Idol's Finalist

Background:

“I auditioned based on a bet. I was at a sales dinner for mortgage brokers. Someone offered me $100 if I stood up and sang opera at the top of my lungs. I said no, but the wager went up to $500. At that point, I started to sing. Everyone in the restaurant burst into applause at the end. My co-workers then pushed me to audition for 'American Idol.'”

California-based who defines an American Idol is a person “who has a great voice, individual style, great look, solid morals, and knows who they are” Matthew Rogers entered the world of entertainment as one of the finalists on the third season of the reality/talent-search television series “American Idol” in 2004. After being voted off, he became correspondent in several sports and entertainment shows and hosted the Discovery Channel's “Really Big Things” (2007-2008). The former offensive lineman on the winning college football team of the University of Washington now helms California's Mission Viejo High School.

Rogers is married to Teri Himes and has one son, Brayden Douglas. In addition to football, Rogers also likes poker and fishing, and has participated in the 2007 World Series of Poker Championship. He cites James Ingram's “Just Once” as his favorite song, Ruben Studdard and Britney Spears as his favorite artists and “Saved by the Bell” and “Family Ties” as his favorite shows.

Football

Childhood and Family:

Matthew Wyatt Rogers was born on September 16, 1978, in Arcadia, California. He was educated in Sierra Vista Middle School and South Hills High School, both of which in West Covina, California, and later went to college at the University of Washington, in Seattle, Washington, from which he received a degree in business communications. A football player since high school, Matt helped his college football team win the Rose Bowl in 2001. He served as an offensive lineman.

In the summer of 2004, Matt lost his mother who died from cancer. He married fiancée Teri Himes a year later on February 19, 2005. The couple welcomed a son named Brayden Douglas on April 16, 2006.

Currently, Matt resides in Rancho Cucamonga, California.

Really Big Things

Career:

Matthew Rogers began singing when he was five years old. However, it was football that attracted him most. The Californian played the sport at the high school and even won the 2001 Rose Bowl with his college football team of the University of Washington. With a degree in business communications in his pocket,he then launched a career as a mortgage banker.

Rogers' career in show business started when he tried his hand in and was selected for the massively popular talent show “American Idol” for its third season in 2004. Recalling about his audition, he said, “I was the last to audition in Los Angeles, so I waited for over 11 hours and I was exhausted. It's so stressful to be at the auditions, hour after hour, and see countless people come out crying. Seeing all those devastated people made it hard to keep my own spirits up.”

In “American Idol,” Rogers performed Bobby Caldwell's “What You Won't Do For Love” in the semifinals on February 17, 2004 and Otis Redding's “Hard to Handle” for the Soul week on March 16, 2004. Unfortunately, he was vote off on March 24, 2004 after singing “Amazed,” by Lonestar. He became the second of 12 finalist to be eliminated.

After leaving the show, Rogers was hired as co-host for “American Idol Extra” in 2006. He also served as corespondent on a number of entertainment and sports shows like “Access Hollywood,” “Entertainment Tonight,” “The Best Damn Sports Show Ever” and “Turner Sports College Football.” From 2007 to 2008, Rogers hosted the reality-TV “Really Big Things” on the Discovery Channel.

On May 21, 2008, Rogers appeared as a correspondent in the season finale of “American Idol” season 7. He was in the hometown of the eventual runner-up David Archuleta.

On the football front, Rogers is currently the coach at Mission Viejo High School in Mission Viejo, California.

Awards:
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