Up Close With The Pittsburgh Sports Report
Willie Parker

Willie Parker made the Steelers' roster in 2004 as an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina, where he spent most of his four years as a back-up. Parker tantalized Steelers' coaches with his speed, just as Steelers' scout Dan Rooney Jr. predicted he would. He teased them even more with a 100-yard rushing performance in his only start that year, the season finale at Buffalo. Parker burst onto the scene this past season, running for 272 yards in the Steelers' first two games. He finished the year with over 1,200 yards and a 4.7 yards per carry average. He topped off the campaign with a game-changing 75-yard touchdown early in the second half of Super Bowl XL, the longest run from scrimmage in the history of the Super Bowl. The Clinton, NC native - who received the "Key to the City" in the off-season - sat down with PSR editor Tony DeFazio last month.

PSR: Not too long ago, you were an un-drafted free agent fighting just to make an NFL roster. Today you're a Super Bowl Champion and the record-holder for the longest run in the Super Bowl - is that sometimes hard to grasp?

Parker: It's very amazing. I just give credit to the man up above, and give credit to the people I've surrounded myself with and those who helped put me in the position that I'm in. I'd have never thought in a million years I'd be where I'm at today, with a Super Bowl ring and having a mark in history.

PSR: What will you reflect on this off-season?

WP: I really don't want to look back. I just want to enjoy the moment for what is right now, because you never know. Tomorrow is not promised. So I just want to enjoy it for what it is right now. What happened in the past, let it stay in the past. I'm a young athlete, and I'm still growing, but I'm just enjoying the moment right now. It's really not a time to reflect.

PSR: What are some of those things you've been able to enjoy since the game a few weeks ago?

WP: Just spending time with my family. I've had some time to go home and just lay low with my family, and enjoy everybody coming to the crib and saying, "Hey you're the Super Bowl Champion." Just enjoying the moment.

PSR: What do you say to the people who complain about the officiating in the Super Bowl?

WP: Officiating is part of the game. Sometimes people are not going to agree with all of the calls, and that's just how it is. So…they're not going to diminish our win. No matter they say about the officials, we're not going to play that game again. We're not going to play Super Bowl XL again. Super Bowl XL is over, it's in the books and we came out on top. We're the Super Bowl Champions and they're not going to diminish that.

PSR: Does it bother at all that people are still complaining?

WP: No…it doesn't bother me one bit. I'm going to look down at my ring and be happy regardless.

PSR: How has Jerome Bettis helped you as a runner?

WP: He's helped me as an NFL player in general. He's pulled me to the side, and told me certain aspects of the game that I need to learn. He's just helped me so much; taught me how to be a better runner inside the tackles and showed me things to make me a better athlete. But he also taught me how to be more responsible, be on time and how to carry myself. He taught me so much; I give him a lot of credit for being able to mature.

PSR: How will things be different next season? Is there less to prove for you?

WP: Each and every day is about proving something to somebody. I know I came a long way and the Super Bowl was a big, big thing for me. But I still have a lot to prove and I'm still not satisfied.

PSR: What are your goals for next season?

WP: I haven't really sat down and thought about goals for next year; right now I'm just enjoying this moment and letting my body rest up and then I'll start thinking about things like that.

PSR: Will it be tough to lose some guys off this team to free agency?

WP: You approach it just like it is - it's a business. We enjoyed being with each other on this team this past year and no one can ever take that away. When you look back at the team picture, you're still gonna see all those guys.

But some of them are going to be gone next year, so we enjoyed it while it happened. And who knows how it's going to work out, so you just have to let it work itself out.

PSR: You're one of several talented young players on this team: you, Ben, Troy , Heath Miller, Ike Taylor, and several others who have been here less than three years. Does that group feel like they are the core and the future of this football team?

WP: A lot of people say we're the future, we're this, we're that. You can just say we're some young athletes or you can call it the future…hopefully, that'd be a good word to label us as. And I do want to be a part of that. So yeah, you can call it the future.

What's your favorite PlayStation game?
Madden.

Who's better? The real Willie Parker or the PlayStation Willie Parker?
The real Willie Parker's better than the Madden Willie Parker. I think I caught some of the people who work on that game by surprise this year. My speed and my awareness were down at my rookie levels, and I didn't like that (chuckles).

Who's going to win the NCAA basketball tourney?
I hope my boys (North Carolina) win it again, but right now we're in a learning-phase and Duke's looking really good. And that's real big coming from a Carolina guy. I'm calling it like I see it though. I do like watching Redick play, that guy's really tough.

What's on your iPod nowadays?
I've got some of everything on my iPod. Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Phil Collins.

Phil Collins?
Yep, I got Phil Collins on there…

Where the best place to relax in the off-season?
I haven't really got out that much before, but this year I'll get out a little more and let my body heal. I'm going to go to Hawaii in a couple of weeks.

How did you enjoy your appearance on the Best Damn Sports Show?
Those guys crack me up. They know how to have fun over there, and I fit right in, just having fun, laughing and joking with them. It was great, though. (John) Sally, he's funny.

Hines Ward, Super Bowl XL MVP
"He brings that home-run threat every time. You have that threat like that, teams have to scheme for it…That threat right there really changes coverage. When you got a guy who can take it to the house, you don't tend to be as risky."

Larry Bell, North Carolina State Rep.
"I've been reading lately where Willie Parker put Clinton, NC on the map. Willie may not have put Clinton on the map, but he showed everybody where it is."

Pete Prisco, CBS Sportsline
"He brings a dimension the Steelers haven't had in a long, long time -- if ever…Parker can make a defense pay with explosiveness."

Andre Powell, North Carolina RB coach
"We're proud of Willie down here. Of all the backs I've coached, I'm most proud of him. He didn't get drafted and now look at him."

Ike Taylor, Steelers CB
There's one word to describe him: "Speed."