Jaromir Jagr is a marvel. The sure fire NHL Hall of Famer just scored career goal number 731, tying him with Marcel Dionne on the all time goal scoring list. He’s 43 years old and is showing no signs of dipping below the level of the best 600 hockey players in the world. So naturally, everybody wants to know what the secret to his longevity. Extra exercise? Extra rest? Organic foods? Kale?
Clean living, he says — no smoking or drinking alcohol — but he does admit to one vice. “I like Diet Coke,” he says with a laugh. “I even drink it during a game. I like Diet Coke. No vitamins, nothing … Diet Coke.”
Well if Jaromir Jagr can play in the NHL after 24 seasons in professional hockey, then I guess Diet Coke can work for you too. Everyone has their vices, so there’s no reason to deny Jagr his. But I have to be surprised at one thing: I honestly didn’t think anybody actually liked Diet Coke. As in … the taste. I know, I know. Different strokes for different folks. And I’ve always been a big fan of regular Coca-Cola, and Coke Zero. And frankly, I thought that after the development of Coke Zero, there would be no reason for Diet Coke to exist. But alas, it does. And Jaromir Jagr supposedly drinks it during games. So it can’t be all bad.
Okay, yes it can. But it helped Jaromir Jagr get 731 goals. So all my arguments which compare it to corrosive acid are moot.
Picture of Jaromir Jagr on the rush … presumably on an artificial sweetner rush … courtesy of Paul Bereswill/Getty Images.
