The Nittany Lions and their veteran coach take on the Ohio State Buckeyes this weekend at Beaver Stadium. Joe Paterno is 391-128-3 in 44 seasons at Penn State. In a story leading up to this weekend's game, The Associated Press pulled the following tidbits from Joe Posnanski's profile of the 82-year-old Penn State coach which appeared in Sports Illustrated last month:
"You know Don Shula? He won more professional games than any other coach. He retired 14 years ago. Joe is older than Don Shula.
"Gordie Howe, Mr. Hockey, played his first season in the NHL in 1946. Joe is older than Mr. Hockey. Arnold Palmer won his first Masters more than 50 years ago, back when the whole idea of golf on television seemed ludicrous. Joe is older than Arnold Palmer.
"Here's another one: David Bell played 12 years in the major leagues and retired in 2006. His father, Budd Bell, played in the bigs 18 seasons. His father, Gus Bell, played in the majors for 15 seasons and retired 45 years ago. Joe was born before Gus Bell.
"Joe was born before Shirley Temple, before Andy Warhol, before James Dean, before Buddy Holly, before Mikhail Gorbachev. People celebrate Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon 40 years ago; Joe is older than Neil Armstrong.
People commemorate Martin Luther King day; Joe was born before Martin Luther King. Elvis impersonators still haunt the Vegas strip; Joe was born before the King of Rock and Roll."
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