http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steel...rch-tithes

Why Steelers' Arthur Moats donated 10 percent of his $6M career earnings

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats just donated 35 percent of his 2015 salary and about 26 percent of his $1.9 million signing bonus after taxes to a small college in Northern Virginia.

For Moats, this check was fairly easy to write. He's not 'cutting' a check. He doesn't like that term. He's paying it forward to James Madison, his alma mater, in the form of $300,000 for two core reasons:

1) JMU has impacted every phase of his life. The Harrisonburg, Virginia, campus is where Moats met his wife, Shonda, got his degree in political science and honed his football craft to become a six-year NFL veteran.

2) His family has strategically budgeted to donate generously, usually about 10 percent of its income, before church tithes.

"I wanted to make a larger impact," Moats said. "Me and my family are comfortable with it."

The $300,000 goes to improvements to the Convocation Center, the Dukes' basketball arena that can also host local events, along with scholarship aid for studio arts, a field for which Moats is passionate.

When Moats got to the league, he was making an average salary of about $420,000 in three years with Buffalo. He started donating around $50,000, or 11.9 percent, to various causes that inspired him. He made $1.32 million in 2013 and donated around $100,000 as a result, he said. This year, his signing bonus plus an $850,000 salary equals around $2.75 million, so he's giving $300,000, possibly more. After playing on the veteran minimum of $730,000 for Pittsburgh last season, Moats signed an offseason extension of three years, $7.5 million.

"Every year, we’ll set a budget out," said Moats about his financial process with his family, which he calls frugal when it comes to long-term saving. "We’re making this much, how much do we want to donate? Then we decide on a number -- who do we want to have an impact on? What can we do to spice it up since we have more money to donate? Then we pray about it, bounce some ideas off each other."

Cutting a check seems impersonal. Moats is invested in his target areas for donation. He remembers being a young college kid with no money, and the way he sees it, JMU helped mold him into a stable adult.

"It definitely puts a smile on my face," Moats said. "I’ve been on the opposite of that, where you're trying to scrounge enough change together to buy from the dollar menu, wondering when the Pell Grant money will kick in. So, [the donation] was a good amount, but when you're paying it forward, it will work out."

(11-24-2015 10:39 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steel...rch-tithes

Why Steelers' Arthur Moats donated 10 percent of his $6M career earnings

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats just donated 35 percent of his 2015 salary and about 26 percent of his $1.9 million signing bonus after taxes to a small college in Northern Virginia.

For Moats, this check was fairly easy to write. He's not 'cutting' a check. He doesn't like that term. He's paying it forward to James Madison, his alma mater, in the form of $300,000 for two core reasons:

1) JMU has impacted every phase of his life. The Harrisonburg, Virginia, campus is where Moats met his wife, Shonda, got his degree in political science and honed his football craft to become a six-year NFL veteran.

2) His family has strategically budgeted to donate generously, usually about 10 percent of its income, before church tithes.

"I wanted to make a larger impact," Moats said. "Me and my family are comfortable with it."

The $300,000 goes to improvements to the Convocation Center, the Dukes' basketball arena that can also host local events, along with scholarship aid for studio arts, a field for which Moats is passionate.

When Moats got to the league, he was making an average salary of about $420,000 in three years with Buffalo. He started donating around $50,000, or 11.9 percent, to various causes that inspired him. He made $1.32 million in 2013 and donated around $100,000 as a result, he said. This year, his signing bonus plus an $850,000 salary equals around $2.75 million, so he's giving $300,000, possibly more. After playing on the veteran minimum of $730,000 for Pittsburgh last season, Moats signed an offseason extension of three years, $7.5 million.

"Every year, we’ll set a budget out," said Moats about his financial process with his family, which he calls frugal when it comes to long-term saving. "We’re making this much, how much do we want to donate? Then we decide on a number -- who do we want to have an impact on? What can we do to spice it up since we have more money to donate? Then we pray about it, bounce some ideas off each other."

Cutting a check seems impersonal. Moats is invested in his target areas for donation. He remembers being a young college kid with no money, and the way he sees it, JMU helped mold him into a stable adult.

