Richt is coaching through pain as SEC East title nears
Mark Richt has been coaching through pain of a hip that requires surgery. (Bob Andres/AJC)
ATHENS – Over the past several weeks, Georgia has lost three senior starters to season-ending injuries, accumulated various ailments that left other players without a full-set of functioning body parts and played four games without its projected starting defense because of four player suspensions.
As it turns out, Mark Richt also has been playing – or coaching – hurt.
Richt, a few days away from coaching his potential second straight SEC East-clinching game at Auburn, likely will have hip-replacement surgery after the season. He is often in excruciating pain, particularly after standing and pacing on the sideline for three-plus hours on game day.
The injury is something Richt has managed to keep quiet for the past year. Even athletic director Greg McGarity wasn’t aware of his coach’s condition until last week, and McGarity only became aware of it because he was trying to schedule postseason meetings with Richt and he needed to check on his availability.
There are two reasons Richt wanted to keep this quiet: 1) No coach wants to draw attention to himself when it’s a health matter, particularly when a “play hurt” mandate is stamped on every player’s forehead; 2) The genesis of the injury is rather embarrassing.
An old football injury?
“No,” Richt said. “ I think it’s a swing set injury.”
When asked to tell the story, he initially balked, then said, “I might as well,” in that I-know-it’s-going-to-get-out-anyway tone.
It was a Richt family picnic in Indiana. Richt said he was in his mid-20s. His wife, Katharyn, recalls it being in the early 1990s, which would put Richt in his early 30s.
We’ll side with Katharyn. She has no football or swing set injuries, therefore is less likely to have a concussion.
Richt was “trying to show off” for his wife.
“I was trying to show her what a good swinger I was,” he said. (For most people, that comment would have a completely different context.)
“I was swinging really high on a big heavy swing set with those big heavy chains. Sometimes if you go super high, on the way back you get a little bit of that lag. You’ve got those big S-hooks on top, and you’re swinging, and I swung enough to where the one on the left came out. So it comes out, but I didn’t know. I’m still on the swing. So when I come back down, the chain on [on the right] stayed taut and the other one just goes. I turned sideways and the first thing that hits the ground is my left hip. Just smashed it.
“It was traumatic. I mean, when I hit I was like, ‘I think I broke it.’ I couldn’t hardly breathe. Sometimes with an injury like that you get a full-body sweat and a little nauseous. But the pain kind of went away and I went about my business, until about a year and a half ago.”
When asked if the pain just suddenly came back, Richt paused before answering. (More humiliation coming.)
“P90x,” he finally said, referencing the DVD set of workouts. “I thought I just had a hip-flexor injury. But I said if I quit now I’m just going to get fat. So I just kept doing it.”
The pain grew. Richt couldn’t sleep at night. He finally went to a doctor and was presented with a surgical option: “They said to just go as long as you can stand it, and when you want you can get a new one.”
The story is still a source of humor in the Richt house. Katharyn Richt laughs every time she tells it.
“That was typical of him,” she said. “Mark always has to win at something. Even swinging became a championship pursuit.”
The Bulldogs have been on such a pursuit. Since starting last season 0-2, they are 18-1 in regular season games (13-1 in the SEC). They followed last season’s 10-game winning streak with an SEC title game loss to LSU. Should they beat Auburn as expected Saturday, they will be underdogs to Alabama in a few weeks in the Georgia Dome.
The regular season success has been helped in part by a schedule devoid of Alabama and LSU. But a team still has to win games, and Georgia has. Players still have to overcome adversity, and they have. A coach still has to be doing something right, and Richt has. And he has done so with a hip in need of replacing.
Those swing set injuries just don’t go away.
By Jeff Schultz
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194 comments Add your comment
Hmmmmm
November 6th, 2012
7:16 pm
I hope winning makes it feel better. I had hip surgery last year, not a replacement but a repair.
One year later it was the best thing I have ever had done.
Hope he gets it fixed in Jan after enjoying an SEC chamionship.
jbirdawg
November 6th, 2012
7:36 pm
funny Jeff throws in a dig like the season success has been helped by not having to play Bama or LSU. Looks like we will get to play Bama. And LSU lost to UF. Almost to Auburn. They are a good team and played up to and maybe above their potential against Bama. Or, maybe Bama isn’t as impeccable as we are all led to believe. We will see. I am far from conceding an SEC championship to Bama.
ugab
November 6th, 2012
8:28 pm
Get luck with the hip. God Bless.
