Could Joe Paterno's Health Be a Concern?

by BSD on Sep 19, 2008 3:36 PM EDT in Football

Several people have noticed in recent weeks that Joe has been jogging only a few steps out of the tunnel and casually walking to the sideline from there. It's subtle, but a noticeable difference from his usual sprint to the sideline we're all used to seeing. Today the Altoona Mirror suggests there may be more to this story than just a stiff knee.

The most significant big-picture development concerning the Penn State football program so far this season is not the Nittany Lions' 3-0 start.

It's that Joe Paterno is no longer running out onto the field.

In fact, JoePa isn't running anywhere: He's even having trouble walking.

Paterno was not present at the team's practice Monday, and he was in a golf cart Tuesday.

He mentioned to reporters prior to Tuesday's press conference that his right leg was sore. Thirty minutes later, he gingerly left the stage and took awhile to get into his car.

Reading the rest of the article paints a pretty disturbing picture. Joe isn't able to take his daily walks. He was in so much pain during the Oregon State game he was repeatedly seen bent over with his hands on his knees. The team doctors stood close to him for much of the game, so they are obviously concerned with whatever is going on.

When asked about the knees Joe said he was just a little bit sore from standing on the Carrier Dome turf all day. But after the Tuesday press conference he was asked again by a reporter. Joe probably thought he was off the record when he admitted he was horsing around during practice kicking the ball and doing some "stupid things". Clearly he has aggravated something.

I'm sure Joe is going to do everything he can to hide the pain and prevent this from being a distraction from the team. But if things get much worse the team doctors will have no choice but to keep him off the sidelines for his own health and safety. Don't be surprised if Joe starts working the games from the press box. And don't be surprised if 2008 is his final year.

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I was actually going to write something about this, so thanks for saving me the effort.

I’ll be at the stadium tomorrow, so I’ll try to keep an eye on Joe throughout the game. I think the last 24 months have taken a huge toll on his body. He’s had multiple injuries that affect his mobility, and was hit with a very serious (more serious than everyone was led to believe) illness at the close of recruiting in January and February.

For the longest time, Joe could be described as “80, going on 60”, or “75, going on 50”. Not anymore. He’s 81 going on 82, and it’s showing.

by Run Up The Score on Sep 19, 2008 3:44 PM EDT reply actions

He also phoned it in, literally...

…for last night’s Nittany Lion Hotline.

by Run Up The Score on Sep 19, 2008 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

A sad fact

He is slowing down and I suspect this is his last season one way or another. Because of that I actually shelled out good money to get seats 5 rows up from the PSU bench for Temple so I could watch Joe (and the players) up close. My camera can hold about 250 pictures and I am going to fill it.

I don't know, Mello Yello is pretty awful. What's the worst that could happen?

by psu on Sep 19, 2008 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions

FOS says he'll be in the press box for Temple

so you won’t be able to get pictures of Joe on the sideline. In fact, we might never be able to get pictures of Joe on the sideline again. This is the beginning of the time that we all knew would come someday. Sad stuff.

On the record as a longtime supporter of Daryll Clark

by ReadingNitFan on Sep 19, 2008 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions

crap

I don't know, Mello Yello is pretty awful. What's the worst that could happen?

by psu on Sep 19, 2008 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions

It would take

another big injury for him to go up into the press box. I’m pretty sure he hated it the first time. Stories like this really make me nervous for the guy.

by psuphiman80 on Sep 19, 2008 3:46 PM EDT reply actions

Seriously, for his own good...

He needs to be up in the press box.

by Run Up The Score on Sep 19, 2008 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

And while I'm here...

I would’ve written it a little differently. I would be absolutely shocked if this wasn’t his last year.

The questions are, when will he realize it (if he hasn’t already), and how does that affect who coaches next season? Personally, I think he’s blown any chance to have control over who gets interviewed and who doesn’t. He had an opportunity to gracefully hand the program to an assistant, but he’s squandered that goodwill.

by Run Up The Score on Sep 19, 2008 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

why

do you say 1) that he had an opportunity to gracefully hand the program to an assistant
and 2) that he’s squandered that goodwill?

