Dogged by intestinal issues the past couple months, Joe Paterno’s health seems to have taken a turn for the better.
Speaking to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Penn State offensive coordinator Jay Paterno said his legendary father is feeling better and that, if there were a game tomorrow, the 83-year-old Nittany Lions head coach would be prowling the sidelines the same way he has for the past 44 years.
“A friend of mine has a place about two blocks from his at the Jersey shore and he said, ‘I saw him getting ice cream and he’s on the beach,’ ” the assistant told the Post-Gazette.
“There’s really not any thoughts crossing his mind that he’s slowing down. He’s lost some weight and part of it was he’s now trying to walk more and get himself in fighting shape for the season.
“If we had practice tomorrow or played a game tomorrow, he’d be fine.”
While he’s finally feeling better, it took some “gentle prodding” to get the old-school coach to seek the medical attention he needed.
“When the whole thing first started, I went over to the house and he said, ‘I haven’t been feeling well,’ ” Jay said. “I said, ‘How long has this thing been going on?’ He said, ‘About three weeks.’ I said, ‘So what did the doctor tell you?’
“He said, ‘What’s a doctor going to do for me?’ I said, ‘Prescribe medication to make you feel better.’ He said, ‘I don’t need that stuff.’ ... He’s one of those guys that in his mind, doctors are for sissies.”
(chuckle)