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Heading cross country hard for West Coast teams

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

The Oakland Raiders have to deal with more than just Tom Brady and Darrelle Revis at New England on Sunday. They’ll also be fighting mental fogginess and the physical effects of jetlag.

Their internal clocks will make it feel like it’s 6 a.m. when they drag themselves onto the early bus heading to the stadium four hours before the 1 p.m. EDT kickoff.

“When you go from east to west it’s almost like you gain some time and get some extra rest. But going from west to east that games hits you real quick,” Raiders safety Usama Young said. “It almost reminds you of when you were younger playing football in the morning. It’s a different feel. … It feels a little odd.”

The Raiders are trying to snap a 14-game losing streak in the Eastern time zone. But they’re not the only team that has trouble heading cross country.

The four West Coast teams, which annually log 25,000 air miles, are a combined 43-83 in the Eastern time zone over the last decade, according to STATS LLC.

Only the San Diego Chargers, who visit Buffalo this weekend, have a respectable record at 17-18. The rest are abysmal: Raiders (5-28), San Francisco 49ers (10-18) and Seattle Seahawks (11-19). That’s a .341 winning percentage. Those teams have a collective .522 winning percentage in all other games since 2004.

“It’s tough,” said 49ers running back Frank Gore. “The 1 o’clock games are the toughest, just the time difference. You start slower. When you wake up, you’re not really up until like the second half of the game. You don’t even feel like yourself. So you’ve got to drink all the energy stuff you can take.”

Teams based in the Eastern time zone don’t have nearly as hard a time winning out west. Those 17 teams are a combined 61-71 (.462) going cross country the other way over the last decade.

The Arizona Cardinals are a hybrid: They play half their season on the equivalent of Pacific time and then shift to Mountain time when daylight savings ends in early November. They’re 3-9 flying three time zones east since ’04.

To combat the difficulties associated with heading east across three time zones, teams have adjusted their travel schedules, typically flying out on a Friday, making it a three-day trip. Raiders coach Dennis Allen changed the script even more for this season’s opener, flying out on a Thursday to acclimate to the three-hour time change before an early kickoff that Sunday. The Raiders lost to the Jets 19-14.

San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh has even employed extended stays.

The 49ers roomed in eastern Ohio and practiced at Youngstown State in late September of 2012 between a loss at Minnesota and a 34-0 road rout of the New York Jets the next week. In 2011, San Francisco rallied from a 20-0 deficit to stun the Eagles 24-23 in Philadelphia a week after a win in Cincinnati and practice in Youngstown.

Players also keep their watches on Pacific time, turn back their hotel clocks, guzzle more fluids on the plane and consume copious amounts of energy drinks and sleeping aids.

“You definitely feel funny after that long flight,” said Bills running back Anthony Dixon, who spent the last four seasons in San Francisco. “Some things kind of ache a little more and it kind of puts you at a disadvantage. But we’re all pros, and this is something you have to deal with.”

NFL players are finely tuned athletes and creatures of habit. So, the trick is adjusting the schedule to keep their circadian rhythms from being affected while simultaneously trying to trick the body and mind.

“It’s very important,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “Changing the schedule hits us.”

The Raiders haven’t won a game in the Eastern time zone since Dec. 6, 2009, at Pittsburgh.

Then again, with 11 straight non-winning seasons, they haven’t had much success any time anywhere.

“Being here the past nine years with the Raiders, you do see a little sluggishness, even in pregame warm-ups,” Raiders long snapper Jon Condo said. “But that happens sometimes out here in Oakland on the West Coast, so it’s hard to explain if it’s because we’re on the East Coast or not.”

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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AP Sports Writers Bernie Wilson, Josh Dubow, Janie McCauley, Tim Booth and John Wawrow contributed.

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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