WEBVTT 1 00:00:12.279 --> 00:00:15.640 Welcome to the Crown and Anchor Greyhounds. This is Richmond Till We Die, 2 00:00:15.880 --> 00:00:19.679 a conversation about the Apple TV Plus show ted Lasso, where we explore the 3 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:23.480 characters, their relationships to each other, and how they can make us laugh 4 00:00:23.559 --> 00:00:27.079 until we can hardly breathe one moment and feel with the deepest parts of our 5 00:00:27.079 --> 00:00:35.719 hearts the next. I'm Christian and if I sound a little brazier than normal 6 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:40.200 today, it's because I'm in full on fanboy mode. For today's episode, 7 00:00:40.439 --> 00:00:45.439 I have the opportunity to interview professional footballer Megan Klingenberg of the Portland Thorns. 8 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:51.079 Megan is an accomplished defender, having played on the United States two fifteen World 9 00:00:51.119 --> 00:00:55.799 Cup winning squad, for the twenty sixteen Olympic team, and on Thorne's teams 10 00:00:55.840 --> 00:01:03.079 that have won two NWUSL Supporters Shields, two Nwuslups and an NWSL Challenge Cup. 11 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:06.840 Off the field, Meghan is a vocal proponent for equality within the soccer 12 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:11.200 world as well as in broader society. She loves grilling and has performed in 13 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:15.920 a high school production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, which won an award for 14 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:22.239 the best High School musical in the Pittsburgh area barbecue and musical theater. Big 15 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:26.079 ted Lasso energy, y'all. In fact, Megan was one of the first 16 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:30.079 NWSL players banging the drum for ted Lasso, and as with anything she's passionate 17 00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:36.799 about, she spread the word with panash style and tenacity. A big shout 18 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:40.439 out to Katie from the Thorns for helping us get this conversation set up and 19 00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:45.719 pulled off because it almost didn't happen on account of an RV fire in Portland 20 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:49.599 that engulfed fiber optic lines and knocked out Internet throughout the city when we were 21 00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:53.439 scheduled to conduct the interview. If that sounds a little weird, well that's 22 00:01:53.680 --> 00:02:02.519 kind of Portland's brand and so Greyhound please welcome Megan Cleaningberg to the pod. 23 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:12.319 Welcome, Hello, Hi, Thanks for having me as the first biggest supporter 24 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:16.759 of ted Lasso in NWSL to the point where you got interviewed by the Washington 25 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:22.599 Post and you got memed by the league. How early were you to the 26 00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:25.400 ted Lasso game? Oh, I was like probably one of the very first 27 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:31.639 adopters. My dad and I kind of came across some commercials of it. 28 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:35.719 I think it was back in twenty twenty, right, Yeah, during the 29 00:02:35.800 --> 00:02:38.759 Dark Ages, Yeah exactly, And so we were like, oh, this 30 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:45.000 is awesome, like a show, a comedy about soccer in the prem like, 31 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:50.439 we're so in So we ate that shot right up, and we watched 32 00:02:50.439 --> 00:02:54.280 like almost every single episode in two days, and we became evangelist for ted 33 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:58.560 Lasso, and we would, you know, tell everybody watch it. I 34 00:02:58.599 --> 00:03:00.680 think to the point where I talk about it so much that I annoyed my 35 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:04.400 team, and then I got my coach to watch it, and then it 36 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:07.199 kind of like was a trickle down effect to the point where we eventually had 37 00:03:07.240 --> 00:03:15.000 somebody on the team be like Thorns on twelve. That's how you know you've 38 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:21.680 been effective when the show gets invoked into real life conversations and situations. Yeah 39 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:23.479 exactly. I mean we have a blast. We always try and do like 40 00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:28.919 something a little bit different depending on who's calling the cheer at the end of 41 00:03:28.919 --> 00:03:32.400 practice, and so somebody decided to go Thorns on twelve and it was epic. 42 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:38.360 It can be difficult to really enjoy and appreciate something that is fictional and 43 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:42.960 then based on something that you live and breathe every day and that you're super 44 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:46.400 good at. So what was it about the show once you decided to check 45 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:50.719 it out that kept you there and kept you engaged? Well. For soccer 46 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:54.719 shows in general, I honestly try to take the soccer totally out of it 47 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:59.879 because it's never that good, you know, So I leave that part off 48 00:03:59.879 --> 00:04:01.919 the table, and then I just try and think about if it's a show 49 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:04.599 that I like, if it's something that speaks to me, if it's something 50 