JoePa seems to be in pretty good health and does a good job of keeping fit.
And don't let rumors of his retirement fool you.
Joe has no outside interests (other than his family).
He wouldn't know what to do with himself if he retired.
It'd drive him nutz.
Joe's gonna keep on coaching until he's no longer physically able to, and who knows when that's gonna be?
As far as sending Larry Johnson to 'Bama, I gotta admit that I have reservations about that.
I'm really not sure that I'd like to see 'Bama get the inside scoop on some of Joe's defensive magic.
But what the heck, Larry's a good man and deserves a shot at it if he wants it. And if he can instill some of Joe's philosophy and integrity into the 'Bama program, it may go a long way toward restoring their tarnished reputation. That'd be good for college football in general.
Paterno's got class. The turnaround last year was spectacular.
My bet is that Bama does hire a black coach. Although Jesse's interference makes it less likely.
It would buy them a pass from the national media and, dare I say, would be a major plus in recruiting.
As far as qualifications, it's a little like the thread about overpaid CEO's. There are plenty of people who can do the job. It's football, not rocket science. At the head coach position, intensity and personality matter more than X's and O's.