Dealing with Doubt, Our Work Personas, and Ted Lasso Season 3 Premiere

Welcome to the Torg Stories Podcast at TheTorg.com. I’m Bill Torg. I’ve got round 3 of North Carolina girls basketball playoffs coming up next Tuesday. It’s the last week before spring break at App State, Gene Hackman his wife and dog are mysteriously dead, and I’ve got more interested in Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy than I usually do. Anne, how do you orient yourself to this time and place?

On this episode we’re talking about dealing with doubt, our work personas, and the Ted Lasso Season 3 Premiere titled “Smells Like Mean Spirit.”

Notes and Discussion prompts for Ted Lasso Season 3, Episode 1: “Smells Like Mean Spirit”

• The episodes always start with a black screen and sound. Ted looks bummed at the airport. Seems like he gets a text from his wife Michelle. Tricking us a bit. Ted’s son Henry flying home. He was playing Super Smash Brothers. What are your favorite Nintendo games?
• Cut to Ted in the cab talking to Doc Sharon. He has a Ted Lasso lego set. Is a sense of automomy good for Henry at age 10, flying across the earth by himself? What do you remember about childhood play around the age of 10?
• Sharon saying: Doubt can only be removed by action. Sharon has a young man in her bed.
• Rebekah sits in her office with Higgins angry about predictions about the upcoming season. Anne, who goes to the NBA finals? Who wins? Ted comes in and talks about his kid flying home. Charlotte two flights to Milwaukee. Megan drove there.
• “Tinkle on your toenails,” said Ted. “I predict their predictions are wrong.”
• Gene Hackman is talked about because Roy watched Hoosiers. He liked the drunk geezer. Gene opens our show every week: “Team!”
• Roy says it’s more important to be solid than clever when you’re the underdogs. This seem true?
• Nate arrives to coach in his little green car. He doesn’t greet anyone. He’s the anti Ted Lasso. Anne, how are you entering the building?
• Training. Paddington Bear Twitter pretty funny. Ted decides to take the team somewhere. I remember a story of Coach K having Duke play volleyball.
• Crying is the best, said Rebecca. Keeley cried all over Rebecca’s shirt. Keeley says, Let Ted be Ted. What would you say that means?
• Nate at training. “The dumb dumb line.” Then hops to it to go see Mr. Mannion. Just because my name is Disco, doesn’t mean we get to party?
• The majesty of the London sewer system. Henry wanted to take the tour to face his fears. How are we at facing our fears? Any clown fears?
• Nathan panics and spits. How would you do at the press conference Anne? He gets a grip and gets back to his snooty, smarter than you self.
• My biggest laugh from Jaime: “Coach, we’re surrounded by poopy.”
• A great bottle of wine doesn’t need to be an expensive bottle of wine.
• Roy was told by the bus driver to ask the earth to help him carry some of his burden. What would that mean? What is Roy’s burden? Does he have a problem to work on? Who else? Jamie: “Lads, remember…it’s just poopy; let it flow.”
• Rebecca is mad at Ted. Everyone is laughing at us Ted. Rupert is laughing at me, Ted. I am begging you, “fight back.” Emotionally moving.
• The woman brings in a package for Nate. She says, “It’s a car.” It’s an Aston Martin. Looks like at least 300K.
• Roy and Keeley are going to try and give Phoebe the talk. Oh, not the talk I expected. They tell her they broke up. She asks why they broke up. Roys says they are both busy. Phoebe says one of her core beliefs is nothing lasts forever.
• In the car, Phoebe asks, “Are you sure you are doing the right thing?” She’s right? This is his call? She says, “I think you are being stupid.”
• “Ring the Alarm” by Beyonce plays at the end. I didn’t know that one.

Thanks for checking out this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast!

Author: Torg

Writing Teacher at App State, Head Women's Basketball Coach at Watauga HS in Boone NC and podcaster at Torg Stories View all posts by Torg