Lead it Like Lasso: A Ted Lasso Rewatch Podcast

Leadership Lessons from So Long, Farewell | S3 Ep12

• Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio • Season 3 • Episode 12

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🎙️ Lead It Like Lasso Podcast: So Long, Farewell – Season 3 Finale Recap

In this powerful season finale episode, Nick Coniglio and Marnie Stockman are joined once again by real-life “Coach Lasso” Lee MJ Elias to unpack the emotional final chapter of Ted Lasso Season 3 — So Long, Farewell. They reflect on what it means to let go, grow, and lead with heart.

Lee shares uncanny parallels between his own life and the fictional series — from coaching in the UK to now leading the Puerto Rican women’s national hockey team to a gold medal. Together, they dive deep into the epilogue-style storytelling of the finale and explore why the show’s greatest victories were never about the scoreboard.

💡 Key Leadership Takeaways:

  • Letting Go to Move Forward: The finale reminds us that great leaders create something that lasts beyond them. Whether it’s Ted returning home or Rebecca sharing ownership, legacy is built through trust.
  • Growth Over Glory: AFC Richmond didn’t win the league — and that’s the point. Winning isn’t the only measure of success. Becoming the best version of yourself is.
  • Team Over Ego: From Jamie’s transformation to Roy’s vulnerability, the show affirms that authentic leadership and deep team bonds matter more than individual accolades.
  • Mental Fitness Matters: The conversation explores how self-awareness, healing, and inner growth drive meaningful leadership — not perfection.
  • The Power of Belief: As Lee says, “Anytime people come together for a common goal, it's miraculous.” That’s the heart of Ted Lasso — and of the Lead It Like Lasso philosophy.

👤 Connect with Lee MJ Elias:
Twitter: @leemjelias

Website: game7group.com

📘 Learn more about the book: LeadItLikeLasso.com

💌 Subscribe to the Weekly Curiosity Newsletter for leadership inspiration
🐾 And remember: Be curious, not judgmental.

SPEAKER_01:

Welcome back, everyone. I'm Nick and I'll be right back.

SPEAKER_02:

And I'm Marnie Stockman. This is the Lead It Like Lasso podcast, a Ted Lasso Rewatch podcast. We're the authors of Lead It Like Lasso, a leadership book for life, your life.

SPEAKER_01:

And today we're wrapping up our analysis of season three's leadership lessons with the season finale. So long farewell. So long. If you've missed any of the other episodes, head to leaditlikelasso.com to check them out. Be sure to sign up for our weekly curiosity newsletter so you can keep getting lasso leadership lessons after the final episode.

SPEAKER_02:

So we are super excited to bring back our friend and one of the real life Ted Lasso's we've been lucky enough to meet to the show. So for those that haven't been playing along at home, Lee's life very much, I would say predicted, not paralleled, because it happened before the writers uh released Ted Lasso. Uh but for season one, two, and three, right? Your life paralleled along the way. And then wild enough, Lee accepted the position as head coach of the, I think I have it right, women's national team for um Puerto Rico for ice hockey. And they won the double-IHF uh gold medal prior. So he accepted it prior to season four being announced. So the parallels go on. But welcome back to the party, Lee.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, listen, it's great to be here. I'll start with this. Uh, you both know I'm a very seasoned podcast host. I have my own podcast. This is one of my favorite podcasts to listen to. Um believe it or not, I don't listen to my own podcast.

SPEAKER_02:

So we hear you on that.

SPEAKER_00:

Right, right. But uh no, I love what you do. And and Marnie, I'll say it too. And Nick, uh uh still to this day, uh blown away by the parallels between this show and my life to the point, just to give the audience a little context, when we were watching this show, like my family and I, uh family would pause it and say, Well, what would you do here? And I would say what I would do, and the show would 95% of the time do that. And then, as you said, uh, we were joking before the show, I took this women's coaching job before they announced that the show was going there, and and it like it freaked me out. It's the coolest thing in the world or the weirdest thing in the world. Um, I don't know if I could pull up a mustache, but I do pull off the beard pretty much. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And it's absolutely amazing. And and oh my gosh, follow Lee, and you hear these stories. It it it truly is, you would not believe it if somebody just told you this, just how much of the parallel that that Lee's life actually follows along with the show, or vice versa, I should probably say.

