Joey T\'s DHPF of the Month

Name: John O’Neill (aka: St. Vince)

Currently resides in: 

Town of Middleton, Wisconsin

Q: What city/state were you born and raised?

A: Oregon, WI

Q: How long have you been a Packer Fan?

A: Since I was about 5-6 years old.  After my family got back from church on Sundays, the ritual was my dad and his boys (there were 3 of us at the time), would sit down and start watching the Packers game while my mom would start working on the Sunday meal.  Dad would explain what was going on throughout the game – and very soon, my brothers and I were hooked!   My dad was born in Minnesota, so when the Vikings came into the league around 1961, his loyalty was tested!  He would always root for the Packers, but always enjoyed seeing the Vikings win against other teams!

Q: Tell us how your persona St. Vince came about.

A: When the Packers played in Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans in January 1997, it was their first Super Bowl appearance without their legendary coach, Vince Lombardi.  I was ALWAYS a huge fan of Lombardi – and was fortunate to have seen him coach the Packers at Lambeau Field and at County Stadium in Milwaukee.  Last year was my 50th anniversary of attending my 1st Packers game when I got to see Lombardi for the first time.   So when my wife and I decided to go to Super Bowl XXXI, and since so many people dress in special outfits for a Super Bowl, I decided to try and represent the \”spirit of Lombardi\” back from Heaven to see his Packers in another Super Bowl!  I didn\’t know if fellow Packers fans would \”get it\” and I wasn\’t completely sure that if they \”got it\” they would like it….since this is kind of sacred territory here – and the memory of Vince Lombardi deserves the utmost respect.  Well, they got it – but they didn\’t like it….they LOVED it!  I really had no idea that this symbol of the spirit of Lombardi would take off like it did.  \”St. Vince\” was originally going to be a one-time thing.   The FANTASTIC time I had meeting thousands of other Packers fans that weekend convinced me that \”St. Vince\” should not fade away after the Super Bowl.   St. Vince was as warmly received at Lambeau Field the following season as he was at that Super Bowl.  This upcoming season will be St. Vince\’s 19th year roaming Lambeau Field!

Q: Have you ever thought of going to Lambeau Field not as St. Vince? If you have, did it feel weird not having 100’s of people wanting to take a picture with you?

A: Let me put it this way.  I attended Packers games for 32 years from 1964 through 1996 dressed like any other Packers fan.  So I know what that is like – and it\’s GREAT!   But going to a Packers game as \”St. Vince\” is like \”GREAT\” on steroids!   It\’s really a privilege that I don\’t take lightly.  There are lots of do\’s and don\’ts that are attached to being a public figure.  I try and keep in mind that many of the people who want their picture taken with me are attending their 1st – and possibly only game.  It\’s a HUGE day for them, and since they\’ve probably seen St. Vince on TV, this is a fleeting opportunity for them.  I take a few moments and pose with them, often shake hands and talk a little bit and they\’re on their way – happy as can be.  Chances are though, that I\’ve got other people in line, wanting and waiting to do the same.  Although there is nothing I like better than doing this, when this scene is repeated several hundred times throughout the day at Lambeau Field, I am worn out.  But if I decline a picture request, THAT is what that person is going to remember – and I have a difficult time with that.  There are times when I must refuse pictures – like DURING the game!  I\’m not talking during a break in the game – I\’m talking DURING the game.  Those who sit by me didn\’t buy their tickets to watch photo sessions with St. Vince. They bought them to watch the Green Bay Packers play football – and frankly, so did I.  So during game time, photos with me are refused.  Also, I\’m not real big on photos in the men\’s restroom.  And no, I\’m not kidding.  But other than that, I\’m available for photos almost any time.
And if I didn\’t dress up as St. Vince – although I\’m sure I wouldn\’t be recognized by most, there would be plenty of people who would recognize me – and I would have to answer the same question hundreds of times – so what would I gain?  Maybe if I shaved off my beard and sat in a different seat I could get away with it – but what would I gain from that?   Truth is, I look forward to those 10-12 home games each year (pre-season, regular season and hopefully play-off games).  A REAL celebrity, like a movie star or rock star has to deal with their celebrity status 365 days a year!  I can handle 10-12!

Q: How did you meet your wife Cheese Louise? And do you attend every home game with her?

A: We met in college.  She lived with some crazy girls in a big house down the street from where I shared a big house with 3 other guys.  It was inevitable that we would become a couple!

Q: Have you ever met Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers? If so, can you tell us about those encounters?

A: I do not consider shaking hands or getting an autograph really \”meeting\” someone, so that has to be clarified.  This being said,  Brett: Not formally and Aaron: No.   By virtue of being \”St. Vince\” opportunities came up to meet and get know a little bit both of Brett\’s parents; \”Big Erv\” and Bonita.  We also have had the opportunity to meet his wife, Deanna as well as Brett\’s siblings and some of his best friends from Louisiana  – but not Brett.
As for Aaron, I think everyone knows that he\’s a VERY private person.  Given this, opportunities to meet someone of his stature do not arise very often.    I know I speak for many Packers fans in saying that I admire his actions off the field just as much as I admire his actions on the field.  With all the work he has done with the MACC Fund (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer) – let\’s just say he\’s a class act.

Q: What was your most memorable Packers game?

A: That’s like asking who your favorite kid is!  How can you pick just one?  Not including Super Bowls, I think one of the better ones was at Dallas the year before last.  I was at that game, and the Packers were down 26-3 at halftime and came back to win the game 37-36!  It was a CLASSIC win in a CLASSIC match-up!  And the SHOCK on the faces of Cowboy\’s fans was also CLASSIC!  (See attached photo)

Q: Who is your all-time favorite player or coach? Why?

A: All-time favorite player: Ray Nitschke   He was a monster on the field and a complete gentleman off the field.  He turned the ferocity on when it had to be \”on\” and didn\’t consider it necessary to put up some false image of himself off the field.     All-time favorite coach:  Geez – who might that possibly be??

Q: Who is your favorite player now? Why?

A: The Packers are blessed with several great players – but it has to be Aaron Rodgers.  Besides the talent the man possesses, he\’s the GLUE that keeps everything together.  He\’s the guy who doesn\’t show the stress on the outside that HAS to exist on the inside.  I think that ability is what separates GREAT QB\’s from the rest. 

Q: How do you think the Packers will do this season?

A: They will win Super Bowl 50!

Q: Do you have any game day rituals?

A: I was 12 years old when I went to my first game at Lambeau Field and I remember that day like it was just last year – even though it was over 50 years ago!  So, knowing that this experience is a BIG DEAL, I like to give little \”St. Vince\” statues out to a few people to serve as mementos for this special day in their lives.  Typically I choose some young person – and I base it on not on their age, gender or anything like that – it\’s more from just how much excitement they exude that tells me who should get a stature!  Kids who seem like they are in Disneyland when they are at Lambeau Field for the first time are generally the candidates to receive a statute!  I write on the statue \”To___________, on your 1st Green Bay Packers game!\”  I then add the date and sign it, \”St. Vince\”.   I\’ve been doing this for about 15 years now, and have had young people, who are now adults come up and tell me that they received a statue from me many years ago and consider it one of their prized Packers collectibles.  And nothing warms my heart more than that. Persons who have received one of these statues range from less than 2 weeks of age to over 104 years young!

Any last words you\’d like to say to the Packer Nation? 

The Bears Still SUCK!

John\’s Gallery