Posted on 11/21/2008 9:20:16 PM PST by FlJoePa
With rumors of his retirement swirling about campus and throughout the country for days, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno told a pep rally at Rec Hall Friday night that he will return in 2009 "and run out of that tunnel next year."
The crowd of approximately 6,500 Penn State fans, some wearing "Joe Can't Go" t-shirts, roared its approval. The players for the No. 8 Nittany Lions (10-1), who can win at least a share of the Big Ten Conference championship and a Rose Bowl bid by defeating No. 15 Michigan State (9-2) on Saturday at Beaver Stadium, joined in the celebration as well.
Paterno, 81, stood and spoke for 15 minutes without the cane he has used since injuring his right hip earlier this season. He has acknowledged recently that he needs hip replacement surgery and will undergo it soon, perhaps as early as next week.
Paterno said at his weekly news conference Tuesday that "I expect to be back on the field" next season. However, Nittany Lion fans around the country have continued to speculate that Paterno would announce after the game Saturday that he would retire. One rumor said Paterno would make the announcement at a dinner Saturday night that many of his former players would attend.
Penn State quarterback coach Jay Paterno said Thursday night that his father's plan for Saturday night would be as follows: "He'll go home, have an Old Grand-Dad on the rocks and watch games."
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
0bama calls them the Nitaly Lions and it’s racist to disagree.
Only in the Big 10 can you share a title with a team you've beaten. Pray not only for a PSU win, but (another) OSU loss -- probably not likely with the hapless Wolverines on the plate.
:-)
Nuff said.
Mebbe so, but it pisses me off to nominally have to share with the Buckeyes. We beat ‘em in their own house; we should be uncontested Big-10 Champions.
If you win, everyone will know you are the Big Ten champions. Just go out and win tomorrow, let the “co-championship” buckeye fans drip with envy as you are in your BCS bowl.
JoPa will always be a legend
Penn State student-athletes post record graduation rates
Go, Lions! :)
Joe Game Day Bump! Lets go Lions!!!
Two good guys.
GO LIONS!
I would hope they would each play someone else from another league, but who knows what the BCS people will do. Strange system.
Great guy. Too bad Michigan State is going to beat them today.
I wouldn’t count on that. MSU can defend PSU’s rushing game and Ringer won’t do much against PSU’s front 7. Hoyer does scare me though.
Should say MSU CAN’T defend PSU’s rushing game. As to the question above about the potential rematch in the Rose Bowl with Oregon State - if both teams win out and PSU isn’t in the top 2 of the BCS, they will play again. There is nothing anyone (meaning ANYONE) can do about it.
“Too bad Michigan State is going to beat them today.”
I think NOT!
GO PSU!
21-0 as I type. It will only get worse. Great season for Sparty, but they can’t play with PSU @ Happy Valley.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.