In his first meeting with the media since a press conference in a minuscule trailer in East Lansing, Mich., Joe Paterno joked about how he hates fishing, Tommy Tuberville's mom and his wife's penchant for shopping.

But when a few intrepid reporters questioned why Paterno's players were still unavailable to the media, the joking stopped.

The players have not been heard from in 17 days, and some of the beat writers present were grumbling about how difficult the lockdown was making their job.

"I'm glad to hear that," Paterno said emphatically. "I'm only worried about the squad. I think you've got to be careful kids don't get themselves all wrapped up in some things that are going to happen when they've got school."

Paterno has stressed the importance of education his entire tenure at Penn State, and after defensive end LaVon Chisley was dismissed in the offseason because he became academically ineligible, Paterno's insistence on his players keeping up with their studies is understandable.

"We've got exams next week; we've got final exams next week," Paterno said. "We've got 35 kids that have got exams on Monday, OK? And I could care less, to be very blunt with you, I could care less about what you think."

The discontent stemmed largely from the fact that contact with the players had been scheduled for both Sunday and yesterday before the plug was pulled, but Paterno was not concerned.

"I have no obligation to you guys, I just want you to understand that," Paterno said. "I don't care whether it was scheduled. I didn't schedule it."

The bespectacled coach is already irritated about the numerous commitments facing both him and his team in the coming weeks, and he made it clear that he will do everything he can limit the distractions.

Linebacker Paul Posluszny was in Houston yesterday for the presentation of the Lombardi Award and will travel to Orlando, Fla., for the Butkus Award gala on Saturday afternoon. Paterno was obviously uneasy about even this distraction.

"I tried to keep all those kids home. I didn't want them to go," Paterno said. "I said they better keep their eyes focused on their studies because you'd be the first guys in the world to say this guy didn't graduate, that guy didn't graduate. I tried to keep every one of them home."

"You guys" referred to the media members that Paterno has traded jabs with all year. When asked why he would encourage the Penn State media to help his players get more national recognition and then restrict access to those same players, Paterno made it clear he thought it was a moot point.

"It's all over. You guys didn't help me one bit with them. I don't know what paper I'm looking at, all I know is, Michael Robinson is not one of the finalists for the Heisman award," Paterno said. "Is that my fault? Or is that your fault? Should I be here bitching about you guys, or you guys bitching about me? OK? It's as simple as that."

Despite the fact that the afternoon contained a few fairly tense moments, for the most part, Paterno was jovial and engaging and seemed excited about the prospect of coaching in his fifth Orange Bowl.

Obviously feeling bad about his earlier statements, Paterno also closed the conference with an apology of sorts.

"I know I sound a little bit abrasive, I guess that's about the easiest way I can put it, I really am concerned about ... It's so far away from the game, and there is so much going on," Paterno said. "It's so close to final exams, so if I'm a little bit protective, I'd rather be that and alienate you guys and girls than I would say to myself, 'You know, you are getting all caught up in a whole other thing.' I'd just really like to ... OK, enough of a speech."