I missed seeing Joe Paterno last week at the Big Ten spring meetings (I doubt he missed me).

I had a blast visiting with the Penn State coach at last year's spring meetings -- he shared some great Jackie Robinson stories -- and looked forward to hearing him sound off on various topics. Unfortunately, the 83-year-old was battling the stomach flu, which has kept him home-bound the last few weeks.

We haven't heard from JoePa since the Blue-White Game on April 24, but he made an appearance Wednesday morning on a Pittsburgh sports radio station (93.7 The Fan). Paterno said his health has improved, and he weighed in on several topics, including Big Ten expansion.

Some of the highlights:

• Paterno said the Big Ten is "on the verge" of a key decision and continued to advocate the need to expand the league. "The Big Ten, with the kind of programs we have, the universities we have, there’s got to be a couple of schools out there that would be an asset to us," he said. "I don’t think it’s fair for me to say which ones, but I hope we get somebody from the East. It’ll help us with the New York and the New Jersey television markets. But [commissioner] Jim Delany’s working hard on this thing and when they come up with some kind of a plan, it will be a good one."
• On the potential for superconferences in college football: "I'd like to know the pros and cons if we go to 16 [teams] as opposed to go to 12. The future is probably going to be 16-team conferences. That probably will be the future because of the television markets and the chances to have meaningful conference championship games and things of that nature."
• Paterno talked about the AAU factor in Big Ten expansion and recalled being surprised at how excited Penn State faculty members were when the school joined the Big Ten. "It was a real solid upgrade academically for us," he said. "So when we move on, we ought to be thinking somewhat about the kind of academic school we’re looking at."
• On the now defunct Penn State-Pittsburgh rivalry: "I miss the Pitt game. You don’t have the old stadium up on the hill [any more]. I used to love to walk down that hill after the game was over. … I have great memories of games we played there. I think it’s in the future, but a long way off."
• On whether he stumps for Pitt as a Big Ten expansion candidate: "I don’t think coaches have anything to say about that. The Big Ten is not a coaches’ conference as far as setting rules and goals for the conference and so forth. ... Jim Delany knows what he’s doing, he’s got a good staff and he’s working hard on trying to put the best arrangements together. Now if Pitt’s part of it, then that’s fine, but it won’t do me any good to call him and say, 'What about Pitt?' It won't hurt, but it won't do any good."
• Paterno said quarterback and offensive line are his two biggest concerns entering the summer, saying the linemen were "a little shaky" in spring practice. "They were a little unsure of themselves," he said, "not as aggressive as they have to be."

For a transcript of Paterno's interview, click here.

Not a ton of earth-shattering stuff here, but it's always a big deal when Paterno talks, and I'm always interested in what he has to say.