Mark Richt says decision to sell Lake Hartwell property was Christian motivated
Mark Richt said the decision of sell his second home on Lake Hartwell was in order to be able to give more to the less fortunate. (AJC photo by Curtis Comption)
I had to laugh earlier today when a colleague at work pointed out that the independent blog “SportsByBrooks” was reporting that Mark Richt had placed his Lake Hartwell home up for sale.
Predictably, “Brooks” — aka freelance journalist Brooks Melchior, 43, of Los Angeles — makes the leap that Richt selling off his property surely must mean that Richt is in real trouble as the head football coach of the Georgia Bulldogs.
Writes Brooks: “Normally, I don’t subscribe to a coach putting a home up for sale as a sign of anything, but in this case, it might be applicable. . . . Richt doesn’t strike me as a guy out to flip houses, so I think it’s reasonable to surmise that last year’s 6-7 record — and the subsequent outcry emanating from Athens — may have something to do with the coach making over his real estate portfolio.”
I found this funny because Richt told me several weeks ago that he and his wife had decided to place their second home on the market and he told me why. He revealed that to me in an off-the-record meeting we had shortly after I had been placed back on the UGA beat. Actually, I initiated the discussion when I told Richt that my wife and I were considering downsizing but were afraid we would take too much of a financial hit with the economic times being what they are. Richt told me then what he and Katharyn were doing and actually predicted what the reaction would be if and when it went public.
With the cat out of the bag, so to speak, I called Richt Wednesday and asked him to explain again — this time on the record — what he and wife were thinking when they decided to sell the lakehouse. I’ll just let him tell it:
“Within the last year, I read this book, “The Hole in Our Gospel,” written by Richard Stearns. He’s the president of World Vision, U.S. I think people understand who World Vision is but, basically, they help the poor. Through their organization, you can help children, you can help build wells, you can buy them donkeys, whatever people need. World Vision helps people across the world. Well, anyway, there was a lot of statistical data in there about the amount of people that live on a dollar a day around this world. Billions of people. So I’m reading this book and it really affected me. It helped me realize that what we have is way more than we need and that our ability to give is hindered by this property. I guess that’s the best way to tell you. We just wanted to be in a better position to give and bless people that don’t have anything. We felt like this was one way to be able to do that.”
The house and surrounding acreage was listed for $1.99 million on May 17. Richt had the Hart County home built in 2009, about the time his oldest son Jon Richt signed a scholarship to play football at nearby Clemson University. Jon Richt transferred to Mars Hill College shortly after Tommy Bowden was dismissed as Clemson’s coach.
Richt makes more than $3 million a year as Georgia’s coach and has earned more than $25 million in income from UGA since being hired in 2001. So it’s not like he can no longer afford it or is concerned that, without the Georgia job, eventually won’t be able to.
“Our ability to own this home, to have this home, that’s not an issue,” Richt said Wednesday. “It has absolutely nothing to do with anything that has to do with football. It has to do my wife’s desire and my desire to give.
“I was actually compelled to do this much earlier,” he added. “I made the decision to do it a while ago but I didn’t want to do it during the season or during recruiting because I knew it would be blown out of proportion. But it’s been on my heart for a long time, so we’re just going ahead and doing it.”
As for the book that served as Richt’s inspiration, you can read about it HERE. Stearns writes that 40 percent of the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day and 15 percent of the world’s people, about 1 billion people, live on less than $1 a day. The United States, on average, lives on $105 a day, the book claims.
“I’d challenge anybody to read this book and not be affected by it, Richt said. “We just live in such wealth here in America. And I’m talking about everybody. Anybody who’s making 30 grand a year is extremely wealthy compared to rest of the people in the world. These kids, these families will walk two or three miles, half a day or more, to get water that’s really not healthy. They’re drinking stuff that’s not safe for them. Then children die of AIDS, they die of malaria and they die of dehydration. Kids end up dying or the parents die and they’ve got nothing.
