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Bradford: Yet another make or break season

By WTOP Staff

R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — It’s become a rite of training camp for Sam Bradford.

Every summer, he deals with the oversized burden of living up to getting picked first overall in 2010. The St. Louis Rams quarterback is not surprised that once again, he’s supposedly at a career crossroads.

Bradford can’t remember when that wasn’t perceived to be the case, and he tries to ignore low outside expectations that include a fantasy rating in the bottom half of NFL quarterbacks and other assorted doubts. He’s as eager as anyone on the outside to be a difference-maker in a breakthrough season.

“Every year is a ‘make it or break it’ year according to someone,” Bradford said, then quickly shifted to team emphasis. “I think everyone in our locker room feels really good about where we’re at right now and where this football team is going.

“I think we have a great chance to be really good.”

So far he’s been impressive in camp, rewarded for dedication to the rehab program. Though he’s wearing a brace, there have been no restrictions.

“If we have to back down, we’ll back down,” coach Jeff Fisher said.

Whatever he does, criticism flows freely. The team can only scoff at some of the opinions on social media.

The biggest reason Bradford is a lightning rod player is because he had the good fortune to be the last high-dollar No. 1 pick before the NFL went to a rookie salary cap. He has two years to go on a six-year deal worth $78 million that can be a bit of an albatross if the Rams aren’t winning, or if he’s injured.

“No one steps on the field to lose,” Bradford said. “I think we want it just as bad as the city and the fans do.”

Former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson suggested on ESPN recently that Bradford has a reputation of being “soft.” He also missed six games with a high ankle sprain in 2011.

Another opinion making the rounds this week is the notion Bradford is a high-paid game manager with limited improvisational skills.

“Geez, there’s a million experts out there and they all know football so well, but they’ve never coached or played a day in their life,” defensive end Chris Long said. “If I sit there and start talking about Cardinals baseball, well, I’m not a baseball player, I’m just a fan. It’s kind of out of my lane.”

Long was chosen second overall a year before Bradford went No. 1, so he can relate to attention that sometimes borders on obsessive.

“It’s just dialogue and you’ve got to block it out, and I think he does a really good job of it,” Long said. “He’s a tough guy mentally and physically and he’s just going to have a big year, I just feel that way.”

Before his season-ending left knee injury in Week 7, Bradford appeared headed for his best year with 14 touchdown passes and just four interceptions.

The Rams were 3-4 with Bradford and it could be argued he’d have made enough impact to turn the tide in narrow home losses the next two weeks against Seattle and Tennessee. They went to a ground-oriented offense under journeyman backup Kellen Clemens and finished with seven wins for the second straight year under coach Jeff Fisher.

“Sam Bradford gets hurt, you change your entire game plan,” general manager Les Snead said.

Well before the draft the Rams assured Bradford of their commitment and quashed rumors about Johnny Manziel. There’s no issue who’s No. 1 at camp. Journeyman Shaun Hill is the backup and there are two young quarterbacks in camp, sixth-round pick Garrett Gilbert and Austin Davis.

“He’s come out healthier, stronger, faster, and everybody can see it,” guard Rodger Saffold said. “At the end of the day he doesn’t need to be tough because we’re going to do what we’ve got to do.”

Bradford’s goals for training camp and the preseason are simple — get reacquainted with the game.

“There’s no doubt that there is still a little rust that needs to come off,” he said. “I just haven’t been out there.”

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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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