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Cardinals OLB Abraham arrives at training camp

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — After an absence of nearly three weeks for undisclosed personal reasons, John Abraham arrived at Arizona Cardinals training camp, saying he is “still the same guy.”

The 36-year-old inside linebacker, speaking after Thursday’s practice, would not say specifically why he was gone, only that it was “just personal stuff.”

Abraham said he had faced tougher challenges, mentioning his mother’s cancer and the death of his grandfather.

“A lot of stuff in my life hurt me more than this did, so this is another bump in the road but the bump is not as big as the hills I was going through,” he said. “… Give us a few weeks, a couple of months, the season starts nobody’s going to be talking about this no more. That’s how I’m going to go into it.”

Abraham’s comments were far less contrite than the statement attributed to him and released by the team last week, when he apologized to his family, friends, the Cardinals and his fans “for letting them down.”

He said in that statement that he understands the seriousness of his situation and was taking steps to deal with his “personal business.”

Talking to reporters on Thursday, he indicated that his arrest in late June on a drunken driving charge in suburban Atlanta was not the reason, or at least not the only reason, he was away.

“Most people think it was because of the DUI situation, which I think that’s going to be handled,” he said. “It really wasn’t as big as people think but you know how the media gets ahold of stuff. I’m not trying to knock y’all but they made this thing like it was so much different than it really was.

“I’m just going to let that handle itself because I’m still going through that, but it was more just personal stuff, just handling personal stuff, just getting back so I have a clear mind when the season starts.”

The five-time Pro Bowl player is the NFL’s active career sacks leader with 133½ and ranks ninth on the league’s all-time list. He had 11½ sacks last year, his first season with the Cardinals. He needs 8½ sacks to move past Michael Strahan to No. 5 on the career list.

Coach Bruce Arians said that, as long as he’s healthy, the 14-year NFL veteran will start for the Cardinals and be an every-down player.

“There’s no doubt about that,” the coach said. “He’s never been out of those plans.”

Abraham said he was prepared to compete for the job but appreciates it already being given to him.

“I put the numbers up and they know when I get in football season I’m a football giant,” he said.

Tyrann Mathieu, who missed an entire season of football because of marijuana-related problems before he was drafted by Arizona last year, said he thinks the Cardinals’ reception of Abraham will be the same as it was for him.

“I think guys are going to rally around him, support him and try to encourage him,” Mathieu said. “Any other way to handle it won’t benefit him and it definitely won’t benefit us.”

The Cardinals certainly need a strong pass rusher off the edge.

“We know he had to go through what he did to get back to here,” Arians said. “We’re all behind him. Right now it’s just physical, getting in shape and ready to go.”

Asked if this experience had changed him, Abraham said “as a person I’m still the same guy. It’s just something that I had to handle for myself.”

Mathieu said he “absolutely” knows what Abraham is going to be dealing with.

“I think he’s had enough time alone to himself to look in the mirror and right his wrongs,” Mathieu said, “because he’s a great teammate. You don’t worry about that, but hopefully when he’s not around us he’ll be able to handle himself in the right way.”

Police said Abraham was at the wheel of a car stopped in a traffic lane in Brookhaven, Georgia, on June 29. Police said Abraham remained asleep and didn’t respond until officers beat on the car door for several minutes. Police said he refused to take a Breathalyzer test.

It was his second DUI arrest. The first was in 2003 in New York state.

“You know it’s a situation that I’ve got to deal with,” Abraham said. “It don’t hurt me as much because I know that I wasn’t really wrong in the situation and how I handled it. So I’m just going to let it handle itself.”

___

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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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