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Bryant undoubtedly tops Dallas receiver group now

By WTOP Staff

SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — Dez Bryant quickly turned his head toward a reporter who asked him about being the elder statesman among Dallas receivers.

“I’m not the old guy!” the 25-year-old said, raising his voice before flashing a smile. “I’m not. I’m still one of the youngest.”

But Bryant is one of the oldest in the receiving group for the Cowboys, and by far the most accomplished.

He’s going into the final season of his rookie contract with the potential of a big pay day looming. And his answers on that topic sound more like a leader than the troubled rookie who didn’t pay his jewelry bills four years ago.

“There is no need for me to be stressed out or worried about it,” Bryant said. “I really can’t have my mind focused on that because I have guys here who are counting on me and I can’t be selfish.”

Bryant has carried that label in the minds of many outside the Dallas locker room since he refused to carry Roy Williams’ shoulder pads in his first training camp in 2010. That was around the same time he was sued by a jeweler and caused a stir by wearing sagging pants in an upscale Dallas mall.

The most serious issue for Bryant away from the field came two years later when he was accused of hitting his mom in a domestic disturbance.

“Really, truthfully, trying to be honest, a lot of stuff I didn’t understand then, was really asking myself what was going on,” Bryant said in one of several candid moments during the offseason. “Like I said, just had to figure out what it was and get on the right track and remain on the right track. I honestly feel like that’s what I’ve been doing.”

Now Bryant is the one declaring there will be no hazing of rookies at camp in California. He might not want to be called “old,” but he also knows what the release of eight-year veteran Miles Austin meant for his role.

Forget the intangibles. Just take the numbers. The other 10 receivers on the Dallas camp roster have combined for barely half of Bryant’s 4,104 career yards. Bryant has 34 touchdowns in the past three seasons — twice that of the other receivers. He has 40 scores in four years.

“Because of the experience, yeah, but other than that nothing has changed,” Bryant said. “Everybody, in the wide receiver group, looks at each other as the same and that’s how I want it and that’s how they want it and that’s how we’re going to keep it.”

Defenses won’t look at it that way, which is why quarterback Tony Romo talks to Bryant about new ways of making himself better.

“He’s already good but now he can dig in and find those little things that only he knows,” Romo said. “You can try to help him see it as a quarterback or a coach but he knows something he can perfect and be better at and the people would never see it naturally but he can take it and go practice it.”

Bryant made more negative headlines last season with sideline antics in losses to Detroit and Green Bay that forced him and others to try to explain his behavior. He never lost the backing of Romo and tight end Jason Witten, and still stands by a passionate approach that he says fueled those emotional moments.

“I feel like I’m still rising,” Bryant said. “To me, it’s almost kind of scary just because of the fact of how much I love the game, not only myself, I want my teammates to be great. The way I feel, I don’t hesitate to share that with my teammates.”

He also hasn’t lost the backing of coach Jason Garrett, Bryant’s frequent pass-and-catch partner in practice and on game days.

“I can’t begin to tell in so many different ways how’s he’s gotten better,” Garrett said. “He’s gotten much more mature as a person. He handles the game in a much more professional manner than he did when he got here. It shows up in his play.”

Even though Bryant insists it doesn’t show up in his age.

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Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler

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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