If you haven’t watched Ted Lasso, you’re missing out. I binge watched all three seasons of this show last summer before moving out of Boone. When I think about this show I think about the darts scene in Season 1. It has been overplayed and used across all kinds of clip channels on YouTube and TikTok and even at YoungLife camps during the talks. But I stop and watch it every time.
In this clip, Rupert challenges Ted to a game of darts with some big consequences on the line. Rupert is one of the most cocky, unlikable characters I have ever seen so of course he pulls out his own custom darts and underestimates Ted’s dart abilities. Fast forward and Rupert thinks he has the game won. Ted responds by doing and saying the following:
Ted: You know, Rupert, guys have underestimated me my entire life. And for years, I never understood why. It used to really bother me. But then one day, I was driving my little boy to school and I saw this quote by Walt Whitman and it was painted on the wall there. It said, "Be curious, not judgmental." I like that.
(Throws a triple 20)
Ted: So I get back in my car and I'm driving to work, and all of a sudden it hits me. All them fellas that used to belittle me, not a single one of them were curious. They thought they had everything all figured out. So they judged everything, and they judged everyone. And I realized that their underestimating me... who I was had nothing to do with it. 'Cause if they were curious, they would've asked questions. You know? Questions like, "Have you played a lot of darts, Ted?"
(Throws another triple 20)
Ted: To which I would've answered, "Yes, sir. Every Sunday afternoon at a sports bar with my father, from age ten till I was 16, when he passed away." Barbecue sauce.
(Throws a bulls-eye)
We can learn a lot of things through the way that Ted acted in this clip but the same quote that stands out to him is what stood out to me, “Be curious, not judgemental.” Now apparently this quote was not actually said by Walt Whitman but that’s ok. Ted has been underestimated his whole life, especially when taking over a premier league football team. By listening to Ted, we get a peek into his life and get some pretty good advice on how we need to treat people.
Ask questions. Be curious. Do not be judgmental. Being a part of Fellows and feeling the year slowly begin to wrap up is making me sit with this. Being curious as the next thing comes. Asking questions as this program comes to an end. If we follow this path we will be triumphant and a lot happier than people who live in judgement (like Rupert).
-Will