Auburn is not going to be an easy game. I know everyone has been beating Auburn. Auburn almost beat LSU. They have the players. CMR better have these players focused.
DawgNole
November 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
Wet Willie…keep on smiling
November 6th, 2012
6:37 pm
The Bama players are fixed there as well with Dr. Cain…..They fix everyone matter of fact. You have never seen some many jersey’s on walls in all your life and I mean soccer,baseball,football, and basketball.
My wife as a back issue and we’re setup at 2PM on Wednesday. A great group of folks.
_________________
Don’t care much for your anti-Dawg rants, but you’re spot on about Andrews and his group. The best of the best. Good luck to your wife; she’ll be in good hands.
Neutral
November 6th, 2012
8:44 pm
Al = idiot = Techie (guaranteed not a Dawg fan….just an insensitvive moron)
Mark Richt to have offseason hip replacement surgery courtesy of a swinging … – Yahoo! Sports (blog) | Cosmetic Surgery
November 6th, 2012
8:45 pm
[...] now Georgia coach Mark Richt confesses that he also has to have hip surgery from an injury …Richt is coaching through pain as SEC East title nearsAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Abry Jones Injury: Mark Richt confirms season-ending surgery for [...]
WTF
November 6th, 2012
8:55 pm
Good Luck Coach.
Al your a pain to have to read, so go fix your husbands dinner.
Snoop
November 6th, 2012
8:55 pm
Preacha Man’s slicker than Obama. Now he’s got everyone feeling bad about his hip. Gimme a break…
kingdaddy
November 6th, 2012
9:03 pm
Hang in there coach…
Al
November 6th, 2012
9:19 pm
@WTF
What a loser you are. We know how you roll now!!
@Neutral
wow you have me all figured out don’t you? Some of you are so stupid it’s sad!!
JB at home
November 6th, 2012
9:31 pm
Well, after tonight, football doesn’t seem that important. Just Damn.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 6th, 2012
9:35 pm
Obama is about to win another 4 years and you morons are all talking about football.
RedandBlackDAWG
November 6th, 2012
9:37 pm
Nobody likes a crybaby
November 6th, 2012
5:47 pm
It is comments like yours that let me know, that they still allow idiots to post on the AJC blogs no matter what the content of thier comments.
I would ask how many joint replacements you have gone through, but I doubt if you have had any considering you can’t hurt yourself with a ping pong paddle, which I would guess is the extent of your physical activity.
Fats G
November 6th, 2012
9:40 pm
I understand a sportwriter in Macon,GA announced GA will destroy Auburn. That right there will give Richt a pain in the kester. Thanks Mr. Shanks in Macon for lighting up the Auburn plainsmen,if they didn’t ALREADY want to kick our dwg tails anyways
Thomas Brown
November 6th, 2012
9:42 pm
Get Well Mark Richt !
On an evening so measured by the North vs The South – forget Hell No, keep winning doesn’t cut it because then # 2 now # 6 Florida has beat current BCS Ranked # 15 Texas A and M, # 8 South Carolina, and # 7 LSU and Georgia – well, we up and beat them to be # 5.
Consensus # 5.
Didn’t we ?
whiskey breath
November 6th, 2012
10:02 pm
Do you think he will get a set of crutches like Dooley and stand on the sidelines? Dooley thought it looked pretty cool. Not sure it didn’t backfire on Dooley.
bulldogbubba
November 6th, 2012
10:16 pm
@Stinger2 thanks for your support of a good coach and good man!I do wish baseball was starting soon. It will be a long 4 months.Happy Holidays to you and yours.
WTF
November 6th, 2012
10:18 pm
@al your wife doesn’t think i a loser. any time any place puss.
Al
November 6th, 2012
10:18 pm
My mommy is calling me to come home.
Thomas Brown
November 6th, 2012
10:24 pm
SSIgator October 26th, 2012 2:42 pm Friday afternoon before game
” ‘ Will Georgia seize the moment?’ Probably not, but it is likely they will “seize up” based their past recent history. Also, as history has proven, having St. Markus Rectumus and his merry band of coaching thieves does not bode well for UGA in a big game situation. But I guess even a blind hog gets lucky from time to time – and I guess I could win the Florida Lottery if I buy enough tickets.”
