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NFL headed for expanded playoffs in 2015

By WTOP Staff

BARRY WILNER
AP Pro Football Writer

Giants owner John Mara broke into a wry smile when pressed on his opposition to expanding the NFL playoffs by two teams.

“Teams can go from 9-7 to the Super Bowl, as we’ve seen,” said Mara, knowing full well his team did just that to win the 2011 title. “Can they do it from 7-9 or 8-8? I don’t know. You tell me.”

They might get the chance to try, because it is clear that the league is going to increase the number of playoff qualifiers to 14, almost certainly for the 2015 season.

Sure, the extra two spots could wind up going to teams like last season’s Arizona Cardinals, who missed out at 10-6. But they also could fall into the laps of a .500 squad — Pittsburgh would have gotten the extra berth in the AFC if it existed in 2013. Or worse, a repeat of what Seattle achieved in 2010, albeit as a division winner, with a 7-9 record.

Commissioner Roger Goodell supports two more wild-card teams. So do most owners, although the league is proceeding cautiously by delaying until October an actual vote.

The TV partners will love the idea of more playoff games, and the prospect of playing both of the additional wild cards in prime time is a juicy one. Indeed, those games could wind up being on a broadcast outlet not yet affiliated with the NFL, such as Turner.

Given the records the NFL has been setting on television lately, from the regular season to the postseason to the draft, there’s no reason to believe it won’t receive the same $100 million for each additional playoff game ESPN is paying to get in on the party next January.

“I do believe it will be approved for the 2015 season,” Goodell said. “We want to see how it will impact in a positive way from a competitive standpoint. Will it create more excitement, more races toward the end of the season? Who will ultimately qualify for the playoffs?”

The new setup won’t put much more strain, if any, on the postseason schedule. It also would make having the best record in the conference even more valuable: Only that team will get a first-round bye.

Right there, Goodell’s league could have plenty “more excitement” down the stretch.

With three wild-card games, the NFL could fill up the first weekend in January from early afternoon until midnight. Or, as Mara mentioned, one of the games figures to land on Monday night.

Goodell said the NFL wants to see how its concentration of games on Thursday night works out this year before proceeding with more playoff teams. That’s understandable, but the main reason for delaying the inevitable is that the players’ union has to sign off on the expansion.

Considering the added revenue that would accompany two more wild-card games, would the NFLPA really balk? Goodell said he spoke with union boss DeMaurice Smith two weeks ago and didn’t get any pushback.

“This is something I’ve had numerous conversations with DeMaurice about,” Goodell said. “I think there are a lot of benefits to the players, but that’s something they’ll have to evaluate. They are our partners, and I’ve said on many occasions before that we are going to have a dialogue with all of our partners to make sure it can be done the right way.”

Goodell also noted that the players would receive 55 percent of the revenue generated by two more postseason games.

For NFL owners, the additional dollars also might eliminate their currently dormant proposal for an 18-game regular season, something the union says won’t ever happen.

Meanwhile, Mara, a trusted adviser to Goodell and one of the league’s most influential owners, appears to be leading a losing battle for the status quo.

“I just like it the way it is right now,” he said of the playoff structure that has existed since 1990. “I think we’re diluting it too much. It also creates other issues. You’re going to play one of those games on a Monday night, and the prospect of doing that in January is not all that appealing.

“We had a great opening wild-card weekend this year and it seems like we have that every year, and I’m not sure what this is going to bring.”

It will bring more money to the owners and players, more football for the fans, more eyeballs for the networks.

And it is coming.

___

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
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