My first thought upon reading the news about Mark Richt’s new deal was it took you people six months to come up with that? There’s nothing groundbreaking and evidently salary wasn’t an issue. The press has jumped all over the fact that Richt no longer has a buyout penalty to pay if he chooses to leave Athens before the contract expires, but McGarity was quick to point out it isn’t a provision of much significance.
“I think people are gonna twist it and say whatever they want to about it. But I’m just telling you the truth. I’m telling you how it is between Mark and myself,” McGarity sad. “There’s no monkey business here.”
“I think it’s Greg’s philosophy on the contract,” Richt said. “It’s not something that I was asking for. It was something that he suggested and I said that would be fine. I think the bottom line for me, gosh, I think I’ve been here long enough for everybody to understand … that Georgia’s my home. Georgia’s where I want to be. Georgia’s the only job I want.”
The man’s only been saying that since the ink was drying on the contract he signed with Dooley. Isn’t it about time we all took him at his word on it? Time to move on, folks.
No, the more interesting development was the surprise announcement by the High Chancellor that McGarity was also getting a contract extension (and a raise).
“He’s had two years here now,”He’s had two years here now,” UGA president Michael Adams said. “He’s shown extraordinary leadership. He’s widely respected already among the other A.D.s in the conference…”
Wow. “Extraordinary”. Who’s the man responsible for bringing this paragon of excellence to the University of Georgia? Not Vince Dooley, that’s for sure.
This being Michael Adams, a little horn tooting on a pleasant occasion isn’t enough. There has to be some subtle muscle flexing tossed in the mix. So if I’m Mark Richt, I’m wondering what I should read from this particular tea leaf:
“I just felt it was important for the benefit of the athletic association and the university that we get him locked in at a time that was slightly longer than the head football coach. And that would well position the university for any changes that might happen in the future.”
Adams departs in 2013, so the impact of this, whatever that might be, is likely to occur long after he’s gone. But it’s curious that management feels the need to position McGarity in this way with Richt. And you wonder if this is simply a parting gift that Adams has bestowed on his AD, or if McGarity asked for it. Either way, it suggests that the school wants an edge with its head football coach.
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UPDATE: Chris Low’s take on Richt’s new deal is worth a look.
McGarity said he didn’t see “anything negative here at all” regarding Richt’s new contract, which now runs through 2016.
I wouldn’t call it negative, either. To me, it’s more reality.
And that reality is that McGarity and the Georgia administration simply aren’t ready to throw a lot of guaranteed money at Richt right now because they don’t want to be stuck with a pricey buyout if they decide two years from now that Richt isn’t the answer long term.
Reasonable minds can differ on whether that’s a good approach or a bad one, but I think Low is on target there.
Get The Picture 
Maybe the negotiations with Richt didn’t go as smoothly as they would like us to believe.
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or the length of the 2 deals may be that Richt is planning on retiring at the end of his deal and McGarity would be there to hire the replacement.
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Could be. The entire process has been odd though. It also could be that Adams is just an asshat.
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Your assumption is confirmed by all involved.
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I don’t see a smoking gun in the McGarity deal. I think we’ve all seen what happens when Mark Richt gets complacent with his A.D. If there’s one thing McGarity has done that makes me happy, is the fire that’s been lit under Mark Richt as a result of his oversight. As much as I like the ‘Georgia is my home’ meme, I think that’s led to Mark being a little too comfortable. I’m not doubting the man’s competitiveness, and I’m glad he’s our coach, but there was an edge that had been lost, and I thought it stemmed from his unwillingness to make some tough decisions (firing Martinez) and just being willing to shake up things that weren’t working. Not necessarily a ‘day to day’ lack of competitiveness.
The only part of this post that offends me is Adams’ gloating over the reasoning. Man that guy is a real douche.
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Yep. Only question is whether there’s an ulterior motive behind it. Only Mikey (and maybe McGarity) knows for sure.
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They want CMR to leave voluntarily. They see a good year coming in 2012. That will entice another school to go after CMR and they want him to get an offer someplace else–and take it.
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I don’t think it matters how he performs in 2012. I guarantee you if he and Georgia severed their partnership he’d get calls from multiple schools the next day. For the faults he’s had the past few years, he’s still the best coach we’ve ever had and people aren’t going to truly appreciate that until he’s tearing it up somewhere else.
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Nope.
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By the way, Richt fired the defensive staff prior to McGarity’s hire and also convinced Damon Evans to offer Grantham a multi-year deal.
I’m not saying McGarity hasn’t been good for Richt. And Richt was too slow pulling the trigger on Martinez’ dismissal. But it’s not like we have McGarity to thank for every right move Richt has made since the end of the 2009 season.
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Truth!!
