Even as the Big 12 conference seems to be falling apart, we’re doing our best to bring together a bit of old Big 8 rivalries in our newsroom.

Joining Missouri grad Ben Kleine and K-State grad Adam Stewart on our staff of reporters and in-house sports debating society this week will be a very familiar face — KU grad David Colburn, whose byline has graced these pages on quite a few occasions over the years.

No, he’s not coming back permanently. We’d love for him to, but his heart and training remain in early childhood education. When another top administrative post comes up in that field, we know he’ll be leaving us to resume that career.

Meanwhile, he’s graciously agreed to help us out, reprising his two previous stints covering sports, education, and other news dating back to 1976, when he first served as an intern while initially attending journalism school at KU after graduating from Marion High School.

David most recently covered Marion sports and wrote his popular “Colburn Comments” column in 2006 and 2007. He even briefly considered a run for Marion mayor before being lured back to a position running a Head Start program in California.

One of the smartest people you’d ever hope to meet — too smart, perhaps, to stay an ink-stained wretch very long, even in an era in which electrons have replaced most ink — David will bring his good humor, considerable insights, and deft photography and writing skills back for a third edition until he or we find a more permanent solution.

We hope you will enjoy seeing his work as much as we enjoy seeing him in the office.

— ERIC MEYER