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Say it ain’t (Las)so… Beloved character modeled after Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh

mark russell
·2 min read

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know about the wildly popular Apple TV+ original, Ted Lasso. A story about a folksy, former FCS football coach, a Mid-westerner from Kansas hired to run the Richmond Greyhounds, a Premiere League Soccer club. If you haven’t watched the show, you should give it a try. It’s fun and lighthearted and draws you into the characters’ storylines immediately.

The season two finale was just released with some shocking moments (no spoilers here) and sets up for an engaging season three that will presumably deliver sometime in 2022. If you can get past the constant swearing that apparently takes place across the pond, it really is an endearing show.

There’s just one thing I’m having a hard time getting over in the past few weeks. The revelation that Ted Lasso’s character is modeled somewhat after Michigan head coach, Jim Harbaugh. Ugh…

I guess there is some comedy that could come from that notion. Ted Lasso joins a sport that he knows absolutely nothing about. Ohio State fans might find it amusing to make that connection in poking fun at the expense of the UM coach, but ultimately Lasso is beloved and that steals some of the joy in trying to have fun at Harbaugh’s expense.

Jason Sudeikis, who plays Ted Lasso, has said that his former high school basketball coach was the driving force behind the lead character. However, he did get some ideas and advice from Harbaugh after the two became friends a few years earlier. Sudeikis told the story on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

“Early on, Jim Harbaugh, he was helpful. I mean, I actually reached out to him because I met him years ago when he helped us out on Detroiters. … We stayed in touch, and asking him, ‘Hey, what do you wear on game days? Like, do you show up—do you bring a little duffel bag?’ And he’s like, ‘No, I just show up in khakis and a sweatshirt.’ I was like, ‘OK, well, that’s what I’m gonna do.’ So I feel like there’s part of him that feels ownership over the character.”

For all of his quirks, Harbaugh has kept his nose pretty clean when it comes to being a head football coach at a high-profile university. Even though Harbaugh only gave insight to Lasso’s wardrobe, I can’t help but see a little of the Wolverine head coach in the character now.

Will I still watch? Absolutely! I’ll just be gritting my teeth just a little more than usual.

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