I wouldn't trust old rooster me neither.

by spakajewia on Sep 19, 2008 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

whaddaya say guys...

let’s send JoePa out a winner. I hope the players have a sense of urgency/ history regarding this season.

I wouldn't trust old rooster me neither.

by spakajewia on Sep 19, 2008 3:50 PM EDT reply actions

Hell yeah

I don't know, Mello Yello is pretty awful. What's the worst that could happen?

by psu on Sep 19, 2008 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions

"Health" is Broad Term – is a bum knee a HEALTH concern? Joe’s a legend because of his brain, not his knees.

Of course he didn’t admit what happened in the first place, a thirty year old man doesn’t want to admit he can’t run with the twenty year-olds anymore – or needs some ben-gay after a thirty minute game of pickup hoops with his three teenage daughters – and JoePa doesn’t want to admit he’s having trouble running or that he has some serious pain in a knee he tweaked doing something and 80 year old normally shouldn’t do. To that man, and I say "that man" because he has been an awesome specimen of both physical and mental health to anyone at any age, it is embarrassing to him.

But, let’s look at this from another point of view. How many of you, at 70, or even 60, will be able to even attempt kicking a ball, or stay up for 20 hrs a day, or get your blood pressure cranking yelling at officials, or handle the day-to-day of being a head football coach at even a high school or even be able to leave the cozy confines of your leather lounger and 124 inch plasma. I’m still amazed at what he does.

A health concern, I don’t think so – he tweaked his 80 year old knee and whether your JoePa or Grandpa Joe it takes more time to heal than a twenty year old knee – especially in the middle of an active season of coaching football.

Bowden has been in a golf cart for twenty years, Charlie Weis and Mark Mangino could have heart attacks from trying to point a finger and I could name more than many Division 1-A coaches who have been out of their right mind since day one – and their public outburst sare indicators of their inability to handle pressure – all unlike JoePa.

If JoePa needs a day or more in a cart at practice, great, if he moves into the box to prevent further tackles from TE’s, wonderful, but because the man tweaked his knee makes him no less a Health Risk or Concern than any other coach in the country.

Joe’s a legend because of his brain, not his knees. Put his brain in a jar and have Steve Martin (sorry for the old movie reference) walk the sidelines with it – JoePa can obviously still coach.

by MSippiNit on Sep 19, 2008 4:49 PM EDT reply actions

Well Said!!

by WETSU on Sep 19, 2008 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

When you're 80+, the loss of mobility is a huge deal

It’s very often the beginning of a rapidly accelerating decline. I’m not trying to be Debby Downer here, but this story scares the hell out of me.

Politics is the opiate of the masses. - me

by NLseattle on Sep 19, 2008 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Give him some props

Remember, you’re talking about a guy who took a two hundred fifty pound Andrew Quarless directly to the knee, and within a few months was able to go to the pep rally for the Outback bowl, and unaided, bound up the stairs to address the crowd with only the help of a rehab cane (not those old grandpa wooden canes). I agree this is probably his last season, but for that fact alone, I think he’s going to defy the doctors to be out there on that field, pain or not. Let’s not bring out the fire and brimstone over this, it’s a knee injury, not a heart attack or a stroke.

by dawsonPSU10 on Sep 19, 2008 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions

When you're 81

Health is always a concern.

My grandfather is the exact same age as Coach Paterno. He goes from healthy to sick in the space of a day. He recovers slowly and never fully.

I imagine it’s the same with Coach Paterno.

"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008

by jesse. on Sep 19, 2008 5:51 PM EDT reply actions

Why should we be surprised if this is his last year? He’s 82 freaking years old, people. I know we want him to coach, but if he walked away after this year, no one should be shocked.

This being said, I still think he’s around for one more. Call me crazy.

by Tailgate Shogun on Sep 19, 2008 7:05 PM EDT reply actions