“This book just talks about how much of that is going on around the world and, if it was sitting right outside our door, what would we do about it? It’s a very compelling book. Compelling enough for me to say, ‘you know what, I don’t want to pour money into a home like that when I can use it for better things, for eternal things.’ It was just very alarming to find out what’s going on out there and we need to do something about it.”
As has been Richt’s style, he’s doing more about it than selling off his property. He and his family are taking a trip to Honduras this summer with World Vision to observe and assist in the construction of water wells.
As for the SportsbyBrooks report and the predictable assumptions made by it, Richt laughed and said “maybe some good will come from it.”
“If this situation gets people to read this book and gets people more interested in helping the poor, then I’m happy about it,” he said. “I hope other people respond. It’s a very compelling book and if people read it, I think they’ll understand where I’m coming from.”
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398 comments Add your comment
Kapoonka
May 25th, 2011
11:14 pm
Mmmmmm…sounds hokey to me….he has an ulterior motive. At 3m per year…the ability to “give’ exists big time. If richt is so adamant about 30K being a lot of dough, he should take a 30K salary and donate the rest…..now that would be impressive. I’m currently unemployed but I have donated over 5K in original art to 3 differnt causes this year alone…..didn’t have to sell my house to do it either.
LoganvilleDAWG
May 25th, 2011
11:24 pm
These are some of the most negative people around. All you are concerned about is winning football games, I like to win them too!!! But most of you don’t know one thing about college football, all you know is get rid of Coach Richt. I was there when VD coached & if he hadn’t had Herschal Walker they would have not won the NC. Also, his record was not even close to Coach Richt’s his 1st ten years, Ray Goff & Jim Donnan did not have the record Coach Richt has. If all you so called DAWG fans would learn the ins & outs of the program or college football in general you might say some positive things about the man. If you want to complain, complain about our fans WHO DO NOT make any noise at the games, all you do is whine & tell each other that was a dumb move the coaches made. We are some of the most pitiful fans in college football, it is tougher to play at Miss. State than Between the Hedges. If ya’ll have any sense(I doubt you do) start supporting the players & coaches. See what the stadium would be like if you stopped complaining, made some freaking noise & supported Coach Richt & the team. Also Coach Richt is a better man than me & I know alot better than all of you complaining….
Barkin'Dog
May 25th, 2011
11:34 pm
The closing line of another Blog… By Mark Bradley
“Georgia football might have disappointed us in other ways, but it has held up its end on a fundamental level. Its guys are making their grades. That’s no joke.”
Take that, you morons dissing CMR, and shove it where the sun don’t shine.
freight audit
May 25th, 2011
11:35 pm
I love this!
Tampa Dawg
May 25th, 2011
11:44 pm
Wally, please! All self-righteous independent fundamental pharisees exit.
Kris G
May 25th, 2011
11:51 pm
To be fair, prices are so jacked in the US, $105 only goes as far as, say, $30 in a lot of the world. Cash and wealth are two different things. I’d say MOST of the world that lives on $105 a day probably has a higher living standard.
AU in B-ham
May 26th, 2011
12:01 am
Love Mr. Richt, don’t love UGA, but do love the man:)
RobMc
May 26th, 2011
12:34 am
Didn’t Brooks Melchior go to UGA?
RED DOG 77
May 26th, 2011
12:40 am
First and foremost, coach Mark Richt certainly has his priorities in order. If just a small percentage of those who would judge him, would act a little more like him, what a wonderful place this world would be………..As for football ?……..
RED DOG 77
May 26th, 2011
12:47 am
First and foremost, coach Mark Richt certainly has his priorities in order ! If only those who judge him would try to be a little more like him, what a wonderful world this would be……….As for football? the man is witthout a doubt the greatest coach Georgia has ever had, and probubly the greatest in the Nation………….Me? I’m old school, I do believe “it’s not wheather you win or lose, it’s how you play the game”………….Coach Mark Richt plays the game the right way!………To me that’s what football is all about……….I do like to win though, and Richt has a whole bunch of wins under his belt………Bravo coach Richt!!!…………GO DOGS !!! GATA !!!