SPEAKER_00:

So yeah, well, and I want to say real quick too, like because I want this to be an aura for the whole episode for all the listeners out there. And we just talked about this gang, about how what I do, right, as a team builder in coaching, amongst the other things that I do, uh, the stuff that you see in this show with that, the team building, is a very real thing. And I always love to tell people that. And I want I want you to listen to the episode knowing that, because uh you know, again, a lot of people think that show is disnified. And again, there are aspects of that. We'll talk about some of them today. But the coming together for a common goal, the the brotherhood, the sisterhood, the the family atmosphere within a team environment, any team doesn't have to be football, soccer, hockey, it could be work. It's a very real thing and a very real power, right? And and I want your audience to believe in that, pun intended, I guess. Pun intended, yeah. Right? I didn't even mean to think of that, but it's so real and it can be created and and cultivated. And and uh I I I if you leave with anything today, please know that. But we're again, I'll let you guys dive into because there's some fun stuff um in the final episode. I'm very honored to be here, by the way, for the final episode. Well, not final episode, final episode of the season, right? We can say that.

SPEAKER_02:

We thought it was the final episode. We thought we certainly did. We should probably point that out because one of the things you said is this is the first time you've re-watched it knowing that there is another season coming. To which I said yes, I cried less in this episode, knowing it wasn't the end. Um, so I think that is important to point out, right?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah, it's a different lens when you know it's coming back. And look, we'll we'll find out. I I don't know if that's good or bad. Like I know everyone's excited the show's coming back. Um, I'm a big believer that shows can have a start and an ending and don't have to come back. I feel the same way about movies. Not everything needs a sequel.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, a sequel. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Um now I am excited, don't get me wrong, right? I I trust Sadekus, I trust the writers that they're gonna go a pretty cool place with this.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Um, but I was from season one, and and for those of you who don't know, in I lived in England for three years. Like the parallels will come out here. I lived in England for three years as an American coach and a team builder, right? And in in British television, they call them series, not seasons. They start and end, and they're typically three seasons and they don't come back. The only one everybody knows Doctor Who, that's the only one that I know that keeps coming back over and over again. Um, so I was content with this being over. So we'll see where it goes from here.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so let's start there. You know, we uh you know, we're reminded I I always remember a childhood memory is when MASH, the season finale of MASH ended, or Tears, or Seinfeld. What did you think of this? I mean, if you if you know, not thinking about that there's a future season four, but what did you think about this as just in general? How did it rate in terms of a a series finale when when you first saw it and up until the point we knew a season four was coming along?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, love that question. First off, Quantum Leap was the one for me growing up. That's a deep cut. That one cut me deep, and it's a deep cut the way that show ended. Um, but here's the thing with this last episode I think it's very important for people to realize, and I again I've worked in television too, so there's there's an understanding here. It is so hard to end a show, right? And you have to you have to remember when they did this episode, it was this is the end of the show. They weren't they weren't planning for the future. So landing that plane uh is really hard. And most shows, most shows fail miserably at this, right? Yep. Um, all you listening, like the love, your hate of the Sopranos, and I mean you can go through all of them, Nike, you said a few. I think as uh a final episode, this did I did pretty good. All right. I think it's important to realize that this entire episode is an epilogue, right? Uh the penultimate episode really was the last kind of episode, if you know what I mean. That solved most of the issues. This is an epilogue, and and if you start watching this episode again knowing it's an epilogue, I think it's actually far more enjoyable. This is what happens to 95% of the characters when they have finished their character art, right? There's actually not much forward progress in this episode. There's a little bit. Um, but I think when you look at it like that, yeah, I I give it the thumbs up. I mean, it feels good, there's a lot of fan service in it, right? But the idea at the end of the day is that that you wanted to leave this series feeling something. Um and again, to jump to the end, you know, when Ted looks at the camera at the end, I I I got shows watching it again. I was actually really surprised. Um because the message is clear. And um last thing I'll say, Nick, too, is that you know, if you were watching this as a sports show, you probably left the show a little disappointed, but this never was a sports show. And I think if you watched it as for what it was, it it could not have ended better.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And I and I actually as and I I think that's a good segue. And I I think you nailed it. I think from a standpoint of you know, considering it as an epilogue, I think is brilliant, right? Because it did so many things. It there was nothing moving forward. It you shouldn't have anything moving forward. There's a ton of callbacks in this episode that that people wanted. And I I do think that um it was a little bit messy. There were some things that you're like, uh I wish they wouldn't have done that. I wish they would have had a conclusion with uh, you know, Keely and and Roy and Jamie or Dr. Jacob, you know, I never liked that character. I mean, what's really going on with that? But you know, even in the episode, they talk about the fit fact that perfect is boring, right? That was one of the conversations with the Diamond Dogs. Um, and it wasn't perfect, it's messiness. But the whole show was about how to overcome messiness, which I think is pretty cool. But you mentioned something about being a sports show, and um I love the fact that they did not win the the Premier League title, right? And I I think winner winning does matter, but meaning matters more, right? The you know, everything, the central message of the show was about development and teamwork and trust and vulnerability, and the fact that they didn't end it and that it didn't culminate with winning the whole effing thing, um, which was a a callback from a previous uh episode of the series, I think was really important for them. And I I think it hammers home the point of what the show is all about. It's it's not about the wins and losses, it's about you know helping these players become the best versions of themselves.

