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Gates still a slam dunk for Chargers at age 34

By WTOP Staff

BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Go ahead and question Antonio Gates because he’s 34. Feel free to wonder whether he’s lost a step.

And then sit back and watch a performance like last Sunday’s, when Gates caught three touchdown passes from Philip Rivers to lead the Chargers to a 30-21 upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

Gates’ first TD was an over-the-shoulder catch in the back of the end zone. The second came after he put a nice move on a defender. The capper was a tremendous one-handed catch.

Even if he has lost a step, the star tight end hasn’t lost his ability to use his basketball smarts to get position against defenders, particularly inside the 20-yard-line. His hands remain among the surest in the NFL — even if only needs to use one of them. After two games he leads the Chargers (1-1) with 13 catches for 177 yards and three scores.

Gates said he’s heard chatter from people who assume he’s washed up. He wonders, though, what criteria they use. After struggling through a few seasons due to painful foot injuries, he bounced back last year with a team-high 77 catches, for 872 yards and four touchdowns. San Diego, in turn, ended a three-year playoff drought and won a postseason game for the first time since 2008.

“It’s hard not to use it as motivation,” Gates said. “It bothers me in the sense because I want to be the best and I try to go out and do the best I can. But for the most part this team, this organization, has always had tremendous confidence in me. There’s never a time where I felt slighted as a person, as a player, in this league.”

Gates has dealt with bigger issues. He came into camp in great shape despite missing most offseason workouts to be with his 22-year-old sister, Pamela, who died on July 23 after battling lupus for three years.

Gates’ three-TD performance Sunday gave him 90 for his career, moving him past Larry Fitzgerald (87) and Hall of Famers Andre Reed (87) and Don Maynard (88) and into No. 11 on the all-time list. His next scoring catch will move him into the Top 10, tying Isaac Bruce with 91.

He ranks second all-time among tight ends behind Tony Gonzalez (111).

Perhaps more importantly, Rivers and Gates have connected on 65 career touchdown passes, the most in NFL history between a quarterback and a tight end.

Gates’ 21-yard TD catch Sunday was epic. He split two defenders and extended for Rivers’ pass, reaching out with his left hand to gather it in before hitting the ground and ending up flat on his back, holding up the ball with his right hand.

“Philip was being Philip,” Gates said. “I was feeling his confidence in me and he put the ball basically where no other player could get it but me.”

That’s where familiarity and countless hours of practice over the years have paid off. Gates joined the Chargers in 2003 as an undrafted rookie after starring in basketball at Kent State, where he helped the Golden Flashes come within one victory of the Final Four in 2002.

Rivers came along in 2004 and became the starter in 2006 after Drew Brees was allowed to leave as a free agent.

Gates and Rivers have had adjoining lockers for years.

They know each other’s tendencies so well that Rivers described his three TD passes to Gates on Sunday as being “a little bit backyard.”

Gates said Rivers can read his posture and “he knows all my little moves. It’s funny. You’ve got to see him imitate me because he’s really good at it. Like if he’s explaining something to me, like, ‘This is what I want you to do,’ he’ll go through my whole personality. ‘Hey, do this.'”

Not wanting to embarrass himself, Rivers declined to do his Gates imitation.

“He always laughs,” Rivers said. “I always say, ‘I’m telling you, I know what you’re going to do.’ “

Before signing with the Chargers in 2003, Gates hadn’t played football since his senior season at Detroit’s Central High.

“Just being able to run a route and get open and get separation. That’s something I had to learn,” he said. “In this league, as long as you can get open, you can always play. Some athletes play receiver and some receivers are athletes. I like to feel I came in as an athlete but I wanted to be one of those guys that learned the basic fundamentals of the game at that position. That’s what’s helping me now.”

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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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