Scott S
May 26th, 2011
12:57 am
Never liked UGA – but absolutely love and reverence the Lord. I applaud his disciple Mark Richt.
big d dawg
May 26th, 2011
1:18 am
World Vision is a great organization to give to the 3rd world parties in need. I’ve been giving to this organization for 20 years. After working with disaster relief in poor areas where the tornadoes hit I’ve found out that no one is there to help the disadvantaged and poor in this country. We’ve taught them to depend on the gov’t, instead of working for a hand up, they’ve learned to work the hand out.
jackchavis123
May 26th, 2011
3:22 am
I just refinanced using “Mortgage Refinance 123″ and went from a 5.5/20yr to a 3.25/15yr. Monthly payments went down by about $100 but overall savings over the life of the loan are over $60,000. Definitely worth it in my opinion. Learn more about refi before you do one.
It Ain't Rocket Science
May 26th, 2011
3:58 am
These blog comments that are so negative show a complete lack of understanding, about the man and what is important in this world. I hope a lot of you never have to see the terrible horror of poverty that he is talking about. All you think is important is a football game. I want to win as much as anybody but I do not obsess about it, and I am darn proud to have a coach that has his life priorities set right so that he actually tries to help out those, less fortunate than himself. If all you are concerned about are wins and losses, you have already lost in life as it is. Ask some of these vets, what it is like to see some of the poverty over in the middle east. Maybe you will understand then why some of them look at America and are jealous. That jealousy breeds hatred, and gives rise to some of the stupid things they do and try and blame it on their religion. CMR’s religion tells him that he can make a difference both in a young mans life and in helping some folks maybe obtain a better life. Sad, that some of you would cut down a man that has that much compassion, as he does.
If you can not say anything good about a person, perhaps you should not say anything at all. I spent a lot of my whole adult life in the military and I can tell you first hand, that America is so lucky when compared to some of the countries I visited as far as quality of life. We have poverty here for sure, but nothing in comparison to what I saw in S.E. Asia, some places in central America and even the middle East.
I am proud that a man in his position like CMR, is our coach and I am proud he has such a good moral compass that he follows. I feel sorry for folks whose whole life revolves around a football game, and who live only through a blog about football, as a fair amount of you do.
Buzz Me
May 26th, 2011
4:48 am
slowly preparing to exit the scene once ungrateful mutt fans get on his case
Notso Fast
May 26th, 2011
5:02 am
There is no doubt of Coach R’s character. He is a good man and that is a fact. It is his coaching ability that people sometimes doubt. If the SEC was decided on character, Coach R would probably win every year but it is decided on winning football games and that is what has created a problem.
dawgdip
May 26th, 2011
5:33 am
To Wally Check out what the Bible says about judging another. How does that 2×4 feel in the old eye?
God Bless He is so into Jesus
May 26th, 2011
6:00 am
How could he be so into religion? Is that a weakness or strength? Geeez, I wish we focus on wins and not junk like this
A Coach with Vision
May 26th, 2011
6:14 am
I’m not a big fan of Richt the coach but I love Richt the person. Despite some of concerns regarding his coaching, if I had a kid who was D-1 caliber, I’d want him to play for Richt. He’d learn a lot more than football.
chuck allison
May 26th, 2011
6:15 am
I do admire coach Richt. I wish UGA could (and would) also recruit players with more integrity so the entire program could reflect the coach’s character.
Get Real
May 26th, 2011
6:30 am
This was a story about a man and his wife doing something of value to help children and families that are poor and under-priveledged. It had nothing to do with comparing him to other coaches, championships. It was all to do with a man of compassion for his fellow man and his faith in God and humanity. You can’t save a child’s life or feed a starving family with a championship ring. That’s what’s wrong with the world today! There is too much importance put on sports and what’s in it for me! The movie actors/actresses, sports all make a fortune but I don’t think many of them come close to having the passion and heart of Mark Richt and his Wife! If you don’t get it…there’s more to life than football!