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:11.240 that makes me feel sort of connection or reminds me of how we go about 51 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:15.439 things each day. And I think ted Lasso does that incredibly well, because 52 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:19.160 to me, my favorite parts about the game are the connection with my teammates 53 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:24.279 and how much joy it brings me, and you know, bringing smile to 54 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:27.759 people's faces when we are out on the pitch and connecting with our fans and 55 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:31.160 things like that, and I think ted Lasso is just like amazing at those 56 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:35.120 parts of the in the show. And so it really relates back to the 57 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:40.639 Thorns for me very much, and I like that part of it a lot. 58 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:44.600 But also it just makes me laugh. I mean, it just makes 59 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:48.720 me laugh. One of the things that we try to impress upon folks who 60 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:53.000 listen to our show and watch ted Lasso, but maybe aren't super familiar with 61 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:58.720 the soccer world. Is the relationship between soccer clubs and their fans and their 62 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:02.000 supporters kind of equated In the United States. I think people are probably most 63 00:05:02.040 --> 00:05:06.560 familiar with it with college sports because there's something about, you know, colleges 64 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:12.920 that feels very travel like those are your people. And there's been a unique 65 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:18.519 relationship between the Thorns and their fans since the Thorns joined in WSL. And 66 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:20.920 it was cool to watch it, you know, on TV and kind of 67 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:25.279 be jealous that we weren't there over the weekend. But what was it like 68 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:30.879 having one the NWSL championship last year and then to have the offseason and to 69 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:35.720 come back to a full stadium and to be able to play in front of 70 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:40.279 people who have been so supportive of you. Well, these last couple of 71 00:05:40.360 --> 00:05:44.399 years have been a little bit rough because of the pandemic, so we haven't 72 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:49.240 had the type of crowds or fans that we normally did before. And so 73 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:54.639 just this past year in twenty twenty, we started filling up the stadium again 74 00:05:55.560 --> 00:06:03.600 and there was this one game in twenty twenty it was our semi final against 75 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:09.839 the San Diego Wave. We completely sold out the place. We played our 76 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:14.120 asses off, and then at the very last minute we scored this ridiculous goal 77 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:17.879 and the place went totally fucking wild. I hope you can edit that out, 78 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:29.439 and like an outpouring of joy and relief and just feeling like we've been 79 00:06:29.480 --> 00:06:32.519 so resilient. The city has been so resilient. We have been doing our 80 00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:38.120 best to keep people safe and healthy, and now we get to celebrate with 81 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:43.120 our team and with our community in such a joyful, emotive way, and 82 00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:47.639 you could feel all of those emotions in this one goal, in this one 83 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:55.240 moment just erupting through the stadium, and it was so frigging cool. And 84 00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:59.519 so then we got to do that and then go play for the championship, 85 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:04.720 which is always amazing and super fun and thinks that we truly live for and 86 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:10.439 play for. But our team doesn't just play for championships like we play because 87 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:13.639 we love it and we have other things that, you know, keep us 88 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:17.839 going. So then you kind of like come back, you celebrate a little 89 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:21.199 bit, you go off, you do your trading, and then you come 90 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:25.639 back together as a team. And then finally the band gets back together for 91 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:30.199 the first for the first opening Sunday, and you know, the stadium's pretty 92 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:35.839 darn full and everybody's just having absolute blasts. And I think that what's so 93 00:07:35.879 --> 00:07:42.079 great about it is that people come together around the sport and people find each 94 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:46.639 other through the sport. It's like the sport is the connector the sport is 95 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:53.439 something that is like so beautiful and joyful and brings people like so much passion 96 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:57.920 and they love it so much that they can connect to other people around that 97 00:07:58.040 --> 00:08:03.000 love and create a community of friends and family in it. And we need 98 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:05.240 