Joey T\'s DHPF of the Month

Name: Jen Rogness

What city/state were you born and raised?

Born in Ironwood, MI.  Raised in Wausau, WI

Q: What is it like being a Packer fan in MN and married to a Viking Fan?

A: It has been fun for the past couple of years, since we have beaten them almost every game!  I love game day in our house because of the rivalry!!! If we are not physically at the games, we are sporting our own colors for sure under our roof!!!! Most of the time it is AWESOME being on the Packers side here in MN, but once in a while when they let one slip through, I have to put up with the Vikings fans rubbing it in. Also, not only is my husband a Vikings fan, but when I first met him, both of my step children were Vikings fans too….sigh. Needless to say, my step daughter now cheers for the Packers! Atta girl!!! We are a divided household for sure! I will always bleed GREEN and GOLD!

Q: How long have you been a Packer Fan?

A: For as long as I have been alive 😉 I have never considered cheering for another team.  I am a Packer back through and through, no matter what kind of year they are having!  Green Bay has very loyal fans.  We are Die Hards, that tailgate in extremely cold temperatures that no human should ever have to endure.  And some of us Die Hards visit Green Bay on a Sunday just to tailgate, even if we don\’t have a ticket, because we love our team that much!

Q: Jen, on being a female football fan, have you noticed that some men do not take you serious and think maybe you don\’t know that much about the NFL or the Packers? -How does that make you feel?

A: No, I haven\’t really noticed that.  And my friends and family know and respect how much I love the Packers.  We are all human beings, I am a person, just like a man, who became very interested in the sport at a very young age.

Q: Who got you into this sport, was it your parents, husband, friends or you just took it upon yourself?

A: I would have to say my parents.  Football Sundays were always a big deal growing up in our house. I have always LOVED the Green and Gold.  I grew up watching the Pack with my family, cheering them on enthusiastically and spent too much money on memorabilia and have made several trips to the frozen tundra.

Q: Why do you love the packers?

A: I LOVE the packers because of the TRADITION.  It is a GREAT organization with a rich history.  We are one of the oldest teams in football history.  Green Bay Packers have played in their original city longer than any other team in the NFL.  The Lombardi era and the glory years will never be forgotten. The Brett Favre era will forever be remembered as the turning point when winning football games was once again the norm.  The team was heading in the right direction and had a total commitment to winning.  13 league championships and 4 Super bowl titles….Enough said.  The Packers are one of the most popular teams in the NFL and I am proud to be a part of it! I LOVE the Packers because they are OURS.  We own them. It is a special relationship when you personally own a small piece of the team. I LOVE the Packers because the PLAYERS are tough and gritty.  They play in cold weather and through harsh conditions. I LOVE the Packers because of our coach and management.  Ted Thompson continuously searches for talented individuals.  And I love Mike McCarthy\’s superb coaching abilities that have led our team to so many great wins. I LOVE the Packers because of game day and the FANS.  We truly do have the most loyal fans in the NFL.  Our fans are AMAZING! Our stadium is always full to the very bitter end and when the clock on the scoreboard strikes 0:00 in the 4th Quarter, the stands are still full.  Every game has been sold out since 1960…that is an astonishing fact!  Our fans are solid, even when we are having a terrible year, you don\’t see many bandwagon jumpers with the Packers.  The passion and excitement displayed by the real fans is so incredibly contagious!!

Q: With Lot 1 being the prime spot for tailgating on the entire property at Lambeau and you being so well known there, how did you become involved with the pre game entertainment and festivities?

