Football is Life
Lasso-isms
Here, There, and Every F#@&ing Where
General Knowledge for a 40-Year-Old White Man from Middle America
Not in Kansas
B.L.E.
200
This character, played by real-life Mexican footballer Cristo Fernández whose sports career ended early due to a catastrophic knee injury. We suppose you could say "art is life"!
Who is Dani Rojas?
200
It doesn't actually have a ten-second memory (more like five months), but Ted Lasso likely wasn't being literal when he advised Sam Obisanya to be this.
What is a goldfish?
200
He's here on this children's program, looking even more like a brunette Oscar the Grouch than usual.
What is Sesame Street?
200
Lasso has a tendency to bring his pop culture references into everything—even his training drills, using this classic book adaptation as the name for an exercise about 'controlling possession'. Hold the pea soup, please.
What is The Exorcist?
200
Absolute garbage water, at least according to Ted.
What is tea?
200
B.L.E. he was on SNL for eight years—2005 to 2013—and he's written and starred in a number of big-screen comedies. Still, he's likely to be forever associated with khaki pants, shortbread biscuits, and a full mustache from now on.
Who is Jason Sudeikis?
400
A football player breaks this rule if certain parts of their body are on the opposing half of the pitch, nearer the opponents' goal line than the ball and second-last opponent. Not easy to explain, but you know it when you see it.
What is the offside rule?
400
Ted Lasso believes in a lot of things—including this portmanteau of an economic system where from each according to his ability, to each goes according to his needs, and a genre that includes tropes like the meet-cute.
What is rom-communism?
400
Yes, that's him there in this game—along with many other familiar faces from AFC Richmond. At this rate, he'll never beat the CGI allegations.
What is FIFA 2023?
400
According to Lasso, both ice cream and seeing this prolific piano man perform live never disappoint. Only the former gives him the toots though. Allegedly.
Who is Billy Joel?
400
It tastes like a muffin, but it sucks all the spit out of your mouth.
What is a scone?
400
B.L.E., long before he made us despise him as Rupert Mannion, Anthony Stewart Head was this fan-favourite character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Who is Rupert Giles?
600
Fictional AFC Richmond plays against many real U.K. football clubs, including this team with a record of 20 League titles, 12 FA Cups, and a FIFA world cup among other top prizes. They certainly win more than once in a blue moon.
Who are Manchester United?
600
Lasso recommends warming it up—both your body before exercise, and this day-old food staple. A good rule to follow, considering that it can contain bacillus cereus, a spore that grows into food-poisoning causing bacteria at room temperature.
What is rice?
600
He was here even before Ted Lasso, as a guest in this long-running British series which has also featured Ted Lasso alum Annette Badland, Anthony Stewart Head, and Sarah Niles.
What is Doctor Who?
600
This 1998 romantic comedy is one of many given homage in Season 2. You may find these Bantr usernames especially reminiscent: Rebecca Welton is Bossgirl, and Sam Obisanya is LDN152—instead of NY, of course.
What is You've Got Mail?
600
This physics conspiracy theory might not hold water, but it does help Ted Lasso emphasize how he'd like his. Without bubbles—unlike the way they do it around here, please.
What is flat earth theory?
600
B.L.E. Hannah Waddingham, who plays Rebecca, received numerous accolades for her performance in the West End version of this musical comedy adaptation of Arthurian legend.
What is Spamalot?
800
According to the show, 'trick plays' are referred to by this more theatrical name in the United Kingdom. Citation may be needed.
What are elaborate set pieces?
800
DAILY
DOUBLE
In one of the show's most popular sequences, Lasso misattributes this quote to Walt Whitman while playing darts. A common mistake, although nowadays the quote is more likely to misattributed to Ted, instead.
800
Spoiler alert: He's there in the post-credit scene of this 2022 Marvel sequel.
What is Thor: Love and Thunder?
800
Lasso references everything from hit musicals to semi-obscure books to the most familiar of classics, but, like the yips, we shouldn't say this one's name out loud. Nate Shelley might say it's a Shakespearean f#@&ing tragedy.
What is Macbeth?
Also Acceptable: What is the Scottish Play?
800
The name this real world pub and Ted Lasso filming location has in the show's fictional version of Richmond.
What is The Crown and Anchor?
800
It's the hair and the whole vibe: B.L.E. this actor brought it all to his minor appearance in Sofia Coppola's 2006 film Marie Antoinette.
Who is James Lance?
1000
Widely considered one of the greatest football managers of all time, José "The Special One" Mourinho is believed to be one of the inspirations for this character's Season 2 journey. They're both world class talents and tacticians, but difficult personalities.
Who is Nate Shelley?
1000
When Lasso remarks, "As the man says, you've got to follow your bliss" to Trent Crimm, newly Independent, he's quoting this American writer and literature professor who wrote The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
Who is Joseph Campbell?
1000
He really is everywhere: this time as himself in this DC show's 2023 Valentine's special.
What is Harley Quinn?
1000
Ted gives L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and the Damned, and this militaristic science-fiction classic by Orson Scott Card to different players in one of the early episodes of the series.
What is Ender's Game?
1000
The four countries that make up the United Kingdom—yes, Ted, there are indeed four countries in this "country".
What are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Also Acceptable: England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
1000
B.L.E. Jodi Balfour, who joins the cast in Season 3, starred in this current science-fiction drama—it's three seasons are also available on Apple TV+!
What is For All Mankind?