Jordan Wisely - MTV's The Challenge

1) Jordan Wisely is an MTV star from Mustang, Oklahoma, who has competed in four seasons of The Challenge. Jordan made his first appearance on MTV during The Real World Portland which aired in 2013. 

2) Jordan is a 2-time Challenge champion who won Battle of the Exes II and XXX: Dirty 30, where he took home the biggest prize amount in Challenge history ($450,000).

3) Wisely is the owner of Strapped Mfg. Co. which builds custom motorcycles and designs and sells handmade motorcycle jackets.

D: What are your favorite fruits or vegetables?

Jordan Wisely: I like broccoli and other vegetables when you saute them and bake them to make them crispy. So really, I like vegetables when they are smothered in grease. That's how I like them.

D's Follow Up: My favorite veggies are broccoli, peas, and green beans. I haven't really tried them the way Jordan likes them. Just the way my Dad makes them.

J: What have been your favorite Challenge events to compete in?

Jordan Wisely: I love the individual challenges that are athletic. I grew up wrestling and playing football. I want to do the sports competitions. I hate the puzzles. You never know if somebody is going to accidentally solve it. 

J's Follow Up: If I was playing I think I would like the puzzles the most but I would be good at some of the sports competitions too. I might be a good Challenge player someday?

On Saturday, May 19th, we attended the third Challenge Throwdown for the Cause in Yorkville, IL. This event was a volleyball tournament where 6 cast members from The Challenge competed in a volleyball tournament with fans to raise money for Diem Brown's MedGift charity, who's mission is to provide emotional, physical, and financial support to those experiencing health related hardships.

The boys and I got to meet our favorite cast members including Jordan, Derrick, Darrell, Laurel, Nicole Z., Tori, Cohutta, and Ashley K. We met Jordan after his volleyball victory and his biggest fan Jordan V. had the chance to shake hands and ask Jordan about his favorite type of challenges. Jordan's response would be the same as mine if I was a competitor. He loves the athletic competitions which he clearly excels in and is not a big fan of the puzzles, which could be solved quickly and randomly by another competitor. But just as much as being good at multiple sports and physical activities is important in The Challenge, so is being good at odd puzzles. Jordan has been good at both during his time in The Challenge competitions.

Jordan was one of the nicest people we met throughout the day at Pinheadz in Yorkville. He went out of his way to say hi to the boys on multiple occasions, he spent about five minutes talking The Challenge with us, and after our Jordan and I went to get hot dogs inside, we even found Danny playing a giant game of "Beer Pong" with Jordan when we came back. They were battling it out Challenge style to be the first player to eliminate all of the cups from the game. It came down to one cup for each but ultimately Jordan came out on top in the end. It was an incredible experience for D and for us as spectators. It felt like D was in the middle of an elimination with the XXX: Dirty Thirty champion. Too much fun!

We had the greatest time at our first Challenge Throwdown for the Cause event and we are making plans to attend the next event in IL on September 8th in Marseilles for a golf event. Huge thanks to Jordan for hanging with us guys for the afternoon and sharing his stories!

Allen Robinson - Chicago Bears

1) Allen Robinson #12 is a wide receiver for the Chicago Bears.

2) Robinson was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round (Pick #61 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft. Allen spent his first four seasons with the Jaguars where he made the Pro Bowl and led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2015. 

3) Allen Robinson attended Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania from 2011-2013 where he was named a consensus All-American (2013), 2x First Team All-Big Ten (2012, 2013) and was a 2-time recipient of the Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year Award (2012, 2013), given to the conference's top receiver.

D: What's your favorite pregame meal?

Allen Robinson: Actually, I don't like eating before a game. So a lot of times before a game, I don't eat anything. 

D's Follow Up: I can't believe he doesn't eat before a game. I like to eat waffles, fruit, cereal, and breakfast sandwiches before a game. I drink Gatorade and water during my games.

J: What's been your favorite part about Chicago so far?

Allen Robinson: I would have to say downtown Chicago.

J's Follow Up: I'm a big fan of downtown Chicago too and I really like food! Pizza is my favorite and I like it from anywhere in Chicago.

Dad: Did you play any other sports while growing up?

Allen Robinson: Baseball and Basketball.

