Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Add Mike Ditka to the List of Chicago Coaches Who Inspired Ted Lasso

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | Last updated 6/2/23

AppleTV's hit comedy Ted Lasso came to a close this past Wednesday. The show has been a critical and commercial success and has the awards to back it up. In a recent interview on Hot Ones, Jason Sudeikis shared his inspiration for the look of the titular coach.

“The look was kind of inspired by Mike Ditka” “You know, the shades, the short polyester shorts and the mustache was very much Ditka.”

-Jason Sudeikis on Hot Ones

If you haven't watched Ted Lasso then please note that looks is where the similarities end, outside of a penchant for flipping the bird. Ditka was known for his fiery personality and Lasso is the epitome of calm.

Ditka isn't the only famous Chicago coach who is linked to Ted Lasso , however. In the season 03 episode 'Sunflowers', Ted goes on what he believes to be a hallucinogenic trip while in Amsterdam. Despite the drugs being a dud, Ted sits in a restaurant and becomes inundated with triangles. Specifically, Phil Jackson's Triangle Offense for the '90s Chicago Bulls dynasty, and applying it to soccer.

It turns out Chicago Championship coaches have a history of dynamite mustaches.

Stay tuned to On Tap Sports Net for more Pop Culture movie news, reviews, and theories.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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