SSIgator November 6th, 2012 5:47 pm Now after HIDING for 2 weeks :
“Well, at least maybe he can win the mythical Swinger Championship – it is the only NC he will get close to.”
_____________________________________________________
He certainly BEAT YOUR BUTTS, didn’t he ? Leaving Will Muschamp 0-2 and TAKING your national championship from you with 6-forced fumbles and 2-forced interceptions, beating your crocodiles to 6 of the 8-forced balls up for grabs.
You really think you can HIDE for 2 weeks and come-back with this weak-butt crudola ?
You LOST again. Oh, and by the way, thank you for running your Full Page Ad in the Red and Black student newspaper telling us how bad we are, and giving our players the locker-room bulletin board material of how bad we are, and how great you are. Obviously, it HURTS giving us the best win compared to any of the top-ranked BCS teams.
You are sitting at HOME again for The SEC Championship I see. Mark Richt certainly got close to all this against Will Muschamp, didn’t he SSIgator ?
Mark Richt loses control of his hip, needs offseason replacement surgery | CollegeFootballTalk
November 6th, 2012
10:28 pm
[...] nearly 20 years ago while trying to impress his wife at a family picnic. On a swing set. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “I was trying to show her what a good swinger I was,” he said. (For most people, that comment [...]
GT Girl
November 6th, 2012
10:40 pm
Hope CMR’s surgery goes well. I’ve met him a couple of times, very nice man with a nice tan too!
Thomas Brown
November 6th, 2012
10:41 pm
And, he has certainly beat your butts, too, hasn’t he with his tan ?
BullDawg Rick
November 6th, 2012
11:01 pm
Git er Done Coach!! & GodSpeed to you in your recovery!!
Outer Banks Dawg
November 6th, 2012
11:08 pm
That is a great picture of coach Richt. I like the quote from his wife about how much he likes to win. When I saw him get fired up on the sideline of the Florida game, I got so excited. It was a welcome change, maybe a defining moment in Georgia Football History. think all the coaches were fired up, and that was one of the most intense college games I have ever seen. The hitting and tackling were incredible. Just a flat out war! And now we are playing for a championship Saturday vs. Auburn. Bring that fire with you Saturday night, Coach! Go Dawgs!
whiskey breath
November 6th, 2012
11:11 pm
If you mutts want to have a pitty party for a lazy coach that makes millions, , go for it.
But keep in mind, there are people out there with terminal illnesses , children that won’t make it to
adulthood, They won’t ever be reported by the media, they will just pass. But go ahead and have your boo hoo party.
Georgia’s Mark Richt told his wife: “I was trying to show her what a swinger I was.” | IMAGE CPR™
November 6th, 2012
11:21 pm
[...] “I was trying to show her what a good swinger I was,” Richt told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. [...]
Thomas Brown
November 6th, 2012
11:56 pm
Lance November 6th, 2012 6:57 pm
“I feel sorry for him. I know he’s in a lot of pain. Even though I’m not a fan of his, I am sympathetic. However, I still think UGA will not reach the next level with him as coach. Does anyone really think he’s on the same level with Saban, Snyder, Kelly, Miles, Meyer, and Spurrier?”
_________________________________
Snyder, hell yes. The rest of those ? Probably not, but he damn sure beat # 2 Florida ( now # 6 ) with wins over 3 of the BCS Top 15 teams, this season, hasn’t he ? I was the 1st blogger on these blogs to support Mark Richt’s extension long before Greg McGarity got it done. I wanted him extended this time last year. Notwithstanding the fact that with the 3 missing now through the end of the year, 2 of which end their career here at UGA on a high note to give him now only 64 scholarship recruits to play football against Alabama out of his allotted 85, he certainly has recruited as well as any of those coaches. And, like I said, he beat Florida.
You cannot wish away the win we all wanted more than anything over Florida. Now, we’re on to another such win and he has 4 of those type wins in his 12-year career. That might not seem like much, but he’s not sleazy, he’s not a cheater, he’s a good man, he’s won a lot of games, his players adore the Man – and, we really haven’t been blessed with a truly greatest of all coach yet here at UGA – never.
His staff has been put together out of a bunch no one else wants and that has hurt him.
His X and 0 has been poor on offense, defense and special teams.
