Eye of the Lion

When someone stole the glasses from the bronze statue of Joe Paterno, it may have been prophetic.  According to Mark Brennan of FightonState.com, Joe Paterno has undergone eye surgery and no longer needs his hallmark glasses.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno, whose thick-lens glasses had become a trademark in his 44 years at the helm of the Nittany Lions, has had surgery to correct his vision.

“I had trouble reading for the last six months, so I went down to Philadelphia to the Penn Scheie Eye Institute,” the 83-year-old said. “And the guy says to me … I think we can fix that up. So they went in and did it. I don't really need glasses any more.”

But anyone expecting the spectacle of major college football's all-time wins leader showing up on the sideline with a completely new look next fall will be disappointed. Paterno said when he walks around without glasses, “I feel strange.”

“When I don't wear 'em, and I put on a sweater, I reach to take the glasses off and I don't have them on,” he said.

My mom said the same thing after I removed her cataracts--she is 20/20 without correction but doesn't like the way she looks without glasses.
With his bionic hip and new eyes, Joe should be all set for another ten years of coaching.  He already had better vision than most of the refs.  But as one message board pundit asked, "will he be able to see how far off the line the corners are playing now?"