Why I like Parrish
So, after viewing this page you must be wondering why Parrish has so quickly become my favorite Panther player. I am very picky about the players I like. I have very few favorites. Most of the time, skill has nothing to do about it. It mostly bsed on heart, Like Brian Skrudland, Tom Fitzgerald, and Bill Lindsay. However, not only does Parrish have heart, he has a natural skill. He plays like it is in his blood. He always knows where to be. He predicts where the pcuk will be, and then meets it there. He has scored numerous "pretty" goals as well as "garbage" goals (scrappy in your face, poke it in goals!). On a team that normally shatters their rookies ability by squashing there confidence, mark has excelled. Despite being sent to the minors (even though he was the second leading goal scorer on the team) and sat out for several games, Mark's skill enabled him to score a team record (for a rookie) 24 goals. I cannot wait until next year when the team finnaly should be giving him all the ice time and credit he deserves. I forsee him getting 35+ goals next year.
Another contributing factor to Parrish being a fan favorite is his genuine niceness. It must be in the water In Minnesota, cause Mark is perhaps the nicest player I have met. He seems very shy, but he overcomes it to talk with the fans. To put in in perspective, I have asked Bill Lindsay for a stick for the past three seasons and have never gotten one. The first practice I attended this season, I asked Mark for a stick, and the very next practice, he gave it to me. Not only did he give it to me, he gave it to me as soon as he got off the ice because I explained that I had to leave as soon as possible to do a project for school. He also did me a favor by filming a short little promo for my school's film class. He is really great with the fans, too nice even perhaps. I couldn't help but smile as "Crazy Beezer Granny" (if you've been to the practices..you know of her) pester Mark for almost a half an hour after practice. She followed him around and he signed chewing off his ear about Minnesota, and things that he should do there. He cordially smiled and agreed the whole time. But I think I could hear him gritting his teeth! She would not leave him alone! He eventually got into his car and escaped. Hockey would be a greater sport if their were more players like Parrish.
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