BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin senior safety D'Cota Dixon said his recent trip to New York City bordered on the magical.
Donning a tuxedo and being a guest of honor at the National Football Foundation awards dinner can make you feel that way.
So can dining with icons and meeting with legends of the game.
But the truly enchanting part for Dixon was the city itself, which touched him in a multitude of ways.
"So many different personalities, so many walks of life, so many people coming together," he said. "One of those places that kind of had a magical feel to it."
Dixon explored the iconic boundaries of New York City in proper fashion last week as part of the annual NFF gala. He rode its subway. He walked its streets. He hailed one of its cabs.
He saw storefronts decked out for the holidays and traffic as far as the eye could see. He saw street performers dance and sing. He had a hotdog from a vendor cart and a lavish NFF-sponsored dinner at Gallagher's Steakhouse.
Dixon was there as a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, given to the top scholar-athlete in college football. Though he didn't win — the honor went to Clemson defensive lineman Christian Wilkins — Dixon will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship for his distinguished status as an NFF National Scholar-Athlete.
He also had a meaningful, unforgettable experience that will give way to a return trip to the Big Apple.
Dixon is one of 16 seniors who will play his final game for the Badgers in the Pinstripe Bowl vs. Miami on Dec. 27 at hallowed Yankee Stadium.
It's not the bowl assignment Wisconsin players and coaches envisioned when the season began in August. Coming off back-to-back New Year's Six berths — victories over Western Michigan in the Cotton Bowl in 2017 and Miami in the Orange Bowl last December — the Badgers had trained their sights on qualifying for the College Football Playoff.
That didn't materialize. Neither did a preferred warm-weather bowl assignment.
Dixon, a co-captain, believes that once his teammates land in New York City, their spirits will soar.
"It's one of those things where they'll be more excited about it when they get there," he said. "It's one of the best experiences I'll ever have."
Dixon, from Oak Hill, Florida, said a rematch with the Hurricanes is something everyone in the Wisconsin locker room should embrace.
"Definitely want to maximize it," he said, calling Miami "a great opponent, a great team."
Dixon should be an excellent tourist resource for his teammates, many of whom have never been to the most populous city in the U.S. (8.62 million). After all, he crammed a lot of living into his visit.
After checking in to his hotel on Dec. 3, he stopped at a nearby diner where a plate of French toast cost $14.50.
Dixon then jumped on a subway train that made 14 stops before it arrived at Battery Park and a view of the Statue of Liberty.
From there it was a walk to Wall Street, the famed financial district, and seeing the "Charging Bull."
That gave way to a stop at the reflecting pools at the World Trade Center, which commemorates those killed in the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001.
Dixon said it was the most memorable part of his exploration.
"That really put a lot of things in perspective, especially when you think about the people and their families," he said. "I couldn't imagine the people of New York witnessing that, experiencing that."
Dixon noticed there were fresh flowers at the site, suggesting that many psychological wounds remain fresh.
"It's one of those things where you've got to be grateful for life, be thankful for the family you have and the people in your corner that are there to support you," he said. "That made me think a lot about that."
The next day Dixon joined Wisconsin director of athletics Barry Alvarez and coach Paul Chryst at Yankee Stadium, where everyone met Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone.
From there Dixon visited NFL headquarters, where he spent nearly an hour with Troy Vincent, the former Badgers All-American who serves as director of operations for the league.
"A man of faith and wisdom and perspective," Dixon said of Vincent. "We didn't even talk about football. We talked about life.
"He's done everything I want to do and more."
Dixon later made his way to St. Patrick's Cathedral and the famous Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.
The banquet also brought Dixon great joy. He spent time with his brother, Daryl, currently an assistant coach at Army.
"Very special," D'Cota said.
Dixon also met Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive backs Charles Woodson and Ed Reed as part of the festivities. That was a big deal for Dixon, who has a degree in rehabilitation psychology but is determined to make it in the NFL.
"One of the cool, awesome moments I got to have there," Dixon said. "I was honored. I was privileged talking to those guys."
Dixon has great memories of New York City, but he has some unfinished business.
He wants a slice of its famed pizza.
He wants to be part of a senior class that won all four of its bowl games, something that's never happened at Wisconsin.
"Hopefully we can finish the season the right way," Dixon said. "That would be a good feeling."
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