Joe Paterno has a small spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week.
And a pretty big feature story place inside.
Sports Illustrated senior writer Joe Posnanski "takes an in-depth look at the life, family and career of Joe Pa. Posnanski's profile on this legendary coach is an elongated thank-you note to Joe's father, Angelo, who allowed Joe to forgo a career as a lawyer and follow his passion-for 60 years and counting," stated a preview note mass emailed from the SI communications department.
Paterno, 82, is in his 44th season as the head coach of the Nittany Lions and seems to be going strong despite overcoming a broken leg, cracked ribs and a hip replacement in recent years.
And he has pushed on, repeatedly, despite his detractors.
Included in that SI preview note is a snippet from Posnanski's story:
"People have been telling Joe to quit for more than 40 years, going back to the time in '67 when he went for it on fourth down in the Gator Bowl against Florida State. The Nittany Lions didn't get the first down, the game ended in a tie, and on the plane ride home a joker on that team, Jack Curry, walked back to the coach, who was sitting with his head in his hands.
"'Coach, don't worry about it,'" Curry said. "'There's good that comes out of everything.'"
"Joe looked up to see his player's face. Curry said, 'When you started the game, people didn't even care who the coach was at Penn State. But after you went for it on fourth-and-one, the whole country went, Who the hell is the coach at Penn State?'
"So, what, Joe's going to start listening to critics now? No. Joe ain't quitting. He's thriving."
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