SPEAKER_00:

I was just gonna say that that that is the key, if there was one key to the whole series, and it will continue to be the key as the show continues, it's helping these athletes become a better version of themselves. Now, just to comment on that, that is exactly my goal when I coach uh not TV athletes. Yeah, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02:

Like real life athletes.

SPEAKER_00:

Real life athletes. Like you when you're able to put the ego aside, and that's something that Ted did so beautifully in this show, uh, and realize you're really coaching a person. Um, and the show touches on that with a lot of different characters, right? That is really the key to coaching. Um, and and that is one of the things from a sports standpoint, the show got so right. Um, I also love, Nick, to your point, there's a scene where they're debating uh English football and European football with the championship and champions league and premier league. Uh I can tell you from living there. When I when I landed in England for my first year, didn't understand that at all. By the time I left, I I kind of understood it. You know, it European sports is very different than American sports. So I thought that they sprinkled that in there to kind of remind people that you know not everybody wins. Also, here's the thing we talked about the disnification of this. Um, them winning would have been disnification. For sure. It's very hard to win. Um, also, I can't imagine the actual Premier League was going to be okay with not a Premier League team winning the Premier League, right? These are these are choices they have to make. But as you said, the show is never about the win. The win was the people becoming better versions of themselves. Everyone evolved. And again, this last episode, you can go through any character you want. There, their arc ends with they are moving forward. You mentioned uh, you know, the choice of Roy and uh uh you know with Keely, yeah, right, with Jamie. Um that was that was Keely's arc finishing. I don't have to choose, right? Yep. So I thought that they used the characters brilliantly with that.

SPEAKER_02:

Her personality, her, her, what do I want to say? Her importance, how she sees herself, is not based on who she is with, but is based on her own self-worth. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00:

And you again, you can go through any character you want. I actually have notes on all of them. Like you can see the the end result and kind of what their life is like now. Um, I will say too, you you said some criticisms. You know, the the only two criticisms I have of this episode is I I really didn't love where Nate ended up. I thought that was a little weak, right? He goes through obviously a massive transformation, only to kind of go back to being uh a bit of the whipping boy. And the thing is that like I understood what they were trying to do there of like he's able to accept that. I thought his character should have moved forward a little bit more than that. Uh and then the psychologist, yeah. I just felt like they kind of pushed her aside, like, oh yeah, yeah, they had a team psychologist. Okay, like move past that now.

SPEAKER_02:

And I noticed this time, sorry, at the end, that Dr. Sharon, that Roy was in Dr. Sharon's office, right? So she's coming back. Um, but that was one of the things that Nick and I have talked about that um that is very disnified. Sports psychologists do not cure a um, you know, a problem in a single episode or session for sure.

