You remember that Coca-Cola commercial with Pittsburgh Steelers legend “Mean” Joe Greene, don’t you? Or maybe your parents remember it. Or maybe your grandparents remember it – in the way Captain America understands references to flying monkeys.
Anyways, it’s a classic. The ad made its television debut on Oct. 1, 1979, and shows the hobbled Hall of Fame defensive tackle walking down a tunnel after a game. He’s approached by a young pint-sized fan, who tells Greene he’s the “best-ever” and offers up a Coke to soothe his postgame woes. Greene chugs the soda – somehow without burping – while the “Coke and a Smile” jingle plays, and then he tosses the kid his jersey.
It’s an understatement to call the commercial iconic. It aired again during Super Bowl XIV – where Greene’s Steelers won their fourth championship – and has been parodied by Sesame Street, the Simpsons and Family Guy. Coca-Cola even recreated it with another Pittsburgh defensive great, Troy Polamalu, in 2009.
And now, 43 years after the original aired, Duke football is getting in on the fun.
The Blue Devils dropped this video Thursday night, ahead of their game on Saturday at Georgia Tech in Atlanta – the birthplace of Coca-Cola.
Grabbing a soda and a smile on the way to ATL!
⚫️⚪️⚫️ pic.twitter.com/Q718No9VCD
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) October 6, 2022
A young Duke fan and senior offensive lineman Jacob Monk stuck to the script and gave us a pretty perfect recreation, but opted for a Coke Zero instead of the classic Coca-Cola.
If you look closely, the video is also a uniform reveal. Duke will wear black pants, white jerseys and matte black helmets on Saturday against the Yellow Jackets.
The Blue Devils are off to a hot start this season under first-year head coach Mike Elko – who was 2-years-old when the original “Mean Joe” ad aired. The former Texas A&M defensive coordinator has Duke sitting atop the chaotic Coastal Division in the ACC with a 4-1 record, with the Blue Devils’ only loss coming at Kansas.
Duke is a 3.5-point road favorite on Saturday at Georgia Tech, which just won at Pitt after firing head coach Geoff Collins. The point total is set at 54.5.