"It definitely puts a smile on my face," Moats said. "I’ve been on the opposite of that, where you're trying to scrounge enough change together to buy from the dollar menu, wondering when the Pell Grant money will kick in. So, [the donation] was a good amount, but when you're paying it forward, it will work out."

Great article! Thanks for sharing. I loved the part about a "small college in Northern Virginia". They really nailed that one.

wonder when these improvements will be made to the convocation center

(11-24-2015 10:45 AM)wmacson Wrote:  

(11-24-2015 10:39 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steel...rch-tithes

Why Steelers' Arthur Moats donated 10 percent of his $6M career earnings

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats just donated 35 percent of his 2015 salary and about 26 percent of his $1.9 million signing bonus after taxes to a small college in Northern Virginia.

For Moats, this check was fairly easy to write. He's not 'cutting' a check. He doesn't like that term. He's paying it forward to James Madison, his alma mater, in the form of $300,000 for two core reasons:

1) JMU has impacted every phase of his life. The Harrisonburg, Virginia, campus is where Moats met his wife, Shonda, got his degree in political science and honed his football craft to become a six-year NFL veteran.

2) His family has strategically budgeted to donate generously, usually about 10 percent of its income, before church tithes.

"I wanted to make a larger impact," Moats said. "Me and my family are comfortable with it."

The $300,000 goes to improvements to the Convocation Center, the Dukes' basketball arena that can also host local events, along with scholarship aid for studio arts, a field for which Moats is passionate.

When Moats got to the league, he was making an average salary of about $420,000 in three years with Buffalo. He started donating around $50,000, or 11.9 percent, to various causes that inspired him. He made $1.32 million in 2013 and donated around $100,000 as a result, he said. This year, his signing bonus plus an $850,000 salary equals around $2.75 million, so he's giving $300,000, possibly more. After playing on the veteran minimum of $730,000 for Pittsburgh last season, Moats signed an offseason extension of three years, $7.5 million.

"Every year, we’ll set a budget out," said Moats about his financial process with his family, which he calls frugal when it comes to long-term saving. "We’re making this much, how much do we want to donate? Then we decide on a number -- who do we want to have an impact on? What can we do to spice it up since we have more money to donate? Then we pray about it, bounce some ideas off each other."

Cutting a check seems impersonal. Moats is invested in his target areas for donation. He remembers being a young college kid with no money, and the way he sees it, JMU helped mold him into a stable adult.

"It definitely puts a smile on my face," Moats said. "I’ve been on the opposite of that, where you're trying to scrounge enough change together to buy from the dollar menu, wondering when the Pell Grant money will kick in. So, [the donation] was a good amount, but when you're paying it forward, it will work out."

Great article! Thanks for sharing. I loved the part about a "small college in Northern Virginia". They really nailed that one.

Northern Virginia!!!????, northern Virginia?????? Did Maryland just invade are they extending the beltway to 33 fortunately the rest of the article was accurate and great, northern Virginia sheesh

Ill take NOVA if it gets us to a good FBS option

(11-24-2015 11:02 AM)Mad victory Wrote:  

(11-24-2015 10:45 AM)wmacson Wrote:  

(11-24-2015 10:39 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steel...rch-tithes

Why Steelers' Arthur Moats donated 10 percent of his $6M career earnings

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats just donated 35 percent of his 2015 salary and about 26 percent of his $1.9 million signing bonus after taxes to a small college in Northern Virginia.

For Moats, this check was fairly easy to write. He's not 'cutting' a check. He doesn't like that term. He's paying it forward to James Madison, his alma mater, in the form of $300,000 for two core reasons:

1) JMU has impacted every phase of his life. The Harrisonburg, Virginia, campus is where Moats met his wife, Shonda, got his degree in political science and honed his football craft to become a six-year NFL veteran.

2) His family has strategically budgeted to donate generously, usually about 10 percent of its income, before church tithes.

"I wanted to make a larger impact," Moats said. "Me and my family are comfortable with it."

The $300,000 goes to improvements to the Convocation Center, the Dukes' basketball arena that can also host local events, along with scholarship aid for studio arts, a field for which Moats is passionate.

