Regarding Saturday’s New York Times story about Joe Paterno’s final contract negotiations, I predict that Paterno’s statute will soon be sold to the highest bidder to pay the university’s legal fees and judgments or that it will become a favorite watering post for local dogs on their morning walks.

To spare us further humiliation when people learn where we went to school, perhaps the board of trustees can negotiate a deal that allows graduates to transfer their degrees to, say, Pitt or to the Slovakian College of Hair Styling.

Alternatively, how about a tuition reimbursement? Given the details of Paterno’s contract, the university is obviously flush enough to pay us off, too. If anyone thinks Paterno was defamed, what about us?

Bob Edwards Sonoma, Calif.

The writer is a Penn State alumnus.