Dad: We have yet to meet a professional athlete who was not a multi-sport star while growing up. It's clear that playing more than one sport helps you in a variety of ways. Standing at 6' 3" and having lightning quick speed would be a tough matchup for anyone on the basketball court and he would certainly be an intimidating player to pitch against on the baseball field too.

Dom: Who was your favorite athlete growing up?

Allen Robinson: Randy Moss

Dom's Follow Up: I hope he wants to be like Randy Moss because he (Randy Moss) is one of the best players to ever play and he scored a ton of touchdowns.

On Friday night, May 25th, we had the opportunity to meet superstar wide receiver and Chicago Bears' new offensive weapon, Allen Robinson, at the grand opening of the new Dick's Sporting Goods store in Gurnee. This was Allen's first public signing since arriving in Chicago via free agency in March and this was an event we were not going to miss. Robinson was widely considered the top wide receiver in free agency in 2018 and the Bears were fortunate to land such a talented receiver to their new-look roster under new head coach Matt Nagy.

Photo credit / Getty Images

My Friday morning started earlier than usual as I headed out to Gurnee at 7:00 am in hopes of being one of the first 300 people to get a wristband to meet Robinson. Because the boys were celebrating Jordan's birthday with friends later in the morning, I recruited my in-laws, Silvia and Jack Jones to come and wait with me to get a wristband for the event. They are so nice and understanding and were willing to rise early so their grandsons could have the opportunity to meet one of the most talked about football players in our house. I was also able to get two extra wristbands from a couple in front of us which allowed us to invite our friends David and Dom Niedbalac.

We got to Dick's Sports Goods a little before 6 pm and the line moved quickly as Bears fans shook hands and took photos with the wide receiver. We had a great experience meeting Allen as he was all smiles on Friday night. The five of us got to ask questions and come face to face with the exciting new addition to our Chicago Bears...and he was as cool as we expected. We are thrilled that Allen is now a Chicago Bear and it looks like he is enjoying his time in his new city. Thank you to Allen for coming out to meet with fans on his Friday night. We wish him the best for a healthy and productive season wearing the navy and orange on Sundays this fall. #BearDown

Photo credit / Getty Images

Derrick Kosinski - MTV The Challenge

1) Derrick Kosinski is an MTV star from Chicago, IL who has competed in ten seasons of The Challenge. He made his first appearance on MTV during Road Rules X-Treme in 2004.

2) Derrick is a 3-time Challenge champion who won The Inferno 3, The Island, and The Ruins. He made it to the Finale on The Inferno II and XXX: Dirty 30. 

3) Derrick and friend Scott Yager host the Challenge Mania Podcast, which features interviews with current and former Challenge competitors two times a week. The Challenge Mania podcast gives an insider's point of view of the The Challenge and a peek into the lives of your favorite challengers.

Photo credit / https://challengemania.podbean.com/

J: What is your favorite Challenge event that you've competed in?

DK: I love eliminations. You've seen the one with Joss? That is my favorite kind of event.

J's Follow Up: Derrick's elimination against Joss was my favorite one to watch. Joss is a monster and Derrick was the underdog. I was happy that Derrick won.

Photo credit / MTV

D: What's your favorite fruit and vegetable?

DK: Here's one good one. Avocados. Have you started eating avocados? My son likes them and he's nine. You should eat most fruits and veggies to be healthy the rest of your life. I make myself eat them because I know it will make me better at sports and keep me healthy.

D's Follow Up: I like a lot of fruits and veggies. Most of them are really good. I want to play football, tennis, baseball, hockey, basketball, lacrosse, and every sport. I always eat fruits and veggies, so that should keep me healthy.


Dad: What sports did you play in high school?

DK: I played football, basketball, and baseball. I also walked on to the football and basketball teams at Oakton Community College. I went in and told them I wanted to play. It helped me pay for some of my college.

D: That makes sense because he's an athletic dude. Being good at sports probably makes him good at The Challenge.

On Saturday, May 19th, the boys and I ventured out to Pinheadz in Yorkville, IL to watch our favorite Challenge stars go head to head in volleyball matches to raise money for Diem Brown's MedGift charity, who's mission is to provide emotional, physical, and financial support to those experiencing health related hardships. 

I have been a big fan of The Challenge since the start of the show and Jordan and Danny have been watching with me the past two years (minus the party scenes). We love the unique competitions and heart pounding eliminations. 

