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Vikings QB Bridgewater motivated by slide

By WTOP Staff

JON KRAWCZYNSKI
AP Sports Writer

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — Johnny Manziel wasn’t the only quarterback to tumble down the first round of the NFL draft.

While all eyes on Johnny Football’s fall, Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater — once billed as a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick — was quietly plummeting. The Minnesota Vikings swooped in at the last minute and chose Bridgewater with the final pick in the first round, and Bridgewater promised not to let any other team forget it.

“You can bet that,” Bridgewater said Friday. “I talked with coach (Mike) Zimmer a while back when I came here and he told me he loves guys that play with a chip on their shoulder. So after having that conversation with him and just experiencing last night, I’m glad to be a Viking. But you can best believe I’ll play with a chip on my shoulder.”

After getting outbid by Cleveland for the 22nd overall pick, the Vikings lost out on a chance to grab Manziel. They then set their sights on Bridgewater, swinging a deal with the Seattle Seahawks to get back into the first round after taking UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr ninth overall.

Bridgewater said he maintained a positive attitude over the last few months while he listened to his game get taken apart by draft analysts and scouts, especially after a poor showing at his pro day. After one practice, Bridgewater saw three years of impressive play at Louisville start to swirl down the drain.

“I would say the comparison to Willie Beamen, that was pretty harsh,” Bridgewater said of one anonymous coach’s link between Bridgewater and the fictional quarterback in Oliver Stone’s “Any Given Sunday” movie. “But everything happens for a reason. Like I said, you can’t control what’s being said.”

Texas coach Charlie Strong, who recruited and coached Bridgewater at Louisville, said it was difficult to watch a player he thinks so highly of get so unfairly criticized.

“It was just frustrating to watch it happen,” Strong said. “You can’t take one workout and tell me that one workout is going to judge who Teddy Bridgewater is and what type of player he is. You take his work and his line of work shows that over the three years.

“I just know this, that football team at the University of Louisville knew they had a chance to win the game when Teddy Bridgewater had the ball in his hands.”

Bridgewater blamed the poor workout on not wearing a glove on his throwing hand, which he did during games for better grip. He wore the glove during a private workout with the Vikings and offensive coordinator Norv Turner later in the pre-draft process and convinced the Vikings that the pro day was a fluke.

“It was a decision that I made and you can best believe that I’ll continue to wear my gloves,” he said.

___

Online:

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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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