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Newton: Doctors ‘downplayed’ length of ankle rehab

By WTOP Staff

Steve Reed
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Panthers quarterback Cam Newton never expected he’d still be dealing with pain in his left ankle more than six months after surgery.

Newton said his doctor “downplayed” the length of time it would take for him to recover. Team physician Robert Anderson performed the surgery on March 19.

“Something I thought where I would have a cast on for a couple of weeks ended up being a couple of months — and then the rehab started,” Newton said in his weekly press conference Wednesday.

The ankle injury, along with the broken ribs he suffered in the preseason, has limited Newton’s running ability. He has just eight carries for 33 yards and no touchdowns in three starts, well below his normal production.

The former No. 1 overall pick ran for 2,032 yards and 28 TDs in his first three seasons in Carolina.

Newton said he was under the impression the surgery was minor “to clean up ligaments and whatnot.”

The two-time Pro Bowler said he was surprised when he began reading media reports that he would be out longer than he initially anticipated.

The Panthers announced in a press release March 19 that Newton would miss four months.

“That’s when I started scratching my head like, man, this may be bigger than I thought,” Newton said. “I’m still in that mode where I’m realizing that I’m trying to recover from a major ankle surgery where it was displayed to me originally as a little cleanup.”

Panthers trainer Ryan Vermillion responded to Newton’s remarks on Wednesday in an email, saying “at no time was Cam’s surgery categorized as a simple surgery.

“From the beginning his timeline for return to practice was four to six months,” Vermillion said. ” … Like many orthopedic surgical procedures you continue to improve as you participate in your sport. That is exactly what Cam is doing, improving weekly. He has had some setbacks from other injuries but his ankle continues to improve and get better.”

Newton’s isn’t angry at the team or their medical staff.

In fact, he went on to say that he doesn’t question the decision to have the surgery.

“Hindsight is 20-20,” Newton said. “I’m not going to be up here (behind a podium) thinking about, if this would have happened or that would have happened. Whatever decision that was made I’m behind it 110 percent.”

The ankle has been a nagging problem for Newton for years, but it became more bothersome when he injured it in Carolina’s NFC divisional playoff loss to San Francisco in January.

The team waited more than a month to see if the pain subsided. When it didn’t, the decision was made to have surgery.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Wednesday he believes it was the right decision.

Rivera said when Newton fractured his ribs in an Aug. 22 preseason game against New England it set his recovery from ankle surgery back.

Newton missed a week of practice and the team’s season opener at Tampa Bay.

The ribs “made it difficult for him to do the rehab that he needed to,” Rivera said. “Part of the whole rehab plan was to always have him on the field when we got to training camp. You can’t make up for the type of twisting and turning he will do as a quarterback in the training room. Having him on the field and having him miss those 10 days I think kind of slowed him down as well. Those are 10 days that he really could have used.”

Newton downplayed his lack of running attempts, saying the opportunity to run hasn’t presented itself as much this season.

But it is clear Newton doesn’t have the same elusiveness in the pocket he had the past three seasons. Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula has not called many designed running plays for Newton in an effort to protect him from further injury.

Tight end Greg Olsen said he doesn’t doubt Newton’s toughness, calling it one of his greatest qualities. He said that while Newton may not be much of a factor as a runner, he’s used the time to develop into a better passer.

“He’s throwing the ball as good, if not better, than he’s ever thrown the ball,” Olsen said. “And that’s saying a lot.”

Newton hopes he’ll be a bigger part of the running game in the weeks to come.

“Hopefully I will be able to display my running talents soon,” Newton said.

___

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
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