A: Game day is SO ELECTRIC and EXCITING!!!!! My family has always been a part of pre game entertainment, as we don\’t usually miss a home game.  It is a long trek for me to go across the entire state from MN, but well worth the time and gas.  When the alarm goes off at 4am for a 12noon game, it is a mad rush to go running, walk the dogs, get ready and pack the vehicle up for our 5:30am departure from Wausau, WI, just so we can go sit in line, with the rest of the Die Hards at 7am in order to get a prime parking spot when the gates open at 8am.  The cones are set, our fearless leader, Scott Schwartz, has each spot assigned and boom! As soon as the gates open, we are piling in, hurried to park the truck, as tailgating time is precious and not one minute shall be wasted.  The tables come out, tents pop up (depending on the weather), the delicious food, all prepared by my mother, Reyne Kasieta, is displayed, the grills are started and the cooler lids are raised.  The music is loud and bumping.  \”Ode to Tim\” is performed hourly. We watch as the players start parking in their designated lot.  A few games such as bags or beer darts may get whipped out and part way through the festivities, some dancing in the back of Jim Kasieta\’s monster truck may take place.  And Justin Sipla is running around with his big camera snapping photos of these countless memories. Through the years, you get to know the people around you.  These same \”people\” are those that I now consider \”family\”.  The friendships developed over the years are unmeasurable.  We became one big group (\”family\”) as the years went on.  Lot 1 became known as the tailgating hot spot of Lambeau field. 

Q: How long have you been competing in horse jumping and 3 day eventing.  Tell us about your horse Lambeau Gold?

A: I received my first pony at the age of 10 on my golden birthday. Nobody in my family cares for horses, so I am not really sure where my passion for these furry, four-legged friends came from.  I competed and had horses throughout high school and college.  I did a little bit of jumping in high school, but this was difficult as it is not a common sport in central Wisconsin.  Furthered my love for the sport in college, where I competed on the Intercollegiate circuit.  I then took it one step further after graduating from college, starting working with trainers and began competing seriously around the Twin Cities area.  The adrenaline rush you get when running a cross country course (depending on what level your are competing at, there is a prescribed or set distance for each level, with a certain number of obstacles, ranging anywhere from 16 to 30 jumps, ditches, banks and water obstacles that you mush negotiate and within a certain amount of time.  Each obstacle is numbered and you must follow them in order, and you must come within a certain amount of time, without being penalized.) on these magnificent animals is heart pounding and priceless.  

\”Lambeau Gold\”…aka…\”LG\” for short, is a 6 year old dark bay off the track Thoroughbred gelding.  I purchased him last spring from my trainer, Greg Sheedy, who had obtained LG at the age of 2 years old.  LG was a very handsome horse that my trainer saw standing in a paddock, and knowing his bloodlines, knew he was going to be a special individual.  LG is extremely athletic and talented when it comes to his job, he is more than happy to please me as his rider.  In 2014, LG was the Overall Champion in our sport for the level we compete at…..Rockstar!!!

Q: Who is your all time favorite player? Why?

A: Donald Driver.  He was one of the most consistent wide receivers in the game of football.  He was an Amazing player and had a solid career.  He set records with his receiving yards. Donald Driver was loyal to his team; spent his entire career with the Green Bay Packers.  Not only was he an incredible player, but he has a heart of gold.  Donald established a charity and organization to help benefit homeless families and also offers assistance to children with unmanageable hospital bills.  I also love how he also donates to other charitable organizations.  His high energy and athleticism were fun to watch in \”Dancing with the Stars\”.  He is also my favorite because of how much he loves and cherishes his family.  Family is very important to him.

Q: Who’s your favorite player now? Why?

Q: Jordy Nelson.  He is incredibly talented (just like \”LG\”)….just look at his stats!  He has made amazing \”BIG\” plays.  There is a plethora of confidence when Rodgers unleashes the ball to him.  I absolutely love watching this pair in action, nothing beats 12 throwing to 87.  I love how the NFL considers Jordy \”The NFL\’s Best Deep Threat\”…..that title has such a pleasant ring to the ears. I\’ll never forget his incredible game against the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.  And being a horse person myself, in addition to a football fan, I appreciate the fact that he is still actively involved with his family farm in Kansas. Jordy is so friendly and honest. I also like him for his dedication to his family and to his charitable organization.  We do have 2 things in common, he loves to drive trucks and prefers Chevrolets…LOVE! Lastly, he has one of the smoothest Lambeau Leaps, I get chills every time, through his adrenaline, when he jumps into the arms of adoring fans!!

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

R E L A X.  The season will be here in a few short months!!!! Until then….GO PACK GO!!!!!!!

Special Thanks to Justin Sipla and  Brooke Ross for the photographs.

Congratulations to Jen Rogness!  

Jen\’s Gallery