(2003-10-26) -- With Florida State's win over Wake Forest yesterday coach Bobby Bowden overtook Penn State's Joe Paterno, becoming the winningest coach in Division 1-A football history. Within hours after Mr. Paterno led his squad to its sixth loss of the season, Penn State announced the veteran coach had been fired.

While the termination of the legendary "JoePa" will shock Nittany Lion fans from Happy Valley to the Napa Valley, administrators were quick to say that the parting was amicable, with a severance package that adequately compensates the coach for his half-century of service to the University.

Details of the deal are still sketchy, but the coach will allegedly receive his current salary for life and will take possession of the 107,000-seat Beaver Stadium, a nearby 15,000-seat indoor arena, half of the library and dozens of buildings on campus which have been built through Mr. Paterno's influence and fundraising prowess.

For the remainder of the season, the head coaching vacancy will be filled by a lifesize cardboard cutout called "Stand Up Joe". An assistant coach will carry the replica up and down the sidelines during games to simulate Mr. Paterno's trademark pacing.