SPEAKER_00:

No, it takes it takes years. And and you know, I think the big point of that scene was just that Roy's able to ask for help, right? Right. So everyone's left in a nice place. Uh, like I said, I I don't they didn't know they were gonna have a sequel. I'm sure they thought about it when they wrote they live some open-ending open-ended things for sure.

SPEAKER_01:

Was there a particular character that um you said you took notes on all of them? Like from start to end, was there one that you said, yes, I love where they took this particular character arc much more so than others? Or I mean that's so hard to choose. I didn't even know if I could choose that.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I can tell you the the best ones. Um, like I think Jamie was just really perfectly done. Uh, you know, talk about the callbacks, the first episodes he has that icon hat, and at the end he has the i cog. And yeah, for those of you wondering, that's the cog and the wheel. I know what does that mean? It means he's he is a cog in the wheel now, he's not the icon. Um, but I've coached athletes like that that start out a bit, you know, narcissistic and all about themselves, and then they figure out how to be part of the team. Um, I thought that was pretty brilliantly done. Um, Ted's arc is really good, uh, although subtle, right? About he has issues like that was one of the magical parts of really season one uh leading into this is that he's not perfect, right? Yeah, um, and that he's very optimistic and he's all about team building, and he doesn't sacrifice us laurels for anything, but he has problems with his his wife, he has problems with his mother, and that you know, I I the the guts to dive into that to me um is a real hidden side of honestly sports in life that not enough people do. That you know, he he has his positivity, but it he has his problems. Um, I really enjoyed that too. Rebecca, uh Rebecca's arc is so wonderful um for so many reasons, you know, like like uh obviously from a from a woman of power point of view, right? But also uh women's empowerment, right? Of why her motivations changed from trying to get it back at Rupert to the end not even caring about Rupert, right? Um, and Rupert being the ultimate narcissist. Um and you know, one of my favorite lines from this um episode was when Higgins said uh he didn't need any help from you to ruin his own life. And that is so true of narcissists, right? Uh and I I find that people that are battling a narcissist, a lot of times they they want to get back, they want to find a way, and I always tell them they don't need your help. They don't, they will find their way into hell on their own. Um, and then you know Rupert's arc is although dark. I enjoyed that, that he literally ends up walking into the darkness because he can't change. He's the only character in the show that cannot change. Um, and the actor did such a wonderful job with that. I mean, you you really hate this guy in the show. Yeah, all right.

SPEAKER_02:

I feel bad for him as the human because you know he walks around places and people want to call him the same name they shouted at him at the stadium because he played it well. Right.

SPEAKER_00:

That it's true for him, and who um I can't remember her name. Whoever played the headmaster in one of those Harry Potter movies, uh, Oh yes. Yeah, forgive me, Harry Potter fans, for not remembering the name right now, but uh I remember hating her for a while. But then she came back and played Queen Elizabeth, and now everybody loves her again. But um, it he's the only one who didn't who didn't change, and that that's the point, right? Is that that the narcissist cannot change, they cannot live outside their own little world. Um, but I think too, and again, it's a long answer to a short question. Um, the arc that I loved the most is the team, right? Is that the team started not believing and then they believe again, pun intended on this. I'm actually not saying that on purpose. Um, and even when the belief was shattered, literally, they find a way forward. That is so real. Look, I have been so blessed to win a lot of championships with the team I work with, uh, based on this team building philosophy. Um, which at this point in my career, I've been coaching 20 years. I'm very confident that this works, right? Uh by the way, when I say works, I don't necessarily mean the championships, right? I again, we they uh the teams I'm with tend to win, but the people grow. And like that's the magic of the show. That's the arc that I love the most. Um, and I I I I hope people left this show with I want to be better, right? That's the way if you left the show going, they didn't win the Premier League. I mean, you missed you missed it. Oh, you missed it, yeah. All right, and I know people said that. I can't believe they didn't let them win. I'm like, guys, they'll miss the point.

