Barney Shynkaruk’s Behind the Face Mask takes a closer look at your favourite Saskatchewan Roughriders.
This week, he chats with receiver Daniel Wiebe.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Behind the Face Mask this week, Daniel Wiebe.
Okay, now, is it Daniel? Do you go by Dan, Danny? What do most guys call you?
Daniel Wiebe:
I’ve been called a lot of things. Some nicknames, though — Goose, that’s a classic one with the Huskies. Rango, there are a few nicknames, but yeah.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Goose back in the day was Sheldon Ball in my days with the Huskies.
But okay, take me through Rosetown to Saskatoon. How does that happen?
Daniel Wiebe:
Yeah, so I was living in Rosetown with my mom. We ended up moving to the city here in 2011, so I was playing 12-man ball in Saskatoon. It was a lot of fun.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Did you play nine-man in Rosetown?
Daniel Wiebe:
Yeah, I played nine-man and six-man. It was a good time, too. Played some quarterback, so I had some fun there.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Favourite part about Rosetown, Saskatchewan?
Daniel Wiebe:
Oh, that’s a tough question. I feel like the field is pretty sick. Friday night lights there — man, there’s nothing quite like that.
Barney Shynkaruk:
They just had a big one against Clavet this week.
What about the town and the community, and living in a town like Rosetown? What do you miss?
Daniel Wiebe:
I mean, everyone’s very close, right? It’s a very tight-knit community for sure.
Yeah, I think that’s probably the biggest thing.
Barney Shynkaruk:
I’m a Westsider, so Holy Cross — you know, they’re always the power, the perennial Eastside power.
Was Holy Cross pretty good when you were there?
Daniel Wiebe:
Yeah, they were pretty good. We ended up going to the provincial championship. We didn’t quite get the win, but yeah, it was a good squad for sure.
Barney Shynkaruk:
If you had to go to a different high school in Saskatoon, which one would you pick?
Daniel Wiebe:
Well, I ended up going to a different school in Grade 12, so I went to St. Joseph’s. I would pick Joe’s again. It was a lot of fun.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Okay, maybe if you had to go to a Westside school, which one would it be?
Daniel Wiebe:
Oh, probably Bedford.
Barney Shynkaruk:
That’s my alphabet.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Did you play any other sports growing up?
Daniel Wiebe:
A little bit of hockey, yeah.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Were you any good? Was that in Rosetown?
Daniel Wiebe:
It was in Rosetown, just house league, so it was a lot of fun, but nothing too crazy.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Good barn there. Banner Barn, they call it.
Daniel Wiebe:
Oh yeah, it’s the Banner Barn.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Yeah, absolutely.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Favourite bridge in Saskatoon? Because, you know, there are so many of them. Some of them get clogged up. Which would be your favourite?
Daniel Wiebe:
I feel like that older one that has the cool look. Is that Victoria?
Barney Shynkaruk:
Yeah, yeah, that’s a cool one.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Okay, I heard you say you never watched a Labour Day game before this year. I’m calling bull on that. Is that true?
Daniel Wiebe:
I think it is true, as far as I can remember, because we’ve always been playing ball or I think Harvest, right?
So I don’t know if I actually have been to one before, but I’ve been to lots of places.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Your favourite concert at Sask Place?
Daniel Wiebe:
I’ve never been to a concert at Sask Place, but I was at Bachman-Turner Overdrive last year in Regina. That was a good one.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Okay, favourite football receiver of all time?
Daniel Wiebe:
Oh, that’s a tough one, too. That’s a really tough one, but I’ve got to go with Weston Dressler.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Okay, yeah. What about an NFL guy?
Daniel Wiebe:
NFL guy? Oh, that’s a tough one.
Barney Shynkaruk:
You kind of give me a Julian Edelman or Wes Welker feel.
Daniel Wiebe:
Yeah, that’s tough. I feel like I was a big fan of Stefon Diggs for quite a while when he was on the Bills.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Okay, we could get in a time machine here and go back to one game at Gordie Howe Bowl, the Saskatoon minor football field.
What game would you want to go back to?
Daniel Wiebe:
Oh, wow. That’s a tough one. That’s really tough.
I remember we played Joe’s in one of the final games with Cross. That was a fun game for sure. It was a good competition.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Who’s your celebrity crush?
Daniel Wiebe:
Don’t have one.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Come on.
Daniel Wiebe:
I don’t think I have one. Kian Schaffer-Baker?
Barney Shynkaruk:
Favourite Saskatchewan lake to go to for a weekend?
Daniel Wiebe:
Oh, wow. Probably somewhere — I’d say maybe Douglas.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Okay, yeah, that’s a good one.
Barney Shynkaruk:
And your must-eat place when you go back to Saskatoon? What’s the restaurant you’ve got to go to?
Daniel Wiebe:
That’s a tough one, too. Must-eat place? Maybe Las Palapas.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Okay, that’s a good one.
Daniel, we’re Behind the Face Mask.
Daniel Wiebe:
Appreciate it. Thank you so much. Thanks, guys.
