Skip to main content

Jermaine Jones makes plays across field for US

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

RECIFE, Brazil (AP) — With both his current team and his former one on to the World Cup’s knockout rounds, Jermaine Jones approached the German players and offered his best wishes.

“I hope that we see us again,” said Jones, who also answered some questions in his first language of German afterward.

The fiery U.S. midfielder is among five German-Americans who faced the three-time World Cup champion Thursday. The United States gave the Germans quite a push in a 1-0 loss that still was enough to send the Americans to the round of 16. Portugal’s 2-1 victory against Ghana sealed their advancement on goal difference.

Jones played three exhibitions for Germany in 2008 but was among the final cuts by coach Joachim Loew for that year’s European Championship.

“It is my first home, Germany, so I grew up hoping for this team,” he said. “I try the best for my team.”

The son of an American serviceman and German mother, Jones asked FIFA in 2009 for a change in affiliation to join the U.S.

He never could have imagined the scene at water-logged Arena Pernambuco. There was much physical play during a chippy match.

“I think my nose is broken,” he said.

Jones was injured in a collision with teammate Alejandro Bedoya. He would be the second American to break his nose during the tournament, after captain Clint Dempsey was hurt against Ghana on June 16.

“We have a team that has a lot of heart, a lot of character,” Dempsey said. “We keep going and keep fighting. I’m sure if he did break his nose, just like what happened to me, he’ll be ready for the next game.”

Indeed, Jones hardly seemed bothered — and he won’t let the injury slow down his all-out fierce play, dreadlocks flopping.

“He’s been covering a ton of ground himself, and he’s been doing a lot of stuff that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet,” fellow midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. “It’s stuff that we need against these teams. We were put in a group with some really quality teams. We’ve needed him to cover a ton of ground; we’ve needed him to attack.”

The 32-year-old Jones knows this could be his last chance on soccer’s biggest stage. Jones was recruited by ex-U.S. coach Bob Bradley, then former German coach and 1990 World Cup champion Jurgen Klinsmann took over for Bradley in July 2011.

Next up: A match with Group H winner Belgium on Tuesday in Salvador.

That gives the Americans plenty of time to recover once back at their home base in Sao Paulo.

“Today we lose the game, but everybody’s happy that we’ve come to the next round. We showed some people,” Jones said, happy the Americans proved a pair of ESPN analysts wrong. “We had that time when we were in New York in Times Square and Alexi Lalas and Taylor (Twellman) and people that were talking like we have no chance to come through to the next round.

“The team has always looked forward, and we got it.”

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote