Kicking it Old School: Ted Lasso

**Kicking It Old School: Blending Ted Lasso’s Life Lessons with My Gauhati Refinery Football Days**

Picture this: it’s 1965, and I’m rattling along in a creaky bus with my football teammates from Gauhati Refinery, Indian Oil Corporation, headed to Upper Assam for the All-Assam Oil Companies Football Tournament. The air is thick with cigarette smoke, laughter, and the kind of camaraderie that only a shared love for the game can spark. Fast forward to 2025, I’m curled up watching *Ted Lasso* on Apple TV, and suddenly, those dusty bus rides and sweaty matches flood back, mingling with the wholesome, heartfelt chaos of Richmond FC. The parallels? Uncanny. The vibe? Pure gold. *Ted Lasso* isn’t just about soccer—it’s about life, love, and the messy, beautiful moments that stitch us together. My days in the ‘60s with the Gauhati Refinery squad? Pretty much the same, just with worse haircuts and no biscuits with the boss.

### The Bus Ride: Where Ranks Dissolve and Wisecracks Fly

Our bus to Upper Assam was less a mode of transport and more a rolling circus. We were a motley crew: Amanullah, our stoic captain; me and the late Bhaskaran, the only officers; and a gang of players from various lower grades—Rebo Poddar, Bhakta Bahadur Chetri, Phukan the striker, and others. Ranks? Out the window. On that bus, we were just mates, swapping stories and cracking jokes that’d make a sailor blush. Rebo Poddar, our resident comedian, had us in stitches with his deadpan delivery: “If we lose to ONGC, I’m blaming Bhakta’s boots—they’re so old, they’ve got their own pension plan.” Bhakta Bahadur Chetri, never one to back down, shot back, “Rebo, your passes are so wild, they’re applying for visas to Bhutan!” Even Bhaskaran, usually the serious type, chimed in, “Boys, if we don’t win, I’m trading you all for a crate of Kingfisher.”

It’s the kind of banter that *Ted Lasso* nails perfectly. I can almost hear Ted, with his folksy charm, saying, “You know, fellas, be a goldfish. Forget the bad plays and move on.” That’s what our bus rides were—moments to forget the daily grind, to laugh, strategize, and dream about life beyond the refinery. We talked about the game, sure, but also about girls, politics, and whether we’d ever afford a car that didn’t sound like a dying buffalo. It was our version of Ted’s “Believe” sign—our shared faith in each other, no matter the scoreline.

### The Phukan Fiasco: A Jailbreak with a Side of Giggles

The tournament itself was a blast—matches against Oil India in Duliajan, Assam Oil Company in Digboi, and ONGC in Sibsagar. But the real story? Our striker Phukan’s legendary bender after the Digboi match. The man celebrated our draw with Assam Oil like we’d won the World Cup, downing enough local hooch to sink a small ship. Next thing we know, he’s cooling his heels in a Digboi police station for “disturbing the peace” (read: singing off-key Assamese folk songs at 2 a.m.). 

The morning after, the whole team piled into the station to spring him. The scene was straight out of a comedy sketch. The officer, a stern type with a mustache that could star in its own movie, glared at us. “Your friend thinks he’s Lata Mangeshkar,” he grumbled. Rebo, quick as ever, piped up, “Sir, if Phukan’s singing is a crime, you should arrest his barber too—that haircut’s a felony!” Even the cop cracked a smile. Bhakta, ever the diplomat, slipped in, “Sir, he’s our best striker. If you keep him, we’ll lose to ONGC, and that’s a bigger crime.” After some groveling (and a small “fine” that suspiciously resembled a bribe), Phukan was free, looking like a scolded puppy but grinning by the time we got back to the bus. Ted Lasso would’ve loved it—his line, “There’s two buttons I never like to hit: panic and snooze,” could’ve been our motto that day.

### Amsterdam Adventures: Ted Lasso Meets My Red Light Rambles

Fast forward to 2002, I’m in Amsterdam for work, tagging along with my buddy Surender Wahi. Watching *Ted Lasso*’s Amsterdam episode—where the team scatters for a night of self-discovery—took me right back. Surender and I, like a pair of clueless Roy Kents, stumbled into a gay bar by accident. The bartender, spotting our confusion, winked and said, “First time? Don’t worry, you’re not *that* cute.” We laughed, stayed for a drink, and moved on to a bar where the air was, let’s say, *herbally enhanced*. Then came the red-light district, a tourist magnet where call girls posed in glowing balconies like living postcards. It was surreal, like stepping into a movie set. My second trip to Amsterdam was quieter—strolling along the canals, soaking in the city’s charm, much like Ted’s reflective moments by the water. 

*Ted Lasso*’s Amsterdam adventure, with its pillow fights and Jamie Tartt’s canal cruise, captures that same mix of chaos and clarity. Ted’s gem, “I think it’s the lack of hope that comes and gets you,” resonates here. Whether it was navigating Amsterdam’s wild side or surviving Phukan’s jailbreak, it’s the hope—of a good game, a good night, a good life—that keeps you going.

### Why Ted Lasso Hits Home

*Ted Lasso* isn’t just about soccer; it’s about the messy, human moments that make life worth living. My Gauhati Refinery days were no different. We weren’t just chasing a ball; we were chasing connection, purpose, and a few laughs along the way. The show’s wisdom—lines like “Be curious, not judgmental” or “You beating yourself up is like Woody Allen playing the clarinet: I don’t want to hear it”—echoes the lessons we learned on those bus rides and dusty pitches. We didn’t have a Coach Lasso, but we had Amanullah’s quiet leadership, Rebo’s wisecracks, and Phukan’s ability to turn a match into a misadventure.

The show’s relatability is its magic. Whether it’s Ted’s relentless optimism or Roy Kent’s grumpy heart of gold, you see yourself in the characters. My team’s bus rides, Phukan’s jailbreak, and my Amsterdam escapades—they’re all *Ted Lasso* moments, full of heart, humor, and the kind of stories you tell for decades. As Ted says, “If you’re with the right folks, you can handle whatever comes your way.” That was us in ‘65, and it’s why *Ted Lasso* feels like a love letter to those days.

**Footnote on Ted Lasso**: *Ted Lasso* is an Apple TV+ series (2020–2023) created by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly. It follows Ted Lasso, an American football coach hired to manage a struggling English Premier League soccer team, AFC Richmond, despite knowing little about the sport. Through three seasons, the show blends humor, heart, and life lessons, earning critical acclaim (including 13 Emmy Awards) for its writing, performances, and themes of optimism, teamwork, and personal growth. It’s less about soccer and more about the human connections that make any team—on or off the pitch—unstoppable.

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TAGLINE (Ted's voiceover as credits roll):

"In football as in life — it's not just about scoring goals. It’s about showing up, passing the ball, and sometimes… drinking tea you don’t even like, just to say you tried."