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Strahan goes from DE to TV to HOF

By WTOP Staff

BARRY WILNER
AP Pro Football Writer

Michael Strahan had one objective in mind when he came to the New York Giants as a second-round draft pick in 1993 out of Texas Southern.

“My goal when I first started was just to make a little money so I didn’t have to move back to my parents’ house,” he says. “I didn’t want to disappoint my parents. So that was my goal, to kind of just make my parents proud, make them happy, play as hard and just do the best I could do.”

The best he could do was pretty good: Strahan will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

Strahan was the leader of a defense that stunned the undefeated Patriots in the 2008 Super Bowl. He holds the single-season mark for sacks with 22 1-2 in 2001 — yeah, we know all about Brett Favre’s “dive” for the record-setting sack. He retired with 141 1-2 sacks, seven Pro Bowl appearances and four All-Pro team selections.

And while he was a game-changer on the field, he was making his mark elsewhere with his gregarious personality, gap-toothed smile and willingness to step out of his comfort zone. He became a regular in commercials, most notably for Subway.

Strahan easily moved from the field to the television studio after retirement, and now is co-host of the “Live! With Kelly and Michael” morning show.

But he’s going into the Canton shrine because of his on-field achievements in 15 seasons, all with the Giants.

Playing for one team, joining former teammates Harry Carson and Lawrence Taylor in the hall, means plenty to the 42-year-old Strahan.

“Just so much history on the side of the Giants,” Strahan says, “and the fact that you can see we all spent our career all in one place, which just goes to show that it’s a family.”

Not that a spot in Canton was on Strahan’s mind when he wore No. 92 for the Giants.

“I think, when you once start thinking like that, you’re setting yourself for failure,” he says. “So I just went out and played every year for 15 as hard as I could and just — at the end of it all, it took me years before I looked back on my career and said, ‘Man, I did have a pretty good career.’ Other than that, I just look at myself as a football player who happens to play as hard as I could and ended up by going out on the right note on a team that got hot at the right time and won a Super Bowl, and one of the most memorable ones going against an undefeated team.”

Strahan had a sack in that game, the final one of his career. He became eligible for the hall in 2013 and was elected this year.

Seeing his former teammate and mentor selected for the hall reminds current Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka of Strahan’s refusal to come off the field. Strahan started 205 of his 216 career games, and was no situational player.

“I remember him specifically saying, That’s just a chance for somebody to take your spot,’ ” Kiwanuka says. “He’d say, ‘I’m never going to come off the field, they’re going to have to drag me off the field.’ You have to have that mentality of a warrior, somebody who’s going to be out there and be accountable every single play.”

It takes more than determination, good health and some good fortune to achieve that. Giants general manager Jerry Reese recognizes that.

“Michael would get recognized most of the time as a pass rusher, and he was a great one,” Reese says. “But he could also play the run as well as anybody at that position. He was great against the run.”

He also was a teacher. Jason Pierre-Paul, the Giants’ main sacks threat these days, notes that Strahan taught Osi Umenyiora the tricks of the trade. Umenyiora passed them along to Kiwanuka, who did the same for Pierre-Paul.

Reese took over for Ernie Accorsi as Giants GM in 2007, and his first task directly involved his star defensive end. Strahan held out of training camp, immediately setting up a challenge the new general manager had to overcome.

Obviously, the sides reached a deal, and six months later, the Giants were champions.

“Coach (Tom) Coughlin said when Chris Snee retired, ‘Give me 100 Chris Snees on my team,’ ” Reese says. “Well, you can give me 200 Michael Strahans.”

___

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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