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Gronk’s back: Star tight end practices with Pats

By WTOP Staff

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Rob Gronkowski ran short routes, caught passes and jogged back to the line of scrimmage.

He didn’t cut sharply, run hard at defensive backs or participate in 11-on-11 drills.

The oft-injured tight end for the New England Patriots is practicing at training camp but not ready for full activity as he continues his recovery from knee surgery. He’s not even sure he’ll play in the season opener Sept. 7.

“I’m preparing myself to my max ability right now for the first regular game,” Gronkowski said, dripping with sweat after Friday’s workout. “I really can’t say anything from here on out because it’s far away.”

The signs of his surgical history are obvious — a heavy brace on his left arm, another brace on his right knee.

“I’m used to the arm brace now. It’s been a year now wearing that so it’s second hand now having that thing on,” Gronkowski said. “The knee brace just started, but today’s the second day out there and I’m already getting comfortable with everything.

“It’s great to be out there with my teammates again, being in the huddle, catching balls from Tom Brady. It’s a dream come true again. It feels like it got taken away and now I feel like I got it back so it’s awesome.”

Injuries have derailed a pro career that started with significant production.

Gronkowski missed his final college season at Arizona following back surgery but, as a rookie in 2010, he had 42 catches for 546 yards and 10 touchdowns. The next season he set NFL records for tight ends with 1,327 yards receiving, 17 touchdown receptions and 18 total touchdowns. He also caught 90 passes and was an outstanding blocker.

In 2012, he started strong before breaking his left forearm in the 11th game while blocking for an extra point.

Since then, he’s missed 17 of the Patriots next 26 games, including the playoffs. And he was on the weekly injury report or the injured reserve list for each of the past 33 games.

“It’s been a lot, but I’m putting that all in my past now and just grinding right now, going to get my knee 100 percent ready to go,” Gronkowski said. “I’m just not going to dwell on the past.”

Even without setbacks, he’s not likely to be dominant right away, especially if he doesn’t play preseason games or takes limited contact in practices.

Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis played all 16 games for Tampa Bay last season after recovering from knee surgery, but “it was tough. I wasn’t where I needed to be,” he said.

“They say it takes a year and a half or two” to return to pre-injury condition, Revis said. “I think I’m at a point now where I’m there. This offseason was a full offseason for me where I can just focus on working out instead of doing the rehab (as) soon as you get the injury. So I’m fine, man. Like I said, I’m in the best shape I’ve been in my career.”

He had more time to recover than Gronkowski but said “everybody goes through it differently.”

Revis tore his left ACL on Sept. 23, 2012, and underwent surgery Oct. 16. Gronkowski tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee last Dec. 8 and had his operation on Jan. 9.

“I’m just doing individual drills, routes out there and everything, getting my conditioning up, keeping the leg strengthening, getting my body in shape,” Gronkowski said. “All that good stuff.”

He began last season on the sideline after four surgeries on his left forearm and a back operation on June 18.

The Patriots kept him off the regular-season physically unable to perform list, which would have required him to miss the first six games. The team hoped he’d be back sooner, but Gronkowski and his advisers were cautious. He finally returned for the seventh game.

“I’m putting that one in the past,” he said. “We’re all on the same page right now — the team, organization, myself, the trainers, the doctors.”

Were they on different pages last year?

“No. Not really,” Gronkowski said. “I guess it seemed like that out there, but in the organization we were all on the same page and this year we’re all on the same page again, so it’s going well.”

He expects it to keep getting better.

“I definitely feel like I can go back out there right where I left and pick it right back up,” Gronkowski said. “It was boring this year. I was rehabbing every day. I was miserable. Hopefully, that never happens again.”

___

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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