Richt in Honduras: Football soon far from his mind
Katharyn and Mark Richt arrived in Honduras Monday for week long charity trip. (Steve Hummer, steve@ajc.com
Mark Richt is nearly 1,400 miles away from the Georgia Bulldogs practice field this week, touring impoverished areas of Honduras served by the Christian charity, World Vision International. It is his third visit to Honduras, but the first time any media has accompanied him. This week we will be providing daily postcards, as a coach views the world beyond the narrow focus of football. Look for an in-depth report on this other side of Richt – one far removed from the gaudy excesses of big-time college football – in Sunday’s AJC.
On the road to La Esperanza:
Sunday, Mark Richt celebrated Father’s Day at his Lake Hartwell home, enjoying the place while he can. That’s the same $2 million home he put up for sale in May, after deciding there were far more egalitarian uses for his money than supporting a second home.
Twenty-four hours later, he was flying into the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa. Monday was a big travel day before visiting some of World Vision’s projects in the mountainous western part of the country.
Coach, you’re definitely not in the gated community any more.
Both at a restaurant where the Richt party had lunch and at a rest stop along the way, private security guards with shotguns patrolled the parking lots. (Armed guards are a common sight here wherever the public gathers).
The four-hour drive from the capital to La Esperanza wound through areas where shacks clung to the hillsides in defiance of Newton’s Laws. The road alternated between paved and unpaved. Our little caravan of three SUVs came to halt several times when the road narrowed to one lane, and another time to yield to a small group of wandering cattle.
There is one upside to this locale, as far as Richt can tell. Soon enough, he will be immersed in football. Here, he doesn’t have to be.
Will there be any Bulldogs business transacted this week, he is asked.
“Depends if they can get hold of me or not,” he said. “Maybe I’ll work on something schematic if it’s on my mind.”
We will update if the coach begins sketching plays in the Honduran dust.
– Steve Hummer
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132 comments Add your comment
DawginLex
June 21st, 2011
9:46 am
Dirty Dawg, my brother from another mother……..
You go man.
DawginLex
June 21st, 2011
9:52 am
9:33 am comment got removed?
Fancy that?
POOF IT’S GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Damn Good Dawgs
June 21st, 2011
9:58 am
My front porch caved in killing 3 of my best coon dawgs. Where is coach richt when you need him?
One good thing
June 21st, 2011
10:09 am
CMR won’t be texting from south america!
In Other news
June 21st, 2011
10:13 am
Coach sues girl who hit softball…..http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/06/21/coach-hit-by-softball-sues-ormond-others.html
Saint Nick
June 21st, 2011
10:21 am
Im focusing on winning National Championships right now. Good For Richt since he cant and will never win one for UGA anyway.
bucket
June 21st, 2011
10:22 am
Coach Richt may not be the best college football coach, but some of you have much bigger problems than he does.
Bama Mike
June 21st, 2011
10:24 am
I certainly commend Coach Richt on his relief efforts. Whether is over-seas or here at home it is all good.
WDE
June 21st, 2011
10:41 am
Muschamp tell you what you win your first game as a HC and then run that pie hole of yours..got it? Oh and Saint Nick I think you have to come up with something else to focus on if 4th in the West is the best all that focus is getting you.
aarh
June 21st, 2011
10:46 am
LRover- I doubt Coach Richt is doing it for the fame. I believe it’s one’s intentions that count, & unless you can read his mind you don’t know what they are. Why is it that even when people do a good thing that people still can always come up w/ something negative to say? I feel like by having the media there it brings more awareness to everyone about what an issue there is there, & it can help encourage others to help as well. It’s also like someone else pointed out…he may not have inivited them, but even if he did it can have a positive affect on others.
I guess this is why he kicks a field goal on 4th and inches against UCF in the 1st Qtr!
June 21st, 2011
10:57 am
tell me again
June 21st, 2011
7:24 am
Coach Richt is the best coach in America EXACTLY BECAUSE he keeps it ALL IN PERSPECTIVE. THe young men under him have a man they can emulate – not just someone who teaches them to carry the pigskin. We are so fortunate to have him at the university and as the face of Georgia football. You “FANS” who say “all that is fine but he was hired to coach football” are EXACTLY what is wrong with college sports – win at all costs – recruit the losers if they can play – just make us money and bring us a trophy – you guys are the ones that need to get out of town – not Coach Richt. You think football is everything – guess what – IT’S NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He’s a winner on the field and off – something many of you posters ARE NOT. GO DAWGS!
