Wow. Upon further review, both Kriss and Kross, at age 11, are harder than I was / will ever be.

If, somehow, the Big 12 is exceptionally persuasive and manages to stem the flow by not only retaining the Texas and OK schools, but also wooing the power from the MWC, I say Boise State roll the m-effin’ die and take their program independent for three seasons, or until all this settles and the BCS contract is done anyhow. How bold would that be? Suicide? Perhaps…but, honestly, the only reason ESPN bothers to sign a contract with the WAC is for BSU. Call me myopic, but I can see no meeting in which ESPN TV execs are clamoring and banging tables and outright demanding they land the Idaho – Utah St. game in a primetime slot. So, it seems, BSU would not be without TV money (and TV money they would not have to split with SJSU), and a TV deal that could even be more lucrative than what the current deal offers…or a move to the MWC and their stunning array of broadcast partners might be able to provide. If nothing else, BSU has become “Must-See-TV”™ on ESPN.

Free of most delusions, I am aware Boise State remains a circus in many people’s eyes (circus, get it)…an appetizer that deserves a slot on Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri evening and need not be anointed Saturday afternoon network royalty…both aware and certainly OK with this. I’ll ride the reputation of “upstart spunky trickster” right to the NCAA championship game. Gladly. Can you put a price tag on near weekly, national exposure on a stage void of competition for viewers’ eyeballs? Well, I’m sure people smarter than I could, but I cannot. I can’t tell you which is worth more to the BSU Football Broncos…the extra $3 million they’d receive in tv partnerships through the MWC and it’s affiliates (who are seen exactly nowhere in the US outside of Laramie, WY and a few hotbeds in central UT), or national exposure on ESPN at least every other week. Would BSU have landed New Jersey’s Kyle Wilson without its ESPN exposure?Texas’ George Iloka and his amazing Kwamé tribute do? If you don’t remember the hip hop superstar with a logo dedicated to his high top fade, here is an amazing video from “The Bone Age”.

Either way, Kwamé’s questionable fashion notwithstanding, as of this morning, University of Texas is toying with following Mizzou’s lead (what?) and pledging its allegiance to the Big 12. Hey Texas, the only reason Mizzou stayed is because the Big 10 jilted the Tigers at the alter. You understand they would leave tomorrow if the if the opportunity arose? Don’t get me wrong, I think a limited expansion to a Big 10/12 (what would they call this conference now) and a Pac 12 is perfect…if those conference do not poach the current MWC lineup. That would be ideal…however, the economics of the situation almost demand schools like Utah, TCU, BYU and BSU jump when they can jump…and though we’re fine blaming BYU for loads of other things, we couldn’t blame them for pulling a Jeffersons and moving on up…but we can hope it doesn’t happen.

Whatever. The entire future of NCAA Football and the tradition of “the little guy” hinges on the 2010 Boise State Campaign…and we just received word that though BSU fans will be outnumbered approximately 84,367 fans to 5,633 when Boise takes on VaTech in DC this Labor Day the Boise State Broncos opened as 2.5 point favorites. Wow. Much respect given Trickeration Nation.

Now, we didn’t actually say that LT drinks a girl’s beer (as far as he knows), but we did do a tribute shirt to Lawrence Taylor, or, more specifically, to his awesome earwear. It is on special for $12 until we run out, or he comes back to NY. The OG LT, not the new LT.

Maybe pros are superhuman. Wade Boggs allowed us to see that certain professional athletes are a breed apart…on and off the field. Various, wildly unreliable sources, report that Wade put down 64 Miller Lites on a cross-country flight. Google it. It is even referenced, and partially acknowledged, on Wikipedia…which, admittedly, can be viewed as a dubious source in itself. If you remain a non-believer, let’s go straight to the horse rider’s mouth….

Boggsy would certainly be putting that beer’s slogan to task as well…after 64 beers we can’t believe you’d still be chanting, “Tastes Great! Less Filling!!” But that’s just us.

Now, all this is simply a JV matinee, or single-A ball when compared to Andre The Giant’s legendary feats. If you are unfamiliar, acquaint yourselves with one of the world’s biggest, if you will, drinkers. And pour some out. We understand that it may be tough to listen to a bunch of ex-wrestlers sitting at a roundtable like CNN Crossfire or something talking about Andre downing 156 beers in one sitting, but this story is just one of many you can find with a little research.

And because some of you out there don’t believe wrestling is a sport (us included), we had to put this shirt up on our sister site, No Star. It isn’t exactly Andre The Giant…it is Bizarro Luchador Andre as “El Gigante.” It, too, is both awesome and on sale for just $15. Pick one up, maybe a few. Ha! Get it? You will if you look at the shirt.

Is it awkward that Dwight now wants to be the modern day Superman, and they both established that persona with the Magic?

Which former Magic teammates, in their prime, would win this 2-on-2 battle: Shaq and Penny vs. Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis?

And a little Shaq-Fu for nostalgia’s sake.

While scouring the world wide web for Syracuse content, 4th & Forever came across Dave “The Sports Painter” Choate and immediately fell in love with his style…his Syracuse-heavy content was pure bonus. We love the Dr. J, the Jonny Flynn vs UCONN pieces shown here, the Jordan and even the Eddie Murray. We could do without all things Red Sox, however.

Needless to say, that 6OT game between ‘Cuse and Uconn needed to be tributized in every medium. Not only did Hasheem get Thabeet here, it seems he is one step away from Europe.

As life-long Orange(men) fans, we can quite plainly say this 2010 team is the best we’ve ever seen Syracuse put on the floor. The team that won it all in 2003 had, obviously, amazing talent and a future NBA all-everything in Melo, but this team is just that: a team. It doesn’t feel like we have that insane liability on the court…the guy who could single-handedly win or lose games with his reckless play. 2010 has a team full of guys who pick each other up, and as a group can overcome most all of Scoop Jardine’s ridiculous decisions down the stretch. We love Scoop, honest, but do sometimes wonder, as he’s fouling guys shooting three pointers down the stretch (multiple times), what (or if) he is thinking.

That said it is high time we pay tribute to the 1996 Syracuse squad that advanced past Kansas in front of a hostile Denver, CO crowd to make the Final Four. High time we pay tribute to Al McGuire and his bit of “french pastry”.

It would really be a shame if this team who opened the season with an exhibition loss to Division II Le Moyne and has since gone 6-0 against Top 10 teams doesn’t play into early April and end up with some nylon neckwear.

Jackie Robinson’s indelible mark on baseball and all he was able to accomplish is truly as much a testament to the human spirit as it is his athletic ability. He remains a constant in the the sport and a not-so distant reminder from where we have come. It is an odd thing, though, the steady decline in the number of African-Americans playing professional baseball today.

So it was yesterday, after a long day at the home office, I was getting my growler refilled at the bar and glanced up to watch a few highlights from Wakefield’s bid for a no-no. Needless to say a bid that goes into the 8th is the often the product of more than a few incredible defensive plays. The first I saw was the shortstop going to his right, fielding a ball deep in the hole and making a great leaping-twisting-turning throw to first for the out. I made a mental note he was wearing 42. Obviously I was paying more attention to the bartender. The second highlight had the same #42 racing into shallow center to make a diving catch behind second base. I thought, “that fucking guy is everywhere!” It was when 42 made a catch in center and ran headlong into the wall that I finally began to put it together. It all was cemented when I noticed 42 also had an impressive knuckle ball. It was not the same 42. I get it. I failed to note that every batter was wearing 42 as well. For being a league-wide retired number, 42 certainly got a workout yesterday.

That being said, “that” being not much at all, seeing 42 at every position was a welcome reminder of all that Jackie Robinson, and those who came before and after, have had to endure. It is a shameful past our nation and nation’s pastime share. What we can do now is only our best to ensure it is not repeated as we move forward as a community, as a culture.