Teddy Blueger has seen a few episodes of the show "Ted Lasso," about an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team despite having no experience.
Unlike Lasso, Blueger knows a thing or two about soccer from growing up in Europe. It's one of the two most popular sports along with hockey in his hometown of Riga, Latvia.
Teddy Blueger Having a Summer to Remember
"When I was growing up, I just played hockey in the winter, and then all summer I'd play soccer," Blueger said. "I probably did that until I was about 12 or 13. I still follow it pretty close now, I'd say."
Watching soccer has been a family affair for the Bluegers over the years. Teddy's father Valentin particularly loved watching Brazil, and he passed that on to his older son. As a kid, Teddy was a fan of Barcelona because of Ronaldinho, and now, his favorite player is Roberto Firmino.
When Russia - which borders Latvia to the east - hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2018, Teddy attended with Valentin and his younger brother Robert. Latvia has also played host to some World Cup qualifier matches at Riga's Daugava National Stadium, which meant they got to see superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in action when Portugal came to town.
"That was pretty cool," Blueger said. "Because it's a tiny stadium - it's like the Riverhounds stadium here in Pittsburgh - you're right there. It was cool to see him up close. And then in the summers in Minnesota, my brother and I like to go to the MLS games there."
While Ted Lasso may not be an expert on soccer, the show is lauded for its leadership lessons, something that Blueger probably appreciates considering the book he's currently reading: "Leading with Character" by psychologist Jim Loehr.
"It's a little different than most books," Blueger said. "It comes with a journal, and it's all about self-reflection. It's a little bit newer, but it's interesting. I like it so far."
Blueger learned about the book through a podcast that was recommended by a friend. It's called The Tim Ferriss Show, where the host has conversations with world-class performers from eclectic areas - including investing, chess, and pro sports - to dig deep and find tools, tactics and tricks that listeners can use.
"My buddy recommended a couple specific episodes - one with (retired NBA player) Chris Bosh, and the other one was with Jim Loehr," Blueger said. "I think podcasts are a good way - especially when you're spending like half an hour in the car - to not just be driving, but also be kind of learning something. And lately, I've been getting books based on the podcast, because Tim Ferriss will ask the guests if they have any specific book recommendations."
Blueger started reading a lot towards the end of his time at Minnesota State-Mankato, where he majored in sports management. He said that he reads a bit of everything, choosing books from all over the spectrum.
"I just find that a lot of times, there's a lot you can learn, whether it's different autobiographies or psychology or even some fiction," Blueger said.
The Summer Shift: Teddy Blueger
Character is certainly something Blueger possesses plenty of. He's known for his tireless work ethic, which took him from prestigious prep school Shattuck-St. Mary's; to four years at Minnesota State-Mankato; to three seasons in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; and finally, here in Pittsburgh. Because of that, Blueger had left an impression on the new Penguins brass well before they took over in February.
"I was very impressed with Teddy just from watching him grow from the outside," Penguins director of player personnel Chris Pryor said. "We can go way back to my scouting days when he was in Shattuck and went to Mankato - his path and the work he's put in to get to where he is today is very impressive. First and foremost, you got to give Teddy credit for what he's done."
That helped Blueger earn a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.2 million on July 14, along with a spot on Pittsburgh's protected list ahead of the 2021 Expansion Draft on July 21. He's grateful for the trust that Pryor, general manager Ron Hextall and the rest of the group has placed in him, and said it's up to him to repay that.
"It's kind of crazy summer," said Blueger, who turns 27 on Aug. 15. "You don't really know what's going to happen, especially with the expansion draft. You see rumors online, and my friends and my brother are sending me links to different articles talking about potential scenarios. You try to block that out because it's all out of my control at this point.
"So to have everything done early and set (was great), and obviously pretty fortunate to be protected as well, to have some extra security that way. I'm extremely, extremely happy with the way everything went down and really happy to be back in Pittsburgh, for sure."
Blueger absolutely loves playing here, and he loves living here. One of his favorite things to do is head to Shadyside and walk around Walnut Street, looking at the architecture and eating at his favorite restaurant, Umi. He's in town as we speak, and will be sticking around until next month, when he will head to Bay Harbor, Michigan, for his wedding on Aug. 6.
Blueger and his college sweetheart, Monique LaFontaine, are getting married just a few minutes away from the venue where Bryan Rust and his wife Kelsey had their big day in 2019. It'll be the cherry on top of what has been a summer to remember for Blueger.
"At this point, it's coming up pretty quick," Blueger said. "Unfortunately, we're not able to have everyone, because pretty much no one from Latvia can make it over and a lot of people from Canada can't, which is unfortunate. But I think we're just grateful to be able to have it and for the people that are coming, we hope that it's going to be a fun and special day for sure."