SPEAKER_01:

I literally just got goosebumps because I I think when you reflected on the show, I mean, they did such a good job showing the camaraderie and the building in those last two episodes specifically. Um you know, we saw all the trials and tribulations that they went through, but the the harmony that that that they showed that that team had as an outcome of all the work that that everybody did, really. I I thought, you know, for those of us that have been in a locker room and have actually had a chance to experience it, um, it's there's there's no other feeling like it. The magical, the camaraderie, the the brotherhood, the sisterhood, whatever it is. Um, and I think they did a really, really good job representing that and then wrapping it up kind of with the the kangaroo court that that Isaac was presiding over at the end and just how much fun and everybody was having, I thought was awesome.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, and and look, I'm gonna add, and look, you guys know this with the book you wrote, right? That that magic is not limited to sports, right? I I I so hope people understand that look, anytime this is really what drives me in my work. Anytime a group of people can come together towards a common goal and accomplish that goal, it's magical, it's miraculous. And we need to strive for that more generally. And yes, I know there are uh forces pulling people apart, and there's people against other people. For the most part, gang, in my day-to-day life, and I am in all different walks of life, just so everybody knows that uh most people are willing to work together if you present it correctly, right? You have good leadership, we'll talk about that. You have you have good morals, you have good good values and standards, and you have a common goal. Most people are willing to buy into that, no matter what their situation is, right? And what I find is that, and this is what the show did beautifully, uh, is when you get enough people believing in that, the a-holes will not survive. They will they will be pushed aside. They will, it's an adapter-dye situation. Um, and I've you know I've seen that in my own work, right? There are there are athletes who just cannot get past themselves, they won't survive in the system that we present. Uh, true in the office, true at the house, true in the sports. So that that is just the that's the such the message of this show. I hope people really get that.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, that is the lasso way, right? Which is transformed. Richmond way. I was kidding, the lasso way. The Richmond way, yes. Yeah, I love that Ted said that. And that Beard had so many sticky notes in there about yeah, that's him though.

SPEAKER_00:

You know, there's another character like Beard's ability to let go and say, This is what I want, right? He was he had a life, life bond to Ted and he was able to move on. So everyone at some point in this show uh you know showed what they can do with their newfound freedom or their belief, um, so forth and so on.

SPEAKER_01:

So, how much do you think, Lee, that they that the writers of the show, if at all, um, were trying to convey the message uh, you know, that the whole notion of letting go is also okay, right? Ted Ted really chooses to let go of the team to go home to his son. Rebecca is sharing ownership, she's letting go of ownership of the entire franchise. Um uh really demonstrating that okay, there's a trust here, a trust that this was built to endure and to last. Is is that something that you consciously think about as a leader of teams that, okay, this can survive if I let go and and kind of uh continue to thrive?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, that's a fantastic question, Nick. You know, I think that from a writing standpoint, this is where the mental health, mental fitness side of the show stood out, right? Which is that is actually the theme of the show, right? Um, keeping in mind that a lot of this came out during COVID when when that was a major issue. Um, I think that when I look at it, the message was that you can let go of the weight you don't need to carry it. You know, I saw a great speaker one time who was, he actually had weights and he would give them to the audience and say, you know, this is stress, this is that. And he goes, now let it go. And how much freer it is to walk without it. Um and I do think that that was one of the messages of do not hold on to all of these past traumas or ego, right? Each character brought a different type of stress. It's okay to let go of it and move on. Um, again, Rupert being the only one who could not do that in the show. Um, I will have I will say this to you though, um, because again, this is where the writer's room and and uh me maybe disagree. If I was uh a Premier League manager and Rebecca offered me that amount of money and my family to move there, I would have taken that job. I just I would not have said no, but they had to say no for Ted at that point in the show. Um but yeah, look, it's such a tough thing to do, to let go. And when you look at your own ego, and this is a this is a journey all of us should be on, right? Of listening to your internal thoughts and understanding what's holding you back, connecting to that, and then having another voice that says, Hey, listen, it's okay. Like you can let go of this. Yeah, man, it'll change your life. It will really change your life. And again, we all have ego, including myself. It is a daily battle. You know, I always tell young coaches, I've been in some pretty big coaching environments with high, uh high stakes, lots of fans, broadcasts, and I I don't lie to people. Yeah, every once in a while there's a thought that crawls in my head of you don't belong here. Like, what are you doing here? And I've had to train myself to kind of okay, acknowledge that thought and move it aside, right? But I'm a human being, right? And it's okay to talk about that. Like I think we've moved past the point where that was viewed as weakness, right? And it's like, no, I acknowledge that I have those thoughts too, amongst other things, right? It's not just in sports, but I'm very aware of those thoughts and I'm in touch with those thoughts. And to your point, willing to kind of, I don't know if let go is the word, but okay, like I'm gonna move on from this right now. I don't I don't need this thought in my head right now. Yep. The question is, are you aware of those thoughts? Do you have the consciousness to be aware? And I think that's what they were diving into.

