The confounding Mr. Parker
So Willie Parker is just 63 yards shy of 1,000 in his second NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. With two weeks to go, I imagine he'll get there -- he better, he's on the Van Buren Boys' fantasy-football roster. As any North Carolina football fan can tell you, Parker never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season with the Tar Heels. In fact, he finished with 1,147 in his four-year career. And no Tar Heel has eclipsed 1,000 since Jonathan Linton in '97.
Yet, here Parker is about to join a list of Steelers 1,000-yard rushers that includes Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier and Jerome Bettis. How do you figure? He had a great career at Clinton H.S., but quickly established a reputation in Chapel Hill for his breakaway speed ... when running to the sidelines. Either he's a late bloomer, has developed a new-found toughness and willingness to run north-south or the UNC coaches gave up on him/failed to develop him to his potential.
So which is it?
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