to be a part of that. And how far and cool is that? 99 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:11.399 Yeah, it's a that is a good PSA for why people should check out 100 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:13.480 NWSL. You know, a lot of to lots of folks, like maybe 101 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:18.319 they haven't watched a lot of soccer before, and here's NWSL. And not 102 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:24.639 only do you get to see a high concentration of the world's greatest players, 103 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:30.279 it's a league that's growing and like growing to new cities and new fan bases, 104 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:33.039 and there's passion. And then it's pretty accessible because you could, you 105 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:37.240 know, watch it on one streaming service on Paramount Plus. And then I 106 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:41.759 get some bonus things CSI and other soccer and whatnot. But it's such a 107 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:46.759 great league to follow. You have been associated with NWSL for a long time 108 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:52.159 and and you have played soccer in the United States for a long time, 109 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:56.240 in college and in pros. How have you seen the game grow and what 110 00:08:56.279 --> 00:09:01.639 do you think is like the next step in the progression of the growth of 111 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:05.440 the women's game in this country. The really cool part about the game is 112 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:09.279 that I think is at the bottom of a j curve, and I think 113 00:09:09.320 --> 00:09:16.559 it's just going to explode exponentially in general soccer, but also the women's game. 114 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:22.320 And I've been through two World Cups, played in one of them, 115 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:26.799 while there's been the end of a cell. And after the World Cup in 116 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:33.039 twenty fifteen, there was this, you know, really big interest in the 117 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:35.440 league and in those players, and then it kind of waned off a little 118 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:39.879 bit, and then the same thing in twenty nineteen. But I actually think 119 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.399 that there's no World Cup bump anymore. I think people love watching the World 120 00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:48.000 Cup. It's the greatest sporting event in the world, and I stand by 121 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:54.159 that statement. But this league is drawing interest because the league is interesting, 122 00:09:54.279 --> 00:09:58.440 not because people want to see these World Cup players in the league anymore. 123 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:03.279 They do, and these players are amazing, but they also just really want 124 00:10:03.320 --> 00:10:07.840 to root for the Portland Thorns because they created this community and friends around this 125 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:13.559 team and around this city and around the joy that we create by playing the 126 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:20.840 game. And so I personally think that there's no end in sight when it 127 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:24.519 comes to growth for this league and especially for this team and for this fan 128 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:28.960 base. The only thing that I am a little bit skeptical about is how 129 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:35.159 to involve and include the players that have done so much for the game and 130 00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:39.360 a lot of the work in that value, Like, how do we include 131 00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:45.960 the players and make sure that they're taking care of because they're the ones that 132 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:48.320 are putting their bodies and minds and hearts and souls on the line every week 133 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:54.279 and doing all these things to make this league great. How do we make 134 00:10:54.279 --> 00:11:00.559 sure that we reward them and to make sure that we take care of those 135 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:03.159 players that did so much for the league but maybe didn't get paid the way 136 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:07.240 that they were supposed to get paid. So I have all of these incredible 137 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.639 things to say about the league. I think it's going in such a great 138 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:13.679 direction. I also hope that we remember who got us to this point. 139 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:18.279 Yeah, we had a chance to visit with Breece Scurry a couple of months 140 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:22.320 ago after her book came out, and she talked about some of the things 141 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:26.879 that she experienced, and that was obviously pre NWSL, even as the US 142 00:11:26.919 --> 00:11:31.559 women's national team was having to break through just tons of initial barriers, and 143 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:37.120 they've continued to do that work, but to make sure that people's health after 144 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:41.240 their playing careers is taken care of, to make sure that they're appreciated for 145 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:46.679 the work that they've done, and then obviously included in this next kind of 146 00:11:46.759 --> 00:11:50.960 