SPEAKER_02:

Brilliantly, for sure. It um it does remind me of Jim Collins' book, Good to Great, that the level four leaders are the ones that kind of stick with the ego. They're usually successful, but the overwhelmingly successful, the ones that create you know true legacy um teams are the ones that reach great. And that is because they have the humility to let go and it lives beyond them, right? So that's how you get the yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, look, just tapping on that, Marnie, too. Like, you have how do you define success? Because the level four leader who you are successful, don't get me wrong, but your definition of success is based on numbers and sales and you know, some trophy or outcome. Whereas um, those are all great things. And and I'm not gonna tell you, I don't, I don't know, yeah, of course I want to win. Like, I like again that you have to separate these things a little bit. Of course I want to win, of course I want to. Everything I do to prepare is to win, and I hate to lose, but that's not the full definition of success. Um, my ultimate definition of success, and I mean this in life, is that my wife and kids go to bed knowing I love them and me knowing they love me. And if that happens every day, no matter what my life is doing, really, no matter what, I I've won the day. Uh, it doesn't mean the days are easy every day, but that's my goal. And when it comes to sports, I'm gonna echo the show again. Am I helping these athletes become the best versions of themselves? Right. And um, you know, when I have conversations with my own athletes, again, you just mentioned we just won a championship. You know, it's not about the gold medal, it's about what my captain told me recently there was this really stressful moment she had a penalty shot. Uh really stressful. And she said she was able to overcome the fear in the moment and just do what she needed to do. And I talked to her about you're evolving as a leader, right? You have evolved as an athlete. That's the win, right? And oh, it would have sucked if we lost that game, but like wow, like there's growth there, right? Uh, you know, we can we can work with that. So yeah, it's it's an amazing point you just made.

SPEAKER_01:

You know, it it um it you know, I've I one of my favorite scenes of entire series was in this episode when um Roy finally asks to become part of the Diamond Dogs. Um we've been waiting for that for so long. But they they had a really interesting question because Roy was he was really struggling, right? You know, he's like, I I have I haven't changed, right? I and they get into this con this conversation where I believe Trent says something to the effect of, you know, none of us change, we learn to accept who we've always been. And then Nate comes in and says something to the effect of change. I do believe people change, you know, for better or worse. And then Higgins does what Higgins does, right? And he he provides the wisdom. Um, but I'm wondering both of you from both of you guys, I mean, was Trent right in the fact that none of us change and we've just learned to really accept who we are, or was Nate more right, or are they both right in terms of you know, people do change? What do you what do you guys think?

SPEAKER_02:

I have seen someone, and Nick, you know her, who absolutely has changed. Actually, I can think of two of them, you know both of them. Uh, who has they did the work. So they have done the work, which I think is critical to it, and have acknowledged where I mean, they still have um their character has just shown up differently. They've taken their traits that were maybe that were weaknesses before and learned how to turn them into strengths. Everything is on a spectrum, right? And any strength gone too far turns into a weakness. And I think what they have done is learned to slide the needle. So you haven't changed in the fact that this is still one of your personality traits, but how you have managed to dial it to be a power for good instead of evil, I think is how folks change. Lee, what's your take on that?

