| Perspective on Sport |
22 September 2003
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Neil Parry: One Tough Man
American football players are supposed to be tough guys. Josh Parry of the Philadelphia Eagles, as an NFL line backer, should be the toughest guy in any room that doesn't include teammates and rivals. The fact is he isn't even the toughest kid in his family. Out of shape writers have no fear of saying this because Josh Parry agrees. Brother Neil is the man of steel in the Parry family.
Neil Parry plays for the San Jose State University Spartans -- with a prosthetic leg. During a game in 2000 against the University of Texas at El Paso, the younger Mr. Parry suffered a compound fracture, and a very nasty infection followed. Nine days after the game, the leg was amputated just below the knee. Some 25 operations followed, and Mr. Parry used 15 different artificial legs over the course of his recovery. Only God knows how many hours of therapy it took.
Undoubtedly, better college football games will be played this year, but the San Jose State 42-30 loss to Nevada will be unrivaled. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Number 32 came onto the field -- actually there were several fans whose shirts bore "32", but only Mr. Parry's was official. The play was a punt, and he hit two Nevada players when the ball was snapped. The kick was away, but couldn't find anyone to block as his team's receiver returned the ball. Mr. Parry left the field.
Signing bonuses, shoe deals, and all the rest that have come to represent a successful athlete in the US don't seem to stand up to the performance Neil Parry put on last week. In a made-for-TV-movie coincidence, Philadelphia has a bye this week, so big brother Josh got to see it. No one could improve on his observation, “I love the game, but I just don’t know if I have what he has.” Few do.
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