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Crosby: players are responsible for Pens’ collapse

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby understands the price of disappointment.

And while others — namely Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma — will likely face the consequences following another early playoff exit, the NHL’s brightest star isn’t shirking his share of the blame. The way Crosby sees it, Pittsburgh’s failings lie with the guys who pull the sweaters over their heads.

“At the end of the day we feel responsible,” Crosby said Thursday. “We are the guys that go out there and want to perform and want to win and we have that expectation.”

Ones that weren’t met for a fifth straight spring after the Penguins frittered a 3-1 series lead in an eventual seven-game loss to the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. A half-decade after hoisting the Stanley Cup in Detroit at age 21, Crosby and the franchise he represents are still searching for a bookend.

“It’s difficult to win and I don’t think there’s been any lack of effort from players, coaches, anybody in the conversation,” Crosby said. “I don’t think it’s been a lack of trying.”

There has, however, been a lack of doing.

The Penguins have been a marvel during the regular season under Bylsma, who is 252-117-32 since taking over for Michel Therrien in the late stages of the 2008-09 season. Yet all those regular-season triumphs haven’t prevented Pittsburgh from being knocked out of the playoffs by a lower-seeded team five straight times.

Pressed on what needs to change, Crosby didn’t point to the coaching staff but instead a shift in mindset, particularly when the postseason begins.

“Maybe we need to adjust the way we play a little bit better and play more physical,” Crosby said.

It’s a challenge the Penguins have faced relentlessly during the Crosby era. The league’s leading scorer and likely MVP scored just once in 13 playoff games — a career low — and spent plenty a month on the receiving end of punishment from Columbus center Brandon Dubinsky and New York defenseman Marc Staal.

Crosby insists he wasn’t rattled, even if at one point in Game 6 against the Rangers he found himself on the bottom of a dog pile with New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist squirting him with a water bottle. Not exactly the best position to ward off a comeback.

“I’m not saying I can’t be better,” Crosby said. “I don’t think my focus was lost. … You can go back to the years we won and you’re not going to see anything different but we won and that’s a big thing.”

And it will be the focus going forward regardless of who is in the front office or behind the bench.

While Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will have their numbers hanging in the dressing room when the club reconvenes in September, there could be plenty of new ones hanging alongside them.

Forward Jussi Jokinen — whose seven playoff goals led the Penguins — is an unrestricted free agent. So is Lee Stempniak, who never quite meshed with Crosby after being brought in near the trading deadline. Defenseman Brooks Orpik, the team’s longest tenured player, may be done in Pittsburgh after 11 seasons. Matt Niskanen, arguably the team’s best defenseman all season, will hit the open market and may command too high a price to stick around.

Then there’s goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who played steadily throughout the playoffs but knows he could be expendable with one year left on his current deal.

“I really hope I stay,” Fleury said. “It’s my team here. It’s where I want to play.”

It’s a sentiment echoed throughout the locker room. For all the misery that accompanied the stunning fall against New York, Pittsburgh’s talented core remains in the midst of their primes. Crosby is 26. Malkin is 27. So is defenseman Kris Letang. Fleury is still months away from turning 30 and bounced back from a miserable 2013 postseason by holding the Rangers to just 15 goals in seven games.

“I don’t know if there’s many problems,” forward Brandon Sutter said. “I think it’s more little things that aren’t really huge. Maybe fresh ideas can change that. I don’t think there’s much that needs to be fixed, maybe a few things shaken up. There’s a few different ways. It doesn’t necessarily mean anyone has to leave.”

In theory, perhaps. The Penguins know they are constructed to raise championship banners, not flame out in the postseason. Yet it keeps happening.

“Expectations are high,” Crosby said. “If you don’t deliver you have to own up to that as players and as an organization. We all understand that. We’ll see what happens from here.”

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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