Delaware Preview: Helping Bill and Linda of York Watch Penn State’s Game On Peacock

If you’ve listened to the podcast over the last few years, you know there is a definitely real couple that we bring up named Bill and Linda, ages 74 and 72, of York, PA. 

Bill and Linda are proud Penn Staters and always have been their entire lives. They’ve had season tickets for 48 seasons but will be missing the game this weekend against Delaware. 

Well this week, Bill and Linda were kind enough to sit down with me for an exclusive interview to discuss Penn State’s 2023 season and watching the game on Peacock.

The following answers have been edited for brevity and clarity. 

Darian: Bill, Linda, it’s an absolute honor to be sitting here with you this afternoon and chatting Penn State football. How are you? 

Bill, who is rocking in his La-Z-Boy, sports a white ballcap with the outline of the Joe Paterno statue on it and a Penn State polo.

Bill: Who are you again? You’ve got a telecast? 

Darian: Yes, Bill. It’s a Penn State sports media podcast. You listen every week. 

Bill: Oh, Dorian? Yeah I know youse. Tell that Sampsell fella I like him. He’s good. He’s real good.

Darian: I will, Bill.

Linda is a lovely woman originally from the western half of the state. Bill and Linda met at Penn State back when they were both students and have been together ever since. 

Linda: Darren, can I get ya anything? We got pop, water. I just ran dahn to Sheetzs and grabbed some iced tea. There’s Yuengling too. You know Bill always has to have his Yuenglings. Maybe he’ll share.

Bill: No I will not. 

Darian: Linda, an iced tea would be wonderful. Thank you. Bill, I know you’re not James Franklin’s biggest fan. Has your impression of him changed? 

Bill: You mean Fraudlin. Until he wins a national championship, he ain’t real. All talk. 

Linda: Damian, I should have warned you not to ask Bill about him. 

Darian: Ok, I’m sorry, Bill. Positive vibes only. Tell me what do you think of the team this year. 

Bill: That Allar *emphasize on the “All”.* Man can he sling it. Reminds me back when we was in college and big Chuck Burkhart was out there. You know Joe never let him throw. But when he did, *rocket noise.* Same thing with this new kid. Much better than that freakin’ stinkin’ Clifford. Franklin shoulda sat his [butt] and let that Levi kid start. He’s in the NFL now. What’s Clifford? A car salesman probably. Allar shoulda been the guy last year too.

Darian: Don’t you think that extra year to grow was good for him? 

Bill: Woulda won a national title last year but yet again missed the playoff. 

Linda: We did get to go to the Rose Bowl though, Bill. The parade, too. Oh, it was just special. The floats were gorgeous. A real dream come true. 

Darian: Glad you had a good time there. It really is great. 

Bill: Tell you where I didn’t have a good time. At the game last week. Can’t hear a thing over that stupid Bo Rambo song. Let the damn band play. It ain’t there for looking. Then that new announcer wasn’t saying how many yards. Can’t tell if it was first down or fifth down. Tell you what though. I’s listening to Steve and Jack on the radio and that Brian Tripp. He’s real good. Heard he’s got a great head of hair like me. 

Bill lifts up his cap and runs his hands across his very bald head.

Darian: Brian’s a good guy. We like him. You sound frustrated with the game experience, Bill? 

Bill: Yes sir. Back in the day, and this was before they added all them fancy seats up above the student section to block my view of Mount Nittany, youse get the score, the down and distance. No replay, no nothing. I just want the football. Why can’t we have just football? That’s what it’s about. And getting good grades too. STUDENT-athlete.

Darian: Well, hopefully it will improve this week. You guys going? 

Bill’s body language gets even grumpier than it was when I first walked into the door of their lovely two-story, filled with many Penn State memories and Linda’s collection of pug decor. 

Bill: No. 

Linda: First time in 10 years. I told Bill, I said to him, I said, we don’t need to go. I’ve got my biggest bingo meet of the year. There will be other football games. Penn State’s going to win and he can just watch the game at home.

Darian: You know the game is on Peacock right, Bill? 

Bill: Yes sir, got my iPad already right here. 

It was, in fact, rather an old Amazon Fire tablet that Linda bought for him on QVC back in 2011 and now has at least three noticeable cracks in the screen and definitely at least one virus.