iteration, whatever the next version step is, as that Jay curve intensifies and 147 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:56.039 goes up, to make sure everybody gets to be involved with that after you're 148 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:01.200 done playing someday, which hopefully is always away. How would you like to 149 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:05.679 be involved with the league? Management, front office, broadcasting? Where do 150 00:12:05.720 --> 00:12:09.159 you see yourself? Honestly, I want to own a club, you know, 151 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:16.200 I want to be Rebecca right right. Yeah, I don't have that 152 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:20.600 type of money, but I know that it would be a dream job and 153 00:12:20.919 --> 00:12:24.960 it would be something that I would combine all of my interests because I love 154 00:12:26.519 --> 00:12:31.759 I did business school in college and graduated with my degree in business, and 155 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:35.120 I love the sport. I never want to get away from the sport. 156 00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:41.679 But I don't think coaching's for me. So I think they're combining like my 157 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:46.399 interest with soccer and knowing the game really well, and then also combining my 158 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:50.559 interests around business and there's other things. Would be Yeah, that would be 159 00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:58.240 the dream. In the meantime, say AFC Richmond Women's Club got promoted, 160 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:01.960 yes, and they made you an offer you could refuse, and so you 161 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:07.720 decided had a chancefer a window to go across the pond and play for them. 162 00:13:07.799 --> 00:13:11.919 Who is one person that you've played with or against that you would encourage 163 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:16.279 them to recruit for the team, knowing that they would have to add something 164 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:18.960 special to the locker room because this is a special locker room. So like 165 00:13:18.039 --> 00:13:22.360 you know, you'd want them good on the pitch, but you'd also want 166 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:24.480 them to be good on the TV show. Yeah, wow, wow wow, 167 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:31.600 um oh gosh. I would encourage them to recruit Marta in her prime. 168 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:37.600 I played with Marta when I when I played in Sweden, and she 169 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:41.720 was the most dynamic player I've ever played with my life. And I've never 170 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:46.879 seen somebody with such control over the ball on their body. And then she 171 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:52.960 also just does the work. Like I played, she played winger too on 172 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:56.080 the left side. I played outside back on the left side and she would 173 00:13:56.200 --> 00:14:00.799 do the work as a winger to It made my life much better at having 174 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:03.440 a forward in front of me that would actually do the work. And then 175 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:07.720 on top of that, I think she does a great job getting to know 176 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:11.840 her teammates. She also loves to be a part of the community. Speaks 177 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:18.320 English, Swedish, Portuguese. I mean, she's just an all around good 178 00:14:18.440 --> 00:14:24.120 person on top of being a fabulous soccer player. I think that if you 179 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:28.200 could get Marta, you know, when she was in her prime, then 180 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:35.759 that is chef's kiss. The NFC Richmond team, they're kind of the plucky 181 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:43.000 underdogs. Portland has had success on the field and y'all are just coming off 182 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:46.440 a championship and it's an incredibly talented team. Like you take a lot of 183 00:14:46.440 --> 00:14:50.240 the corner kicks and free kicks on that left side especially, and so you 184 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:54.799 have a lot of options of people to send the ball into. What does 185 00:14:54.840 --> 00:14:58.879 your mindset and mentality have to be when everybody's like chasing you when you go 186 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:05.159 to people's towns and there's zero percent chance they're going to overlook you. How 187 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:09.679 do you have to approach the matches? Honestly, I never think about anybody 188 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:16.440 else except us, And honestly, our mindset is that we know if we 189 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:24.080 play with joy, remember that this is a process, that mistakes are just 190 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:30.080 learning opportunities. That the reason why we play is not because we all want 191 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:33.559 to win. Why did we start playing because it was fun? Because my 192 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:35.840 cousins played, Because I mean, there's all these different reasons of why we 193 00:15:35.879 --> 00:15:41.120 start, and so I think our team just always tries to go back to 194 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:45.799 our why, What's what's at the core of us, what's our purpose? 