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Browns rookie QB Johnny Manziel defends Vegas trip

By WTOP Staff

TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Johnny Manziel isn’t going to change his lifestyle for anyone — like it or not.

Cleveland’s celebrity-in-cleats rookie, who spent a well-documented weekend of sun and fun in Las Vegas, said Wednesday he’s dedicated to the Browns. And he doesn’t intend to stop being the young quarterback who morphed into Johnny Football and a phenomenon during college.

“I don’t live my life according to you guys or according to what other people think of me,” Manziel said following practice, surrounded by reporters and cameras. “I’m going to live my life to the fullest and continue to be committed to this game and committed to what I need to be doing here, and trying to earn my place in this locker room and with these coaches and this organization.

“If I want to go out and have some fun and it doesn’t hinder what my main goals in life are, then I really don’t care what anyone has to say.”

The 21-year-old Manziel said he was surprised by the reaction to his weekend getaway in Vegas, where he took advantage of a break from the Browns’ organized team activities to hang out poolside with Patriots partying tight end Rob Gronkowski, attended a UFC fight and enjoyed the nightlife. He was filmed spraying champagne on patrons in a Sin City hot spot.

Manziel said he was somewhat caught off-guard by the publicity surrounding his Memorial Day weekend jaunt, which was chronicled during his stay on Twitter and other social media sites. In fact, Manziel partially contributed to the mania by posting photos of himself with Gronkowski and others by the pool.

He’s not apologizing for having fun.

“I don’t really feel that it’s a story,” he said. “It was a little bit of a break for us and I got to enjoy it and relax.”

Manziel’s aware of criticism about his decision to leave town, and that some may feel he’s not working hard enough. After all, he’s not even Cleveland’s starting quarterback and there’s no guarantee he’ll beat out Brian Hoyer in training camp.

Manziel is only concerned about what his teammates and coaches think. They are united in their support of the first-round draft pick, a player Cleveland fans hope can revive their franchise.

Browns first-year coach Mike Pettine said Manziel, who took some snaps with Cleveland’s first-team offense, told him about his plans to go to Vegas. The team didn’t have any issues with the trip.

“My advice to him was: have fun,” Pettine said. “He’s a young guy. He’s done everything that we’ve asked. The playbook has not been an issue for him. It’s something that I know a big deal was made of it, but internally we have an expectation for all of our players outside of the building to act a certain way, and it’s really a non-issue.

“Just like anybody else, he’s a man and we’re going to treat our guys like that until they prove that they need to be treated otherwise.”

Browns Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas might eventually protect Manziel’s blindside, assuming, that is, the young QB wins the starting job. Thomas said Manziel’s weekend excursion wasn’t anything to be concerned about.

“Not a big deal,” he said. “If you were doing that the night before a game then it would be a different issue, but it is the offseason. You need a chance to decompress and get your mind off of football because it’s a long haul and the season is going to be a long grind, so you need to kind of let loose a little bit when you get the chance.”

Being the center of attention is nothing new to Manziel. He’s been in the middle of madness since breaking onto the scene as a Texas A&M freshman.

“I can’t think back to the days of how it was when I didn’t have people tweeting or taking pictures of wherever I was — and not in a way that I have a big head or anything like that,” he said. “It’s just how things are, wherever I want to go people are taking pictures and think I’m doing something wild when I’m just living a normal life.”

His off-field actions aside, Manziel is staying humble and hungry. All he wants to do is live up to his hype.

“I’m just another rookie,” he said. “I’m just another guy that comes up just like any other quarterback or any other guy does from the next year. Yeah, Heisman Trophy and I did some OK things in college, but I haven’t done anything here.”

___

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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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