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Browns’ Manziel: “I’ve made some rookie mistakes”

By WTOP Staff

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Like reading a blitz, Johnny Manziel knew the questions about his off-field wildness were coming. So the Browns quarterback struck first.

“At the end of the day,” Manziel said, “I’ve made some rookie mistakes.”

On the eve of Cleveland’s first training camp practice, Manziel offered some regret about his well-chronicled weekend partying over the past two months. But as he prepares to battle Brian Hoyer for a starting job, Manziel said he’s in good standing with his bosses.

It’s time to get to work.

From here on, he’s Johnny All About Football.

“There’s some things that I wish I could’ve gone back and done a little differently,” Manziel said. “But I’m continuing to move forward and trying to represent this organization in a positive manner and a positive light, so just very excited to be back in camp and it’s football 24/7 and that’s what I love doing. That’s what I live for and it’s what my job, so for me, I’m very excited to be back and can’t wait to get this underway.”

Manziel addressed his fraternity-guy-gone-wild behavior, which included photos of him hanging out poolside in Las Vegas with Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, swigging champagne on an inflatable swan pool raft in a Texas nightclub and a shot of him rolling a dollar bill in a bathroom. Manziel didn’t say he’ll change completely, but vowed to be focused on football going forward.

Manziel opened his news conference by discussing his off-field exploits, saying he has spoken to Browns coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer.

“For me, my main thing is, people within this building, my teammates, the coaching staff, the higher-ups in this organization we’ve all been on the same page,” he said. “We’ve all been good and very eager to be moving forward.”

For weeks, the Browns downplayed Manziel’s antics. But as his questionable conduct continued and after the startling photo surfaced of Manziel with the rolled-up bill, Pettine reached out to the 21-year-old while he was on vacation.

“I’ve talked about that with Coach Pettine,” Manziel said. “I’ve talked about it with Farmer and the people I needed to talk about that with. Moving forward, they’re good with everything. I’ve told them everything that I need to, and everything’s been good.”

While acknowledging he could have made better decisions, Manziel also defended his lifestyle.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with me going out and having a night life, having a social life,” he said. “I mean I am 21 years old and I do like going out and it was the offseason. It’s free time for us and if I want to go out and hang out with my friends or go to nightclubs or do things like that then I think that’s within my rights to be doing that.

“I think there’s other guys throughout the league that are doing that and I’m not trying to compare myself to anybody else but I think that’s within my rights to be doing that.”

Manziel doesn’t think his busy social calendar will hurt his chances to beat out Hoyer.

“I don’t believe so,” he said. “I think there are definitely things moving forward to help better act as a professional. At the same time, I’m still learning how to do that. I’m still getting used to this role, still getting used to this league, still getting used to being a pro football player.

“I’m not in college anymore. There’s things I need to do better, and that’s just part of being a professional. Hopefully with time and going through this season and as time goes on, I’ll get better at doing that.”

The former Texas A&M star enters his first camp as Cleveland’s No. 2 quarterback behind Hoyer, who will get all the reps with Cleveland’s starting offense during the first few days of camp.

Pettine, who earlier this week said he wants to name his starter “pretty quickly” believes Manziel enters camp well prepared to compete with Hoyer.

The continuous controversy surrounding Manziel has somewhat overshadowed Hoyer, who has worked his way back after suffering a season-ending knee injury in his third start last season. The homegrown Hoyer is certain he’ll hang on to his starting job and be behind center when the Browns open at Pittsburgh on Sept. 7.

“I’m confident I am that guy, but in the same sense I know if it comes down to the fact Johnny does beat me out I will have given everything I can and he will have totally earned it,” Hoyer said. “That’s what you want. All I ask is the opportunity and a chance to earn the job, and that’s what I’ve been given. For me it’s about going out every day and proving I can be that guy I believe I am.”

___

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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