195 00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:50.960 And we play from there. And I think that when you play from that 196 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:56.480 kind of space, these outside pressures from other people that they try and put 197 00:15:56.559 --> 00:16:02.279 on you, they don't matter because you're playing from a place where you know, 198 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:06.559 like, hey, we're doing this together. We're playing because we have 199 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:08.440 a lot of fun. We know that when we have fun, we play 200 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:11.720 at our best, and so instead of just trying to play our best, 201 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:18.960 we try and have fun because we know that it's this weird thing that happens 202 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:21.799 in this world that when you try too hard, things become harder, right, 203 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:26.200 but when you're just having a blast, it becomes easy. So we 204 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:27.840 always try and bring it back to you know, why we're doing this. 205 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:37.559 As you've watched, said Lasso, what's like a quote or a scene that 206 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:42.360 I stuck out to you as being personally poignant. Oh gosh, there's a 207 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:47.799 few. I would say. There's some like in a really amazing way, 208 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:55.399 and then there's some in a really bad way, took in the bad way, 209 00:16:55.519 --> 00:17:02.000 Like I really hated that Rebecca dated Sam. That reminded me a lot 210 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.720 of the bad things that happened in our league these past couple of years, 211 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:08.680 and how players have been taken advantage of. And I know it happens in 212 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:15.799 the league. I wish that they would have talked about that differently and and 213 00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:22.359 expressed an outcome that probably would have happened differently there, because I understand, 214 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:26.640 when there are humans, there are gray situations, but at the same time, 215 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:30.319 like we need to make sure that we treat those gray situations in a 216 00:17:30.359 --> 00:17:37.480 way that you know is being responsible. So that part really stuck out to 217 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:41.880 me because that reminded me a bit of some of the stuff that we have 218 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:45.240 been really trying to eradicate in our league. And then there's just so many 219 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:51.279 more positive things too, though, like the way that the team and the 220 00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:57.200 players rally around Ted when he's having his panic attacks, because it's just tough 221 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:02.000 to deal with divorce, moving across the country, you know, trying to 222 00:18:02.119 --> 00:18:04.839 coach a sport at the highest level when you've never done that before, and 223 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:11.640 to see the team and the ownership rally around him is really special. And 224 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:17.160 then just seeing the way that Ted interacts with his players, I love that 225 00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:21.960 so much because for him, it's always just about being a human being and 226 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:25.880 being a good human being. And I truly believe, even at the highest 227 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:30.000 level, when you're getting paid millions of dollars, that it's still about being 228 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:37.119 a good human being. And so actually seeing that on screen is so powerful 229 00:18:37.240 --> 00:18:41.119 and it made me. It brings so much joy, and it brings a 230 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:44.480 huge smile to my face every week. Just seeing how he interacts and tries 231 00:18:44.519 --> 00:18:51.559 to help these young people become better and to self reflect and not just focus 232 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:55.240 on soccer, but focus on how they can be the best teammate. That's 233 00:18:55.359 --> 00:19:00.759 really cool, and he does it in a way that is tough, but 234 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:06.200 also it makes you laugh it makes you feel closer to him. It's it's 235 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:10.960 really a great show. Yeah, yeah, I appreciate you bringing up that 236 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:17.039 Sam Rebecca dynamic and relationship, and I know that that's one thing that we've 237 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:19.079 tried to, you know, expose the listeners of our show too, in 238 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:23.920 bite sized pieces, because it is hard to explain it all to folks who 239 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:29.279 may be like just not aware of what's been going on in NWSL, And 240 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:33.880 we certainly tried to address that gray area and that tension. Like in some 241 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:38.000 ways with those scenes, barriers will be being broken down, like seeing an 242 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:41.400 interracial couple and like seeing an older woman with a younger man, like that's 243 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:45.279 cool. But then obviously me being a Thorns fan, it was like, 244 00:19:45.319 --> 00:19:48.079 yeah, but in real