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Fire Mark Richt!
June 21st, 2011
10:59 am
Good for you Mark RIcht…Now, can you please do this full time, and get out of Athens! You are a Head Coach in the SEC…YOU SHOULD BE PREPARING FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT COACHING YEAR IN YOUR CAREER.
Rhall55
June 21st, 2011
11:03 am
“You snooze, you lose”!!! As long as the rest of the staff is busting thier butts, things can still be accomplished!!! Bring in Shaq Roland as a commitment this week!!!
frank
June 21st, 2011
11:20 am
nice to see mark rick focusing on whats important. The real reason he sold his $2 mill lake hartwell home is cos he knows hes getting fired.
Phildo
June 21st, 2011
11:23 am
Ironic headline. Think about it.
BradSRQ
June 21st, 2011
11:24 am
Coach Richt is living out the Great Commission as in instructed in Matthew 25. This Gator fan is not bashful in telling you that you have a great man as your head coach. The life lessons he is teaching his players by his selfless effort in Honduras, is more important than a 10-2 season.
And to those of you who are questioning why do mission work overseas? Here is a challenge. Why don’t you consider giving an hour or two at the local library, the food pantry at a nearby church, a homeless shelter, Habitat or a nursing home? There is need all over the world, whether it is Athens, Greece or Athens, GA. Good day.
UGA FALCONS
June 21st, 2011
11:31 am
CMR = Class Act.
6 for 6 with 3 home runs
June 21st, 2011
11:36 am
Meanwhile, Paul Johnson was seen at the Varsity eating a double order of onion rings.
6 for 6 with 3 home runs
June 21st, 2011
11:39 am
I have followed CMR on Twitter for about 2 years and I haven’t seen one friggin update.
HECKLE
June 21st, 2011
11:47 am
I’ve been there…..DON’T drink the water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tom
June 21st, 2011
11:48 am
Tuff….. What do you mean “maybe”…. Such a stupid comment…. If you do not think CMR is sincere about this then you must be sitting in a dark closet somewhere.
Wonderful Ohio on the Gulf 'Dog
June 21st, 2011
11:56 am
“Missions” trips such as the Richts’ are really quite common. What is unique about the Richts’ trip is that it affords the general public a glimpse into what our fellow Americans actually accomplish in the world for which they receive little recognition.
Several physicians I know dedicate one month each year to providing indigent medical care in Central America.
One guy, pretty much on his own and not as a part of any orginized effort, each year takes his wife and children to a remote village in Honduras where he sets up a medical office in a tent from which he treats whoever is ill.
His wife is a former model, who, upon meeting her in the United States, would seem about the last person you’d expect would voluntarily spend a month each year sleeping on the ground under canvas in one of the world’s most improverished places. But their family has done so, year after year, even when their kids were very young, as their own special Christian “mission” to the world.
Another guy, an emergency room physician in a huge New York City hospital, spends a month every year with several other University of Miami med school graduates providing clinical indigent care in various parts of Central America.
A contractor friend of mine and his wife are in El Salvador as I write doing construction projects there. That couple has made many similar trips to rural Haiti, where they’ve built several schools, dug village wells, and constructed community-use buildings.
A single mom who’s finished raising her kids now applies her RN training and skills nursing HIV-positive children in Zimbabwe.
Those are just folks I know, and there are many other instances that I know of in which Americans routinely and regularly use the skills that they have to help others in need throughout the rest of the world.
Maybe the Richts’ trip to Honduras will raise public awareness of Central America’s needs as well as inspire others to give of themselves in similar service.
Service such as the Richts’ changes lives; the lives of the “servers” as much as the lives of the “receivers.”
On every level imaginable, I pray Coach Richt’s ‘Dogs go 14-0 in 2011. But I also know, whatever the Bulldogs’ record might be come January, Mark Richt is a winner. May God bless you.
Whisky Breath
June 21st, 2011
12:01 pm
Why the hell isn’t he helping the tornado victims in this country? I guess foreigners need more help than Americans that lost their house, car, and everything. Basically, he is self righteous and plays the media like a violin. He makes 3 million a year and you media guys are in bed with him.
