Late Lions legend 'revolutionized' defensive line: Wally Buono

B.C. Lions legend James "Quick''Parker was remembered Wednesday as a game-changing CFL athlete who revolutionized the defensive line.

Parker, who was named theCFL'sMost Outstanding Defensive Player three timesand earnedfive all-star selections, died on Tuesday, aged 60.

He began his CFL career with the Edmonton Eskimos in 1980 andwon three Grey Cups with the team, in1980, 1981 and1982.

The lineman joined the B.C. Lions in 1984, winning another Grey Cup with that team in 1985. He also played for the Toronto Argonauts in the 1990-91 season.

B.C. Lions head coach Wally Buono, who played against Parker for a season or two before turning to coaching, described the late athlete as a "tremendous" person.

"He was not only a great player but he was a person that always had a smile on his face and always a very humble, easy-going kind of guy," Buono said.

'Everybody was looking for a Quick Parker'

The coach said Parker made the defensive lineposition his own and the league took notice.

"When you played the Eskimos, the Lions or the Argonauts, you had to know where Quick was at because he was going to cause havoc for your offence," Buono said.

"He revolutionized the position in our league and, I think, in professional football ... everybody was looking for a Quick Parker to play that position."

Parkerstill holds the single-season CFL record for sacks with 26.5, set with the Lions in 1984.

His 139.5 career sacks rank him fourth all time and spurred his induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

With files from Farrah Merali