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Welker, Mathis, Gordon among suspended

By WTOP Staff

BARRY WILNER
AP Pro Football Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Wes Welker. Robert Mathis. Aldon Smith. Josh Gordon.

A solid quartet to put on any NFL field. Except that they are among 29 players suspended by the league heading into the 2014 season.

Among those big names, Cleveland’s Gordon got the longest ban, sidelined for the entire season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. His absence might be the most damaging, too, and not only for its length. A Pro Bowl wide receiver, Gordon was the only established target on the Browns, who figured to be an also-ran even with him in the lineup.

That Gordon’s case lingered for weeks while appeals were heard, and was not decided until just before the season, didn’t help the Browns, either.

“How it played out was not ideal circumstances for us, obviously, but that’s behind us,” coach Mike Pettine said. “You can’t worry about guys you don’t have. … I’ve said this all along, you don’t replace a Josh Gordon, a top-five NFL receiver, with just one player.”

Welker’s four-game suspension, announced Tuesday, shouldn’t hurt the Broncos nearly so much considering the other receiving talent on hand. And having Peyton Manning throwing to them.

More harmful: Matt Prater’s four-gamer, which takes away a significant weapon. Prater made 25 of 26 field goals in 2013, including a record 64-yarder. Denver is going with a rookie, Brandon McManus.

Prater has been in the NFL’s drug program, which includes alcohol, since a DUI arrest in 2011. He said he realized one more strike meant he’d face sitting out an entire season when he decided to have some beers “right after the season.”

“Why did I risk it?” Prater said. “I made a mistake. I don’t have an excuse for it. I screwed up and now I’m paying the price for it.”

For Indianapolis and San Francisco, the loss of key defenders could have a huge impact.

Mathis, gone for four games, led the league with 19 1-2 sacks in a career year. The Colts will face high-powered Denver and Philadelphia in the first two weeks without their best player on that side of the ball.

“We’ve got a soldier down,” Colts DE Cory Redding said of Mathis. “We’re going to wait for him to come back, but until then, we’re going to hold down the fort.”

Smith’s absence means San Francisco is without two playmakers at linebacker, because All-Pro NaVorro Bowman is recovering from a gruesome knee injury sustained in the NFC title game loss to Seattle. Smith is gone for nine games for violating the drug and personal conduct policies, which means both he and Bowman might not be in the lineup before mid-November.

Plus, defensive tackle Ray McDonald was arrested last week on a domestic abuse charge, something NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said he will clamp down on. Goodell announced stiffer penalties for such incidents last week, with six games for a first offense.

“Some people have a magic number of if you have one, if you have two, if you have eight, if you have seven, I’ve always believed one is too many,” 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said. “We’re continuing to work to try to figure out what we can do better. Better as an organization, better as individuals, whether you’re a player, whether you’re a coach, whether you’re in the administrative side.”

Ravens standout Ray Rice is suspended for two games for a domestic abuse issue, a penalty that Goodell later referenced as not being strong enough. Baltimore opens with defending AFC North champion Cincinnati, and Rice’s backup, Bernard Pierce, was hobbled in the preseason.

Two players are suspended indefinitely: Jaguars WR Justin Blackmon and Redskins safety Tanard Jackson. Neither’s loss should be too significant.

One other player gone for the season, Arizona linebacker Daryl Washington, is a significant one for the Cardinals, who previously lost Karlos Dansby in free agency. They also had top defensive lineman Darnell Dockett tear up his right knee and is done for 2014.

Other familiar names whose suspensions likely will hurt their teams are Patriots CB Brandon Browner (four games), Eagles tackle Lane Johnson (four), Cowboys DB Orlando Scandrick (four), and Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather (two).

“I think you have to get creative with what you do, and roll some different guys in there, maybe change some personnel groupings and get some different matchups,” Cleveland’s Pettine said, speaking directly about Gordon’s absence, but representative of how many teams must react. “That’s the challenge that we face.”

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AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton and Sports Writers Janie McCauley, Tom Withers and Michael Marot contributed to this story.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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