Skip to main content

Wayne eager to face Manning, Broncos in return

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Reggie Wayne never doubted he could get back to being himself on the football field.

Not last October when his right knee gave out late in the Colts’ win over Denver. Not when he put in hour after hour strengthening the torn ACL on his own. Not even when the Colts played it safe in the preseason. Nope, Wayne always expected his knee would heal, his speed would return, his cuts would be crisp and the critics who counted him out would be wrong.

All he has to do now is prove he’s back. It starts Sunday night against the defending AFC champion Broncos and old friend Peyton Manning.

“I know what I’m capable of doing,” Wayne said Friday as he enters the final year of his contract. “When you’re rehabbing two or three times a day there’s no time for doubt, and if you have doubt, there’s no sense in getting up at 5 o’clock in the morning to rehab. It’s time to show everyone what four to eight hours a day, every day, away from your family was all about. It’s time to show everyone I’m the Reggie of old, if not better.”

Wayne needed more than just grit and determination to get through this offseason.

For months, he heard the same critique: 35-year-old receivers don’t come back from this sort of injury. He had watched the seemingly invincible Marvin Harrison, a former teammate, succumb to what was described then as a bruised knee at age 35. Harrison missed the final 11 regular season games in 2007, returned for the playoffs and lost a fumble the first time he was hit. The next season, Harrison finished with 60 catches, 636 yards and five touchdowns, his lowest numbers in a non-injury plagued season during the Manning era, and that’s how his career ended.

Those inside the Colts organization never doubted Wayne’s comeback would be different.

Instead of giving up on the guy who befriended coach Chuck Pagano at the University of Miami in the late 1990s, who gave up money to re-sign with the Colts in 2012 and delivered the season’s signature moment with a career-best 212-yard day in an incredible 30-27 comeback victory over Green Bay — days after Pagano left the team to start his battle against leukemia — everyone supported Wayne.

Pagano promised reporters almost immediately that Wayne would defy the odds, and his teammates became believers, too.

“I saw him in the offseason, I kept up with him, texting him and when I saw him run for the first time, I said, ‘He’s going to shock the world,'” receiver T.Y. Hilton said.

Still, Pagano had to be cautious.

He kept Wayne off to the side or in the background as teammates endured their offseason workouts in April, May and June. At training camp, Wayne was limited to a strict regimen of two practices every three days. And even when Wayne lobbied for more work in the preseason, he got to play in just two series against his hometown team, New Orleans.

Wayne’s first real game in 10 1/2 months is, ironically, against the team he sustained the injury against and against the same quarterback who helped him emerge as one of the NFL’s best receivers.

For a handful of hours Sunday, Wayne acknowledges, Manning will be a foe — not a friend — and that Manning will feel the same way about him until it’s over. But for the first time since getting hurt, Wayne will be under no restrictions.

“If it’s a normal game day and there’s 60 plays, I hope it’s 60 plays,” Wayne said. “If it’s 80 plays, that means we’re doing a good job, then I hope it’s 80 plays.”

The only people more eager to see him back on the field are teammates and coaches, who say Wayne’s mere presence provides a calming effect on the field.

“I know I sleep a lot better knowing he would suit up and play on Sundays,” Pagano said.

Wayne insists this season opener will be just another chapter in a career that has already produced 1,006 receptions, 13,556 yards, 80 touchdowns, six Pro Bowl selections, two AFC titles and one Super Bowl ring.

As for the ending, he’s still plotting it out.

“There are not very many guys who are 35, at receiver and still playing,” he said. “So it’s time to go out and have some fun. I’ve been playing a cheerleading role for a long time. It (football) is something I’ve been doing since I was 7 years old and I still love it.”

___

Online:

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote