Coach Beard’s Book Club

Welcome back Greyhounds! This month we are covering Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. This was one of the many titles on Nate's bookshelf in season 3, episode 10, "International Break." Thanks to the eagle eyes of our listeners and fellow Ted Lasso fans, we learned that this was one of titles. Join us as Marita delves into the characters and the animals they connect with and how that ties into identity perception. Then Bex discusses the power of the whistle - both for Pi and Nate. Michaela explores the use of fantastical tales to teach life lessons in both the novel and the show. And finally, Andrea will discuss father/son relationships before asking each of us which animals we think would represent the different Ted Lasso characters. Additionally, we are doing a "Buddy Read" over on Storygraph for our next book. We will be reading Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume. Here's the link if you'd like to join us on that platform!  

Welcome back Greyhounds! This month we are joined by Professor Scott Henderson from Furman University to discuss the book that Colin received from Ted in season one, The Alchemist. How do we know that's what book he received? Well, Billy Harris himself told us! In this episode, Marita tells us that story. But just as importantly, we discuss Colin's journey and his need to take that journey. We talk about the importance of community and connection, mentoring, signs (Believe!) and omens, and the importance of finding oneself. We also touch on Nate's journey a bit and how The Alchemist really doesn't give us much (okay anything) about the interior lives of the female characters. Thankfully we have Ted Lasso to give us multiple complex female characters who have their own lives, agendas, and dreams. Let us know what you think! @beardsbookclub on Twitter

While the title of this book, by Michael Pollan, was first mentioned in season 3, episode 6, "Sunflowers," we don't see a copy of it until the series finale, "So Long, Farewell" when it appears among a pile of things that Ted has on his seat. In a later scene we see Ted asleep on the plane with his finger in the middle of the book maybe about halfway through reading it. Join us for this episode where Marita dives into who has privilege when it comes to drug usage and why. This is followed by Andrea who discusses Jane and Beard's approach to drug use and freedom of thought. Both Bex and Michaela look at set and setting but through two different lenses. Bex focuses specifically on Ted's "trip" to (and in?) the Yankee Doodle Burger Barn, while Michaela analyzes Ted's journey throughout the three seasons.  

Happy New Year, Greyhounds! We thought we'd have some new year's fun and games and so we have brought you a variety of things to start off 2024! First, Marita gets us started with a recasting of our Ted Lasso characters in roles from A Christmas Carol. Then Michaela explores our very own CBBC Lore (#cbbcLore) with questions from our episodes. Bex links the show and our episodes together with a little "Name that character" game and Andrea wraps things up with some Ted Lasso trivia and some fun questions for the rest of your cohosts! We hope you enjoy and we wish you the best as you start off your own 2024 adventures!

Welcome back, Greyhounds! It's been a busy fall, but we're back with another episode. This time we are joined by Jane Austen aficionado and host of the Boston Austen Book Club, Bridget Eileen Madden.  Bridget shares her perspectives on the book that Jack defaced and gifted to Keeley in season 3, episode 7, "The Strings That Bind Us" and your hosts chime in as well on topics ranging from Austen and Sudeikis as creators to Ted and Elinor parallels, from Jack as a sort of Willoughby-esque character to how the panda/lion debate in the show can be applied to Austen's characters from this novel, and much more! Settle in, it's a long one, but we hope you love it as much as we do! While we are still on Twitter @beardsbookclub, you can also now find us on Bluesky @cbbc.bsky.social!  

Welcome Back Greyhounds! We missed you this summer, but we're back with another book to discuss! Join us we debate whether the book is called Football Against the Enemy or Soccer Against the Enemy. (Bex is uploading it though and she says, 3 Americans against 1 Scot means it's Soccer!). In our more depth sections of the episode, Marita talks about the author, Simon Kuper, superstitions in sports, and the player directed nature of Dutch football (soccer!). Then Andrea delves into politics and racism in sports. Michaela builds off of this idea focusing in particular on aspects of British politics and considers the episode where Sam's restaurant is vandalized. Finally, Bex wraps it up with a discussion about how just as there are many ways to enjoy a book or a sport, there are just as many ways to engage in fandom. We hope you enjoy! Follow the podcast on Twitter @beardsbookclub

Welcome Back Greyhounds! This episode we look at Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. We really wanted to read this title because it is the ONLY book that we ever see a woman actively reading in the entire series (we're looking at you writers!). It was a fascinating read and we took away so many things from our reading and conversation. In this episode we cover a range of topics from family secrets, to dealing with trauma, and different characters including Ted, Beard, and Nate. Let us know what you think! https://linktr.ee/cbbc  

Hello Greyhounds! We're super excited to bring you a bonus episode this week! We were recently lucky enough to sit down (via zoom) and chat with one of everyone's top three pub lads, Basil "Baz" Primrose, Mr. Adam Colborne. We asked him about books he has read, is reading, and would like to read. Then we asked him about books for Baz. And of course we asked him some questions about Ted Lasso and other projects he's been involved with. We hope you enjoy! You can follow Adam on Twitter and Instagram and he's also available on Cameo too!   https://linktr.ee/cbbc

Welcome back to another movie night with Coach Beard's Book Club. Someday, when we're all in the same time zone, we might choose pillow fight, but in the meantime, join us for our discussion of the many allusions (and direct call outs) to The Wizard of Oz. In this episode, Andrea discusses the team and the overlapping connections between characters with a specific focus on parallels between the Believe sign and the Wizard. Then Bex discusses character parallels between the coaches and Dorothy's companions, with special consideration for the hot air balloon scene in the film. Next, Marita covers a variety of topics, from connections with other books we've read for bok club, the question of if everything was a dream or not, and feminism in the film and show. Finally, Michaela wraps things up with a discussion of her personal favorite, Return to Oz and potential Ted Lasso spinoffs. https://linktr.ee/cbbc

In this episode we discuss the first book to appear on screen in season three, episode one: The Miracle of Castel di Sangro. Coach Beard was seen reading the book at his desk while discussing the film Hoosiers with Roy and trying to figure out the team's strategy for the season. There were many connections we found (and quite a few important differences!) between the book and the show and we talked about a few of them. Marita discusses the idea of inviting someone to join the team and trusting them to write your story. Andrea talks about her love of the game and fan engagement with their favorite teams. Then Michaela considers the role of the owner in the whole organization and specifically the transition of fan to owner. Finally, Bex wraps things up with a conversation comparing the coaching style seen in Castel di Sangro and why Richmond's approach is so much stronger. linktr.ee/cbbc

Welcome Back Greyhounds! We're excited to bring you this month's episode on the book that Dr. Sharon Fieldstone claimed as her favorite. We contemplate why this is her favorite and then dive into the parallels between the book and the show. We discuss the role of mothers, family secrets, and trauma. Then we draw parallels between Ted and Tom in terms of avoidance in relationships and grief. Finally we talk about the struggle to grieve and how it manifests in both private and public spheres of our lives.  

Welcome Back Greyhounds! We hope you enjoy this episode in which we discuss the Broadway Musical and Disney+ movie, Hamilton, with special guests Brett and Marisa from one of our favorite Ted Lasso podcasts, Richmond Til We Die! We covered a variety of topics including color-conscious casting, intertextuality, and Ted as a series of contradictions and how he is both Hamilton and Burr! Then we play a game in which we cast the actors and characters from Ted Lasso in the different roles of Hamilton. We are particularly grateful for the insights that both Brett and Marisa brought to our conversation this time around!

Join Michaela and Andrea as they speak with Dr. Scott Henderson, professor at Furman University in South Carolina. They discuss Henderson's queer reading of Johnny Tremain and connect it to the themes and characters in Ted Lasso. While Dr. Henderson had yet to watch Ted Lasso as of the recording of this interview, we know he'll love what's out there so far. And we hope to have him back after season three when our Colin predictions comes true!!! Enjoy!

Welcome back to Coach Beard's Book Club. This month we read Johnny Tremain, the book that young Ted's father read for him when he was just a kid. It helped him ace the test he had that day when his dad told him the story of it on the way to school. We each read it and all came to the discussion with different readings on the book. Topics include: the importance of location, tackling trauma, anti-climaxes, a queer reading of characters, and the importance of true friendships.

This past week one of our favorite Ted Lasso podcasts, Peanut Butter and Biscuits hosted by Jeremy and Craig, decided to do an “Avengers Assemble” style episode where they discussed their excitement and predictions for season three of Ted Lasso. They invited hosts from various Ted Lasso podcasts and were joined by Kenny from LassoCast, Tori from They're Soulmates, Mark from Med Lasso, and our very own Coach Beard's Book Club hosts, Andrea and Marita.  

We all loved this month's book, Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake. Using Marita's science background, Andrea's sci-fi background, Michaela's interest in the magical side of mushrooms, and Bex's newfound obsession with the zombie fungus, we cover so many different angles of how this book connects with Ted Lasso. We hope you enjoy our discussion as much as we enjoyed this book. And let us know if you can think of any other parallels between this book and our favorite show!

  In season 2, episode 5 - Rainbow, Roy brings Isaac to play some pickup football in his childhood neighborhood. Afterward Ted tries to convince Roy to come back to Richmond as a coach. He uses a bunch of different references from various rom-coms until eventually Roy tells him to F*ck off. As Roy walks away, Ted shouts after him, “As you wish.” The same line that Westley uses with Buttercup in The Princess Bride. Just like with Bridget Jones's Dairy... oops, we mean Diary - we decided we had to take this one line and make a full episode out of it! Besides, Michaela had never seen the movie and that had to be remedied. Enjoy our discussion of the ways in which the film (and the book) connect with our favorite Richmond players, coaches, staff, and ownership!

This month we welcome two more special guests, Jeremy and Craig from Peanut Butter and Biscuits! If you are not familiar with their podcast, you should definitely check it out. Jeremy and Craig held a poll in their facebook group, and members voted for us to cover Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. So that's what we did! What's one book from Ted Lasso that you'd love to see us cover in the future? Let us know! You can connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub or send us an email at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com

We love our movie nights around here! This month Kenny Madison (one of the co-hosts of Lasso Cast) joins us to discuss Disney's Frozen. We cover themes that the film and the show share, character parallels, and so much more. We even play a little game of "who said it" Frozen/Ted Lasso edition! ~~~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com    

Bridget Jones's Dairy... er... we mean Diary made a puntastic appearance in season 1, episode 8, "The Diamond Dogs" when Ted was cracking puns about the Milk Sisters. Was there anything more to mentioning this title, besides a good pun? We wanted to find out. So we read the book and had a little chat about it. While the book frustrated most of us, we were all able to find some way in which we could relate it to something about Ted Lasso. ~~~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com

Time for another movie night! This time it's Christmas in July!!! Join us as we discuss It's a Wonderful Life and how it connects with Ted Lasso. We see Ted watching the film in season 2, episode 4, “Carol of the Bells" after Christmas with Henry ends early and before Rebecca arrives to get him out of the house for the day. We make connections within the context of the episode and beyond. Join us to hear which Ted Lasso characters we think are similar to the different film characters and so much more! ~~~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com    

This month's book club selection, About a Boy, appeared in season 2, episode 7, "Headspace." Coach Beard was reading this book while observing Nate bully Colin. It got us thinking, what attracted Beard to this book in the first place? And how might the novel connect with the events of show and the characters within it? As always, we each came up with something different to add to the conversation! ~~~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com

Welcome to our June book club discussion, featuring special guest, Crisann Morgan. This month we talk about Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott. While the book itself does not appear in the show, there are two or three explicit references to it in the first two seasons. We were really curious to find out how this title fit in with the characters and the show that we all know and love. Join us as we discuss this and more! ~~~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com Connect with Crisann on Twitter @Crisann_Morgan Read Crisann's love letter to Beard After Hours

Here is the second episode in our bonus releases that came from the Original Coach Beard's Book Club hosted by Michaela on our YouTube channel. If you haven't had a chance to watch over there and would love a glimpse into some of our early episode content, give it a listen. Again, just as with Dharma Bums, you will notice that Andrea, Marita, and I have shared our thoughts in with Michaela, even if you don't hear our voices. This week we have the original episode two in which we cover Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. This was the book that Ted gifted to Sam Obisanya in the third episode of the series. ~~~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com

We recently realized that some of you may have missed the first two episodes of the Original Coach Beard's Book Club hosted by Michaela on our YouTube channel. So we wanted to share them over here with our podcast audience as well. While these episodes only feature Michaela's voice, you will notice that Andrea, Marita, and I contributed to the conversation as well.  This week we bring you the original episode one which covers Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac. Michaela chose this book because it is the first one we see Ted with in the series when he's on the plane to England.  ~~~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com

Join us for our May book club discussion on The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald (just don't ask Michaela what the F stands for!). This month we discuss a range of topics from Jamie's youth and English workhouses to alcohol use, privilege, the self-referential moments of the book, and more! ~~~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com

We were recently invited to be on LassoCast with Kenny, Sie, and Jon! They graciously shared their audio with us so we could share it with you. Give it a listen and then head on over to LassoCast, subscribe, and give their episodes a listen.   You can find them on Twitter @LassoCast You can find us on Twitter @BeardsBookClub  

This month we discuss Ted's gift to Robbie Roberts: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs. Join us as we consider how it applies to Robbie, to Roy, and to the team in terms of belonging, mental health, and more! ~~~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com

Celebrate movie night with us this month! Sorry, no pillow fight this time around! Join us as we analyze and discuss Ted's choice to share The Iron Giant with the whole Richmond squad. ~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com

Join us as we analyze and discuss Ted's gift to Roy Kent in season one, A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle. ~~~ Connect with us on Twitter @beardsbookclub Email us at coachbeardsbookclub@gmail.com

Welcome to Coach Beard's Book Club! We are your hosts, Michaela, Marita, Bex, and Andrea. Join us each month as we discuss one of the many books that make an appearance on the hit show, Ted Lasso. Subscribe now to be notified when our first episode on A Wrinkle in Time becomes available.