Say when you'll go, Joe? Nope, Paterno still in no hurry

"ADs and presidents -- I want to use the word courage, but that wouldn't be fair -- they just don't have the support to support a coach," Joe said, "(Such as) people that give money, the fans, the media, the e-mails."

Support, at the moment, is good. After bottoming out at 4-7 2004, the program is 20-5 in the past two seasons.

In 2006, Paterno suffered what he said was his most embarrassing moment on the field, a diarrhea attack during the Ohio State game. Against Wisconsin, two players plowed into him on the sidelines, breaking his shin and tearing a knee ligament.

Paterno returned to coach from the press box, a place he said Wednesday that he might prefer to stay and coach this season.

The stories of his annoyance at modern life are quaint. Texting recruits isn't a problem now that the NCAA has banned it. JoePa left it to his assistants. Only in the past few years has he gotten a cell phone. The coach's secretary recently told Paterno that Spanier was concerned the coach had 1,000 unanswered e-mails in his inbox.

"I don't even have e-mail," Paterno said. "I don't pay attention to it. In the old days they'd at least have to pay 35 cents and mail a letter. It's a whole different world."

Those signs of age are either part of his charm or indicators of an uncomfortable end to his reign. Paterno chuckled when reminded of what his friend Bobby Bowden said last week about retirement: "I'd just as soon die on the football field as die on the beach."

"He's told me that a couple of times," Paterno said. "I get damn tired, but I'm not going to promise I'll coach 'til I die."

In a way, the program is back to that place it was in 2004. Penn State seems to be a mystery this season. Ranked by some preseason prognosticators, picked by few to win the Big Ten.

Running on into infinity on Joe's terms. To the public and administrators alike, the king of Happy Valley continues to say: I'll go when I feel like it.

"Basically, I try to say that, but nobody pays attention," Paterno said.

The administration continues to summon up the courage for another run at addressing JoePa's "future."

"Certainly," Curley said a few minutes later, "I can say it will be a smooth transition."

For recruiting purposes, for the fans, for Bradley, for Schiano something is going to have to give. Either another intervention or another extension. The answer is becoming clearer by the day.

"As long as I'm healthy, I'll coach," Paterno said. "Three, four, five years from now? I have to answer that question all the time when I recruit: 'Are you going to be here for my whole career?' I tell them I can't promise you that, I'll try.

"When I can't do the job that I think Penn State deserves, I'll start thinking about it."