Every game, don’t miss Barney Shynkaruk’s Behind the Face Mask, taking a closer look at your favourite Saskatchewan Roughriders.
This week, Johnny Johnson III.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Behind the Face Mask this week, Johnny Johnson III. All right, out of the gate. First off, tell us about Johnny Johnson II.
Johnny Johnson III:
Hard-working guy. You know, he came from poverty and did what he could to help me get where I’m at. He and my mother made a lot of sacrifices. He’s a hard-working guy who definitely helped me get where I am today.
Barney Shynkaruk:
What about the OG, Johnny Johnson?
Johnny Johnson III:
The OG was a military man. He had a lot of jobs, whether it was photography, being a bowling pro, all types of stuff. He served in Vietnam, so he did a lot of things in his life. He’s got some good stories.
Barney Shynkaruk:
All right, favourite part of Chandler, Arizona?
Johnny Johnson III:
Probably the food and my family, for real. My whole family lives there, and my wife’s family is in Chandler, so there’s a lot of family out there.
Barney Shynkaruk:
I looked up your high school, and quite a few football players came out of there.
Johnny Johnson III:
No doubt. Yeah, a lot of guys went to Division I schools. The program has blown up even more since I left, but there were a lot of guys before me, too.
Barney Shynkaruk:
What’s the hottest game you’ve ever played in?
Johnny Johnson III:
In a game? If you go back to Little League, probably around 115 degrees. You know, 110s. Those games were early, though, so maybe 110 or 105. That was probably the hottest, for sure.
Barney Shynkaruk:
A lot of Canadians, including people from this area, spend time in the Valley around Phoenix and Chandler. When you were younger, did you ever take in a Phoenix Coyotes game?
Johnny Johnson III:
I actually have. I went to one, but I forget who I went with. I know it was a friend, maybe with his parents. I’ve been to one hockey game, and it was a Coyotes game. It was pretty cool, but I was a lot younger.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Favourite mall in the Phoenix area? If you were going to hang out as a youngster, which one would you go to?
Johnny Johnson III:
Definitely Scottsdale Fashion Square. Probably not as a youngster, because you need a little bit more money, but that’s a good one for sure. Maybe Arizona Mills, or Chandler Fashion Center. One of those, for sure.
Barney Shynkaruk:
IHOP, Denny’s or Waffle House? You can only keep one. Which one do you keep?
Johnny Johnson III:
Waffle House, easy.
Barney Shynkaruk:
That’s the right answer. That’s the right answer.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Oregon — that’s pretty cool. Were there other opportunities? Was Arizona State an option?
Johnny Johnson III:
No, actually, my recruiting process was mostly Mountain West schools. I was committed to UNLV going into my senior year. Oregon came around during my last few games, offered me, and I jumped at it. I committed the next day.
Barney Shynkaruk:
What’s your favourite Oregon uniform of all time?
Johnny Johnson III:
We wore a “Stomp Out Cancer” uniform my first year. It was white, silver and yellow. I liked that one a lot.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Did you ever cross paths with Phil Knight?
Johnny Johnson III:
Yeah, he’s at every home game. I’ve met Phil a bunch of times. He’s a good guy.
Barney Shynkaruk:
For the rest of your life, are you a Nike guy now?
Johnny Johnson III:
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Money talks. I’ll wear anything — well, not anything — but Nike for sure if I have the choice.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Okay, let’s talk about your favourite place to eat here in Regina.
Johnny Johnson III:
I recently started going to Liberty. It’s a good pasta spot. I really like that place.
Barney Shynkaruk:
I’ve asked a lot of guys this: what’s your go-to song if you have to sing karaoke?
Johnny Johnson III:
Probably “I’m in Love with a Stripper” by T-Pain. That’s the one.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Celebrity crush?
Johnny Johnson III:
Don’t have one.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Come on.
Johnny Johnson III:
Nah, nah. Probably Trevor Harris.
Barney Shynkaruk:
And last one: what’s the coldest game you’ve ever played in?
Johnny Johnson III:
We had some cold games at Washington State, Wazzu. I don’t remember the temperature, but there was snow on the sidelines, not on the field. We had some cold ones up north.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Johnny Johnson III from Chandler, Arizona. Appreciate you. Thanks so much, man.
Johnny Johnson III:
Have a good one.
