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
cool
June 21st, 2011
3:30 pm
I’ve been critical of Richt the past few years but I still admire the type of person he is. Good for him.
Producer
June 21st, 2011
3:32 pm
Did yall know Richt loves puppies? And kittens? And he ’specially loves his Momma! He’s a saint at everything he ain’t getting paid for!
Snoop Dawg
June 21st, 2011
3:34 pm
I love the headline…
“Mark Richt–Football far from his mind.”
…celebrating Fathers Day from his two million dollar second home…
Wake up folks. This is a world class scam and the Bulldog Nation is the chump…
These ostrich types are going to ride with da Preacha Man all the way into the ground…
WDE
June 21st, 2011
3:35 pm
@Producer he is a better man and coach than…. well you are or will ever be…but we forgive you my son go forth into the light…of that train coming down the track…you trollish buffoon you.
International
June 21st, 2011
3:36 pm
CMR would be a great recruiter for mission volunteers!
He could take the Bulldawg Nation to the next level – international!
Producer
June 21st, 2011
3:37 pm
WDE, could you please pass me a Kleenex?
Snoop Dawg
June 21st, 2011
3:40 pm
Yo,
Anybody ever heard of chaff? That’s what attack helicopter and fighter jet pilots eject from their tails to deflect incoming heat-seeking missiles.
Could Mark Richt be using this Honduras PR media event as chaff? Yep, that’s it. Classic risk communication. Deflect conversation from the real issue which is competent coaching.
Follow that chaff and watch Preacha Man cruise on to his next $3M!
WDE
June 21st, 2011
3:42 pm
@Producer I have a whole case..bend over.
WDE
June 21st, 2011
3:44 pm
@Snoop Dawg I know you’ve been told this before but it never gets old and its always true..your a moron. Have a great day.
Producer
June 21st, 2011
3:49 pm
Let’s see, WDE called Snoop a moron, called me a trollish buffoon and ckgator a poor lost reptile. After that display of mental gymnastics he must be mentally exhausted. Rest, my son….
It's just football
June 21st, 2011
3:50 pm
I love Mark Richt. He wins the SEC this year and this is how he does it.
Boise State – UGA by 10 , The 3-4 is built to disarm exotic offenses.
South Carolina – USC wins a close one by 7 in the 4th.
Coastal Carolina – N/A
Mississippi State – UGA by 13 , Ealey is not there to fumble on the 2 and D is much better in 2nd yr .
Vanderbilt – UGA by 21, Hello Mr. Crowell that knows how to pass block now.
Florida – FL by something, Do we ever beat FL?
New Mexico State , N/A
Auburn – UGA by 13, What do the plainsmen have that money can buy in 2011? $cam is gone.
Kentucky, UGA by 17, The cats are not that good and don’t have Cobb now.
Georgia Tech , UGA by 7, only because we have never shown that we can really stop the triple option like most big schools do.
SEC Championship UGA over Bama by 10. (yes, USC and FL lose too many SEC games) Bama’s lack of QB skills is their undoing.
There it-iz.
WDE
June 21st, 2011
4:08 pm
@Producer that’s right I did and with all the love and respect you all deserve…and I was right each and every time…oh and have a great day.
D BAG TROLLS!
June 21st, 2011
4:11 pm
Really????? You make this a blog???????? This RAG is a joke!!!!!!!!!
Go DAWGS!
6 for 6 with 3 home runs
June 21st, 2011
5:05 pm
I think CMR needs to update his twitter.
damngoodawg!
June 21st, 2011
5:25 pm
MattMD and LRover….A word from Mark Richt and friends….you guys, GO TO H…EAVEN!
guy
June 21st, 2011
5:47 pm
I think a lot of people would want to hear the language used by these coaches on the practice field and in the locker room. ??????????????
wally
June 21st, 2011
5:58 pm
I know I am digging up the past and I know God forgives us our sins, but did CMR apologize to the fan in Macon who ask him a question and he answered him in a very ungodly way. I wonder what this fan thiks of CMR as a christian and hiis mission trip.