life, like, that's really tough. And I 245 00:19:48.119 --> 00:19:52.839 know that when we recorded one of our episodes, our first episode after y'all 246 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:55.680 had won the title, like we did mention, there's always a tension there 247 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:59.920 because they are succeeding on the field and it's amazing and all of you know, 248 00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:03.640 the bravery that they've had to conjure up and keep conjuring up to keep 249 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:06.799 doing what they love and what they called to do in play a game and 250 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:11.039 all that stuff like soccer, like life, like media. Everything is so 251 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:15.599 complicated and it can be joy and pain at once. And maybe that's just 252 00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:18.640 like the tough thing that we have to keep learning how to do. But 253 00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:22.279 we also have to just keep learning how to treat people better and value people 254 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:26.000 more. And you know, I hope that as people look more into end 255 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:29.920 will sell like they will at least dig into that full picture right to be 256 00:20:29.960 --> 00:20:33.920 able to appreciate what's going on in the field for y'all, as you know, 257 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:37.880 the fullness of your humanity. Yeah, that's such a good way to 258 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:41.400 put it, the fullness of humanity. And I think this sport is just 259 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.799 a microcosm of society, isn't it. It's just things are heightened in sport 260 00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:52.839 that are already happening in society. And I think that every league has their 261 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:57.400 issues. Maybe they just haven't been reported or maybe they just haven't been highlighted 262 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:02.160 like ours have because we've done the work to try to get rid of this 263 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:04.400 and to protect the players. And I mean, if you look around the 264 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:12.960 world and men's leagues, racism is an incredibly hard thing that they're trying to 265 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:19.400 eradicate from sport. And like homophobia in men's leagues. Like, I just 266 00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:22.640 think that there are different issues in different leagues. So this is something that 267 00:21:22.680 --> 00:21:27.920 we're dealing with. And I actually am really proud of our group and the 268 00:21:27.960 --> 00:21:33.319 players because we're taking a head on and I don't know if necessarily other leagues 269 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:37.960 are. And so say what you want. Maybe there's a lot of bad 270 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:41.880 press sometimes about the league, but that's because the players are doing something about 271 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:47.720 it and saying no and standing up for what they know is right. So 272 00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:49.799 yes, that comes with bad headlines, but what does that also come with 273 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:57.720 new rules to keep players safe, new people coming in that have an understanding 274 00:21:57.799 --> 00:22:00.720 of, you know, where the players are now and how to treat each 275 00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:04.799 other. And I just think that, yes, it is the fullness of 276 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:08.039 humanity and we need to look at it like that. And we kick ass 277 00:22:08.039 --> 00:22:11.359 on the field, but we're also kicking ass off the field too. Yeah. 278 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:15.480 Yeah, And hopefully part of that j curve that you mentioned with the 279 00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:22.279 league isn't just amazing players and amazing you know, matches, but in the 280 00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:26.680 spectacle, like the spectacle is awesome, but then hopefully it's empowerment too, 281 00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:32.119 and we've seen that in some clubs you know that now have women who are 282 00:22:32.119 --> 00:22:37.160 in leadership and who are in ownership, and hopefully that stuff that that continues 283 00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:44.759 to increase and get better as a result of this long overdue process and reckoning 284 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:49.359 and the difficulty that that has, I guess just kind of foisted upon all 285 00:22:49.400 --> 00:22:56.839 of you as players. What's been the biggest joy for you over the last 286 00:22:56.000 --> 00:23:04.359 year. I think rediscovering myself This past year was really hard personally for me. 287 00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:10.000 I won't go into why, but it was. And I think sometimes 288 00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:14.319 when you're going through something that's really difficult, you kind of go in your 289 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:18.799 shell and just do things to get by, and you just do your absolute 290 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:23.079 best and you want to be there, but you're also just doing and you're 291 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:26.960 doing what you can, you know. And so this year, I feel 292 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:33.279 like I've finally gone to a place where I can start to experience joy and 293 