SPEAKER_00:

No, it's it's phenomenal. You know, the the the interesting part of that scene, and Nick to your point, Roy was actually the only character whose arc wasn't finished as we came into this episode. Everybody else was reactive to their arc finishing. This was his final end of the arc. And what's wonderful, wonderful about the conversation is they're they're all correct, right? The thing about mental health, mental fitness is that it's just like physical fitness. Like you go to the gym to work your body out, but not everybody does the same workout. So when it comes to your mind, you choose whatever definition there you want that's gonna help you. The the key thing, though, to me in that scene, that was the big scene of that episode, in my opinion, was what Higgins says. And everybody says that just be moving towards better. That's the common thread of that scene of whether you think people don't change or they do change, just every day be moving towards being better. That's something everyone can do. And the idea is that not every day is going to be perfect, you know, if you have the two steps forward, one step back, it's okay. But people give yourself some grace and be moving towards getting better. I'll say it again. Rupert does not do that. He is a character, but we all know someone like Rupert.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, and he's not trying to do the work, right? Roy's trying to do the work. That's why Rupert's not going anywhere.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, and again, even in that episode, they they give they give, from a writing standpoint, Rupert moments of grace, but at the end of the show, he cannot help himself. His narcissist comes out and destroys everything that he loves. And I think that that is a warning to people. It's you move towards being better, or you will move not towards being better on that path. And you know, the thing is, um, one of the things they did so well, uh, and I know we're running on time here, but what one of the things they did so well with Rupert was that the character reactions to Rupert outside Rebecca's friend. Yeah, yeah. You know, she's rooting for it, right? Um, yeah, she's a bit of a narcissist too, right? She's just a loyal best friend, but no one's really happy with his behavior. You know, like like I remember watching that episode. You you almost want to feel bad for Rupert. You know, I'm not saying you should, but Rebecca, Ted, it's just what are you, what are you doing? Like it's not like, yeah, you're a bad guy. I'm glad you got yours. It's you shouldn't be rooting for someone to fail, even to that level. It's sad. The team that he grew up loving now hates him. That's sad. Yeah, right? That is sad. And they gave they give him the grace of that. And that and again, the response to that is not rooting against him. That's that's exactly what you don't want to do. It's just, man, that guy can't move forward. That's unfortunate. Um, but on a brighter note, it's are you moving towards better? And I think that's just a great line from Higgins of there is no right definition here. It's live your life, just try and be better every day. And I know athletes who just try and be 1% better every day. I know people that do that. Um, and then I'll just kind of say this like a little bit in closing is that to me, the wonder of living is that you can get better a little bit every day. That exploration of yourself and the world, the good, the bad. I I know I'm a very positive sounding person, but I'm also a realist. Like, there's a lot of bad out there too. How exciting that you get to explore this world. Right. It's fascinating. Uh, you know, fascinating is not always a positive word, right? It's fascinating that things happen every day. That exploration to me is is the gift, right? And I don't want to waste that gift because we don't know what happens after this, just like we don't know what's gonna happen next season. You know, and and to me that's that's the key of just try and be a little bit better every day. Be goldfish. No, I'm just kidding. Just try and be a little better every day.

SPEAKER_02:

So I'm thinking when you said we don't know what's gonna happen next season, well, clearly the women are gonna win their uh their gold medal. Like that's what you've done. So right.

SPEAKER_00:

No, it is gonna be very interesting to see the parallels. And I'll say this too, that I I'm so happy they're diving into women's sport. Um, uh, especially now, right? Like women's sports are starting to thrive, which is beyond overdue. Um, but you know, Mari, you could probably speak to this more than than us having been an athlete, but uh, I always say every woman I coach is a trailblazer. Um, the women I coach are doing things for the first time that people have never seen, right? Uh everything I've done or seen in sport from my point of view, I've seen it already. And I really hope that they dive into that uh perspective, which is not a story that I can tell, right? Uh uh that's only a story that the women can tell. And I think it's an important story to show people what women go through. Um, you know, again, the trailblazing aspect of it. Like again, the women I coach never have the women won a gold medal in double IHF event. My daughter's watching that game. Now she's seen it for the first time ever. Like I try and give people that perspective. There's now a new goal in her mind because she saw something she's never seen before. That's where I kind of hope they go with this this show here, is is that it doesn't need to be about Ted the whole time, right? Let's let's explore that.

