A Wrinkle and Time: How Joe Paterno Is Becoming Bad for Penn State

A few weeks ago, Penn State University football coach Joe Paterno signed a three-year extension to his contract, ensuring that he will roam–or perhaps roll on–the Nittany Lion sideline until at least 2011.

Paterno's extension brought to an end speculation about who his successor would be, since his current deal expired this year.

Paterno's quote in the announcement: "There's no reason for me not to think that I can go for a while."

In case you are unaware, Paterno is 82 years old. He was born in 1926, less than three years before the really big stock market crash of 1929. In other words, when people say that we could be entering another Great Depression, it resonates with Joe Paterno. He lived it.

He has been the head coach at Penn State for 43 years and has been on the football staff for 58 years.  He joined the staff during the Truman administration.

Paterno, along with Florida State's Bobby Bowden, is the dean of coaches. He is the elder statesman; the winningest Division IA coach of all time.  

And there is no doubt that he has been great for the university.

But Paterno's extension is bad for Penn State University.

It's true, the Nittany Lions enjoyed a bit of a renaissance this year, rolling up an 11-1 record and earning a trip to the Rose Bowl to face USC.

But speaking as one who is not close to the situation and has no inside information, there is no way that I can believe that having Joe Paterno on the sideline, or in the press box, for the next three years can be good for the Penn State football program.

Does Paterno do all of the things that other top-notch head coaches, such as Nick Saban, Bog Stoops, Urban Meyer, or Pete Carroll do? Can he maintain a workaholic schedule, sleeping only in snippets and breaking down film for 15 hours a day?

Of course not.

I can already here the arguments that Paterno can accomplish the same things those guys can in limited duty because he is a legend, but I don't buy it.

Does Paterno call plays, or even wear a headset? Nope.  

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