PeePants the hobo clown
June 21st, 2011
6:04 pm
Anyone who has anything negative to say about what Coach Richt is doing and has done for many years, is just a plain old hater. I admire what he has done and the man that he is, is one of the reasons I love the DAWGS so much. He is a class act and a man of integrity. It would be an honor for my child to have an opportunity to be around a MAN like Coach Richt….even if he wasn’t a coach.
To the folks who have negative things to say about this mission, are YOU really happy? and what is it that YOUR doing that you feel you have a right to tear down a man who is giving back?
JohnFromMilledgeville
June 21st, 2011
6:14 pm
If you are looking for a great read please read “a hole in our gospel”. Richard Stearns, Pres. of World Vision is the author. This book is a life changing book for all people. Buy the book. It will be one of the best investments you have made in a long time!!
JohnFromMilledgeville
June 21st, 2011
6:15 pm
Wally, get a clue!
jot34
June 21st, 2011
6:37 pm
AJC has no business being with the Richt family. What a disgrace.
59bulldawg
June 21st, 2011
7:28 pm
Yes I have been critical of his coaching and overall management of the team in recent years, but his commitment to the teachings of Christ is impressive. Personally I like the man and hope he will be able to iron out the kinks in his coaching and retire as our head coach many years from now. Very few people in the profession are as genuine as this man . . . but he’s got to get it done on the field. And I’m getting more optimistic by the day that he will.
DamntheButcher
June 21st, 2011
8:40 pm
Does the coach need to go to another country to do good deeds? There are plenty of people in NW Georgia that were wiped out by the tornado a couple of months ago that could use help.
Richt's Butt Cut
June 21st, 2011
8:42 pm
Just curious how many missions Urban went on during his BCS championship years? Hows Saban’s mission coming along? Exactly- Their mission is to win football games!! Our softass coach is going to be going on missions full time if we dont get better right now!
why?
June 21st, 2011
11:37 pm
hasn’t god help cmr win a nc title?
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June 22nd, 2011
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June 22nd, 2011
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Jborodawg
June 23rd, 2011
10:50 am
I’m sure K&MR didn’t ask for Hummer to tag along. The Richts do a LOT of charity work, much of it NOT publicized. Many times we read about what he does or the team does only because ‘the media’ put it out there; not because CMR asked for the pub. He also probably realizes that getting some pub for World Vision is a good thing. But he and Kathyrn would never ‘toot their own horn’.
Yes, there’s poverty and plenty of need in Georgia. But, how many in Georgia have milky, disease-infested water trickling down a hill from which to drink and wash clothes? For anyone questioning this trip, when’s the last time you helped a homeless person? Or helped a single mother pay bills or feed her kids? Or visited Children’s Healthcare or donated to them?
Marie
June 23rd, 2011
4:37 pm
If CMR goes 0-for-forever, that would be too bad.
He knows it’s his “job” – A JOB! The missionary work he and
his family does is so much more and they know it. It is NOT a job.
And “Why” – do you really think God cares anything about football? Really?
“Wally” – good for CMR!!!!!
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June 24th, 2011
12:48 am
[...] Postcard from Honduras: Football soon far from Mark Richt’s mind [...]
Rita
June 24th, 2011
8:24 am
As one who has been to Honduras for about the past 12 years, I have to say that UGA is so fortunate to have Mark as a coach. He is just a fine Christian man, aside from this trip. Seeing beyond the plenty in this country brings you to a whole new perspective in life. As Christians, we are all called to be missionaries of the Gospel everywhere. I can see Mark taking so much back to his team and teaching them that they are to go forth and help those who have less. They can impact others for life. He is not just their coach, but he is a mentor for life. His caring for the poverty and hunger in Honduras is amazing, and I think that he will impact people because of his heart for all mankind. God bless you, Mark Richt.
Dwight & Patricia
June 24th, 2011
5:51 pm
We’re down here in Honduras at the same time as the Richts’. Too bad we didn’t get to see them in person. We’re so proud to see the Richts’ in a country such as Honduras helping the people here and spreading the word of Jesus Christ. To those die-hard fans who only care about the wins, this isn’t a football game. This is life. Worry about football when the football season begins. I want to see more wins from this program, but I’m proud that we have a coach who’s willing to do work like this. Our ‘poor’ in the US live like kings compared to the poor in this country. Keep up the good work, Richts’.