Shame on all you media guys.
FanSince59
June 21st, 2011
12:04 pm
That’s what’s wrong with Richt and the UGA football program with him as its head coach. He’s not getting paid $3 million to galavant around the wilds of Honduras. He ought to be thinking about how he can improve the team in 2011 and bring the program back to relevance in the SEC, which it now is not and ha I wonder if Adams or the athletic director ever got around to telling him that’s what he is getting paid $3 million dollars for?
SSIgator
June 21st, 2011
12:10 pm
“Football far from Richt’s mind”
It sure is. All you have to do is look at the last three years and see the truth in that statement.
FanSince59
June 21st, 2011
12:16 pm
Richt is getting paid $3 million to coach the football team and not to be galavanting around the wilderness of Honduras looking at mud huts. Maybe if he spent a lot more time thinking about how he could bring the football program back to relevence in the SEC, which it is now not, he could do better then his dismal record of the last several years. But, maybe it’s like that poster “Roll Tide” intimated some days ago, maybe Georgia fans have a higher tolerance for mediocrity then fans of schools like Bama, LSU, FL, Auburn and UT.
LemonThrower
June 21st, 2011
12:16 pm
Mark it down Another 6-6 season and all you hypocrite mutt fans will be calling his head on a silver plater…I can hear flea bag nation saying ” coach richt is a nice guy….helping people in Honduras is great but it don’t win titles. Richt needs to go now.”……..that will be yall excuse.
Dirty Dawg
June 21st, 2011
12:17 pm
Hey ‘fansince59′…you must be one miserable SOB…do you really mean to say that you’ve lived this long and don’t have any better sense than to spew your warped, selfish view of humanity? Gheesh!
Dawg4ever
June 21st, 2011
12:17 pm
Richt’s priority should be to do whatever it takes to make sure the state school that pays him $3 million per year is significant in the SEC and National picture. His priority should be to replace any coach that isn’t qualified to coach in the SEC. Unfortunately that would eliminate all of his assistants. Don’t see any schools knocking the doors down to hire one of his Coordinators, that is the biggest problem for Richt. When he has an O.C, and a D.C. that don’t know how to devise a successful game plan, or how to make adjustments during a game to counter what the other team is doing. Doesn’t matter how wonderful Richt is as a person, he will never be successful again as a head coach without excellent Coordinators, and it will be his down fall, you can book on it.
km
June 21st, 2011
12:23 pm
I been several different missions and when you go back, nothing has changed there at all. I spend my time helping in my town where you can notice a difference.
The Truth
June 21st, 2011
12:25 pm
DawgFan59 you spoke the truth!
ckgator
June 21st, 2011
12:40 pm
Charitable work is always a good thing, but not sure about the need for the “hey look at me” press coverage during the off-season. Perhaps a little air cover to stave off the hounds on the cusp of another disappointing year?
Joey
June 21st, 2011
12:48 pm
Richt is a hellava man for doing his mission work. Unselfish to the nth degree. Probably not a finer Christian anywhere. I’ve always admired and been proud of his humitarian trips out of the country.
Coach also has a large set of nads, to go on this mission 70-some days before what I think is the biggest game of his career. If the Dawgs show up for Boise looking like the same disinterested and unprepared team I last saw play, Boise will make it hurt a lot worse than UCF (and Colorado) did a few months ago.
Man, I hope Richt’s somehow gonna get his football team to care again. They’d better care, because I bet football isn’t far from Chris Peterson’s mind right now . . .
ckgator
June 21st, 2011
12:50 pm
The more I think about it, Richt going through the motions. I had the same gut feeling about Meyer coming into this past year. Already checked out and ready to shift into that next phase of life.
As a Gator, I wish he’d stay forever. But mark it down… Richt will be gone by the first week of November. Until then, he’ll continue to phone it in.
WDE
June 21st, 2011
12:55 pm
Just a quick question anyone think the Visor wouldn’t get in a least 7 days of golf over the summer? That the Head Pig wouldn’t spend at least that much time mapping out his next midnight escape when another job opens up? Dan Mullen won’t take at least a week to get out of the hell hole that is MS in the summer? Folks CMR took a week of vacation and when on a mission..its not like the rest of the SEC HC’s aren’t taking any vacations they are just not spending them on a church mission. I tip my hat to every one of them that donates their time to any worthy cause, tours to our military, hospitals, heck even charity golf events..they are giving back and should all be applauded.
