Hall of FameSports

If Ecto Cooler and Surge were NBA Players

By February 11, 2015June 18th, 2018No Comments
surge-ectocooler

birdman-surgeAt Bacon Sports we like to take you back to a time when all was right and the only thing you had to worry about was picking between Monday Night Raw and WCW Nitro on Monday nights. We like to write about things that were part of our childhood and bring them to you relating to today’s sports world in a way fresher than a can of Surge or a box of Hi-C Ecto Cooler. Whoa, bet you have not thought about those delicious refreshments since Bill Bellamy was coaching the Violators in MTV Rock n’ Jock hoops.

Having a taste of that nostalgia, it is time to dissect who in the sports world best represents the smashing bold flavors of Surge and the silky smooth thirst quenching of Ecto Cooler.

No athlete makes you think of that first savory blast of caffeinated citrus Surge more than the tatted up, in your face, high energy Chris “The Birdman” Andersen. One look at Andersen and his full body explosion of bright tattoos and unmistakable Mohawk, and you can’t help see the bright green can with Surge in bold letters blasting off the label.

Andersen is known for his high-flying, energetic and physical, scrappy style of play that helped him carve out a niche in the NBA. It is that energy that changed your world the first time you crushed a can of Surge, the same type of energy Birdman often got from hitting the world of illegal drugs like he was Dwight Gooden’s partner in crime. Surge was and still remains a fan favorite due to its unique flavor and hardcore edge, making it hard to argue against Andersen representing this amazing citrus soda with his unique style of play of high energy, hustle, and high flying soaring circus act around the rim.

Not only does the Birdman’s style represent Surge, but they share similar backgrounds. Surge was Coca Cola’s answer to Mountain Dew that came out of nowhere like Willie Mays Hayes did to lead the league in great catches in Major League.

A young baller name Chris Andersen played one year at Blinn College and showed up on the scene as the first overall pick of the 2001 NBA D-League Draft. Birdman nestled himself in quite well in the NBA from 2001-2006 before going all Patrick Bateman on some party drugs and getting taken off the NBA shelf, just as Surge was taken off the shelf too soon from us in 2003.

Andersen sat out his two years from his substance abuse suspension and came back to the association with even more energy and game getting a 5-year contract to continue to fly high on the court. Surge was reincarnated two years later in the form of Vault and continued to dominate like Oliver Miller at buffet for 5 years until 2011.

Now Birdman is back on the court doing his thing for the Miami Heat. I can only hope that Coca Cola will now follow suit and get Surge to lace back up on the supermarket shelf and take me back to when I averaged two cans a day of the citrus gold and Booker T and Stevie Ray raised the roof as Harlem Heat.

curry-ectoThere was a certain smooth confidence and flavor about Ecto Cooler that made you want more. Today Stephen Curry is the NBA equivalent to the best thing Hi-C ever put on the market. Curry has such a smooth effortless style and coolness to his game that he is quickly turning into the next best thing in the league. He puts in a 50 point game making you aware of how good he is and finding yourself staying up later to see the West Coast games. Ecto-Cooler was an orange/tangerine dream that was the best at its craft, just as Curry is destroying the league using the three pointer to show his peers that he is king of the hill.

Before the goodness that was Slimer and the Cooler, there was Hi-C Orange and Hi-C Grape, fantastic predecessors that laid the foundation for its successor and better heir, Ecto Cooler. Following suit in the Curry family was father Dell who was known as “Machine Gun Curry” for his barrage of three point field goals. Son Stephen learned from his father and just like Ecto’s flavor is a more smooth and refined three point shooter than his Curry predecessor. Here is a sample of Curry’s silky smooth moves that remind you of that smooth tangerine type goodness of Slimer and Ecto Cooler.

Unfortunately Ecto Cooler was put to rest far before its time, but the best part is knowing Curry still has his best years ahead of him. Watching Curry is like opening the brown paper bag your mom packed for your lunch and finding that box of Ecto Cooler you could not wait to open, slurp down, and then stomp on the empty box to make the loud BOOM. He is that good. And just like Hi-C, nothing better has or will come along, and certainly Seth Curry is not any different in the family Curry just like Boppin’ Berry does not hold a flame to Ecto Cooler.

Next time you find yourself watching the NBA and see highlights of the Birdman Chris Andersen and Steph Curry doing work, think back to when the citrus giant Surge and the divine tangerine Ecto Cooler ruled your childhood and soft drink world and all that was good. Ahhh those were the days…

We want to know what your favorite drinks were growing up ? And what professional athletes would you compare them to?

 

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Tom Hamm

Tom Hamm

Cleveland sports freak living in Cincinnati who still owns an original Charlotte Hornets pullover. Obsessed with umpires strike 3 calls and ballpark nachos. Recreational games all-pro.