Seriously. Spoilers will be here. What are you doing looking at this if you have any parts of Ted lasso you don’t want spoilers on.
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Ok. Now that we’ve resolved that. What exactly do we think Nate’s problem is. Some to think it’s a lack of self confidence. I don’t think it’s that really for the most part. Instead I think it’s that he thinks it’s unfair that he’s not handsome, charismatic or a natural leader. This makes him miserable. The show is clear that one doesn’t need those things to be happy. Just look at the character with the happiest personal life. Higgins.
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Nate wants to be great but feels he remains the kid who brought the players water and towels. Leaving solves the problem.
He also wants to be “seen”.
I wonder if some of that outburst against Ted was really directed to his dad.
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I loved what the writers did with Higgins this season. During season 1, he seemed kind of like a buffoon, but this season he was happy and respected. Maybe just the change that came from being re-hired in season 1.
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One review I read mentioned that Nate’s issue of being “invisible” like he was before first episode when Ted just asked him his name, made him explode.
The article said there were many times during the season when Ted did just that, ignored him, especially when Roy came on board.
I might rewatch because they said this was being developed all season.
One of the truths that Nate may have spoken was that Ted should be with his son.
After all isn’t much of this season all about fathers and sons ( or father and Rebecca )
Yes, Nate’s father relationship at the crux of it all,
It was just so Jarring to see grey haired Nate full face last scene.
Did Nate’s face show full face during episode 1 of season 2 - someone mentioned that’s how the seasons start with one character doing full arc story——?
Kudos to those who started this thread 
well done 
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I wondered if Nate had powdered or colored his hair to make himself look older, thus be taken more seriously.
I was taken aback when Nate said “you abandonned me”… when did Ted do that? serious question
Ok I just started episode 1 season 2 , and yes there is Nate’s full face, black head of hair staring back. Maybe the grey hair is to depict Change, growth , aging stress . How many presidents turn grey in months due to stress ?
Wow, that was interesting take a look at opening scene !
Regarding Nate’ being overlooked by Ted, I suspect there is truth in it, perhaps we the viewer didn’t even notice that either, just like seeing Nate full face opening scene. Are we seeing Nate 
Tidbit, in true life Nate ( Nick Mohammed his real name ) said he was turning a bit grey and they had to color his hair for awhile.
good points about the dad.
here’s my confusion. Did Nate leak the info? and why was the reporter fired?
nate was really seen as an after thought. no one takes him super seriously. I can see why he was mad about that; but the explosion was way overboard. did he ever see Sharon?
Yes
For revealing the source
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Nick Mohammed addressed this on Twitter: “the hair-colour change was deliberate. I have flecks of grey that were painted out in season 1 and were painted more and more grey as season 2 progressed (it’s a wig by the very end!)” And “In the way bitterness, guilt, shame and stress can often change someone’s appearance, they thought it would be fun to track Nate’s spiral in this way (in my head Nate was transforming into José Mourinho!)” Mourinho is the white-haired Portuguese former manager of Tottenham Hotspur.
Interestingly, he spelled “colour” wrong. And if you don’t get that reference, rewatch the scene where Ted reads Dr. Sharon’s letter.
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Did dr Sharon spell the word favorite, wrong, I do remember Ted criticizing the spelling as a way to deflect from the emotion of the letter ?
I may rewatch some episodes as well. I remember when “Nate the Great” happened and how odd it was to see Nate become so self absorbed with his own press. It was like Narcissus staring at his own reflection except in print form. In a way even some of us viewers took Nate for granted in that we didn’t see this pivot coming at the end.
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Nate did leak the info, the reporter not only told Ted who the source was, he confessed to the paper he worked for, and was dismissed.
Trent, the reporter, is believed to be back in season three.
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She used the UK spelling: favourite
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Doesn’t it seem the writers took every character turned them upside down and inside out, and totally made the the opposite as they were first depicted.
Ted, confident funny, panic attacks, and PTSD family tragedy secrets, ( funny on outside )
Nate, invisible, humble, diminutive- became total beast,
Keely- tiny and silly, but morphed into the power mogul, always with insights and truths
Rebecca,- big. And boisterous boss, lonely and seeking love,
Beard- so quiet , reserved chess playing introvert, but brilliant ideas, and Keeps Ted moving right directions, and that freaky beard episode —- lots happening in that mind of his
Roy, the tough guy, potty mouth, now hugging and forgiving
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Looking back I initially thought Nate created a play that would undermine the team, but I don’t think his ego would allow him to throw the game. I wonder if we’ll find out when Nate and Rupert teamed up. And here I thought Rupert was going out quietly after the funeral and giving up his share!
And Jaimie - so mature at the end! 🥲
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Regarding the title of last episode and the book that coach beard was reading ,
This is from NY TIMES ARTICLE -
From the article at end called “tidbits “
“The title of this episode comes from two sources: “Inverting the Pyramid,” a book of soccer tactics that Coach Beard is reading, and “The Pyramid of Success,” developed by the legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden (a.k.a., as Ted describes him earlier in the episode, “John Obi-Wan Gandalf”). A signed copy of the latter hangs on Ted’s office wall, and Nate is staring at it before the match. At the top is what Nate wants: competitive greatness. But at the bottom, holding the whole edifice up, are the qualities that Nate is quickly abandoning: friendship, loyalty, cooperation, enthusiasm. He’s inverting the pyramid.
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That NY Times article is a great read! I sought it out when I was looking for reactions to the episode/season (thank you @maya54 for this thread !). You can already see the coaching contrast at the end as Nate is supervising the meticulous and mechanical workout. No Backstreet Boys choreo with that team.
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