago, home of the U.S. Soccer federation, officials moved a game watch event from a public park to Soldier Field to accommodate an expected crowd of 20,000 or more.

Even in 90-degree temperatures, fans still flocked to watch the big game. In Washington, there were misting stations at the block-long Freedom Plaza to keep fans cool. That wasn’t a problem at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where thousands watched the match in the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Crowds sang the national anthem together and it was hard to find a seat at game time at Freedom Plaza. Marie Davenport, 76, set up a folding chair outside of the main crowd but with a good view of the big screen.

“I think that after this World Cup Americans are sold on soccer,” said Davenport, who thought the scene and crowd’s enthusiasm made it a better choice than her living room.

President Barack Obama left the confines of the White House Oval office and joined about 200 staffers in an Executive Office Building auditorium to watch the second half of the game.

“I believe!” he exclaimed as he walked in at the front of the hall. “I believe!” He was quickly joined by a chorus of “I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win!”

As he took a seat in the auditorium’s front row, he said sheepishly, “I was worried that if I walked in and Belgium scored, I’d get in trouble.”

The loss ended the party for the U.S. fans but not before some agonizing moments as the Americans fought back from two goals down early in extra time.

In Austin, every save by U.S. goal keeper Tim Howard drew a rousing cheer. When Belgium finally scored, a small group of Belgium fans chanted and cheered as hundreds of U.S. fans started leaving, only to come racing back when Julian Green’s goal pulled the U.S. within 2-1.

When the final whistle blew, Graves, the school teacher wearing a U.S. soccer jersey, shrugged his shoulders and sighed. He marveled at the turnout of fans in Austin and elsewhere around the country.

“I remember watching games in 1998 at home. There was no point going to a bar because they wouldn’t have the game on,” Graves said.

Caitlyn Baldasaro, a 21-year-old college student in Austin, said she’d seen video images of giant World Cup watch parties in places like Paris, Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro.

Baldasaro predicted they will only get bigger in the U.S. — if the Americans can eventually find a way to get deeper in the tournament. The U.S. hasn’t advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals since 2002, but she predicted the Americans will win it in the next 20 years.

“We’re very serious about sports in this country,” Baldasaro said. “It will happen someday.”

—

Associated Press reporter P. Solomon Banda contributed from Denver, Colorado, Jim Kuhnhenn and Jessica Gresko contributed from Washington and Krysta Fauria from Redondo Beach, California.

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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