TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Paterno: Forget About Where I'll Be Today

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOHN NADEL

The Associated Press

Published: January 1, 2009

PASADENA, Calif. - All the fuss is starting to bug Joe Paterno.

Still recovering from hip surgery, the 82-year-old Penn State coach plans to run his team from the press box today when the No. 6 Nittany Lions face No. 5 Southern California in the 95th Rose Bowl.

Paterno had hoped to coach from the sideline, but he realized it's not the right way to go.

"I wish we'd all get off this fact of where I'm going to be," he said Wednesday. "These kids, it's a one time in their lifetime for so many of them, and I hate like the dickens for everybody to be worried about where Paterno is going to be.

"It's the players that we ought to be talking about, not where I'm going to be, for crying out loud. Who knows what's going to happen by Thursday? I might decide to take a boat to Italy."

Don't count on it. Despite his advancing age and inability to move around as well as he might like, Paterno made it clear he's in command of his team.

"I think we're ready," he said. "We ended up Tuesday with about 50 minutes making sure everyone knew where they were supposed to line up. We're looking forward to a good football game."

As far as coaching in the press box, Paterno said it was the best for all concerned.

"I don't think I can handle 3 1/2 , four hours on the sideline," he said. "I think everybody will be worried about somebody bumping me. And the staff has been so good and all those guys know me, and they know how to operate without me. I'll be upstairs."

Tongue in cheek, Paterno said he consulted USC coach Pete Carroll.

"I said, 'I think I'm probably going to go upstairs, but if you would agree not to throw the ball more than 15, 18 times, we can get that game over in less than three hours, I might be on the sideline,'" Paterno said. "Pete said to me, 'If I see you on the sideline, we're going to throw it 50 times.'"

Carroll doesn't have nearly the longevity as Paterno, but his teams have certainly made their mark since he arrived in 2001 to take over a program that had turned mediocre.

The Trojans went 6-6 in Carroll's first season before taking off. Since then, they've gone 81-9 while winning a record seven straight Pac-10 championships. The Rose Bowl will be their seventh consecutive BCS bowl - another record. They've won five of the previous six, with the only blemish a 41-38 loss to Texas three years ago in the national title game.

USC was No. 1 when it was upset 27-21 by Oregon State on Sept. 25. The loss would keep the Trojans from playing for the national championship.

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT