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Messi back to old self under new Barcelona coach

By WTOP Staff

JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Bad World Cup memories be gone. Lionel Messi is back to his match-winning self.

Not even a black cat — regarded as unlucky in Spain and other cultures — zigzagging across his path on Sunday could stop Messi from sending the message that the four-time world player of the year is ready to do battle once again with 2013 Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo for the title of football’s best player.

The trick now for new coach Luis Enrique will be ensuring that Messi stays as fit and hungry as he looked in scoring two sensational goals in Barcelona’s Spanish league opener against Elche. Luis Enrique may need to temper Messi’s desire to play every minute of every game, so his team doesn’t lose him to injury again at the tail end of the season when trophies are on the line.

After the first season in six years without trophies, and a loss to Germany in the World Cup final for Argentina, everyone at the second highest-earning club in Europe after Real Madrid is eager to start afresh. No wonder the Camp Nou crowd looked nervous when a black cat streaked out to join the players.

But Messi’s role in Barcelona’s 3-0 victory quickly put superstitious thoughts to rest. The goals were vintage Messi, a mix of balance, quick judgment and reflexes, and changes of pace to open angles through Elche’s defense before slotting unstoppable shots just inside the uprights with the silky touch of his left boot.

Even more encouraging was his hustle, last seen on a regular basis when former coach Pep Guardiola helped Messi exploit his incredible potential.

In the 28th minute, Messi sprinted back to pressure an Elche player with the ball and cut him down with a nasty tackle. The home crowd wouldn’t have minded if he had gotten booked because Messi’s effort, as always, was contagious. The team didn’t skip a beat playing with 10 men in the second half after Javier Mascherano was sent off.

If World Cup disappointment is still gnawing at Messi, it doesn’t show. He looked buoyant, determined, even happy — nothing like the grim-faced losing finalist who appeared to have been hollowed out by the 1-0 extra time loss to Germany at the Maracana Stadium in July, a bitterness which his award as the competition’s best player did nothing to sweeten.

In Brazil, after wowing in the group stage, Messi seemed at times to be missing zip and incisiveness in later games. But the indications from Luis Enrique’s debut league game as coach seem to be that the former Barcelona player, known for his firm hand and forthright manner, has rekindled Messi’s fire.

Over the past two seasons, Messi slowly settled into a rut of waiting for the ball to come to him at the point of attack. The same was also true in some of Argentina’s games in Brazil. This despite the fact that Guardiola once said the key to winning with Messi was making sure that he runs as much as possible.

Messi also has to watch his back. In signing Luis Suarez and Neymar over the last two years, Barcelona has attacking players who could challenge Messi’s leading role if he becomes complacent.

With neither Neymar (injury) or Suarez (banned for biting an opponent at the World Cup) available on Sunday, Messi took full advantage to remind everyone that he is still the team’s star.

Messi also must compete against himself. After recording unprecedented tallies of 73 goals for Barcelona in 2011-12 and 60 more in 2012-13, it felt — ridiculously — like a let-down when Messi “only” found the net 41 times last season.

Messi’s double on Sunday left him on the cusp of another scoring record. At 27, he is only six goals from equaling Athletic Bilbao’s Telmo Zarra as the Spanish league’s all-time leading scorer with 251.

Still, it will be over the course of the entire season that Messi will again be judged. He can either further cement his place as one of football’s all-time greats or risk talk of decline.

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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