It wouldn’t hurt to put that in the text of an article somewhere for people who don’t read the comments. Mark Richt won a pair of SEC titles while Greg McGarity was still serving his lizard masters at Florida, along with a third divison championship and a #2 overall ranking in 2007. The program did fall on some pretty hard times, but the credit for the rescue and return to solid ground belongs to Richt and his staff, not McGarity.
But keep right on messing with him, Adams. Keep right on messing with him, big ticket boosters. One day, we’re going to figure out how lucky we are to have Richt, and I fear it’s after we either alienate him into retirement or push him out of the door.
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Good point, but, really, if we did not run him off the last two years, you gotta think Richt actually does want to be in Athens.
Richt works within a university structure and commitment to athletics that is not designed or intended to produce a national championship in football every year, or even every decade. Yet he still wins.
This guy is a really good football coach, and an amazing football coach for the University of Georgia to employ.
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Well said.
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“Richt works within a university structure and commitment to athletics that is not designed or intended to produce a national championship in football every year, or even every decade.” Absolutely correct, SJ. We need to get leaders at the University of Georgia that ARE committed to winning and take the collective feet off the necks of our team and coaches. That will require a change in attitude from many including faculty and some alumni. We need to make the same commitment to winning that Bama does, without the no-teeth (Pawwwwl) aspect. It CAN be done but it starts at the top. We need the right university President and we now have that opportunity.
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I think the big difference between McGarity and Evans, in respect to football, is that McGarity has taken Richt out of the football administration role and let him focus on coaching. He’s also provided extra support in terms of nutrition and strength/conditioning.
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McGarity’s contract term benefits Richt. CMR knows who his boss is and who he is accountable to. All good.
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Two observations …
1. Nick Saban doesn’t have a buyout clause in his contract.
2. Thought AD contracts were typically longer than head coaches – so the coach knows who his boss will be.
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I can’t wait until that pompous ass is gone. What a prick.
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Why did it take so long? One of the reasons from from ESPN (DawgNation) …
“He will also receive in January 2014 the $2.28 million longevity bonus he would have received then at the completion of his original contract. Athletic director Greg McGarity said this element caused perhaps the biggest delay in finalizing Richt’s contract, as lawyers had to sort through the tax implications in paying this bonus ahead of the originally set date. Instead of absorbing the tax hit for receiving the money early, Richt will receive the sum in 2014 as originally determined.”
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“sort through the tax implications” – a process which is known to Dear Leader as nitpicking
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And not to offend our gracious host of this fine blog … but involving contract and tax attorneys does not = expedited
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Richt got an extension, he won ten games last year, and he’ll at least do that again this year. He ain’t going anywhere any time soon, so people can either celebrate or get over it; whichever they prefer. One way or another, discussions of Richt’s job security will be no more relevant than the sound of a fart in the wind for a few years.
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Think it is a very contract for Coach Richt and UGA. Completely agree with McGarity on the buyout penalty. People should be free to move on to a different program, school, and compensation package. If CMR and staff do well they will be amply compensated for their work. Coach Richt does a very good job. He does not come across as a man driven by position and money. I’ve like coach Richt the first time I heard him speak in Thomasville. McGarity is very experienced and fair. I think he, like Coach Dooley understands, the sphere of coaches and players. They are both honest, sincere men…but they are coahces / players / businessmen…competive…something that journalism majors never learn, acquire, or understand. Play hard, negogiate hard, move on to the next game. But 2012 will be a year that will define where the men’s big three are at. Hire top assistants, pay them VERY WELL, and recruit solid players.
Bobo where is your contract. Does it mention about getting your starting QB to be coached up on not turning over the ball and thinking the entire offense rests on his play.
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FYI, McGarity was a journalism major.
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Boom goes the dynamite…
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Will, while agreeing with much that you say, and, understanding that Richt’s honest and unserving words are used against him, my objection to this entire process is the length and terms of no additional money. It’s the appearance that will be shoved into recruit’s faces, not Richt’s “Okey, dokey”. The proof is in all the other Head Coaches contracts that can be shown to recruits to convince some who the better coaches are. Do you enjoy seeing Muschamp’s and Chizik’s contracts (plus others) primed a few million in worth above a Georgia Coach who has brought us much and his percentage is the winningest coach we have ever had?
It rankles me no end that we would act so shabby against one of ours. It reflects badly upon the school and alums as well.
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I think you have to look at where CMR’s salary was at the beginning of his last contract and whether or not he underperformed, performed, or outperformed in the time period since. I am a big fan of CMR, but I would say he simply “performed” over that period.
If Florida pushed Will Muschamp off a cliff, would you push Will Muschamp off a cliff, too?
Uh, wait a minute…
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Richt has essentially a immediate blowout clause in his contract? Sounds like the only party bound to a contract is UGA.
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