We live about 80 minutes away from Yorkville but we knew this was a small trip to make to meet our favorite stars including Derrick, Jordan, Darrell, Laurel, Nicole Z., and more. The volleyball portion was an all ages event and was perfect for the 11 year old and the soon to be 8 year old. We bought tickets to be spectators, which was incredible, but next time I'm not passing on the opportunity to play with a Challenge veteran. It's the closest I'll ever get to being on my favorite show and I'm not passing it up.

Of course, Derrick is a favorite of ours and he feels like family to me as I hear his voice on his podcast twice a week on my way to work. We've watched his epic elimination against Joss in Vendettas over and over and I think he could take the crown as the toughest competitor to ever step inside the Challenge lines. He's certainly in my Challenge Hall of Fame.

On Saturday afternoon, Derrick and his Challenge friends were extremely nice and approachable. Derrick asked the boys to sit next to him while watching his red squad play and he told us to ask him anything we want and to come by and visit him throughout the day. So we did. The Challenge Throwdown for the Cause was a fun event for fans and we recommend it to anyone who wants to meet their favorite Challenge competitors all in one place and raise some money for a great cause!

Dave Robinson - Green Bay Packers

1) Dave Robinson #89 is a former NFL linebacker who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1963-1972 and the Washington Redskins in 1973-1974.

2) Robinson was a key contributor in Green Bay's Super Bowl I and II victories and won 3 NFL Titles with the Packers in 1965, 1966, and 1967.

3) Dave Robinson is the most recent member of Vince Lombardi's championship winning teams to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2013). He's also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame (1997) and the Gator Bowl Hall of Fame.

D: What was the best part about playing for Vince Lombardi?

Dave Robinson: Well, all I ever wanted him to do was pat me on the back and say "Nice play Dave!", every day. That was the best part.

D's Follow Up: I think he would love Vince to say "Nice job Dave" because he's one of the best coaches ever. He's such a famous coach.

J: What was your favorite part of playing in Super Bowl I?

Dave Robinson: Man, that's a hard question. I guess winning that trophy for the first time. You know, we were the first ones to ever win it and hold it. It was just a great, great feeling.

J's Follow Up: It had to be fun to win the first Super Bowl. I don't think he thought the Super Bowl would be as big as it is today.

Photo credit / Tony Tomric Getty Images

We made our first visit to Packerpalooza at Will's Northwoods Inn on Saturday, April 28th, where Danny the Packer boy took us to meet Dave Robinson, star linebacker for the Vince Lombardi led Super Bowl I and II champion Green Bay Packers. Dave Robinson is the second Green Bay player we've met from Super Bowl I. We also took Danny to meet Paul Hornung, "The Golden Boy", last spring at the Mars Cheese Castle in Kenosha, WI.

We arrived near the end of Dave's signing time (12:00-2:30) at Packerpalooza and he was all smiles from the moment we walked in. Dave was thrilled to talk football with Jordan and Danny and within seconds we could tell how proud he is to be a Green Bay Packer, Super Bowl Champion, and Hall of Fame player. Dave took the time to tell Danny and Jordan that they asked him great questions and he also told us we had a nice family. It was a pleasure to meet NFL legend Dave Robinson and he was the perfect player to kick off our first Packerpalooza experience. There is little doubt that Danny will have us back at Will's Northwoods Inn next April to meet more of his Packers heroes.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Davante Adams, Vince Biegel - Green Bay Packers

                Photo Credit / Getty Images

1) Ha Ha Clinton-Dix #21 is a Pro Bowl free safety who plays for the Green Bay Packers of the NFC North division in the National Football League. Ha Ha is also the founder of Ha Ha's Hero Foundation whose mission "is to provide economically-challenged students with a voice of motivation, empowerment and encouragement so they can be Heroes by achieving academic excellence, developing positive personal skills and making positive decisions to avoid high-risk behavior."

                                        Photo Credit / Getty Images

2) Davante Adams #17 is a Pro Bowl wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers of the NFC North division in the National Football League. A second round draft pick in 2014 out of Fresno State, Davante was the Paul Warfield Award winner in 2013, given to the nation's top collegiate receiver.