00:23:34.119 --> 00:23:41.799 experience self reflection and things that I hadn't been experiencing as much in the past 294 00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:48.240 year, and just kind of digging into that and expanding my worldview and healing 295 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:53.480 and so being able to do those things is bringing me a lot of joy. 296 00:23:53.960 --> 00:23:56.759 That's awesome. We one of the things we talk about on our show 297 00:23:56.759 --> 00:24:03.519 a lot is the music in ted Lasso, because it creates this extra dimension 298 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:07.680 to what we're seeing, and I think it really intensifies, you know, 299 00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:11.119 the feelings as people watch the show. So, is there music that's been 300 00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:15.839 particularly meaningful for you throughout the last year and or was there a musical moment 301 00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:22.640 in the show that just kind of gave you pause? Yeah? So I 302 00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:27.640 love music so much because it makes me feel so many things. You know, 303 00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:34.279 it could make you feel like the pain or help you through a breakup, 304 00:24:34.359 --> 00:24:38.000 right, or it could help you experience joy just because it makes you 305 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:42.319 want to dance, right, Like, music is so powerful and it is 306 00:24:42.759 --> 00:24:49.079 amazing. So this past year I got a record player. Oh I know, 307 00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:55.599 I'm fancy, and so it has immediately become one of my favorite purchases 308 00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:00.759 ever. And I kind of like go to the old, through all the 309 00:25:00.759 --> 00:25:04.319 old records. And I started out with like my nineteen seventies rock music, 310 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:11.119 whether it's like Fleetwood Mac or a CDC or Van Morrison or whatever, right 311 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:15.839 and now I'm kind of like even further back, I'm like Frank Sinatra, 312 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:21.720 Sam Cook, like Smokey Robinson, al Green, like really into that kind 313 00:25:21.720 --> 00:25:23.720 of stuff right now. But it just brings me, like, it brings 314 00:25:23.720 --> 00:25:26.079 me so much joy because it makes me want to dance, or it makes 315 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:29.640 me want to cry, or it makes me it just makes me feel. 316 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:37.519 And the moment in ted Lasso which I loved the most was when Rebecca sang 317 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:44.000 let it Go for her god Daughter, because I feel like it was a 318 00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:48.759 way that music helps her connect. And that's what I love about music, 319 00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:52.599 is how it brings all these feelings, and so that part to me was 320 00:25:52.599 --> 00:25:57.160 really pointing because it was really cool to see her making right or at least 321 00:25:57.200 --> 00:26:03.960 the beginnings of making right with her family and her God better. Yeah, 322 00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:07.319 because it's always a journey that it was a pivotal moment for her too, 323 00:26:07.400 --> 00:26:12.640 because it was part of her like letting her guard down exactly allowing herself to 324 00:26:12.759 --> 00:26:18.000 heal as well. Well, Megan, it's been a joy for me to 325 00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:21.440 be able to visit with you as a fan of someone who's appreciate what you've 326 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:23.559 been on the field and off the field. And we love that we get 327 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:26.640 to talk to people who are in the sport who love ted Lasso, and 328 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:30.559 so we do hope the best for you for the rest of this season, 329 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:36.160 and we'll be following closely and hope that you enjoy season three as much as 330 00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:41.000 the rest of us. Thank you so much, Go Thorns, go Richmond 331 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:48.480 Rotten for all of us, and that's our show. We hope you enjoyed 332 00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:52.279 our conversation with Megan Klingenberg. You can find links to her social media accounts, 333 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:56.759 as long as other topics we covered in this episode in our show notes. 334 00:26:56.200 --> 00:27:00.480 We'll be back soon with more ted Lasso goodness, but you keep the 335 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:04.079 conversation going with us on Twitter and Instagram in the meantime. Our handle on 336 00:27:04.119 --> 00:27:10.440 both platforms is at ted Lasso Pod. This episode of richm Until We Die 337 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:12.960 is brought to you by Gin and Kerosene Productions, who is produced by me 338 00:27:14.119 --> 00:27:18.039 Christian and Brett. If you're enjoying the podcast, please take thirty seconds to 339 00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:22.799 subscribe to our feed and give the show a five star review on Apple Podcasts 340 00:27:22.920 --> 00:27:26.680 or Spotify. Heck, if you're feeling generous, you could even do both. 341 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:30.480 As always, we appreciate all the ways you share your love and support 342 00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:33.920 with the pod. I'm Christian signing off for Megan. Thanks for listening. 343 00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:37.240 Until next time, Cheers y'all,