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Pele remembers despair of last Maracana final

By WTOP Staff

GERALD IMRAY
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — It’s the day of the last World Cup finale in Brazil. Pele is nine years old. Back then, he’s just Edson Arantes do Nascimento.

Edson has been playing outside. He rushes into his house and notices his father is crying. Brazil has just lost to Uruguay at its sacred Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The nation has been thrown into mourning.

“Eight years later in the World Cup in Sweden I saw my father cry again but with happiness because we won the World Cup,” Pele said on Saturday, the eve of the final’s return after 64 years to the Maracana.

He adds: “I have luck.”

With that first World Cup triumph in Stockholm in 1958 (the 17-year-old Pele scored twice in the final), a footballer and a team of Brazilians began a World Cup legacy that captured five titles, three of them for the man now known as Pele. No team or player can match that record.

On Sunday, Pele, now 73, will watch the final at the Maracana, one of 74,000 people — around 100,000 less than crammed into the arena in 1950 — at one of sport’s most glorious events. Sadly for him and 200 million others, Brazil won’t be there, but the man revered for 50 years as the world’s best player, the favorite son of the most celebrated team, will be.

He won’t be the main attraction or even a sideshow at the 2014 final. Unless FIFA and local organizers spring a major surprise, Pele won’t be part of the glittering closing ceremony that will include Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

The man who did more than anyone to make Brazil the No. 1 football nation on the planet has barely been seen during the World Cup.

His interview with The Associated Press on Saturday is at a sponsor’s event for Subway restaurants. He is sitting in a small backroom in Rio wearing a bright yellow Brazil shirt with a gold cross hanging from his neck and says he’s not fussed that he won’t be at the center of things on Sunday at the Maracana.

“I stay outside because I was four World Cups inside and I’m already 10 World Cups outside,” he said. “It’s not a surprise because I am here since the beginning of the World Cup … but I’ll be there (at the final). I wish that we see a good game. I’ll be there.”

Soon after the interview, Pele popped up at the counter to help make some sandwiches. The crush of reporters and television cameras that pushed him back at one point was shrugged off with a smile and a joke: “Hey, if you don’t play nicely I will push you all outside!” he said in Portuguese.

In the back office, Pele told the AP he picked four teams to do well at this World Cup: finalists Germany and Argentina, and Brazil and Spain. Spain, the defending champion, was knocked out in the first round.

“I missed on Spain but I think everyone missed.”

For Pele, Germany is the best team and should win the World Cup, and he insisted his opinion was not based on Brazil’s fierce rivalry with Argentina and the possibility that they could lift the trophy at Brazil’s Maracana.

“We are neighbors. No problem. We are brothers,” he said, laughing now. “But, of course, if you be reasonable, honest, Germany is the better team. A more organized team. But this is the game: You never know what is going to happen.”

Brazilian star Neymar’s back injury, which ruled the man who now wears Pele’s No. 10 shirt out of the semifinals, was the most memorable moment of the tournament for Pele for the wrong reasons. And Brazil’s 7-1 semifinal rout by Germany was “a disaster,” he said.

“When you have a disaster, there’s no reason, no explanation,” he said. “You cannot have an answer for that. No way. This is football. A box of surprises.” He said he still thought Brazil’s football federation should stick with coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and the young team.

There was “no doubt” in Pele’s eyes that Brazil’s World Cup was an overall success: “We hope to finish the way we’ve been (going) … with peace, beautiful games, a lot of people in the stadium.”

The interview ends with the recollections of 1950 and his father, who was also a footballer, but only for a local team. And then Pele switches back to this World Cup. He just can’t seem to shrug off that heavy loss to Germany.

“This World Cup, I thought I don’t want my son to see me cry,” Pele said. “He didn’t see me cry but very sad.”

___

Gerald Imray is on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP

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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