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Gronk cleared to play at Patriots training camp

By WTOP Staff

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Rob Gronkowski was a training camp spectator last summer while recovering from surgery.

This summer, after another operation, the New England Patriots star tight end is expected to be on the field for the first practice Thursday.

“He’s been cleared to play,” coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday.

That’s welcome news to his teammates after a season in which Gronkowski played just seven regular-season games. He missed the first six following back surgery about a month before camp and the last three, plus both playoff games, with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

“We were all hoping Gronk would have a good recovery and so far he has,” Patriots left guard Logan Mankins said. “We’ll just see where he is, how good he is right now. It’s great to have him out there.”

The team could use his sure-handed receiving, powerful blocking and fun-loving personality.

“He’s a tremendous player,” defensive end Rob Ninkovich said. “He’s one of the best guys you could ever meet. He’s a great guy off the field. He’ll say ‘hi’ to anybody. He’ll do anything for you.”

Gronkowski stayed healthy his first two seasons after the Patriots drafted him out of Arizona in the second round in 2010. He played all 32 regular-season games with 132 receptions and 27 touchdown catches.

But while blocking for an extra point in the 11th game of 2012, a 59-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts, he broke his left forearm. That injury ended a season in which he had 55 catches for 11 touchdowns and was chosen for his second consecutive Pro Bowl even though he couldn’t play.

He had four forearm surgeries and a back operation. He watched training camp practices from the sideline, often wearing a T-shirt and shorts. His first practice in pads came last Sept. 1, seven days before the season opener.

After missing the first six games, he led all NFL tight ends in the next six with 37 catches and 560 yards receiving.

But his second reception in the next game was his last of the season. Safety T.J. Ward knocked him down with a hit to the right knee in a 27-26 win over the Cleveland Browns in Foxborough on Dec. 8.

Gronkowski was driven off the field on a cart. He underwent surgery in January.

Less than seven months later, is there anything the Patriots can do to better protect him?

“The health of the team is the most important thing that we have,” Belichick said. “We always try to do everything we can to help all the players stay healthy and stay on the field. We do that for everybody, every single guy. It’s a consideration for all them. Certainly Rob, but everybody.”

He said Gronkowski cannot be put on the physically unable to perform list because he’s been cleared to play.

“Rob’s always worked hard. He worked hard as a rookie,” Belichick said. “What we’ve seen, he’s been consistent.”

Tom Brady has certainly seen Gronkowski’s consistency as a receiver and blocker. With Gronkowski limited to seven games, the quarterback was sacked 40 times last season, one less than his career high in 2001, his first year as a starter.

“He’s a very good blocker, especially for his position,” Mankins said. “A lot of times the guys that catch the ball as well as he does, they don’t really block at all. They try to get in the way sometimes, but Gronk goes after people and he tries to block the best that he can and most of the time it’s pretty good.”

His return also would give Brady his most reliable receiver. The team’s other tight ends caught just 14 passes last season.

“He’s a big target for Tom to get the ball to and he gets open,” Mankins said. “Anytime you can have Gronk on the field, it’s great.”

Gronkowski was on the field at Gillette Stadium on July 1 at a Beyonce and Jay-Z concert where his knee didn’t seem to inhibit his lively dancing.

Now he seems on target to showing his moves in a game, starting with the opener at Miami on Sept. 7.

“I’m happy to see his progress and see him coming into the season and staying healthy,” Ninkovich said. “Obviously, that’s what everybody is talking about.”

___

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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