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Anaheim Ducks fire Carlyle, hire Bruce Boudreau

By WTOP Staff

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – The Anaheim Ducks fired coach Randy Carlyle late Wednesday night and hired former Washington coach Bruce Boudreau, who was dismissed by the Capitals just two days earlier.

The Ducks made the abrupt move after beating Montreal 4-1 on Wednesday night for the club’s third victory in 19 games, snapping a seven-game skid.

Carlyle coached the Ducks to their only Stanley Cup title in 2007, but struggled to get his talented club’s attention this season. Carlyle agreed to a three-year contract extension through the 2013-14 season in August, but Anaheim got off to a perplexing 7-13-4 start.

“Randy is a terrific head coach, and did a tremendous job for us for six-plus seasons,” Anaheim general manager Bob Murray said. “We thank him greatly for his hard work and dedication to our franchise, not the least of which was a Stanley Cup championship. At this time, we simply felt a new voice was needed. Bruce is a proven winner with a great track record, and we are optimistic we can turn this season around under his leadership.”

Carlyle is the fourth NHL coach to be fired in the young season, and the third this week. Paul Maurice was also dismissed on Monday by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Davis Payne was let go by the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 6.

Anaheim cleaned house Wednesday, also firing assistant coaches Dave Farrish and Mike Foligno and video coordinator Joe Trotta. The Ducks hired Brad Lauer as an assistant coach to Boudreau, and will add another assistant soon.

Boudreau will run the Ducks’ practice on Thursday before his formal introduction. Anaheim hosts Philadelphia on Friday night.

Carlyle is the winningest coach in Ducks history, and he was behind Anaheim’s bench for many of the 1993 expansion franchise’s biggest moments. He has coached the Ducks since August 2005, taking over for Mike Babcock and compiling a 273-182-6 record as the seventh head coach in club history.

Carlyle led Anaheim to the postseason in five of his first six seasons, winning more playoff games during that stretch than any coach except Babcock in Detroit. But Anaheim won just one playoff round in the past four seasons since winning the Cup, losing to fifth-seeded Nashville in the first round last season.

Boudreau took a new job less than 72 hours after getting fired from a remarkably similar situation in Washington, which dropped him Monday after the Capitals’ slow start with a talented roster that’s had little recent playoff success.

Boudreau led Washington to four consecutive division titles and one Presidents’ Trophy while winning 201 games in just four years on the job, but the Caps’ lack of playoff success doomed him when they slumped following a 7-0 start to this season.

He never got past the second round.

The Ducks will be in for a major change in styles from the sometimes-crusty Carlyle to the personable Boudreau, nicknamed “Gabby” for his garrulous style.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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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