****Season 2 Spoilers Ahead For Ted Lasso****
The show Ted Lasso is a critical and fan-favorite because it works on so many levels. It's a fish-out-of-water story mixed with a plucky underdog story, a splash of social commentary, and mental health. The main characters all deal with their mental health in different ways and it isn't until Dr. Sharon Fieldstone appears in season two that a lot of the mental health of the team is addressed.
The season starts with star Dani Rojas killing the team mascot on a penalty kick causing him to go into a downward spiral ending in the yips. His guilt over the death radically affects the play of one of Richmond FCs best players. It isn't until he goes to Dr. Fieldstone that he finally gets the help he needs. All the players start talking to Dr. Fieldstone and eventually, Ted ends up in her office after a panic attack during a critical game. His distrust of therapy is eventually worn down by the persistent doctor who also realizes things about her life during therapy. This is monumental for Ted.
Ted's character is absolutely lovable. He's an Andy Griffith in London who happens to be a soccer coach. His great speeches throughout the series are memorable and heartfelt. He seems to have it all together. But his father's death has an effect he does not want to acknowledge and pushes him to a breaking point. He has his first attack during a party and then the aforementioned panic attack during a critical match. It's not until he confronts his issues that he moves forward. The finale of season 2 has Ted acknowledging that the media needs to do a better job of covering mental health and anxiety in sports.
Mental health and anxiety treatments are essential today and it's new ground that athletes today are treading. An Ole Miss player named DeSanto Rollins filed a lawsuit against Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin this year due to treatment over mental health. Simone Biles famously suffered mental health issues during the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo which led to a new conversation about mental health in athletes. Studies are coming out showing that college athletes are experiencing higher levels of mental health issues and more articles are coming out about this sensitive topic. College Athletes are committing suicide. And this is very troubling.
Athletes today are exposed more to fans than at any time in the history of organized sports. Social media brings out the worst in fans including death threats. Read any popular athlete's comments on their tweets, Instagram pics, TikToks, or Facebook posts and you'll see vile comments. They are exposed to an endless news cycle. The only escape they seem to have is by escaping their devices. There are several stories of phone numbers getting leaked for prominent coaches and athletes. They have no escape. They live in a bubble on campus. They cannot have a normal life. They are going to need someone to talk to and not judge them. Someone who will allow them to vent. That is why more colleges are setting up programs for the athletes.
Ted Lasso's approach to this difficult subject is to be commended. Athletes on all levels need help and therapy options. They need people they can trust who are professionally trained. Athletes need help in dealing with a difficult time of their life when their brains are still forming and they essentially live in a bubble. It's a different day and age. I know a lot of the old-school athletes want to say, "Toughen up, Buttercup." But the days of running around on your wife and no one saying anything about it are over. Athletes today have to deal with smartphones with cameras. They are one viral social media post away from infamy. It's a new day and age and we need to approach it as such. Ted Lasso is just opening the door to this conversation. Thank you, Ted.
If you or someone you know needs mental health, please call 988 for the suicide and crisis helpline. They have great mental health professionals available 24/7. There is no shame in needing help.
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