The Guy's Got Jokes

As easy as it is to get caught up in, you know, the football part of the Paterno-Penn State situation, I think it's important to start taking note and enjoying all the charisma things that his replacement will probably lack.

So Joe, what do you think about a college football playoff?

"I don't think so right now, and I don't know why," said Paterno, who is entering his 43rd season as Penn State's head coach. "I'm only going to be a head coach another 10 or 15 years, and I don't think it will happen by then."
...
"To be frank with you, I don't know what the reasons are not to have a playoff," Paterno said during a speaking appearance in Pittsburgh. "You can talk about missing class and all that kind of stuff, [yet] you see basketball go on forever. You have a lot of bogus excuses, but obviously the majority of people who have the say don't want it."

He's calling it exactly like he sees it, and that's something to be respected. With coaches like Meyer playing media games, and the Tressel types keeping everything close to the sweatervest, it's amazing that it takes an 81 year old man to provide the breath of fresh air.

For those of you who have wondered (like myself) why Paterno no longer votes in the Coaches' Poll:

Paterno has not voted in the coaches' poll since 2004, when he wanted to vote for undefeated Auburn but was forced to vote for Southern California after it won the BCS title game.

"They said, 'Well, you've got to vote or else you can't participate.' So I will not participate in the voting," Paterno said. "Not that I'm against what other people want to do, it's just that philosophically I think you ought to win it on the field. If I have to vote for somebody only because people have said these are the two teams that ought to be in the BCS championship game and I think they left somebody out that probably ought to be in it, that's when I'll feel a playoff ought to be appropriate. I've always been for a playoff."