SPEAKER_02:

Interesting. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And I uh yeah, I absolutely think they're they will go that direction. Uh I don't think it'll be as much about Ted, but I I'm I think as we uh I I can't wait to start talking about it, right? I mean we have so much more to talk about with you, Lane. I hope you you join us again. I'm curious, do you think they'll bring Rupert back for season four, or do you think he's done?

SPEAKER_00:

Uh there's I mean, if it'll be a cameo if they do.

SPEAKER_02:

Um a newspaper on a stand where we see updates.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. Look, the best thing that they can do is, you know, maybe bring back the core characters, but really move on from the last series because it's done. Like, like there's not much direction for these characters to go.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00:

And I think that when great shows fail, it's when they force storylines that they don't need to force. I I I will say this I was absolutely fine if this show never came back. I was very content with that. I'm not saying I don't want it to come back, but the stakes are very high. Just talking from the television.

SPEAKER_02:

This is a risk for them. This is scary for them.

SPEAKER_00:

Like, I don't know if you can match that show. So, my my to Nick to your question, don't try and match that show. Do a different show, do a different topic. I think we just presented that, right? Yeah, so um, no, I don't think we'll see Rupert. Um, I obviously I think we'll see Rebecca and Keeley. Ted obviously plays a role, beard is there. Uh, you'd be crazy not to have Roy and the men's team in it every once in a while, but the support characters now, right? Um you know, it's a it's gonna be a new motley crew of athletes storming into women's sports. You're gonna hear about how that's underserved because it still is in England, right? Yeah, that's the story I'm excited to hear, or write as I'm writing it.

SPEAKER_02:

Right? I love it.

SPEAKER_00:

Um, so yeah, I'm excited. I'm I'm absolutely excited, and and I hope that that um they don't try and reinvent the wheel. Tell me another story, tell me something that's about fun and and keep it about obviously the mental side of things and and how to be a better person, be better every day.

SPEAKER_02:

Excellent. And that is that is what you aim to help folks with with team building. Uh, we met on Instagram because we saw your clips and your team building and positivity. Uh, I believe in you and you should too, right? I love your tagline. That's my catchphrase. Can tell folks um how to get in touch with you and who you like to work with if they're listening and think like, yeah, I want this guy on my team.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, well, first off, Marnie, I'm happy to have a whole new crop of clips to be sharing. That's that's kind of how I got big was that I'd share a lasso clip and then give my thoughts as a team builder about it. That's where I get the following. So uh if you want to follow me, uh Instagram is the the number one place, but at Lee MJ Elias is where you can find me. My website is game7group.com, all spelled out. And look, I love working with any group, athletes, uh uh work environments, anyone who wants to come together to accomplish a common goal and is having a hard time doing that. You know, uh, one of the things that coaches say to me, and a lot of the managers out there listening will understand this, is that I know I need to build a team bond, but I don't know how to do it. Um, that's what I do, right? And I love doing it. Um and and very humbled to do it. But if you're looking to create a team bond for your group or have someone come speak about that, that that's what I do, right? And and you know, I always say I'm a husband and a father first. Um, but but aside from being the podcaster and the coach and all the other things I do, that that is my life's work is to help people come together to accomplish a common goal and be better versions of themselves.

SPEAKER_01:

Awesome. That is awesome, Lee. And and we cannot thank you enough. I mean, you're the perfect guest to close out our series. And um, I hope you uh will accept our invitation as we continue having discussions as we lead up to season four. And um you it's it's just been awesome. So thanks, thanks so much for forgotten.

SPEAKER_00:

There's only one thing left to say. So long, farewell, you didn't say that.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, that was that was the best scene. That so many tears for sure.

SPEAKER_00:

I love that. No, I love that they did that. And um, again, that that that's the um what's the right word? That was the disnification of that episode.

SPEAKER_01:

Yep, no doubt, no doubt. Awesome. Well, we're gonna close out this episode and this uh Ted Lasso rewatch. Um, you know, we're reminded that the best leadership stories uh don't end with trophies. We're reminded with this episode, they end with uh people who are better because of the journey. Um, thanks to everybody for believing. Thanks for listening, and uh always remember be curious, not judgmental. And thanks for showing our book, Lee. We appreciate that.

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Marnie Stockman

Host
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Nick Coniglio

Host