Has he decided?

We debated it earlier this year, but it is nearly official now. Joe Paterno channeled his internal Lloyd Carr and put off his contract negotiations until after the 2008 season. From where I sit, this can only mean one thing: Joe Pa is retiring at the end of this season. You heard it hear first. (Maybe not.)

Similar to last season when Lloyd decided to “rework” his contract prior to the season, Paterno is ignoring his contract in an attempt to overlook the inevitable. Just like Carr, this will only cause more speculation and attention to be paid to his employment status. What else are we supposed to believe? Obviously, he has enough time and clout to negotiate a new contract before the season begins.

I like this quote by University president Graham Spanier:

“The absence of a contract with a specified number of years does not, however, imply any particular retirement date. We will review the status of the program at the end of the season, as we always do.”

Yeah, right. Except this time the evaluation will not include a signed contract.

If you are wondering what makes coach Paterno so great, watch this video. Then keep wondering:

If you prefer a more cerebral Joe Pa, check this out:

Buckeye Commentary wishes Joe well in his future endeavors (in advance).