Joe Paterno's lifetime now spans nearly 29,000 days, during which he has written two books, been the subject of four more, sent more than 250 players to the NFL, presided over five undefeated football teams, won 354 games, glad-handed with U.S. presidents and thought roughly, oh, zero times that any of it was remarkable.

The Penn State coach preferred, instead, to see a life of simplicity. He woke up every morning and tried to make the most of it, nothing more. Forget the fact that he attended Brown. Or the fact that he spoke like an academic, not a coach. ("Success without honor is an unseasoned dish ...") Or the fact that, now, a bowl trip after the 2006 season -- his 41st at Penn State -- would allow him to coach a game at age 80.

Forget all that. Paterno would rather speak about the small missions to come (defeating Akron, for instance) than address what has been accomplished. He talks of the past only when telling stories of others. He'd rather wake up each day and work than discuss his winning lottery-ticket life.

Which might be the secret, after all, to his remarkable longevity.

Paterno will be honored at the Dapper Dan dinner Sunday with the Lifetime Achievement Award, a tribute to the achievements that began decades ago and continue, rolling by like a stock ticker.

Entering the 2005 season, many Penn State followers had become skeptics, the side effect of four losing seasons in five years. Fans questioned the capability of Paterno to turn around the program he had built into a national power. Twice, the university president and athletic director visited Paterno's house and asked him to consider retirement.

He refused, instead channeling his efforts into perhaps the most remarkable Penn State season yet. The Nittany Lions, pegged as a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team, won the league title and later the Orange Bowl. Paterno claimed numerous coach-of-the-year awards, touring the suit-and-tie ceremonies at season's end, often alongside star linebacker Paul Posluszny. "Just listening to him during that time and seeing the way he's able to handle people, you can learn from him just by watching," Posluszny said.

Somebody suggested to Paterno after the Orange Bowl celebration that the just-completed season had fulfilled his hunger. That he had finally authored a fitting chapter to precede retirement. Paterno, again, refused the notion.

"I am anxious to stay with it," he said.

In the months since, he has rejuvenated himself for the 2006 season. The '05 campaign, for all its success, wore the coach thin. He often struggled to sleep, partly because of his obsession with preparation. The health of his wife, Sue, prompted additional concern: She was recovering from a serious leg injury and often needed Paterno to drive her to her pre-sunrise physical therapy sessions.

After the Orange Bowl, Paterno admitted he needed a break. He has spent the last month directing his team through spring practice, but otherwise, he has remained mostly quiet. He appeared once on PBS' "The Charlie Rose Show," and, in March, traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive an honor from The Freedom Forum. By the time spring practice opened, Paterno looked tan and fresh, admitting as much. He'd also honed a familiar message.

"He's been like, 'The season we had, it was fun, but it's not here anymore,' " senior defensive tackle Jay Alford said. "That's pretty much all he's been saying. Now we have to focus on the future and what's ahead of us."

Paterno's axioms, by now, have become a famous part of his style. In a cycle, his players hear the sayings, chuckle at them, and later realize their worth.

"The thing about it, I think I was fortunate enough to get it," said Michael Robinson, Penn State's starting quarterback last year. "Get his message. I got it a year ago, which made this past season that much more enjoyable. Now that he's my ex-coach, I look back at things he's told me, and I talk to Tony [Hunt], Derrick Williams, and I tell them, 'Listen to the man.' You've got a guy who really cares about you and how you do in life. I tell them to soak, because that's rare."