The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

I LOVE it when a plan comes together.

My trek to the “Bold North” frozen Minnesota, for Super Bowl LII (52) as the Bud Light and Bud Light Caribbean brand ambassador was an awesome experience, from start to finish.

The game between the Eagles and Patriots was just the cherry on top.

FROZEN FRIDAY

My wife and I arrived late Friday with a contingent of five winners from Nassau, courtesy of Bud Light, Bud Light Caribbean and Jimmy’s Liquors.

As soon as we arrived the whirlwind, the Super Bowl LII Bud Light VIP experience began. And oh what a party it was.

Dine around with “celebrity chef” Roco DiSpirito was an event unto itself. Our palettes were tantalised and satisfied. All the while, an endless supply of Bud Light flowed accompanying every tasty morsel served.

After showing off my skills in “gluttony and toting”, sleep was all I could do.

During every moment of Friday’s dine around, and my massive, scrumptious “toting” haul, an old Bahamian saying kept ringing out in my mind.

“Belly full, you know what glad.”

SNOWY SATURDAY

Bud Light decided to start the Super Bowl LII Tailgate Party a little early.

It was clearly the hottest ticket in town on Saturday night at the Stone Mountain Theater. The Bud Light “Dive Bar Tour” featuring Davin Degraw live in concert. He certainly didn’t disappoint.

After enjoying an outstanding set by Degraw, and several Bud Lights, my wife Y-98 radio personality “Mary Jane” headed over to the all night buffet at our hotel.

There we witnessed the “Bahamian Bud Light King” Hugh Sands - one of the lucky winners - display his love for Bud Light and a good conversation.

It was frozen and snowing outside but Hugh had it hot inside. No doubt about it. He was truly an excellent ambassador for the Bahamas, and I’m sure he has some interesting new friends, especially from Boston and Philly.

SUPER BOWL

SUNDAY

Game day needs no hype whatsoever, but it does require a great tailgate party.

Bud Light threw the mother of all tailgate parties. From 12:45pm to kickoff, food was served in abundance, prepared by “celebrity chef” Guy Fieri of “Diners, Drive Thrus and Dumps” fame. Yes he took us all to “flavour town”. The Bud Lights were flowing like a river and then came the highlight of the first phase of the NFL Players meet and greet.

What a tremendous opportunity for me, the big time sports “junkie”.

From there it was on to the game, and oh what a brutally cold, hour and forty five minute ordeal that was. (I actually was missing sweltering during a BPL summer power cut.)

Once inside, it gave us all goose bumps, we were at the Super Bowl, “THE SUPER BOWL.”

The view was great from the Bud Light and Bud Light Caribbean VIP Sky Box.

The game was phenomenal, Justin Timberlake didn’t disappoint during the halftime show. (No wardrobe malfunction this lap either).

Timberlake’s “Prince” tribute was electrifying, and added a wonderful touch to his set. As anticipated the third and fourth quarters were a shoot out, both teams going back and forth, blow for blow, pound for pound.

Two top 5 teams statistically, on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively, laying it all on the line for the Lombardi Trophy.

CAMELOT

CRUMBLES

And then the moment I had waited for, to see Tom Brady and the Patriots lose, happened.

Eagles up 38 to 33 after a controversial Zach Eartz touchdown. The Eagle TE was clearly in, but it was hilarious, watching flustered Patriot fans coming up with scenarios to have the play overturned. (I still laugh loudly when I think of them.)

The Patriots had the ball deep in their own territory, 2nd and 6.

Brady takes the snap, feels the pressure in the pocket, and before he could do anything, Eagles DT Brandon Graham brought the hammer down on King Tom and the Patriot dynasty. With one, swift, powerful, fumble causing swipe. The Eagles recovered, kicked the dagger field goal to go up by eight points with 1:16 left to play.

Watching Brady lumber around scrambling for dear life, like a wounded giraffe, for the last 60 seconds of the game was epic.

It made those final live video feeds to Bud Light Super Bowl head quarters in Nassau, at the Cricket Club, even sweeter for me. I had my salt ready for those entitled Patriots fans.

LIVE BY IT,

DIE BY IT

The Brady dynasty was birthed by a controversial non fumble. “The Tuck Rule” (Just ask any Raiders fan) and ended with a clean one. Touché as they say in France.

(More on the game, and the ramifications of its result, for both teams, in next week’s column.)

Once again I would like to thank immensely, Bud Light, Bud Light Carribean (Manny Bartolo) Jimmy’s Liquors (Wellington Seymour) and the Tribune and Radiohouse (Ollie Ferguson) for making this once in a lifetime experience.

Now I’m thinking we all need to get together and let’s take Bud Light to the NBA Playoffs.

I’ve seen Brady lose live, why not LeBron?

Dilly Dilly!!

• Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1. Comments and questions to naughty@tribunemedia.net