Joe Pa, the Master Coach of college football, who has guided the Penn State Nittany Lions to huge success over so many years, compiling more wins than any other coach in college football, is a testimonial to mental sharpness and longevity. He WINS even when he LOSES (as he did Saturday night with a "building year" team.) Each step that Joe Pa takes seems to be an instruction to the rest of us mortals on how to properly handle oneself.
Take half-time efficiency (and transparency).
Joe, having coached hundreds of games, is now accustomed to being asked questions about everything and anything, as he tries to escape the field for recharging his team in the locker room, where he will join numerous assistant coaches in charge of the on-field mechanics and micro-tactics. The questions, often launched hurriedly as a the questioner tries to keep pace with Joe's 80+ jog, can be about anything, especially since the queries are usually conceived by an on-the-sidelines reporter who is in charge of "color" reports--things of little interest to everyone squeezed into otherwise dead air moments in the broadcast....
So it was no surprise to Joe that he was accosted with one of these incisive little probes by a young woman wielding a broadcast microphone Saturday night, just as Joe had hit what he likely thought was the safety of the end zone on his way to his locker.
Some would have thought it a curious question, at least if it was proposed to get to the bottom of Joe's first-half strategy. It regarded a delay-the-game penalty that Joe's team took on the opponents' 3-yard-line with three seconds left.
"What caused the delay penalty???" the reporter earnestly dogged Joe with the burning controversy of the moment.....
Joe had just the right touch, just the right magic. No sneer. Just a quick little nod in the direction of the reporter, with an absolutely straight face......with maybe his glasses-magnified eyes magnified just a little larger for a fleeting moment as Joe explained the key logic of the event....
The perfect words.....with perfect regard.....but meaningful eye contact:
"They took.......too....much...........TIIIME!" (Joe Pa's emphasis.) Joe explained it softly, in measured cadence.
And, then, Joe was suddenly gone to the locker room......, his reputation for diverse genius....and apt communication.....enhanced.....once again!
