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Peyton Manning hasn’t slowed down this offseason

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Peyton Manning apparently didn’t need much time off after throwing for an NFL record 55 touchdowns, winning his fifth MVP award and leading the Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl.

His busy offseason has included trips to pay respects to retiring stars such as David Letterman and Derek Jeter, and visits to college campuses across the South just like in the 1990s when he was a star recruit known more for being Archie’s son.

Denver’s 38-year-old quarterback raised eyebrows at NFL headquarters and the hackles of some Tennessee fans in April after visiting Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at the same time as his offensive coordinator, Adam Gase. Denver’s brain trust shared secrets with Tide coach Nick Saban, who said he met them separately to avoid violating NFL rules.

He also visited Oklahoma State, where he reportedly received a six-figure speaking fee for an hour’s talk a few days after giving the keynote address at the Boy Scouts’ annual breakfast in Denver for free.

This, of course, is in addition to the notorious hours of film study, rehab and throwing he does on his own just to get ready for the offseason work he puts in at Broncos headquarters.

Then there’s his toddler twins that keep him busy during whatever free time he does have.

“Staying active, I think that’s what I try to do,” Manning said after the Broncos’ first 11-on-11 workouts of the offseason Wednesday. “I don’t really enjoy just sitting around doing nothing. Obviously, I rarely get a chance to do that. Anytime I’m home, I’m playing, playing a lot of T-ball right now with the kids and playing, staying pretty busy there.”

And on the road.

“David Letterman’s retiring so I enjoyed getting to see him. I’ve been on his show a couple times and he’s an old Indianapolis guy. I enjoyed that. Went to the Yankee game, saw Derek Jeter, who’s retiring,” Manning said. “All these guys are retiring.”

That doesn’t mean Manning’s doing his own retirement tour, just that he’s a restless soul.

“Speaking at graduation, (my wife) Ashley went to Virginia, and I enjoy being around young people,” Manning said. “That’s where the future is and anytime you have a chance to spend time with them, I think the reason I was picked to speak at UVA’s graduation, the students picked because they said I’d been their top choice in fantasy football for four years. So that was the criteria. So I was proud to receive that honor.”

Even Manning’s free time is spoken for — his foundation on Wednesday announced $1 million in donations to community agencies in Colorado, Tennessee, Louisiana and Indiana serving youth and at-risk children and families.

“I think I certainly feel more comfortable in my surroundings here in Denver and have more of an understanding of what the routine is, of what the culture here is as far as football is concerned. So when you do have some free time, it does allow you to do more in the community,” Manning said. “I didn’t do as much my first year, especially as you’re kind of getting comfortable, and certainly had a ton of uncertainty with my injury and rehab.

“So it’s nice to get back into more of a normal routine of the way that I’ve played quarterback and done things in the offseason as I used to do in years past when I was healthy under normal circumstances.”

Of course, when he’s on the football field, Manning’s all business.

He’s getting used to new receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Cody Latimer and a shuffled offensive line that features the return of blindside protector Ryan Clady. And he’s facing a revamped defense that includes free agent acquisitions DeMarcus Ware and Aqib Talib, whom Manning called “probably the toughest corner that we played against last year.”

One thing Manning didn’t do in his bustling offseason was accompany teammate Wes Welker to the Kentucky Derby, where the slot receiver’s luck extended beyond the racetrack and into the cashier’s window. A member of his group who was sent to collect his winnings was accidentally overpaid nearly $15,000 on what should have been a $42,000 windfall.

Afterward, Welker was seen giving away $100 bills to strangers in lieu of autographs.

“I’ve been to the Derby many a time, living in Indy,” Manning said. “It sounds like he had kind of a hot day I guess.”

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

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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