I dare Derrick to tell Ted “Don’t go there, buddy.”
That “You don’t want to...” part is the key. It’s critical. It exposes his mind set, not to mention his lack of creativity. Apparently in his circles the threat needed no creativity. Now it does.
It begs the question that I really wish he had been asked after making the threat. “Gee, Eric, why don’t I want to go there?”
I’ll bet you could have heard a pin drop if it had been asked (Or a thousand cameras clicking).