Paterno, in Texas, says he's feeling fine

AUSTIN, Texas - Penn State coach Joe Paterno shrugged off a medical scare and said yesterday that he was feeling fine after going to the hospital this week to be treated for dehydration.

He suggested that he'd like to coach for several more years.

"Realistically, at my age, if I go three, four, five years, that would be great," Paterno said.

The 81-year-old Hall of Fame coach went to the hospital for several hours Thursday. He flew to Austin yesterday to attend a dinner at the University of Texas to support an endowed chair in global affairs named after Longhorns coach Mack Brown.

"Yesterday, I didn't think this event was getting enough press," Paterno said. "I decided to go to the hospital and see if I could spruce it up a bit. I feel good."

"I'm not a kid anymore," he said. "The minute you don't feel good, people get nervous. They took me over to the hospital. I said, 'What in God's name am I going to do over there? I feel good.' "

Paterno said the hospital conducted myriad tests to be sure.

"I got CAT scans, I had sonics, I had a stress test," Paterno said. "They gave me all the things."

"I think I've got a pretty good football team that, if I don't screw it up, could win a couple of games," he said. "I'm enjoying it."

Baker gets probation.

Penn State defensive tackle Chris Baker was sentenced to two years' probation yesterday after pleading guilty in two cases involving two separate fights.