But, give the Man his due – he recruits as well as if not better than any coach ever.
It’s great having all this talent through here.
All I ask is that he win big games. He did that. I’m happy.
Would I like to beat Alabama ? You know it. Watch Texas A and M 4 days from now; as I am calling for their victory with Johnny Football at the helm.
Ok, so he admitted on the radio today WSB AM 750 Mark Richt morning this morning, heading back from voting, that he had a down point against South Carolina. The pits.
He sits today # 5, and yes Alabama looming. He also has a BETTER WIN than Oregon, Notre Dame or Kansas State. He has another such opportunity. I have heard it said on this blog that he doesn’t even need to show-up to the Alabama game.
Notre Dame has no Aaron Murray, and plays no one.
Kansas State loses and still hasn’t beat anyone either.
Oregon has beat no one and with all the Southern California losses mounting every week, they are going to play them twice because UCLA loses all 4 of their last 4 games, even with all the losses by Southern California this season and lots more to come.
Logically, even with only 64 scholarship recruits left, Notre Dame is not a team of Destiny for beating a 4-5 team in triple over-time. Logically, with 5 of the top 8 BCS-ranked teams SEC teams, if Alabama could beat Texas A and M, which I certainly don’t see as any foregone conclusion although a redshirt freshman QB Johnny Football Oregon and Stanford gave scholarship offers to and wanted badly and obviously could really use – Mark Richt stands at the precipice.
If you want to know the truth of the matter – that is all I have ever asked of him.
After all the gloom of South Carolina 35 to nothing when Spurrier yanked his starters in a class move, this really is our best chance 2012 as I said all along every post.
We just needed to win that big game. We did and look where we are ? Is it wrong to insist that out of them, again, against Alabama ?
Do you really think with – let’s talk hypothetical here, ok – wins over # 6 Florida and # 1 Alabama that Mark Richt would not be viewed as having beat top teams this season a # 2 and a # 1 and instead they should send :
(1) Notre Dame having played no one
(2) Kansas State having played no one
(3) Oregon having played no one
And, leave him at Home ?
There are those, I presume actually limited enough in their God-Given smarts who size that up and say Undefeated 1, 2, 3 having beat no one between them should shut-out The SEC with Mark Richt knocking Alabama obviously to # 3 this year unlike # 2 last year.
I am not even welcome to offer that opinion about Mark Richt. There is the hey, they owe him too for 2007, and for 2002. And, should he do that I say # 2 Georgia, # 3 Alabama # 4 Florida and probably Notre Dame with their no top team even played # 1. Would I like that re-match Notre Dame with no Aaron Murray vs us ? You bet I would. The point, as I see it is that Kansas State loses anyway. And, Oregon is playing as their best opponent all season # 17 or worse – really same as Notre Dame.
Could they lock-out The SEC # 2 UGA, # 3 Alabama # 4 Florida # 6 LSU # 7 South Carolina ?
Get real folks. I am not that stupid to recommend that that is the only way it works out, if Mark Richt beats Alabama with all their freshman at all the key positions.
I wanted this chance. I insisted on this chance. We needed this chance. We maybe deserved this chance. And, despite whole lot of people saying we have no hope, we beat Florida who beat Texas A and M, LSU and South Carolina.
Go Mark Richt.
Defense wins Titles
November 7th, 2012
12:07 am
CMR By His Stripes we are healed. l plead the blood of Yahshua over you, your hip, your family, your staff, Our Time, Our Team, No regrets. Just Win Baby. Have surgery and recover. Get our recruits signed in Feb. You are the Man.
Thomas Brown
November 7th, 2012
12:27 am
jbirdawg November 6th, 2012 7:36 pm
“funny Jeff throws in a dig like the season success has been helped by not having to play Bama or LSU. Looks like we will get to play Bama. And LSU lost to UF. Almost to Auburn. They are a good team and played up to and maybe above their potential against Bama. Or, maybe Bama isn’t as impeccable as we are all led to believe. We will see. I am far from conceding an SEC championship to Bama.”
_________________________________________
I was working my way through the posts. You and I made all the same points.
What he said.
