lauridsen

While this episode had a lot of great moments (I'm looking at you, Trent Crimm, Independent), Nate tearing into Ted was so terrible and heavy (even though it was incredibly well done, damn) it kind of erases everything else for me. Beard was right - Ted needs to get mad, for his own sake. It isn't his responsibility to fix everyone, and he needs to realize that. I think things would have gotten to this point with Nate no matter what because he expected and felt he was entitled to so much more of Ted than I can make sense of, and nothing Ted could do would ever be enough, he would always have found reasons to feel slighted. I really have no interest in a redemption arc - not everyone deserves a second chance.

That's a bit harsh TBH. He was sick, whether it was food poisoning or a panic attack, and shit does happen. Why should he have to share a personal issue (that he's still coming to terms with himself) with his staff? If anything, he maybe should have been more upfront with Rebecca (as his boss). Now the issue is out there not only for fans and the team, but his kid and his ex will also see it. His ex (not that we have any indication she would do this but all the same) could to try use it against him if they ever have custody issues. It isn't Ted's obligation to be a spokesperson for mental health (or physical health, while we're at it). Nate is a dick, full stop, there is no justification for what he did. Edited to add: Every future employer will know this about Ted. With the stigma about mental health issues, he could be viewed as a liability or otherwise unfit for future coaching gigs. This is a big effing deal. Nate has done irreparable damage to Ted, his family, and his future. So many things to criticize Ted for, this will never be one of them. Ever.

So I just remembered that Dubai Air specifically asked for Sam for the ad campaign that he later withdrew from - I wonder if/how that may be connected to what's going on with him now. I also found the billionaire's like...love bombing...to be creepy and weird.

There was a story line on Scrubs where a female doctor asked Cox if he was married and he said no, then he asked Jordan what she would say if someone asked her and she had a long explanation about how they were married, then divorced, now are in a long-term committed relationship with a kid. Anyway, the episode shows Cox coming to the realization that he has a crush but that's all it is and he really loves Jordan. Granted this is a very different situation, but it gives me some hope that's all that's going on here with Roy and Keeley. The way he looked at her during the photo shoot before he joined here was so adoring, and maybe they're both just scared. That said, they could be one of those relationships where they adore each other and push each other to be better but ultimately it isn't enough.

I'm going to give Trent Crimm, The Independent, the benefit of the doubt that he gave this story the same compassionate/respectful treatment as the story he wrote in season 1. That said, I also think it likely that if he refused to run the story, Nate would have just found someone else (i.e. the scummy reporter who was needling Rebecca about Rupert's affairs in season 1) who would write an absolutely awful, hurtful, ill-informed story. So, I'm holding out hope that I can continue to love Trent Crimm, The Independent.

I legit started out with this show thinking he was supposed to be in his mid-20s, closer to the age of Will (who seems so young in comparison). I still can't fully wrap my head around it tbh.

These are all fair points, but I also think that Nate has had what, a year and a half under Ted, and he still chooses mean. After Rebecca shared her little trick to pump herself up, he decides his thing will be to spit (and we've seen him twice spit in a mirror and not clean it off). Jamie is an example in season 1 of how Ted influenced him to improve (if not in a bit of a round-about way), priming him I think for the self-examination he had to do after he got dumped from Man City and then ask Ted to take him back. Nate consistently skews mean/angry/evil. He didn't take another job, which on some level Ted may have been hurt by but would ultimately have I think supported. He chose to attack Ted, the man who has shown him kindess, support, promoted him, etc., and betray him on a really base level. We've seen Beard try to get through to him twice, once with Roy backing him up. I don't think Ted can (or should) fix everyone, and I'd like to see him learn that lesson...he needs to keep some kindness and energy for himself in order to heal. Nate is no longer worth his energy.

I am surprised that Ted seemed to give his blessing to Rebecca - I know he said a few episodes ago that he didn't comment on Beard/Jane for reasons, but he could have just acknowledged what Rebecca shared with him without condoning it. It was an odd scene all around. What other dirt do we think Nate has that could cause legitimate issues? The Beard/mushrooms thing, Roy not reading the scout reports, Higgins messing up time zones - while not great and could cause some additional noise/turmoil in the aftermath of the article by Trent Crimm, The Independent...wouldn't really bring the club down. Assuming that Rupert knows about Rebecca/Sam, he could have exposed that already and hasn't...maybe he's waiting for the "right" time. Anyway, part of me hopes that Nate is the lesson to Ted that not everyone deserves a second chance (a la Jamie). Hard to figure what else Ted could have done so far to make Nate feel appreciated - he promoted him from kit man (which, while I don't have any real understanding of football clubs or sports in general, seems like a pretty low-level job so I view the promotion as being a significant step forward), and has repeatedly given him credit and thanks. Nate has always had a nasty streak - the too personal roasts of the players in season 1, calling Rebecca a shrew before he was promoted, his treatment of Will and Colin, etc. Rupert is awful, Nate is worse.