DawginLex
June 21st, 2011
12:58 pm
Yeah, i’m sure Muschamp and Weiss are sitting in the office 24/7, muschamp looking at film trying to find a clip where Brantley actually does something good while Weiss eats everything that isn’t nailed down
YOU IDIOTS
June 21st, 2011
1:01 pm
Did you people ever think that the media might want to cover something good in the sports world. There isn’t a huge group of reporters with him. It’s the esteemed Steve Hummer that has been writing for this paper as long as I can remember. If you have read his colums you know he is a stand up individual and might enjoy helping out along the way. The ajc covered Richt’s mission trip last year too. It was just after the fact. I would rather be enlightened about this story instead of which snotty nose high school junior is flip flopping on his commitment to a FREE COLLEGE EDUCATION. The cost of one years tuition is more than the whole village in Hounduras makes in a year. Think about that when we are stroking the checks for our seat deposit in Sanford Stadium.
Dawg Mama
June 21st, 2011
1:36 pm
Why must some people denigrate everything, even things done with the best of intentions? Such people who view everything so negatively must be very unhappy with themselves…
Maggie
June 21st, 2011
1:43 pm
I’m glad we can follow this. May God bless Coach Richt and his wife and all those accompanying with safety and fruitful work. Way to go, Coach, for giving back — and then some!
Alabama | MrSEC.com
June 21st, 2011
2:02 pm
[...] Mark Richt is currently on a mission trip in Honduras.2. Defensive back Victor Hampton — dismissed from South Carolina’s team last Thursday [...]
johnny
June 21st, 2011
2:03 pm
The goal of mission work is to save souls… what a shame… Let these people believe in whatever faith they want to believe in… nobody knows “they way”. Show other cultures respect – and respect their beliefs instead of proselytizing!
ckgator
June 21st, 2011
2:03 pm
Ring ring. Hello? Yeah hi… this is Coach Richt…. phoning it in baby!
Long live Coach Cool Breeze!
BAMA13
June 21st, 2011
2:03 pm
Great guy! I would be proud for my son to play for a man like Richt.
Erin1
June 21st, 2011
2:06 pm
Can you picture a hungry Honduran listening to the “only way to save his soul”? As*es… I have more respect for native American Indians than the wonderful Christian Spanish who best them into submission. LIVE AND LET LIVE
Martha Owen
June 21st, 2011
2:54 pm
This is the first time media has gone along. They probably asked him…not the other way around. This will give others a good insight into the way people live in other parts of the world. A real good result of being famous.
goodnessgracious
June 21st, 2011
2:55 pm
Never seems to amaze me how people can find ways to criticize Coach Richt for being a good person.
Producer
June 21st, 2011
3:05 pm
Good man, s**t coach. He should not still even be here and having this article written about him
VA DAWG
June 21st, 2011
3:07 pm
There is a nice article in the Charlotte Observer Online addition today about Thomas Davis and the charity work he is doing in the Charlotte area. I would say that CMRs influence on his players through acts of charity like this is very influential in their lives and enables them to go on and do charitable work on their own.I am pround that Mark Richt is our coach and wouldn’t trade him for the Tressells or Carrolls of the coaching world even if it would mean a national championship for us. And I am as competitive a Dawg as anyone. Class is far more important than selling your university’s soul for a football championship.
WDE
June 21st, 2011
3:14 pm
@ckgator really your CUM is gone so your going to give our HC a hard time??…you poor lost reptile you.
Dre
June 21st, 2011
3:24 pm
God bless him for making a difference in their lives. Although while serving in the United States Army I too was blessed to visit Honduras for 4 months in 1992, I was able to witness prosperity in Tegucigalpa, I saw the third world environment in the rural mountanious countryside…
My cousin went on a mission trip there, after my return, years later! Yes some people may need security, but many are humble and need help. Central America like many other Latin Countries know about God’s love but many need to see his people spread the love we profess!
Glad the media is there that way we can see the wonders of his works in action!
God bless Richt! A native Georgian, a true Auburn Fan!