When Moats got to the league, he was making an average salary of about $420,000 in three years with Buffalo. He started donating around $50,000, or 11.9 percent, to various causes that inspired him. He made $1.32 million in 2013 and donated around $100,000 as a result, he said. This year, his signing bonus plus an $850,000 salary equals around $2.75 million, so he's giving $300,000, possibly more. After playing on the veteran minimum of $730,000 for Pittsburgh last season, Moats signed an offseason extension of three years, $7.5 million.

"Every year, we’ll set a budget out," said Moats about his financial process with his family, which he calls frugal when it comes to long-term saving. "We’re making this much, how much do we want to donate? Then we decide on a number -- who do we want to have an impact on? What can we do to spice it up since we have more money to donate? Then we pray about it, bounce some ideas off each other."

Cutting a check seems impersonal. Moats is invested in his target areas for donation. He remembers being a young college kid with no money, and the way he sees it, JMU helped mold him into a stable adult.

"It definitely puts a smile on my face," Moats said. "I’ve been on the opposite of that, where you're trying to scrounge enough change together to buy from the dollar menu, wondering when the Pell Grant money will kick in. So, [the donation] was a good amount, but when you're paying it forward, it will work out."

Great article! Thanks for sharing. I loved the part about a "small college in Northern Virginia". They really nailed that one.

Northern Virginia!!!????, northern Virginia?????? Did Maryland just invade are they extending the beltway to 33 fortunately the rest of the article was accurate and great, northern Virginia sheesh

70% of the 70% of Virginia students enrolled at JMU are from NOVA. JMU is a Northern Virginian school, although it is far from "small" or a "college"

Aren't we technically in the northern part of VA? I mean, obviously I would say we're in the Shenandoah Valley, but still. Agreed about the small or college being wrong, though.

People from out of state don't understand that "Northern Virginia" doesn't mean the northern half of the state, so he gets a pass on that one.

But, small college? ugh.

JFC...small college... Has anyone emailed them for a correction?

I'm grateful for the article but couldn't the writer be bothered to actually research what he's writing about? Is using google that hard nowadays?

(11-24-2015 11:26 AM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(11-24-2015 11:02 AM)Mad victory Wrote:  

(11-24-2015 10:45 AM)wmacson Wrote:  

(11-24-2015 10:39 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steel...rch-tithes

Why Steelers' Arthur Moats donated 10 percent of his $6M career earnings

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats just donated 35 percent of his 2015 salary and about 26 percent of his $1.9 million signing bonus after taxes to a small college in Northern Virginia.

For Moats, this check was fairly easy to write. He's not 'cutting' a check. He doesn't like that term. He's paying it forward to James Madison, his alma mater, in the form of $300,000 for two core reasons:

1) JMU has impacted every phase of his life. The Harrisonburg, Virginia, campus is where Moats met his wife, Shonda, got his degree in political science and honed his football craft to become a six-year NFL veteran.

2) His family has strategically budgeted to donate generously, usually about 10 percent of its income, before church tithes.

"I wanted to make a larger impact," Moats said. "Me and my family are comfortable with it."

The $300,000 goes to improvements to the Convocation Center, the Dukes' basketball arena that can also host local events, along with scholarship aid for studio arts, a field for which Moats is passionate.

When Moats got to the league, he was making an average salary of about $420,000 in three years with Buffalo. He started donating around $50,000, or 11.9 percent, to various causes that inspired him. He made $1.32 million in 2013 and donated around $100,000 as a result, he said. This year, his signing bonus plus an $850,000 salary equals around $2.75 million, so he's giving $300,000, possibly more. After playing on the veteran minimum of $730,000 for Pittsburgh last season, Moats signed an offseason extension of three years, $7.5 million.

"Every year, we’ll set a budget out," said Moats about his financial process with his family, which he calls frugal when it comes to long-term saving. "We’re making this much, how much do we want to donate? Then we decide on a number -- who do we want to have an impact on? What can we do to spice it up since we have more money to donate? Then we pray about it, bounce some ideas off each other."

Cutting a check seems impersonal. Moats is invested in his target areas for donation. He remembers being a young college kid with no money, and the way he sees it, JMU helped mold him into a stable adult.

"It definitely puts a smile on my face," Moats said. "I’ve been on the opposite of that, where you're trying to scrounge enough change together to buy from the dollar menu, wondering when the Pell Grant money will kick in. So, [the donation] was a good amount, but when you're paying it forward, it will work out."

