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Column: Poor Yaya Toure, the wrong kind of blue

By WTOP Staff

JOHN LEICESTER
AP Sports Columnist

Yaya Toure, you prankster.

It is just a cheeky joke, right? Surely you and your agent are simply pulling our legs, making pre-World Cup mischief, with all his silly talk of you feeling unloved and blue?

Not Manchester City blue. Not even the most naive fan will be buying that threadbare line for much longer. Because the more Dimitry Seluk speaks, the more he makes his player look a fool and a vulture whose respect for the club that pays his handsome wage only stretches so far. Say it ain’t so, Yaya.

“Upset” is the word Seluk used this week to describe the mindset of the best midfielder in the Premier League.

But what has Toure got to be blue about?

In a word, nothing.

He surely can’t feel that he’s had a poor season. With 20 goals in the Premier League, Toure was magnificent, at times unstoppable with his rare combination of Fred Astaire feet, a wrestler’s strength and sprinter’s speed all packed into an imposing 6-foot-2 frame.

His strike against Aston Villa on May 7 was truly a thing of wonder. In the 93rd minute, when players without his power and stamina are on their last legs, Toure careened bull-like across half the pitch, with four Villa hangers-on in his wake, to score one of the best goals anywhere in Europe. So nothing to make him miserable there.

Neither can Toure be feeling sad about winning the Premier League again with City, for the second time in just three years. Winning trophies, making history, turning City into the new force of English football. Isn’t that the sort of glory young boys with heads full of football dream of when they look up at posters of Toure on their bedroom walls?

Well, that and Toure’s money, of course. Leaving Barcelona in 2010 to play for Abu Dhabi owners willing to pay whatever it takes to make City the next master of the universe was the smart business move. Forbes magazine ranks Toure among the world’s 100 best-paid athletes, with his current four-year deal worth up to $20 million annually in salary and performance bonuses. In short, a bulging wallet is no reason for Toure to feel sorry for himself, either.

And yet, on British radio and television, Seluk has been spouting all sorts of nonsense.

Stuff about how City supposedly neglected to congratulate Toure and no one from the club shook his hand when he turned 31 last week.

“Yaya (is) upset about this. This is not normal,” Seluk told TV broadcaster Sky.

Surely that can’t be right? The club did tweet birthday wishes to Toure on May 13 and the BBC showed footage from the club of Toure getting a cake decorated with the City crest and being serenaded.

But this isn’t about cake, it’s about respect, Seluk insisted. Toure apparently feels he isn’t getting enough of it. Other clubs send players’ families flowers on their birthday, he griped. Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala even gave Brazilian star Roberto Carlos a sports car, he said.

“For Yaya, it’s not necessary a car. For Yaya, not necessary money. Only attention. This (is) the main thing,” said Seluk. In another interview, Seluk said Toure has fought for the club, but “Manchester City forget about him.”

Cake? Cars? Attention? Is Seluk talking about a hormonal 15-year-old or a man-mountain who’ll soon carry the Ivory Coast team at the World Cup?

This must be a practical joke because the alternative — that Toure’s ego really is so easily bruised or, worse, that he is this spoiled and manipulative — would simply be sad.

How sad it would be if Toure is simply another millionaire football brat with a super-sensitive ego.

How sad it would be if a player so brilliant on the pitch turns out to be so shallow off it.

How sad it would be if a player with the talent to be a standout star in Brazil next month is distracted by such absurdities.

How sad it would be if Toure is allowing his representative to trot out paper-thin gripes simply to pressure City into giving him yet more money or to get him out of his contract so he can move elsewhere. Seluk claimed there’s a “50-50” chance Toure will go to another club, although City must have other ideas and would have the final word.

The latest message on Toure’s verified Twitter account simply says: “Everything dimitry said is true. He speaks for me. I will give an interview after world cup to explain.”

That, one can only hope, will be where Toure says: “Ho, ho. Did you like our joke?”

No, not really. But the alternative would be even less funny.

___

John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jleicester@ap.org or follow him at http://twitter.com/johnleicester

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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