Not the retiring kind
STATE COLLEGE — Retirement isn't in the cards just yet for Joe Paterno.
Penn State's 80-year-old head coach on Tuesday gave his standard "I don't know" answer when asked if he has given thought to coaching beyond the end of his contract, which expires at the end of the 2008 season.
Not that it stopped reporters at his weekly news conference from bringing up the topic again between questions about Penn State's next opponent, Michigan State.
"You guys ask me a question I haven't even thought about," Paterno said. "You guys think I'm sitting home, thinking about ... well this is it here, or where's my crutch, or give me something to lean on."
Pressed later on whether he generally feels up to coaching beyond next season, Paterno said, "I really don't give it much thought."
"I have no plans to retire right now, whether next year or two years, I don't know ... but right now I'm only interested in Michigan State," he said.
The feisty coach has showed no signs of slowing down. With 371 career wins, Paterno is one behind Florida State's Bobby Bowden for most victories among major college coaches.
Not even the broken left leg he sustained a year ago during the Wisconsin game prevented him from returning to the sideline this season. Paterno is scheduled to be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame next month, an honor delayed by a year because of his injury.
"My knee is fine. If you asked me how my head was, maybe you'd have a legitimate question," Paterno said, jokingly. "But I'm fine, physically I'm fine."
Yet this has been a challenging year at Penn State both on and off the field. Several players were implicated in an off-campus fight in April. Running back Austin Scott was suspended last month, and later charged by police with rape.
On the field, a season that players initially dreamed could end with a BCS title berth has turned into one in which Penn State is now trying to stay in contention for a New Year's Day bowl game. Illinois' win last weekend over then-No. 1 Ohio State clouded that picture.
And no, Paterno isn't about to speculate about the bowl situation, either.
"I have not even thought about a bowl game," Paterno said. "Play your own game. I'm not going to bother with it."
Still, Penn State (8-3, 4-3 Big Ten) could wind up in a warm-weather locale for the holidays. The Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Dec. 29 is a possibility, as is a Jan. 1 game like the Outback Bowl in Tampa, which is where Penn State landed last season.