FLA DAWG
May 26th, 2011
6:43 am
No one with a brain questions the charitable nature of Richt or his family. But the bottomline is the man cannot Head Coach an SEC Football Team. The success he had early on was a great formula of him being the OC and Van Gorder or Muschamp running the D.
Essentially we had no HC in those days and it worked well. As soon as he relinquished his role as O play caller and hired Bobo and Martinez the ship began to sink.
This season will be as bad as last. I think he wins one of the first two games – maybe.
I think he loses to SC but he may get a face slap earlier by a very hungry Boise State Team. If he loses the first two games he will wish he had left at the end of last season.
Home up for sale for charity? The guy has more than enough to give without selling his home. I think the man sees the team (and coaching staff) he has and realizes he’d better start liquidating.
John10:10
May 26th, 2011
6:50 am
I love Coach Richt for doing this. Jesus said the more stuff you have the less effective you are in His kingdom. Jesus knew that less is often more. American Christians would rather rationalize their endless pursuit of ease than do what Jesus said. The gospel tales on new meaning when all your stuff is gone. It’s wildly liberating. When Coach Richt is done as coach hopefully he’ll move into full-time ministry instead of another coaching gig.
Dave
May 26th, 2011
6:55 am
There are a lot of people who claim to be Christians and never act that way in their own lives.Some really are of the opinion that Christ died for my sins so I am going to live my life that way not caring how I treat others at all. Some really are takers not givers. I really hate those who treat Mark Richt like crap because being a nice person is a character flaw in a head coach and I am a SC fan. It is an embarrassment how some coaches in football use their religion to recruit players and win football games and that is kind of the extent of how they use their religion to help themselves. I question these coaches in exploiting religion I have not done that once with Richt because his life shows who he is.
Black Mountain Bulldog
May 26th, 2011
7:16 am
So Richt cursed, wow people get a life.
Dogs will be back, and the haters, will maybe leave, this blog.
joe taxpayer
May 26th, 2011
7:22 am
Matthew 6:1-4 for all of you CMR lovers
JoshC
May 26th, 2011
7:23 am
Wow, what an inspiration and example! So awesome to see men like that in those positions. I pray that Richt’s example will cause us all to stop and consider our priorities and whether we have truly surrendered our life for the sake of the Gospel. Reminds me of Jim Elliot’s quote, “He is no fool who gives that which he cannot keep for that which he cannot lose”.
joe taxpayer
May 26th, 2011
7:24 am
Here it is Matt. 6:1-4 e careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Dave
May 26th, 2011
7:33 am
I think GA needs to hire Mike Leach as it’s next coach it would be a good match in giving many GA fans a coach who matches what many are looking for in a coach.
Ha
May 26th, 2011
7:33 am
Ha. Sell in a down market…write it off as charity. Smart accountant.
gt
May 26th, 2011
7:35 am
Save this blog. When Richt loses about three games next year bring it back out. Late spring is the perfect time for a feel good, because come late fall a few are going to be wondering why he makes 3 million in the first place. What a Richt type does to me is make me feel dirty for liking college football so much. It is the southern DNA in me, but I think you pay the man to win football games or at least not bring the hood to Athens. There is some responsibility to the people paying you. A little concentration in that area while he is taking the money he doesn’t seem to need might make a few in the state feel better.
BG
May 26th, 2011
7:39 am
Richt is a good man!!!
BG
May 26th, 2011
7:42 am
Joe taxpayer do you cheat on your taxes?? I bet you do! Don’t throw rocks if you live in a glass house.
JB
May 26th, 2011
7:46 am
His business, not ours.Who of you could stand your personal life played out in public EVERYDAY. He knows it comes with the job, but I don’t think Mark spends a whole lot of time worrying about the mob on this blog.
JoshC
May 26th, 2011
7:47 am
Joe, I agree with you, but don’t see your comments fitting the scenario here. Mark, only mentioned it in a off record conversation when Chip Towers mentioned he was downsizing. Later when asked there isn’t anything wrong with him revealing his honest reason for selling the place. As a leader his actions are closely watched and he will give account for the example he sets. In the end God knows his heart. Rather then judging and critiquing maybe we should allow it to challenge us.