Dawg
November 7th, 2012
12:51 am
Mark Richt is, at minimum, one of the 3 best coaches we’ve ever had at Georgia. Calling for his firing because, essentially, he never goes undefeated is ignorant, childish, and stupid. You want someone who can “take Georgia to the next level,” you say? Well, Georgia’s on a pretty dadgum high level as it is. There are a lot more “next levels” available below us than there are above us. That “next level” you want another coach to take you to isn’t likely to be a step up.
Dawg
November 7th, 2012
12:52 am
Fwd: Lance! Stop with that ” Richt needs to go mess”
Stinger2
November 7th, 2012
3:46 am
bulldawgbubba: You are right about baseball. But all is not lost. The GM are meting now and the Winter (Hot Stove) metings are in December. I believe Frank Wren will make a couple of good moves by trade or FA signing for Atlanta. Go Braves 2013!
Dawgie Doo Doo
November 7th, 2012
4:02 am
2010=6 wins, 7 losses
Thomas Brown
November 7th, 2012
5:16 am
# 5 DawgNation 8-1 going 12-2, beat # 2 Florida (wins over 15 TAMU 8 SoCar 7 LSU) beat # 1 ?
It’s the beating of # 1 that is the question about 2012 now, not something that happened not this season, not last season, but Aaron Murray’s freshman year the season before that.
Watch as TAMU with Johnny Football beats Alabama this weekend, too.
54-54-8 vs Auburn after 2012.
All good. Great recruiting class lining up now.
BobbyDawg
November 7th, 2012
5:19 am
The main cause of the pain is inflamation as I’m sure coach Richt knows. After all these years battling arthritis I’ve found Mobic to be by far the best anti-inflamnatory. If anybody can get this message to coach Richt he needs to get Mobic from his Dr. It really, really makes a big difference in the pain, GO DAWGS !
Leftygolfer48
November 7th, 2012
5:25 am
Have you noticed most of the haters come from schools CMR has beaten the year? Well except for and they will be watching the championship game on ESPN.
legionaire
November 7th, 2012
5:26 am
Coach Richt needs to not try and rush back. Fired up to crush the turkey buzzards and have a another crack at bama. They are due to be taken down a peg. Good luck on the operation.
BobbyDawg
November 7th, 2012
5:50 am
I hope Arron Murray will remember the whipping Nick Fairley put on him in the 2010 game as he’s air mailing touchdwn passses to our guys in the end zone. Maybe Jarvis Jones will deliver a little pay back. GO DAWGS !
Gator Slayer
November 7th, 2012
5:58 am
SSI gator we beat you lizards,that is better than a NC to me. Just to ruin the gators year. We own you gators. GO DAWGS
Thomas Brown
November 7th, 2012
6:48 am
amen
tell me again
November 7th, 2012
6:50 am
I didn’t realize Martinez was at Auburn. No wonder they suck this year. If he’s coaching the secondary Murray will have a field day.
Thomas Brown
November 7th, 2012
7:05 am
Brian VanGorder hired Willie Martinez after signing day when Willie was forced to resign January from Bob Stoops’ Choklahoma as Chocklahoma’s defensive backs’ coach doing a very poor job there. They both were at Central Michigan together.
Dawg1
November 7th, 2012
7:22 am
Mark Richt will feel like a new man. 21/2 years ago I had the new Birmingham Hip surgery by Dr. Greg Erens at Emory. I was 52 and had severe arthritus from injuries, golf etc. Did not look forward to surgery but it was not bad at all. Dr. Erens and Emory were great, only one night in hospital and then a speedy recovery. Like new now with titanium ball and titanium socket. I was back to normal in several weeks with no pain. Even had made to order meals at Emory Orthopedic Hospital.
Thomas Brown
November 7th, 2012
7:24 am
what did u eat ?
Why do the heathen rage?
November 7th, 2012
8:24 am
You never know if Richt is telling the truth or not.
eddie lee
November 7th, 2012
8:25 am
stick to diving in the pool coach
Taxi Smith
November 7th, 2012
8:33 am
I had a knee replacement this summer, and I’m a new man. Back golfing, walking, etc. I’m sure Coach will make a quick recovery. Good luck, Coach!
SEC FAN
November 7th, 2012
8:33 am
Poor Baby!!! Hope you don’t get hit on the sidelines while your looking in the mirror trying to fix your hair that the headset messed up!
AltamahaDawg
November 7th, 2012
8:40 am
Better get that hip replaced before January 20, or it might not be allowed.