A local boy making it to the big league is a feel-good story often told in professional sports.  Less often, however, does that same local boy have the opportunity to craft a career wearing his hometown team colours. 

At nearly 28 years of age, Lions receiver Paris Jackson has suited up for the Black-and-Orange for all of his six CFL seasons, not missing a game to date since his rookie year in 2003.  In that time, Paris has become an integral part of the Lions offense and has progressively increased both his receiving yards and his receptions totals each season.  A glance into the stands at the sea of #19 jerseys is proof that Lions fans love their homegrown heroes.

Now a resident of Vancouver’s downtown core – literally just steps away from Lions home turf at BC Place – the Carson Graham Secondary-grad and soon-to-be father dishes on what makes him a permanent Vancouverite at heart:

Q:  Let’s find a little bit about your Vancouver ‘favourites’:  Where do you like to eat?

PJ:  My favourite place to eat in the city to eat – hands down – is The Cannery.  Nothing compares to the lobster and mushrooms you can get there.

Q:  Where in the city can you be found on a Friday or Saturday night?

PJ:  With the beginning of the season just around the corner, my life these days doesn’t leave a lot of room for partying or socializing like the off-season does.  However, when I do manage to get out, Friday nights at Au Bar are a good time.  You can usually find me at Sip Lounge or at Ginger 62 on any given Saturday night.

Q:  Where do you go in Vancouver to relax and unwind?

PJ:  One of my favourite places is the park near Pacific Boulevard and Davie Street.  My girlfriend and I have two Chihuahuas – Chico and Hugo – and we enjoy taking the dogs there to run around.

Q:  What is your favourite thing to do in Vancouver?

PJ:  I love hanging out in the Kitsilano area – the beaches there are great.

Q:  You’re about to become a father for the first time later this year.  Has that changed your outlook on life at all?

PJ:  Absolutely.  I don’t think it’s completely hit me yet, but you start to realize what you’re here for and that it’s not all about you.  I’ve also started to appreciate the importance of surrounding yourself with family and positive people in your life.

Q:  You were born and raised in the Vancouver area.  Do you see yourself as a lifetime Vancouver resident?

PJ:  Yes, certainly in some capacity – this is where my roots are.  Most of my family and friends live here so I will always have ties to this area.  I also enjoy spending time in Arizona – I know a couple of trainers down there and I have friends in the state so I enjoy spending time there as much as I can during the off-season. 

Q:  You’ve been in the league now for six seasons – all of them with the BC Lions.  How has your role on the team changed during that time?

PJ:  The biggest thing is that I have become more dependable.  I have always taken my role on the team seriously but I believe that has increased even more so in the past couple of seasons.  I have very high expectations of myself and I’m not satisfied until I meet those expectations. 

I also think I take the opportunities I am given to make a difference as a member of this team.  With experience comes confidence and that’s something I work on each season.  I’ve probably also become more of a mentor to some of the younger guys – we’ve all been the new guy before and it helps to have someone set a positive example.  Whether or not they choose to follow it is completely up to them but I think it’s an important role for a veteran player to take.

Q:  What goals have you set for yourself and for your teammates in 2008?

PJ:  I always list my team goals first:  obviously, I want another Grey Cup – that is number one on my list.  I want us to beat our franchise record of 14 wins in a season.  As for myself, I want to be the receiver who consistently makes big plays.  I want to break the 1,000-yard mark for receiving yards, but I don’t just want to break it by a bit – I want to be well over that number.