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NFL recap: More diversity needed in coaching ranks

By WTOP Staff

Rob Woodfork, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Before we get to the two teams that punched their ticket to New Orleans, let’s touch on a topic that’s generated quite a bit of attention in the last week.

And no, it’s got nothing to do with Manti Te’o.

Last week, the NFL’s annual game of musical chairs came to a close when Bruce Arians landed a seat as the Arizona Cardinals head coach. Arians was the last of eight coaches to be hired to a new head coaching post for the 2013 season, making white coaches a perfect 8-for-8 in this hiring cycle.

That’s right. Not a single minority hire despite a quarter of the league looking for a new coach.

As a minority, I’ve been sensitive toward the Rooney Rule — the NFL’s now decade- old requirement that teams interview at least one minority candidate for any vacant head coaching position. I thought it was necessary back then, but in recent years I thought the good had been done and the rule didn’t necessarily need to be on the books anymore.

Boy, was I wrong.

This year, Black Monday claimed two black coaches (no pun intended) that couldn’t land gigs elsewhere (Lovie Smith and Romeo Crennel). With no coaches hired to replace them in the NFL lexicon, that now leaves the league at just three minority coaches: Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis, and Carolina’s Ron Rivera.

Meanwhile, the ink wasn’t even dry on Andy Reid’s pink slip before he made the move to Kansas City. Chicago’s Marc Trestman spent the last few years coaching in the CFL after a so-so 17 years in the NFL as an assistant. Chip Kelly (Philadelphia) and Doug Marrone (Buffalo) made the jump from college even though neither has NFL experience above the assistant level (Kelly has no NFL experience).

While I’m baffled that nobody thought enough of Lovie Smith to hire him ahead at least half of the guys that ultimately landed gigs, I don’t think there’s anything nefarious or racist at play here. I have no reason to believe the eight owners that hired the men they did to coach their respective teams did so for any reason other than they were deemed the best men for the job.

But let’s be real, here. The NFL is a “good ol’ boys” network for the most part, and owners and GMs tend to hire the guys they already know. While I’m all for hiring who you think is the best man for the job, regardless of skin color, I’m also staunchly in favor of expanding the pool of available candidates — and making sure that pool includes more diversity and less nepotism/favoritism.

Part of the issue at hand is current trend in the NFL. As laid out brilliantly here by ESPN’s Jeffrey Chadiha, a big reason for the decline in minority coaches is the NFL’s dramatic shift toward offense. The fact of the matter is, offensive coaches are gobbling up the head coaching jobs these days. It’s increasingly important to be able to develop and relate to quarterbacks, and if you can, you’re in huge demand.

In today’s NFL, offensive coordinators and QB coaches are mostly white. Every single minority head coach in the league in 2012 is a former defensive coordinator.

So it seems to me, ensuring that the Rooney Rule trickles down to coordinator positions is necessary. It appears there’s already movement within the league to make that a reality.

If you read Chadiha’s column, he makes a great point: There’s no minority assistant on offense carrying the “genius” label. There never has been. Perhaps with more minority offensive coordinators, we can take steps to change that.

Whatever the case, change needs to be made. Minorities being 3-for-32 in the NFL head coaching ranks is unacceptable — especially when there’s no seat at the table for a man like Lovie who’s won 56 percent of his games and took a team to a Super Bowl with Rex “The Human Turnover” Grossman at quarterback.

OK, here’s the final NFL recap of the season. Try not to cry.

Niners 28
Falcons 24

Welp…thanks for nothing, Atlanta. I picked at least one Super Bowl team correctly in each of the last three seasons, and you were my last hope to make it a 4th. More importantly, this was likely the last, best chance for Tony Gonzalez to get a ring before hanging up the cleats. If this is indeed it for his illustrious 16-year career, at least he goes out having tasted a postseason victory at least once.

Congrats to San Fran for making their first Super Bowl trip in 18 years. With Colin Kaepernick at the helm, and a relatively young and hungry defense, this is probably won’t be their last trip to the big dance with this core group.

Ravens 28
Patriots 13

Well, I told you last week that Joe Flacco had to outplay Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in successive weeks for Baltimore to advance to their 2nd Super Bowl. He did. And they are. Give him credit, and give credit to the defense for waking up after a so-so regular season.

As for New England: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … the seemingly unending benefit of the doubt for the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady tandem needs to die. They lose at home, they lose on the road, they lose in Super Bowls, they lose. It’s been nearly a decade since their last title — they’re human. Very human.

Oh, and before I forget: HarBowl. Get used that word. You’re going to hear a lot of it over the next two weeks.

Follow @WTOPSports and @WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. 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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