Sweet as Sugar
Published 6:56 pm Tuesday, December 30, 2008
When the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide take the field Friday in the 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl to take on the No. 6 Utah Utes, every Pike County Bulldog fan will have an added interest in the game.
No matter whether they are Alabama fans or Auburn fans, all of Brundidge will watch one of its own compete for the Sugar Bowl trophy.
Nick Walker, a redshirt senior for the Crimson Tide and a former Bulldog, will take the field as the starting tight end for Alabama and he cannot wait.
“It is a real exciting opportunity,” Walker said. “We have had a fun time down here so far and hopefully we can take care of business this weekend.”
Walker is second on the team with 29 catches for 299 yards this season.
He has snagged two touchdowns as well. Walker said he has enjoyed everything the Crimson Tide have accomplished this year.
“It has been a great year,” Walker said. “The whole experience has been great and exciting. It has been real big for our seniors because we are going out how we would like to go out. But we want to finish off the season with a win in the Sugar Bowl. It has been fun, but I am sad that it is all ending.”
The winning has been a great experience for Walker, but he said being with his teammates has been the best part of the year.
“Just winning and going through the season with people you care about has been great,” he said.
It does not hurt that the Crimson Tide destroyed the rival Auburn Tigers in this year’s Iron Bowl. Alabama emphatically ended the six-year reign of the orange and blue.
“That was the best moment in my life when we beat Auburn,” Walker said. “I have been here for five years and we had not won an Iron Bowl and it was great to win the game in my senior year.”
Walker said the Tide celebrated in style afterwards.
“We were all so excited after the game,” he said. “We did a little something as a team to celebrate.”
The 2009 Sugar Bowl kicks off Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. from the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.
The Sugar Bowl will be Walker’s final game as a member of the Tide, but he said he would not be done with football.
“I am going to find an agent and a place to train when this season is over,” Walker said. “I am going to try and take it to the next level.”