Penn State football coach Joe Paerno is in the last year of his contract and could make a living as a television and radio commentator

There are some who think Penn State football coach Joe Paterno should retire. This year could be the year it finally happens.

Paterno, the Nittany Lions legendary coach since 1966, is going into the final year of his contract. For the first time in his 42 year tenure, he will be a lame-duck coach when the 2008 season opens on Aug. 30 against Coastal Carolina.

The pressure is on the 81-year old coach if he wants to keep going.

Paterno has shown little sign of slowing down and rebuffs talk of retirement.

“After all”, he keeps telling reporters. “What would I do? I have no hobbies and I don’t golf.”

There is one thing Paterno could do if he and the university mutually agree its time to move on.

He could be a radio or television commentator for college football games.

In fact, he’d be a natural at it and make big money in the process.

Paterno has experience as a broadcaster.

Like most college football teams, Penn State has an annual spring intra-squad scrimmage called the Blue-White Game.

The game marks the end of spring practice and gives coaches and fans an idea of what kind of football they can expect next August.

This year’s game wasn’t on regular television (there was a web cast on the Big Ten Website).

The game was broadcast on the Penn State Radio network with regular play-by-play announcer Steve Jones calling the action and coach Paterno doing the color commentary.

Paterno does this every year at the Blue-White game and is very good at it.

He voice sounds like his late brother, George Paterno, who was a Nittany Lion radio and television commentator for several years.

Joe Paterno has always been media savvy. His back and forth jabs with late Associated Press sports writer Ralph Bernstein use to leave the whole press room in stitches.

Paterno already has a radio show

Once the season starts, Paterno will have a weekday call in show with Jones on the Penn State Radio Network. He fields calls from fans across the state and country answering every question about the program.

Penn State also has a weekly television show that is broadcast the day after each week’s game. Paterno is prominent in that as well.

Paterno does endorsements

Paterno is easily the most popular sports figure in Pennsylvania and that’s saying something in a state with major professional sports teams in two cities.

The coach has done plenty of radio and television commercials over the years for various products.

Penn State has to move on sometime

Whatever happens this season, it’s obvious that Paterno and the university will have to deal with his departure somewhere down the road.

For the first time in his career, Paterno cannot assure potential recruits that he will be there when they graduate.

Other than winning another championship (Penn State has two under Paterno), one factor keeps Paterno going.

He would like to go out as the winningest coach in college football history. Bobby Bowden, the 78-year old Florida State coach leads Paterno by one game, 373-372.

One argument Paterno will use to stay at Penn State is letting Bowden have the record.

After all, the coach and the school have their pride.