Skip to main content

Browns limiting access to Johnny Football

By WTOP Staff

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The Browns are tackling Manzielmania. Containing it could be a lot tougher.

In an effort to minimize the frenzy around quarterback Johnny Manziel, the Browns are limiting media access to the first-round draft pick’s appearance this weekend at the team’s rookie minicamp.

The Browns are only allowing only local reporters — and maybe some select national ones — to be at the former Texas A&M star’s first practice as an NFL player. The Browns selected Manziel in last week’s draft, and already the 21-year-old has brought long-sought attention to a sleeping franchise that has had just two winning seasons in the past 15 years.

It’s not clear what criteria the Browns are using to determine who is allowed into the workouts.

Since drafting Manziel, college football’s biggest star, the team has been inundated with interview requests. Beyond that, the Browns have sold nearly 3,000 season-ticket packages and Manziel’s No. 2 jersey is the most coveted fashion item in town.

The Browns have altered their practice availability in recent days. After originally saying Saturday’s practice would be open, reporters and photographers will now only watch the first 15 minutes when players do stretching exercises and individual drills. Also, first-year Browns coach Mike Pettine has decided to close Sunday’s practice to the media.

Pettine has experience with media mayhem. He was on New York’s coaching staff when the Jets acquired quarterback Tim Tebow and he wants the Browns to get out in front of any potential problems.

“We have a plan for that,” Pettine said of handling the hype around Manziel. “We know it will bring a lot of attention. We’ll be in the business of controlling what we can control.”

It won’t be as easy for the Browns to handle things during summer training camp, which will be open to the public and the team’s training facility will be swarmed upon by fans.

The Browns are doing all they can to keep Manziel from thinking he’s the Browns’ savior.

Earlier this week, owner Jimmy Haslam said the team has told Manziel not to expect anything other than a chance to compete for the starting job. If he wants to be Cleveland’s No. 1 quarterback, he’ll have to beat out Brian Hoyer.

“He’s not the starter,” Haslam said at a luncheon event in Canton. “Brian Hoyer is our starting quarterback. Johnny is the backup. They’ll compete. If Johnny wins the job, fine. If not, Brian will be the quarterback. That’s the way it is and that’s the way it’s been expressed to him. I think you’ll see Johnny perform that way. Johnny wants to win games.”

As for this weekend, the Browns don’t want Manziel’s celebrity to overshadow the other members of this year’s draft class, including Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert, who was selected 13 picks ahead of the Heisman Trophy winner.

While that might be noble, Manziel’s stardom will dwarf everything about the Browns, who are on their fourth coach in five years and recently underwent yet another front-office purge.

As for the media, the team has already implemented new guidelines in order to keep the numbers of reporters and photographers to a minimum. Anyone interested in covering a practice, must notify the Browns 48 hours in advance.

It’s all for Manziel, and he hasn’t even thrown a pass.

___

Online:

AP NFL website: 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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote