That which is almost, but not quite, "the shit." A runner up or close second, causing one to take notice, but not alter his or her life path in any significant or compelling way.
> FAN #1: "Dude, that performance was the shart! I mean that christian rock band nailed it in a kind of...insignificant way.
> FAN #2: "Yeah man. They WERE the shart: a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but not fully committed."
> FAN #1: "Dude, sort of like the best of both worlds."