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Column: Johnny Football will become Johnny Payback

By WTOP Staff

PAUL NEWBERRY
AP National Writer

Now, it’s time for Johnny Football to become Johnny Payback.

There was plenty of giddiness from Johnny Manziel’s detractors when he sat around for the better part of three hours, watching one player after another go ahead of him in the NFL draft.

In the end, though, the brash quarterback landed with the perfect team — the perfect city, really, a place that has been yearning for someone, anyone, to cheer since LeBron James bolted for South Beach.

That was apparent Friday, when the Cleveland Browns tried to keep up with the demand for tickets and welcomed Manziel to town with the adulation normally reserved for reality stars and cats playing the piano on YouTube.

While there’s a danger in all this — at some point, he has to turn off the rock-star persona and get to work — the guess here is that Manziel will be a big hit in his new home.

He’s simply too good to fail.

“I’m going to continue to get better as a football player,” Manziel vowed. “I didn’t go into this process saying I had it all figured out.”

There will be struggles, of course. All rookies go through an adjustment period when they get to the NFL — especially when you’re talking about a quarterback who is just 21 years old, who played just two years of college ball at Texas A&M.

Manziel’s style will get plenty of scrutiny, too. He is surely not the prototype quarterback, being a shade under 6 feet, a guy who dazzles with his speed as well as his arm, who thrives more on improvisation than he does with set plays. The key for the Browns will be finding a way to hone those skills, to let Manziel be Manziel while gradually reining in the sort of anything-goes mindset that won’t fly in the NFL.

“Obviously,” he said, “I know there are times I need to play with more structure.”

To a large extent, this is Michael Vick all over again.

Manziel and the Browns would be well-served to study that blueprint, borrowing from all the good and the bad that defined Vick’s career after he was picked No. 1 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001.

As Vick showed, there’s a place in the league for someone who simply does things that no one else can do. In four full-time seasons as Atlanta’s quarterback, he led the downtrodden Falcons to a division title, two playoff appearances, and came up one win shy of the Super Bowl during the 2004 season.

The Browns — who have made one playoff appearance in the last 15 years, haven’t won a postseason game since 1994 — would take Vick’s early resume right now. Clearly, this thing can work as long as the team is willing to live with some of the inevitable mistakes, to accept the thrilling “Did you see what he just did!” moments right along with the occasional groans of “Did you see what he just did?”

As Vick also showed, there’s no place in the league for someone who doesn’t grow as a player and a person. He never did the behind-the-scenes work that was needed to gradually hone his style into more of a traditional passer, to reduce the pounding on his body so he was better served for the long haul.

Vick was often the last one to arrive and the first one to leave the training facility in Atlanta, the Falcons pampering him so much that he grew to feel untouchable. It was no surprise when he ran into troubles off the field, culminating with a bust for dog fighting that sent him to prison in what should’ve been the prime of his career.

One thing Manziel has going for him that Vick didn’t was the motivation of being passed over by so many teams. The great ones know how to turn every little slight into a reason to beat the guy in the other uniform. Manziel will probably never forget how angry he felt on draft night, a camera in his face and the barbs flying on Twitter as his frustration grew for the whole world to see until he was chosen at No. 22.

Twelve of Cleveland’s 16 games next season are against teams that could’ve picked him but didn’t. He’s surely got all of them circled already.

“There are a lot of teams that did pass me up,” Manziel said not long after he was finally taken. “You do grow a little bit of a chip.”

The key for the Browns is to create the sort of environment where Manziel’s personality can thrive, which is a large part of the finger-rubbing “money” player he is, but to make it clear he’ll be expected to carry himself as a leader. That means working harder than anyone else. That means showing signs of maturity from season to season. That means putting the team ahead of his visions of stardom.

It’s won’t be easy. There will inevitably be stumbles along the way. But if the Browns — and Manziel — stay on something resembling the right course, this quarterback graveyard finally has the guy who can eventually lead Cleveland to a championship.

___

Paul Newberry is a national writer for The Associated Press. Write to him at pnewberry@ap.org or www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

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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