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Cardinals coach, players stunned by Dwyer’s arrest

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians says domestic violence is a worldwide problem and should be addressed everywhere, not just in the NFL.

“If this bad scar on the NFL, as you want to say right now, makes the rest of the world aware of what’s going on,” he said, “it’s damn good.”

Arians spoke to a mob of reporters after practice on Thursday, a day after running back Jonathan Dwyer was taken into custody at the Cardinals’ practice facility on domestic violence charges.

Arians said Dwyer expressed shock at the arrest and insisted he was innocent.

The Cardinals placed Dwyer on the reserve/non-football illness list, meaning he can’t play for the team again this season.

“We’ll allow the court system to take care of what is true and what isn’t,” Arians said. “Up until then, until he’s exonerated, he will not be a member of this football team. If and when he is exonerated, I will gladly take him back.”

Arians said he was “floored” when police showed up at the Cardinals facility late Wednesday morning.

“It was like the worst nightmare a coach can have right now,” he said. “For me personally, I was totally shocked because I’ve known Jon a long time and it was totally out of character from what I’ve known.”

That was the reaction, too, of inside linebacker Larry Foote, who has known Dwyer for several years dating back to their time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Foote said he and his wife were with Dwyer and his wife on a flight to San Diego for a Christian conference this offseason.

He said Dwyer and his wife regularly attended Bible study.

“I was surprised,” Foote said. “I got a thousand phone calls from people back in Pittsburgh, like ‘What’s going on?’ A lot of people just can’t believe it. I’m more sad for the family. It’s a young, beautiful family, just had a little boy. From the outside, it looked like everything was smooth.”

Arians said he’s extremely sensitive to the issue because his wife worked for more than 18 years as a court-appointed special advocate for children of families with child abuse and other problems.

“I think anyone who touches a woman or a child, in my opinion, needs to go to jail for a long time,” Arians said.

He said that he’s always approached his job as if the players were his children.

“And this is very hard,” Arians said. “If this was my son, I would have to have a very hard time dealing with it.”

Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said he hadn’t seen this many reporters in the Cardinals’ locker room since the Super Bowl season.

“We’re asking questions like he’s been tried and found guilty,” Fitzgerald said. “I always thought you were innocent until proven guilty. He’s got a long process to deal with still, so we got to let that play out.”

Arians insisted this won’t be a distraction for a team getting ready for “a huge football game” against San Francisco on Sunday.

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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