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Irsay arrives at Colts training camp

By WTOP Staff

ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) — Jim Irsay was back at one of his favorite hangouts Friday — the Indianapolis Colts’ training camp.

He’s hoping to stick around a while longer.

Though the 55-year-old Colts owner did not discuss his looming court case, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s pending decision or any potential punishments stemming from his March arrest, Irsay clearly enjoyed being around his team, coach and general manager and basked in the environment of his family business.

“At (age) 55, I really don’t think about retirement or that sort of thing,” he told The Associated Press. “I just want to continue building a great (Colts’) legacy on the field.”

First, must survive the storm that has been brewing since he was arrested with $29,000 in cash and bottles of prescription drugs in his car. Less than 48 hours later, team officials said Irsay voluntarily entered a treatment facility. He and was later charged with misdemeanor counts of driving while intoxicated and driving with a Schedule I or II controlled substance in his body.

The ramifications are still lingering. Irsay’s next court date is scheduled for Monday, though he is not expected to appear until the following court date, Aug. 28. And he’s still waiting for Goodell’s ruling, one that NFL players are watching closely to see how the commissioner disciplines an owner.

In the meantime, Irsay is busy with his own team.

“With the group we have here and with Andrew (Luck) really being seasoned now and doing such amazing things in only two years, everyone understands the expectations,” he said. “You know when you have a great player like Andrew at quarterback that everyone’s going to set the bar high for achievement. So we won the division, we won a playoff game, and now it’s just a question of trying to get deeper (in the playoffs).”

Irsay looked and sounded better than he did at last year’s camp, and fans showed their support by chanting Irsay’s name while they waited for him to cover over to the fence. A few other fans waited near Irsay’s golf cart so they could get a picture with the man who first started attending training camp as a teenage ball boy when John Unitas was the Colts’ starting quarterback.

“Those days were the best,” Irsay said, reflecting on 43 years of camps.

But this year has been a tough one for Irsay. Three of his colleagues, Bud Adams, Malcolm Glazer and Ralph Wilson, have died in the past nine months and Broncos owner Pat Bowlen announced Wednesday that he would give up control of his team because of Alzheimer’s disease.

The news of Bowlen, who Irsay called a “great, great” friend, and Wilson, who he said was like a “dear uncle,” hit Irsay especially hard.

“We go back a long way, and it’s tough because he’s in really great physical shape. It hurts me because 70 is just too young for that,” Irsay said of Bowlen before turning to Wilson. “It’s tough because as time goes along, you lose some guys and it’s hard to lose such great friends.”

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Online: 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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