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Willie Colon ready for challenge of Ndamukong Suh

By WTOP Staff

The Associated Press

Willie Colon is ready to rumble.

The New York Jets right guard will see a lot of Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh on Sunday when their teams square off at MetLife Stadium.

And, it wouldn’t stun anyone if the two tangled a bit at some point.

Suh, of course, has a reputation to play a bit, well, chippy at times.

“Really?” Colon asked with a big smile.

On the flip side, Colon knows a few adjectives to describe his own style of play during his NFL career.

“Docile, calm, collected,” Colon said.

Umm, not quite.

Colon, a New York native whose license plate reads “Bronx Bully,” is known to get into it with opponents at times, quick to defend his teammates. He even got tossed from a game last season in New England after a sideline brawl. During the preseason, Colon and right tackle Breno Giacomini got into a shoving match with a few Cincinnati Bengals players.

“I’ll never back down from a fight,” Colon said. “I’m pretty sure (Suh) is the same way. And we’ll handle all that Sunday.”

Not that Colon is expecting to duke it out with Suh, but he knows the type of emotion the Lions star plays with. Colon also knows he’ll have a tough task trying to protect quarterback Geno Smith from Suh, who has 28 1/2 sacks in 65 career games.

“He’s probably one of the best guys in the league doing it, playing at a very high level,” Colon said. “He’s a menace. I know the type of power he has. It’s going to be a war. He’s just a load, a powerful guy. He just brings it.

“He’s a dominant ballplayer and you’ve got to respect it.”

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POOL TIME: When Andy Dalton came down with Mohamed Sanu’s cross-field pass and headed for the end zone, receiver Marvin Jones thought about their days at the pool together.

Dalton became the first Bengals quarterback to catch a touchdown pass last Sunday, going 18 yards after a trick-play reception during a 33-7 win over Tennessee.

“It’s all about those pool basketball moments we had,” Jones said. “He had some practice trying to body up against us, so I guess that helped him.”

Dalton invites Bengals receivers to his home in Texas for offseason workouts. They also have basketball tournaments in his pool, which has a hoop. Dalton and former Bengals receiver Andrew Hawkins won the tournament two years ago, with Dalton posting up under the hoop.

When Sanu’s pass hung in the air on Sunday, Dalton stood his ground with cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson closing in, went straight up and grabbed the ball as though he were getting a rebound in the pool.

“Going up and rebounding the ball is what he needed to do,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “It showed his talent and ability as a quarterback.”

Those games in the pool showed Dalton’s receivers that he can catch a ball, too.

“I always tell the receivers that I have the best hands on the team,” Dalton said.

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BIG-PLAY POLK: Eagles third-string running back Chris Polk has a knack for finding the end zone. The third-year pro has four TDs on only 18 career touches, including a 102-yard kickoff return in last week’s 37-34 win over Washington. Polk’s first NFL carry was a 4-yard TD run at Denver on Sept. 29, 2013.

His first touch this year was the TD return against the Redskins. He had a 38-yard TD run against Detroit in the blizzard game last Dec. 8, and a 10-yard TD run vs. Chicago on Dec. 22. Overall, Polk is averaging a touchdown every 4.5 times he gets the ball.

“Whatever they need me to do, I will do,” said Polk, who plays behind All-Pro LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles. “I just have to help this team win and keep this thing going.”

Polk missed most of training camp and the first game because of a hamstring injury. There was speculation he wouldn’t make the final cut, but coach Chip Kelly stuck with him.

“He’s certainly got a nose for the end zone,” offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. “I think that’s something that’s maybe a little bit overlooked. He finds a way to get in there. He’s got a little thickness to him as a runner, so when it gets tight in there, I think he can be a good runner. I still think we’re going to see the best of him as we go forward.”

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FATHERLY FOX: Usually, Denver Broncos coach John Fox would tell his players right before sending them off on their bye week that the only way he wants to see their names in the news is if they win the lottery.

He had to change the script after what happened last year.

Fox ended up in the headlines after collapsing on the golf course back home in North Carolina during the Broncos’ bye last November. He needed open heart surgery a few days later and missed several weeks before returning to the sideline.

“I kind of backed off that one, only because they read about me and I didn’t win the lottery by any stretch,” Fox said. “I just told them to make good decisions, be smart, relax, enjoy the time off, come back ready to work and whatever we’ve done up to three games, evaluate it and do better when we come back.”

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AP Sports Writers Arnie Stapleton in Denver, Dennis Waszak Jr. in Florham Park, N.J., Joe Kay in Cincinnati and Rob Maaddi in Philadelphia contributed to this story.

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AP NFL websites: 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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