Great article! Thanks for sharing. I loved the part about a "small college in Northern Virginia". They really nailed that one.

Northern Virginia!!!????, northern Virginia?????? Did Maryland just invade are they extending the beltway to 33 fortunately the rest of the article was accurate and great, northern Virginia sheesh

70% of the 70% of Virginia students enrolled at JMU are from NOVA. JMU is a Northern Virginian school, although it is far from "small" or a "college"

Longhorn. He isn't referring to where the students come from he is referring to where the school is located. You and I live here, and clearly we don't live in Northern Virginia. perhaps he too confused us with GMCC

(11-24-2015 01:04 PM)Dukie95 Wrote:  People from out of state don't understand that "Northern Virginia" doesn't mean the northern half of the state, so he gets a pass on that one.

But, small college? ugh.

Small president, small athletic director, yes. Small college, small fan base, no.

(11-24-2015 03:06 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  Small president, small athletic director, yes. Small college, small fan base, no.

Yes, James Madison was a small president.

Good article and you can clearly see he has a good head on his shoulders. Even non athletes who make a small percentage of what he makes don't budget like he does. He has set himself, JMU, and various communities up extremely well for the future.

I don't get "small college". We have to be top five in VA.

Will $300,000 get us a new basketball coach?

(11-24-2015 01:55 PM)Mad victory Wrote:  Longhorn. He isn't referring to where the students come from he is referring to where the school is located. You and I live here, and clearly we don't live in Northern Virginia. perhaps he too confused us with GMCC

I get it that he's talking geography, however, even by that standard, JMU has more in common with NOVA than we do with any other location in the Commonwealth so I'm good with it. If he had written "Western" or "Central" Virginia I'd have gone with those descriptors too.

The biggest gaff was his reference to JMU as "small" and as a "college"...clearly, the writer has only the most fleeting understanding of JMU because it's not a football factory. For goodness sake, JMU's enrollment is larger than Notre Dame, the U. of Miami and many other institutions, and it's not "JMC" or "Madison College"...it's right there in our institutional name, and has been that for over 40 years.

According to some quick research it appears that JMU is the 4th largest university in VA by number of undergraduate students (tied with ODU) and 5th by campus size.

Interesting that Sweet Briar College has the largest campus at 3,250 acres.

(11-24-2015 04:04 PM)Smokey 1 Wrote:  According to some quick research it appears that JMU is the 4th largest university in VA by number of undergraduate students (tied with ODU) and 5th by campus size.

Interesting that Sweet Briar College has the largest campus at 3,250 acres.

I bet the top three of top five are " commuter" schools of GMU, VCU, and ODU. Radford and VT are others I would guess.

If you don't like Arthur Moats, then something is wrong with you.

(11-24-2015 04:44 PM)Navyduke 07 Wrote:  

(11-24-2015 04:04 PM)Smokey 1 Wrote:  According to some quick research it appears that JMU is the 4th largest university in VA by number of undergraduate students (tied with ODU) and 5th by campus size.

Interesting that Sweet Briar College has the largest campus at 3,250 acres.

I bet the top three of top five are " commuter" schools of GMU, VCU, and ODU. Radford and VT are others I would guess.

I don't have my list in front of me now but VT was the biggest by number of students followed by VCU and GMU. JMU and ODU had very close to the same number of students.

(11-24-2015 07:09 PM)Smokey 1 Wrote:  

(11-24-2015 04:44 PM)Navyduke 07 Wrote:  

(11-24-2015 04:04 PM)Smokey 1 Wrote:  According to some quick research it appears that JMU is the 4th largest university in VA by number of undergraduate students (tied with ODU) and 5th by campus size.

Interesting that Sweet Briar College has the largest campus at 3,250 acres.

I bet the top three of top five are " commuter" schools of GMU, VCU, and ODU. Radford and VT are others I would guess.

I don't have my list in front of me now but VT was the biggest by number of students followed by VCU and GMU. JMU and ODU had very close to the same number of students.

Are we talking just undergrad or total enrollment? If talking total enrollment, JMU is behind all the major public schools in VA (VT, UVA, ODU, Mason, VCU). But still not "small" by any means.