A is for Alex Rodriguez
One of Nick's most prized possessions is his baseball card collection. Although, he says, he has "over a million" cards, his favorite one is his Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) rookie card.
B is for Bird Incident
One of Nick's most embarrassing moments came when he was getting ready to go on a date. He and a friend were taking their dates to dinner and a play, but unfortunately, Nick locked his keys in his car. While he was waiting outside for another friend to bring him the spare key, a bird dropped a little present on his black sports coat! Needless to say, the rest of the date was easy because "nothing could get more embarrassing."
C is for Mint Chocolate Chip
"I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" Chances are, you will hear Nick screaming for mint chocolate chip because that flavor is and has always been his favorite.
D is for Dollar Bill Trick
During Nick's sophomore year of high school, the seniors on the baseball team got together and decided to pull a little prank on him. They tied a twenty dollar bill to a string and right as Nick bent down to pick it up, they pulled it away. Nick said that this was another one of his most embarrassing moments off the field, especially since it took a little while to live it down.
E is for Eyes of Texas
"The Eyes of Texas are upon you, All the live long day. The Eyes of Texas are upon you, You cannot get away." Nick's favorite Texas tradition is singing "The Eyes of Texas" before and after each game. Win or lose, Nick likes to show his Longhorn pride.
F is for First Pitch
Nick is one of the lucky people to have thrown out a fist pitch at the Dell Diamond. However, when he threw his honorary pitch, it went over the catcher's head. This was a rare moment for Nick since he is always right on target during games.
G is for Day Game
Nick prefers day games to night games because he sees the ball better, which is always an important thing when you are catching those high pop flies in right field or fielding hard-hit grounders at the hot corner.
H is for Hoovers
Nick's favorite Austin restaurant is Hoovers. It is located on Manor Road and offers a variety of foods ranging from Southern to Cajun to Tex-Mex. Many people do not know, but Hoovers used to be a grocery store before it was turned into a restaurant. So if it's dinner time and you want to run into Nick, stop by Hoovers.
I is for Ice Chewing
How many times did your mom tell you not to chew ice because it is bad for your teeth? Well, chances are you will also hear Nick telling you not to chew ice, but not because it is bad for your teeth. Instead, it is because it drives him crazy. Nick's biggest pet peeve is when people chew cubed ice.
J is for Juice
When Nick goes to the grocery store, he cannot leave without getting lots and lots of juice. He fills his shopping cart up with juices of all flavors because he wants to keep a little variety in his life.
K is for Kitchen
Nick is a man who knows his way around the kitchen. David Maroul, Nick's former roommate and UT teammate, will vouch that Nick's cooking is an A+. Nick's "standard meal" is pork chops, mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. However, he recently added chili to his menu.
L is for Longhorns
Nick has been a Longhorn since birth. He was born in Austin and has lived in the Austin/Round Rock area his entire life. Moreover, one of his older brothers, Danny, was also a Longhorn and a three-year letterwinner in baseball. In fact, Danny garnered All-Southwest Conference and second-team All-America honors in 1996.
M is for Meat
Another thing Nick cannot leave the grocery store without is meat. He has to have chicken, a variety of sandwich meats and, of course, pork chops, so he can make his roommate's taste buds happy.
N is for Nickname
His nickname since freshman year has been "Dirt Bag." He hated it at first, but has come to accept it. "Dirt Bag" stuck because Nick's uniform was always dirty. Somehow, someway he would end up with dirt, mud and grass all over his clean, white uniform. Nick even said that he was the guy on the team that always had to get an extra shirt before practice because his original one was guaranteed to get dirty.
O is for Omaha
Nick could not believe anyone had to ask him what his favorite baseball memory was. Like most of the returning Longhorns, Nick's favorite moment was winning the National Championship last year in Omaha. It was an amazing experience and one that he will never forget.
P is for "Pigs" by Pink Floyd
Nick's at-bat song at Disch-Falk Field is "Pigs" by Pink Floyd. Other than Pink Floyd being one of his favorite bands, Nick's song does not have any special significance, although he did say, "it just sounds sweet!"
Q is for Quack
"Quack, quack, quack, quack." Sounds like a quote from the Mighty Ducks, but it's not. Nick's first baseball team was called the Penguins and after each game, they "quacked." Definitely, a sight to be seen.
R is for Range Rover
Nick's dream car is a Range Rover, which is a little different than the old-school gray suburban he had during his freshman year. Unfortunately, the suburban has been retired, but it was a classic and was nicknamed "The Beast" by all who loved it.
S is for Sociology of Sports
Nick's favorite class at UT has been Sociology of Sports. He said that being an athlete in the class was really cool because it made you look at sports in a different light. Nick also got an A in the class, which is always a good thing.
T is for Tournament Teams
During the 2005 season, Nick earned Austin NCAA Regional and Big 12 All-Tournament Team honors for his efforts during the first two rounds of postseason action. In NCAA Regional play, Nick batted .368 and scored six times. In addition, he posted a .520 on base percentage. during the Big 12 Tournament to go along with a .500 batting average and six RBI.
U is for Socks Up
Nick is one of the few Longhorns who has been sporting his "socks up" this season. During his freshman and sophomore years, Nick typically wore them down; however, this season he is thinking of mixing it up a little bit. Watch for those burnt orange calves at third base or in right field.
V is for Vacation
If Nick was handed a million dollars right now, he would take a trip with his family and friends to Hawaii, one of his favorite vacation spots. During his freshman year, Nick and the UT baseball team went to Hawaii for a series and, ever since, he has wanted to return. Before going to Hawaii, Nick did not believe that the island was as green and blue as the pictures touted, but he was pleasantly surprised upon arriving in "paradise."
W is for Walk On His Hands
Nick's hidden talent is that he can walk on his hands...forever.
X is for Xtreme Snowboarding
If Nick had to participate in the Winter Olympics, he would try his hand at the extreme sport of snowboarding - specifically, the half pipe. Nick loves snowboarding, but don't worry Coach Garrido, Nick won't be on the slopes anytime soon.
Y is for Vince Young T-Shirts
Ever seen the "VY: HE-IS-the-MAN" t-shirts? Well those shirts were created by Nick and some friends. Nick's dad owns a t-shirt printing company, so when it came time for UT football, Nick and his friends went to work and created one of the best Vince Young t-shirts on the market.
Z is for Zoom
Nick is one of the fastest guys on the UT baseball roster, which really helps him chase down those fly balls in right field or those grounders in the hole. But you better watch him carefully when he is on base, or he may steal a bag or two without you even noticing.