                                                                      Photo credit / Getty Images

3) Vince Biegel #45 is a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the NFC North division in the National Football League. Vince grew up near Wisconsin Rapids, WI and attended the University of Wisconsin after a stellar high school career that culminated in being named the 2011 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Defensive Player of the Year and the Gatorade State Player of the Year.

(Note: we didn't get an exact quote with Davante because we were soaking up the moment with him and we will paraphrase our conversation in italics)

D: What's your favorite healthy food, fruit or vegetable?

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix: Mangoes

D's Follow Up: I like mangoes because they taste good and are really sweet. I like it when my Gramma, Mom, and Dad cut them up for me so I can eat them off the peel. Mangoes are my favorite.

J: What are your favorite healthy foods?

Davante Adams: I'm a mango guy like Ha Ha.  
He also told us there is a restaurant in Green Bay that makes him a special Mahi Mahi dish with a cream sauce that he loves. Davante also noted that he likes asparagus and broccoli too.

J's Follow Up: Mangoes are not one of my favorite fruits. I think they are a little too sweet and the flavor is not my favorite. I do like broccoli though but I'm not a big fan of asparagus either. My favorite is mandarin oranges, cherries, and cherry tomatoes. 

J: What was the best part about playing for the Wisconsin Badgers?

Vince Biegel: That's a good question. I would say playing for the fans. Playing for you guys. And then game days are fun too when we get to run around with everybody.

D's Follow Up: It's fun because I'm also a Wisconsin Badgers fan too. I really want to go to a football game there someday to watch the Badgers. I want to see the Badgers play my other favorite teams Alabama and Ohio State. 

On Saturday, April 28th, our family went on another Danny Packer adventure as we made our visit to Packerpalooza, which took place at the Packers and Wisconsin themed bar, Will's Northwoods, on Racine Avenue in Chicago. The guests scheduled to be in attendance included Danny's favorite player and buddy, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, along with Davante Adams, Vince Biegel and Hall of Famer Dave Robinson. Danny always has to deal with the wrath of being a Packer fan in Chicago, so we thought it was only fair that we feel what it's like to be surrounded by nothing but Packers fans for a day. Although it was a little tough at times, especially listening to "The Bears Still Suck" on repeat, we can admit we did have a good time.

Our visit started out great as we quickly rushed in to meet HOFer Dave Robinson from Super Bowl I and II. Dave complimented us by saying we had a nice family and was happy to answer D and J's questions. From there, let's just say things got a little...crowded. We waited about an hour to move fifteen feet and the boys were struggling while waiting to meet the other three Packers...that's until Ha Ha found Danny in the crowd and scooped him up and out of my arms and took him up to the signing table with him, Davante, and Vince. We love Ha Ha and the fans love him too and they cheered for Danny as he was whisked away. Fortunately, that helped us move up near the front of the line too. 

Danny had another amazing opportunity to hang with Ha Ha and Davante up at the signing table as they met with fans. We realize that Danny is likely the luckiest kid on the planet to get an experience like this but we also know Ha Ha and this is the type of man that he is. He has a knack for making everyone feel special, especially kids.

Ha Ha regularly visits with the youth in his home state of Florida and makes frequent school visits to interact with the students where he encourages them to get good grades, take a greater interest in reading, and to make positive choices within their community. Ha Ha also works with students in Green Bay and other areas of Wisconsin too. Yes, Ha Ha is an amazing football player and awesome at his job, but Ha Ha is a greater person and he is making an impact away from the field that is making our world a better place. We are grateful for how Ha Ha has treated our son over the past two years and we are proud that Danny calls Ha Ha his HERO. We will never be able to thank him enough for taking Danny under his wing.

Each meeting between Danny and Ha Ha has been special but this was the first time Mom got to be with us and she was excited to meet the person that Danny talks about all the time. Packerpalooza turned out to be an extra special day for our family as older brother Jordan was also invited up to the signing table and got to interact with Ha Ha and Davante too. Danny knows his buddy Ha Ha well and he brought him an Alabama basketball (pictured below) that he won for him at Six Flags Great America and he also signed a picture to Ha Ha from their last meeting in October. Vince Biegel was extremely nice, Davante Adams was excited to meet D and J and showed off some sweet basketball moves, and Ha Ha continues to make the Packer boy who lives in a Bears house feel like he's on the team! I'll admit it, Packerpalooza was a great time and I'm sure there's a good chance Danny will have us back at Will's Northwoods again next year!