Six-foot-five, 290-pounds big. NFL All-Pro big. Fitness magazine cover model big.
Taking a page from the military social-media date-seeking pioneers before her, Coffey put together a video last month asking Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt to the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade's annual holiday ball:
The 30-second clip has yet to earn a response from Watt, but it's been viewed more than 671,000 times in less than two weeks on Facebook.
Coffey, based at Fort Gordon, Georgia, with 782nd MI Battalion and set to celebrate her first year in service on Tuesday, said it was Watt's charity work, not his smile or six-pack, that got her attention.
"That's really what set him apart for me, as far as considering who I was going to ask," the Albuquerque, New Mexico, native said in a Monday interview. "J.J. Watt is just an all-around great guy, much more than just an NFL player."
The Dec. 11 ball would put the defender in a bit of a scheduling jam, as he's set to lead the Texans against the New England Patriots in Houston two days later. Coffey, 20, said she plans to attend the party regardless, but that Watt's participation would make "my first military ball experience one to remember … a Prince Charming-Cinderella story-type thing."
Other than some online critics who chided the soldier for improper flag placement in the background of her video, Coffey said she's received positive support from friends in and out of uniform. Her mother has been charting the hits the video receives and passing word along, Coffey said, and her grandmother offered her blessing … even though she first saw the video on local TV news, before Coffey could tip her off.
Coffey's inspiration came from a Marine who in August asked UFC champion Ronda Rousey via YouTube to accompany him to the Marine Corps Ball in December. Rousey appears to be exited to attend and gave a tentative yes to a TMZ reporter: — "He's gotta be a gentleman, though.,"she warned — and appears excited to attend.
"Really, the main deciding factor was that I've seen how quickly things can spread through social media, and I've seen that's probably the best way to try to reach out," Coffey said.
Other social-medial success stories predate Coffey's service: Another Marine scored a date with actress Mila Kunis in 2011, and yet another successfully reached out to Justin Timberlake the same year.
Things went off the rails a bit after that: A Marine asked Betty White, who declined, then ended up accompanied by "Terminator" star Linda Hamilton, who volunteered as a replacement. And a 2012 video request by a Navy pilot to land Katy Perry for the West Coast Hornet Ball received tens of thousands of hits but no reply from the singer.
The 26-year-old Watt made his own social media connection Sept. 27 when he tweeted a photo of himself with "Extra" host Mario Lopez standing on the Texans' sideline, referencing Lopez's star-making turn as A.C. Slater on NBC's early-1990s Saturday-morning hit "Saved By the Bell."
Watt was quick to respond.
Kevin Lilley is the features editor of Military Times.
