Kudos to Penn State for giving head football coach Joe Paterno a three-year extension, a deal that quiets any talk of dissension between Paterno and university administration. The soon-to-be 82-year-old clearly showed this season that he can still coach after guiding his Nittany Lions to an 11-1 campaign, a season that potentially could have culminated in a berth in the BCS title game if not for a slip-up at Kinnick Stadium against Iowa. The winningest coach in major college football history has his Nittany Lions instead in the Rose Bowl against Southern Cal on New Year's Day in what should be a vintage college football January 1st game.
The best part of this deal is the fact that Paterno most likely won't stay on as coach through 2011. This extension is merely a way for the university to show its appreciation for the coach who did more for the school than any other figure over the past 50-plus years. By extending his contract, it eliminates the year-to-year wrangling from both sides and allows Paterno the comfortability and peace of mind that he deserves after having to put up with his critics for the last decade.
It's just amazing that Paterno's salary is nowhere close to some other big-name coaches who have accomplished far less in shorter careers. But then again, Paterno has always been underappreciated for his efforts both on and off the football field.
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