Darian: That thing doesn’t seem like it works too well. Want me to take a look at it? 

Upon closer inspection, there were definitely several viruses on it and a very, um, interesting search history. 

Bill: Yessir, my grandson said I should be all good to go. Just gotta go turn on the TV and change it to channel 3 and then Peacock will show up. 

Darian: Bill, that’s not going to work. TVs haven’t worked that way in a long time. You need the app. You know, like Facebook? 

Bill: I heard Facebook was getting rid of ads if you share that one post. I shared it. Didn’t work for me. They’re spying on us and keeping that Elon Musk all rich. 

Darian: Bill, seriously, I want to make sure you can watch the game here. Most bars probably won’t have it on. I know you’re anxious about it. This is the first Penn State game in quite a while not to be on traditional TV. It looks like you’ve got it on your Roku too. Want me to show you how to get to Peacock? 

Bill: Watch your language around my wife, young man. 

At this point, Linda, who is quietly knitting away at her new Penn State scarf she wants to wear to the Michigan game this season, looked at me puzzled. 

Linda: Peacock? What do you mean we need a peacock? I thought they were playing the Blue Hens this weekend.

Darian: No, Lin…

Linda was heading out the door and almost at the car before I could explain to her that the game was on an app. I have no clue where she was going.

Bill: She’s always spending money. Anyway, Darwin. Tell me how to turn that on. 

Darian: Alright, all you gotta do is hit the home button and then click the big square that says “Peacock.” Are you writing this down? 

Bill: Mhmm.

He was not writing this down but instead looking at some of those Google searches I mentioned.

Darian: Then you’ll open it up. Just use Andy’s profile. 

Andy is their son who is actually paying for the Peacock subscription. 

Bill: I don’t wanna use Andy’s. I want to use mine. 

Darian: Ok, I’ll make you a new profile. You don’t have one on here yet. Bill, make sure you’re writing this down. So you click your name. 

Bill: Why is my picture of that annoying blonde lady? 

Darian: That’s Leslie from Parks and Rec. She’s hilarious. 

Bill: What’s that phrase you all kids are using? Kathryn. 

Darian: “Karen” is the term. Leslie is not a Karen. She’s amazing. OK, pay attention. Click on that picture, then click the football. The game will be there. Got it?

Bill: Joe never would have allowed Penn State to play on Peacock. Why can’t I just put it on NBC? 

Darian: The game is not on NBC. Just Peacock, Bill. 

At this point, Linda returns from wherever she was, carrying an animal crate. Inside is a male peacock, clearly having the worst day of its life.

Linda: Bill, you said you need a peacock to watch the game. Well, I got the last one down at the store. Everyone must be buying them for the game.

Bill and Darian: Linda, it’s an app.

I’m both impressed and confused that Linda found a peacock for sale that quickly – or close by.

Darian: Linda, where did you find a peacock at? What store in York, PA is selling peacocks? 

Linda: Well, it wasn’t a store. It’s actually from the farm down the road but he’s real cute. I named ‘em Nittany.

The peacock with its feathers spread had clearly taken a liking to the Bill at this point. Bill, shuffling to shut off his tablet, was unaware that the peacock had taken the remote. 

Bill: We’re not keeping a damn peacock. Go take it back. I just wanna watch the football game now. 

Darian: The game isn’t until Saturday. 

Bill: Just gimme my damn remote back.

At this point, the peacock was now standing over the remote. Bill bent down to grab the remote but at the same moment, the peacock jumped up in its attack response. Things are getting ugly. Bill is now being attacked by Nittany. I’m trying to wrestle the peacock away from Bill. Linda is screaming. Several vintage pieces of pug decor have now fallen to the ground, shattering.

This is all because Penn State’s game with Delaware on Saturday airs at noon on Peacock and nowhere else. Not NBC. Not over the air. Peacock, which an app, one that you have to pay money for. Be sure your parents and grandparents know how to open up and use the Peacock app so you don’t get attacked by an actual peacock. 

No peacocks were harmed in the making of this blog post. 

If you’ve enjoyed this content, please consider supporting StuffSomersSays.com.

Share This Article