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Raiders, Cowboys conclude joint practices

By WTOP Staff

JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys concluded their two days of joint practices Wednesday with another intense session that included a number of small scrums and had both teams excited to possibly repeat this again next season.

While the first session Tuesday was marred by a brawl that nearly spilled into the stands and featured a Raiders fan swinging a replica helmet at a Cowboys player and cornerback B.W. Webb swinging back at the fan, the action on day two was all between the lines.

There were a handful of smaller fights with players from both sides taking offense to hard hits and trash talk but nothing got out of hand.

“Today we handled it a little bit better than we did yesterday,” Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant said. “I think the intensity level was sky high yesterday, that’s why a lot of fights broke out. But I think today a lot of the veteran guys on both sides of the ball did a great job of handling all the potential fights. We did a good job today.”

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett called the first day of the practices the most electric atmosphere he had ever seen on a practice field. He said the two days of work were invaluable because of the chance to try different schemes and different techniques that will likely come up again during the season.

Raiders coach Dennis Allen said he believes the intensity from these past two days will translate to the field on Friday night when Oakland hosts Detroit in an exhibition game.

“Anytime you get into this competitive environment, it creates a sense of urgency with your football team,” Allen said. “We got better over these last couple days.”

There was an increased police presence Wednesday, with extra officers near the sideline with Raiders fans where the incident with Webb happened the previous day.

Garrett said he talked with Webb about how he handled the situation and said no punishment would be needed.

“At some point you have to as a player defend your teammate, get yourself in there and make sure he’s going to be OK,” Garrett said. “Always have your guy’s back. That’s an important part of building a football team. At the same time poise in that situation is important. I felt we demonstrated both and you kind of move on.”

Former Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain almost got into it with his former teammates after tackling Darren McFadden. McClain, Oakland’s first-round pick in 2010, never lived up to expectations with the Raiders. He clashed with Allen and was suspended for two games for conduct detrimental to the team in 2012. The Raiders released him in April 2013 and he stepped away from football for a season before joining the Cowboys this offseason.

McClain said there was no ill will toward the Raiders and he had pleasant exchanges with some former teammates, Allen and defensive coordinator Jason Tarver.

“I had three years there, it is what it is,” McClain said. “I made some great relationships, I still have those relationships, and I’m proud of it. That’s what you do. You live and learn. I wish them nothing but the best.”

The one big negative from the two days of practice for the Raiders was a serious left knee injury to tight end Nick Kasa. Kasa got hurt during a drill Tuesday and the initial diagnosis is a torn ACL, which would end his season.

Kasa is the second Oakland tight end with an injured left knee, joining David Ausberry. That leaves Mychal Rivera as the only healthy tight end on the roster who has ever played in the NFL. Ausberry was walking around this week with a wrap on his left knee after having surgery. His return date is undetermined.

NOTES: Raiders CB Chimdi Chekwa (knee) returned after missing practice Tuesday but was unable to make it through the whole session. … Oakland WR Juron Criner sat out with a lower-body injury.

___

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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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