BuckB
May 26th, 2011
7:48 am
Agree. You christians is nuts.
Bama Fan#2
May 26th, 2011
7:48 am
Mark Richt is a great person and I hope has a great season this year.
Ronin
May 26th, 2011
7:52 am
Say what you will about his coaching ability. The guy is a decent human being that has his priorities straight. I’ve been to some of these places in Central and South America, the people have basically nothing. To tell you the truth, in general, they’re happier than most people in the United States who are stressed out their mind trying to pay their next bill and taking Prozac or Xanax daily.
Sometimes, less is more.
Kudos to Mark Richt.
BuckB
May 26th, 2011
7:53 am
Just like Madonna did so many times during her career, Richt continues to reinvent himself. MR is probably a fine man, as is said, but he can’t intellectually connect his calling as a christian to what it takes to be a successful collge football coach. This cognitive disconnect will kick in fully about the time his compensation as ugag’s coach reaches, say… $35m. MArk my words.
whoz53
May 26th, 2011
7:54 am
Great gesture!
phil
May 26th, 2011
7:57 am
Coach might better spend some time worrying with his football team this summer rather than digging holes in Honduras. We’ve got plenty of problems in our own country right now with tens of thousands without homes due to the tornadoes, floods, etc., so if there’s going to be a trip, it might be time better spent in Alabama or Joplin, Missouri….
Of course Honduras will make for better press, I suppose….I shouldn’t say that and am proud of what he does, but I do get tired of the save the world speeches when we’ve got terrible problems right here at home….
Auburn through and through
May 26th, 2011
8:02 am
As much as I love to see Auburn smash them on the field…this man is a true Christian. Like he said, he is storing his eternal treasures and not worldly treasures. He is am amazing man and human being, do I think he’ll be coach at UGA with another year like the last few, no I don’t. But that just means God is finished with that chapter in his life. Dosen’t change his character, the man he is, or the love that the Dawgs will always have for him. His respected for a lot more than football statistics.
bitter seen to much of the world--"dude"
May 26th, 2011
8:07 am
having worked with the us army in the middle east and having seen bangladish workers get payed
less than 10 dollars a day in a 12 hour work day as cleaners on US bases, slave labor is well alive, and being supported by cruel contract companys who drawn a pay check from uncle sam
point being some things chip and coach richt prayer just cant reach out and do anything
————-to stop————— CORPTION————–ps i meet drew breeze at camp lsa in kuwait
———————need prove ask the QB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! life just aint fair—–
1eyedJack
May 26th, 2011
8:08 am
Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier ‘n puttin’ it back in.
reebok
May 26th, 2011
8:13 am
Tech fan here…nice job, Coach Richt.
A GT Man
May 26th, 2011
8:13 am
As a GT alum and supporter, I despise Bulldogs sports with every fiber of my being. If they lost every football game from here out, I’d be thrilled. But dammit if I don’t have a deep respect for Mark Richt as a person. He’s the genuine article and I hope UGA fans realize what a gem of a man they’ve got guiding their football team (and we must acknowledge that results are very important, so let’s not forget that he’s had some enviable on-the-field success, as well). That is something to be proud of.
Cousin Curtis
May 26th, 2011
8:13 am
Ok, douchebag FL and GT fans who love to hang out on a GA blog: chances are, he is gone after this year. No argument here on that. But clearly the man has conviction, and this has nothing to do with football. We could all follow his example in this regard and the world would be a better place. (Although you would still be – no matter what – an insufferable douchebag, you asshead.)
seejay
May 26th, 2011
8:15 am
Anyway
People are often unreasonable, illogical,
and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, People may accuse you
of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some
false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone
could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway
-Mother Theresa
Mudcatjoe
May 26th, 2011
8:18 am
Getting ready to move out of Athens after the upcoming losing season!! Gotta love it!!
JB
May 26th, 2011
8:22 am
I own lake property. A 2 million dollar lake house is not likely to sell anytime soon.