In Wednesday’s Scratching the Surface column, I looked at pitchers who are considered fifth starters for their teams and asked if they were going to make it, or if they would fake it. So I labeled each one either a “Bon Jovi” or a “Milli Vanilli.” The Milli Vanilli was obvious, but my choice of Bon Jovi was questioned on Twitter.

Jay-Z dropped a new track! Let’s take a listen to that hot fire. “Open Letter,” huh? I wonder who it’s to? Well, it sounds like someone in the Nets organization. Or maybe Nets fans in general? Brooklyn as a whole? It’s hard to tell. Take a listen after the jump.

Other NBA big men have been known to rehab injuries with various off-court pursuits, namely pumping gas and firing some rounds and movie-going. Andre Drummond’s injured back, which is keeping him out of the lineup for 4-6 weeks, does not afford such town-galavanting. Plus he’s a team player, and he doesn’t want to lose touch with the guys.

Ben Gibbard, former Deathcab For Cutie/Postal Service frontman did what any soft rock musician does when he loses a long-time love and wrote a song about it. In this case, it was his beloved Ichiro. Check out “Ichiro’s Theme” after the jump.

The band behind this OKC-version of “Call Me Maybe” — which has already been covered and parodied to death by a variety of people — must really love the Thunder. This cover features excellent instrumentation, clever lyric-reworkings, and even a rapper. Sure, the rapper’s not very good, BUT HE LOVES THE THUNDER. It’s waiting for you, in all its pop-y, foot-tapping glory, after the jump.

Want an overly simplified version of the Penn State scandal that ended Joe Paterno’s coaching career, set to Casio keyboard riffs and the soft, aching croons of the “Boogie Woogie King of Rock n’ Roll”? Well, you asked for it. It’s there for you, after the jump.

There’s not much to do on long road trips once your read all your books, listen to all your music and count all the cars that pass by your window. So what did the Harvard baseball team do when they were out of ways to pass the time? Video after the jump.

Why, Virginia Commonwealth University, we didn’t know you had it in you! My head is bobbing. Here are the VCU Peppas, the university’s athletic band, playing in Portland, Oregon.