Q&A with C.J.: Ryan Hoag survives 'Bachelor Pad' chastity intact

What's a nice guy like Ryan Hoag doing making a second appearance on a reality dating show?

A few years ago he vied for the affections of one of those ABC bachelorettes. Last week the Minneapolis Roosevelt High School dean was bounced off the icky "Bachelor Pad." The non-drinking former NFL and CFL pro football player who's saving himself for marriage is apparently irresistible to reality show casting agents. Hoag was mainly drawn into the "Bachelor Pad" by the money. "While I am disappointed I didn't win the $250,000 or get to donate some of that to Upstream Arts or get publicity for it, it was an experience that 10 years from now," Hoag said, "I'll be, 'It was silly. I'm glad I did it. I was single, I could do things like that.'"

My startribune.com/video of Hoag was shot in his compact Minneapolis bachelor pad amusingly equipped with two TVs about 10 paces apart. He may have less time for TV if there's a response to this, from the Twitter account of @ryanscotthoag: "@lolojones rumor has it we would make a good couple #tebowaintgotnothinonme."

Q Why did you keep going on these unrealistic TV dating shows?

A Clearly I'm a glutton for punishment. I told myself I was done with reality TV. The opportunity was presented to me right before they were casting the show. Would this be something you'd be interested in and I said, "To be honest I'm not." But the more I got to talk to them not only did I realize there was a game show aspect to it with a $250,000 cash prize but they were going to allow me to use [it] as a platform for something near and dear to my heart, Upstream Arts, which is a nonprofit at the Pillsbury House in Minneapolis. We do arts education promoting social skills for students and adults with disabilities. I've been a part of it for the last three years. They told me I could promote that on the show and if I won the cash prize I could donate part of the winnings to Upstream Arts.

That in and of itself was reason enough to go on "Bachelor Pad."

Q What stupid things did they have you doing on "Bachelor Pad"? I ask because you know I couldn't watch it.

Q Has Chris Harrison become a little more full of himself between the time you saw him on "Bachelorette" and "Bachelor Pad"?

A Well, Chris is single now. He probably has a little more swagger. Probably taking more notice of the fact that he has his share of fans out there. He's very good at what he does and he knows it. He's pleasant enough; maybe not a guy I'd go to dinner with but, you know, he's all right.

Q Did you kiss anybody at the "Bachelor Pad"?

A No, far from kissing anybody. Don't get me wrong: There was plenty of that going on. Any time there is a room in the house named the "Boom Boom Room" you know that more than kissing goes on. It was just absolutely ridiculous. The thing I could never understand is that you have moms, dads, grandparents. You will eventually have kids [who] watch this. Think about what you're doing on national TV. Pretty much everybody didn't care or were too ignorant or too drunk to realize.

Q Did you have to get tested for STDs?

Q What hurts more: being Mr. Irrelevant in the 2003 draft or two bachelor TV reality shows and still no final rose?

A I don't think any of them really hurt. To be one of 262 people drafted, I was more focused on the fact that I was blessed enough to be drafted [by the NFL] than that I was last. Later came to find out being last is actually a pretty sweet thing. They take care of you very well.

Q Is being a virgin at "Bachelor Pad" like being the sober person in a room full of drunks?

A Times 10, I would say. When you combine the two, then you are certainly the outcast. For the most part, people were respectful.

Q Did your NFL teammates tease you about being a virgin?

Q How did you handle the attention of scantily clad, pro-athlete-eating groupies?

A Sat back and kind of laughed at how some people approach or handle those situations. It's really a sad, sad thing. I never got to a level like Michael Jordan, where it's 24/7. But being a local kid and playing for your hometown team, people are going to get to know you. The one thing that was always hard for me: You always have to think in the back of your mind: "Is their initial intrigue because you are a professional athlete or reality TV person or that they are genuinely attracted to you and want to get to know you for who you are?" If I were to meet Halle Berry at a bar and decide we want to go on a date, I'm telling my friends, "Guess who I have a date with tomorrow? By the way we have this, this or this in common." I'm probably guilty of it as well.

Q Have you ever read a Playboy magazine?

A Do you really read Playboy magazine? I was IN Playboy. They had "Mr. Irrelevant 2003." I had to thumb through to find my name; I didn't know what page it was on.

Q Ever bought a Playboy?

Q Is being a 32-year-old virgin starting to become a burden?

A It's certainly bordering on the creepy factor. But I would never call it a burden. It's something I embrace. It's something one person is really going to appreciate one day. Any feeling of a burden dissipates real quick when I think about that. It's a moniker. It's something that ABC eats up.

Q What do you think of "The Virgin Bachelor" concept?

A First of all, the casting would few and far between. I've heard the Learning Channel should have me on as the virgin bachelor.

Q Do any of your former pals in the NFL ever ask you to date their daughters or sisters?

Q Are women respectful of your desire to have thoroughly chaste dates?

A It's not like I'm not a sexual human being. I'm not sitting 4 feet away from a person. Every girlfriend I've had wasn't a virgin. Some handled it well, some pushed the envelope as far as they could. That's been a point of contention, especially in my most recent relationship [that lasted] about a year.

Q What does your dad think of your plans to remain a virgin until marriage?

A My parents were hippies. My brother lost his virginity at a younger age. I think if you asked my mom or my dad they would be, We don't know necessarily why he has decided on it, and he's strong in his faith and wants to give it to one person. We don't have a ton of conversations about the fact that I'm waiting. I remember when my stepmom found out when the "Bachelor" came out she was like, What? Really?

Q What qualities have you not found in women as you seek a wife?

Q They have to go to church every Sunday?

A Absolutely not. Faith we can cultivate together.

Q Prediction on the Vikings record at the end of this season?

A 5 and 11.

Q Why are some Penn State fans having such difficulty coming to terms with Joe Paterno not being a great man when those little boys needed him to be one, all the while protecting and excusing Jerry Sandusky?