Fogelsville, Pa. — Coach Joe Paterno entertained a huge throng of Penn State alumni and fans tonight in the Lehigh Valley at the third "Evening With Joe" event this spring.
The Hall of Fame coach signed autographs and took photos during the reception at the Holiday Inn Conference Center. He then spoke to the crowd of 800-plus and answered questions for more than hour.
"We're trying to win the national championship. I want to go back to the Rose Bowl," Paterno shouted, to the delight of the crowd. The Rose Bowl Stadium will host the Bowl Championship Series title game in addition to the Rose Bowl this season.
"It's an exciting time," Paterno added. "(Daryll) Clark will be one of the better quarterbacks in the country. He has had some success; faced some adversity. We've got a lot of really good linebackers and down guys and some good running backs."
One of the biggest rounds of applause came after an eight-year-old boy stepped up to microphone and asked Paterno, "Coach, will you still be there when I get there?" Paterno smiled and the crowd rose to its feet and applauded in a sign of its appreciation for Paterno and his impact on Penn State, Pennsylvania and intercollegiate athletics for the past 59 years.
The event was co-sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association and the Nittany Lion Club.