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Pistons formally introduce Van Gundy

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Stan Van Gundy expects the Detroit Pistons’ front office to be on the same page as the coaching staff.

That shouldn’t be too much to ask, considering he’ll be part of both.

“One of the big problems at least in our league right now in a lot of places is there is not a great connection necessarily between front office and coaching,” Van Gundy said. “This setup — nothing to do with power — it allows us to really create a tremendous synergy and a very unified organization.”

Van Gundy was formally introduced by the Pistons on Thursday as their coach and president of basketball operations. Detroit went 29-53 last season, missing the playoffs for a fifth straight year. That was the end of Joe Dumars’ tenure as team president. Coach Maurice Cheeks was fired in February and replaced on an interim basis by John Loyer.

Van Gundy’s coaching is well respected — he went 371-208 in seven-plus seasons with Miami and Orlando — but now he’ll have the added responsibility of handling personnel matters. It’s rare for one person to have that much control in the NBA, but Doc Rivers does both jobs for the Los Angeles Clippers.

“This is the most important decision we have made as an organization,” said Tom Gores, who took over as the team’s owner in 2011. “Not only did we hire a coach and president of basketball, we are resetting the culture of the franchise. I’m so confident that this is going to work.”

The Pistons have changed coaches quite a bit in recent years, but this is by far the biggest organizational shakeup in some time. Dumars had been president for 14 years before stepping down as this season drew to a close.

Van Gundy inherits a roster that has a few talented players but looked dysfunctional on the court for much of last season. Detroit’s Andre Drummond is one of the game’s top young big men — and Van Gundy has experience coaching big men like Shaquille O’Neal in Miami and Dwight Howard in Orlando.

“I think we have two responsibilities to Andre Drummond that will help our team, and that is, number one, to do everything we possibly can to develop him as a player,” Van Gundy said. “And then secondly, we have a responsibility to put a system and personnel around him that allow him to thrive.”

Greg Monroe is a restricted free agent, and both Rodney Stuckey and Charlie Villanueva are unrestricted.

“I want to start the process by sitting down with Greg face to face, talking about how he sees himself, how he sees our organization, and giving me a chance to talk to him about my vision for what goes on and how I think we can create a system that will fully maximize his abilities,” Van Gundy said.

Monroe, Drummond and Josh Smith can all be effective around the basket, but last season’s Pistons did not shoot well from the perimeter. And Detroit will lose this year’s first-round draft pick if it’s not in the top eight — part of a previous trade with Charlotte.

But with a five-year deal worth $35 million, it looks like Van Gundy will have time to turn this team around.

“Part of what we hired here is the emotions,” Gores said. “That’s what I want. He cares. He’s got a passion. The reason he’s so prepared is he stays up at night thinking about things.”

The Pistons are desperate to become relevant again in the Motor City, where they’ve been an afterthought lately. Hiring Van Gundy has certainly created a buzz, but now he and Gores are both under pressure to restore the franchise’s luster.

“There’s no excuses now,” Van Gundy said. “What happens a lot of times in this thing is — and I know because I talk to coaches all the time. Coaches say, ‘I’m doing a great job but this guy is not getting me good enough players.’ And the front office is telling ownership, ‘We put together a great roster and the coach is screwing it up.’

“There’s none of that anymore. It’s on us to get it done.”

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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