And the winners are…

UPDATEUPDATE:

Congratulations to FreeSafety and TheKeeper on winning our impromptu giveaway!

Their submissions are below and excellent — FreeSafety even managed to put his to rhyme!

For those who won, shoot me an email to rbr.erik@gmail.com with your name. I’ll have these waiting for you at the Will Call window of Coleman Coliseum tomorrow night.

Enjoy the meet and Roll Tide!

Alabama gymnastics is struggling a bit in Year One of Coach Ashley’s tenure, having won just one meet and plummeted all the way down to No. 11 nationally (if the season ended today, this would be the lowest finish for Alabama Gymnastics in the 25-year history of the present ranking system, and the worst in a decade, when Alabama finished 10th).

They are trying, for sure. And the team has a talented blend of youth and experience. Unfortunately, like so many UA athletics endeavors, the season has been positively derailed almost immediately by injuries to some of the best athletes on the roster. This may as well be Year Zero for Ashley, not Year One.

Still, the Gym Tide are still competing and being competitive with their patched together roster. And they’ll need every ounce of support they can get this week, as their cross-state rival and Johnny-Come-Lately to the mats, Auburn, arrives in town for Alabama’s preeminent annual meet: Not just the Iron Bowl, but also the Power of Pink meet.

It is an event that aims to bring awareness to the fight against breast cancer and to support fundraising for the DCH Cancer Fund. The Coliseum and several other campus and community landmarks are lit up with pink lighting this week to show support for the cause.

Sarah Patterson came up with the idea in 2004. She wanted to designate a gymnastics meet as a “Drive for the Cause” event and encouraged everyone in attendance to wear pink. It was a huge success, and the attendance numbers have only gone up since. Now called the Power of Pink, the meet regularly sells out the Coleman Coliseum.An Alabama gymnastics meet is always exciting, but Power of Pink Night brings something extra. The gymnasts on both teams wear pink leotards and fans come decked out in pink shirts, scarves, shoes, and even pink wigs or feather boas. Team introductions cease to become about the gymnasts and their accolades, but rather the breast cancer survivor who is also introduced and accompanies them on the mat. It is a night of awareness and honoring those who have bravely fought the disease.

Did we mention Auburn? What about the reigning Olympic all-around Gold Medalist, Suni Lee coming to town? Alabama will be a prohibitive underdog.

So, yes, we’re going to need a raucous Coleman Coliseum on Friday night, and this is where you come in: we’re sending four of you to the meet this weekend.

The rules are as long-standing as they are simple:

THE ROLL ‘BAMA ROLL HAIKU CONTEST

1. Members of any SBN site can compete (so come strong, Alabama fans.) All entries must occur in the comments: No Facebook comments, tweets, emails, texts or hastily scrawled love letters shall be acceptable.
2. Profanity shall be exceedingly mild, if at all. For instance “damn” is acceptable in the context of the “Run the damn/dang ball, Lane” meme. #RTDBL. Let’s not have an orgy of eff-bombs, okay?
3. This year’s haiku shall be limited to: Anything regarding Alabama athletics during the sad year of 2022.
4. If you see one you like, recommend it and/or comment upon it. We are giving away two pair; you’ll select one with your feedback, we’re arbitrarily picking the other. Humor obviously helps. But, at the end of the day, I am the iron fist beneath the velvet glove, so kiss the ring.
5. The contest ends on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2nd AT NOON CENTRAL. Winner to be announced later that day so that you may plan accordingly.
6. Per SBN rules, I am require to inform you that 1. there are rules to the contest (what you’re reading now,) and 2. there shall be a prize under $100.00 of value (see below.)
7. Haiku shall conform to standard 5-syllable, 7-syllable, 5-syllable convention.

THE PRIZE

The two (2) winners of this year’s contest shall receive one pair (each) of tickets to the Alabama Power of Pink meet; a total of four (4) tickets shall be given away.

Since it is Auburn, and it is the premiere event, and the literal world champion is coming to town, the good seats are already gone (and it’s almost a sell-out, as-is). But we’re not putting you in nosebleeds. You get a great spot, at a great meet, for a great reason.

Get cracking!

Submit those haiku and get to voting.