Every game, don’t miss Barney Shynkaruk’s Behind the Facemask — a closer look at your favourite Saskatchewan Roughriders.
This week: Former Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive lineman Scott Schultz.
Barney Shynkaruk:
All right, it’s Behind the Facemask this week, and we’re doing something a little different. We’re in studio with the big No. 96 himself, Scott Schultz.
Schultz, people hear you every Wednesday on the SportsCage, but let’s have some fun and go back to the beginning.
What’s your first memory of playing tackle football?
Scott Schultz:
I started out as a fullback, if you can believe that.
I didn’t get into a game until about my second or third game in Grade 9. We were playing Central Collegiate, and they called a fullback dive. I hit the hole, and there was a guy on the other team who had always kind of bullied me growing up.
I ran right over him.
Cleat on the chest.
I went 52 yards for a touchdown on the first time I ever touched the football.
That’s still my first football memory.
Barney:
What size were you in Grade 9?
Scott:
About 6-foot-2, 187 pounds.
Barney:
Any other standout players you remember growing up?
Scott:
There were lots.
Adrian Gilmour was a year older than me and went on to wrestle at the world level.
O.J. Haggerty played at my high school before going on to the Regina Rams.
James Rapatsie was another one I remember.
I was our kickoff guy and somehow convinced the coaches to let me be the first guy down the field after the kick.
I kicked one right to Rapatsie. I was in Grade 9, he was in Grade 12 and about 250 pounds.
I hit him, and it felt like running into a brick wall.
I just got dragged along.
Barney:
What do you remember about your first Roughriders game?
Scott:
That’s actually a crazy story.
I had just been cut by the San Diego Chargers after Saskatchewan made me the No. 1 overall pick in the CFL Draft.
The Riders were planning to introduce me at a press conference that morning.
That morning turned out to be Sept. 11, 2001.
Everything changed.
The CFL shuffled the schedule, and my first game ended up being a Monday night against Calgary.
I didn’t get into the game until late in the fourth quarter.
Then Shontaye Peoples came flying off the edge, sacked Henry Burris, forced a fumble, and Davin Bush picked it up and returned it for a touchdown.
I’m celebrating the touchdown.
Shontaye is yelling at the officials because, back then, sacks counted toward bonus money and he wanted credit for the sack instead of the fumble.
That was my introduction to the CFL.
Barney:
You played at North Dakota.
What was the best road atmosphere?
Scott:
North Dakota State.
Back then we were both Division II, and they packed more than 20,000 people into that dome.
I’d never played in front of that many fans.
The rivalry was unbelievable.
Those were some incredible football games.
Barney:
What was your second-best sport growing up?
Scott:
Karate.
I was a junior brown belt.
I started when I was seven and trained until I was about 14.
My parents put me in every sport because I was such a clumsy kid.
Karate let me learn at my own pace.
By Grade 8, I was fighting adults.
Then I found football and realized it was way more fun.
Barney:
Most famous athlete you’ve ever met?
Scott:
Probably Mario Lemieux.
It was just a quick handshake at an event in Pittsburgh.
I’ve met a lot of former NHL players over the years too, but Mario would be the biggest one.
Barney:
One football player, dead or alive, you’d love to meet?
Scott:
John Randle.
He’s always been my guy.
What he accomplished as an interior defensive lineman was unbelievable.
I’d love to sit down and talk football with him.
Barney:
Were you any good at Tecmo Bowl?
Scott:
Very good.
I always used the Raiders.
Bo Jackson every time.
Barney:
What about Super Tecmo Bowl?
Scott:
Not so much.
People think because I’m built like a gamer that I played a lot of video games, but I really didn’t.
Barney:
Best concert you’ve ever been to?
Scott:
Prince.
One of my teammates at North Dakota was in the Prince fan club.
He found out Prince was doing a private concert at Paisley Park.
A few of us drove down to Minneapolis in the middle of the night and ended up at a private concert at Prince’s house.
It was unbelievable.
Barney:
What was your pregame meal?
Scott:
In college, I didn’t have one.
I used to get so nervous that I’d throw up before every game.
It became part of my routine.
If I didn’t throw up, something felt wrong.
Once I got to the CFL, it never happened again.
I think I finally felt like I belonged.
Barney:
Favourite teammate of all time?
You’ve got to pick one.
Scott:
If someone was introducing me into the Hall of Fame, it would probably be Jeremy O’Day.
But one of the most interesting teammates I ever had was Chris Hoople.
He was one of those guys who always had stories.
He was fascinated with military history and special operations long before it became popular.
He was just a unique guy and a great teammate.
Barney:
Schultz, thanks for doing this.
Scott:
Always fun.
