Earlier tonight, in a game televised on CSTV, Baylor used a late offensive outburst to down Texas, 5-2.

During the game, the television announcers told a story, of which I was unaware, on the history of Baylor softball. Enhancing the story is the role played by Texas assistant coach Corrie Hill, a Baylor player at the time.

It seems that, as the 1988 season was coming to a close, Baylor had decided to drop softball, effective upon completion of the schedule. With one out to go in the team's last game, against Sam Houston State, the Baylor players, including the aforementioned Hill, walked off the field in protest of the sport's cancellation.

Then, when Baylor was included in the upcoming merger of the old Southwest Conference and the Big 8, to form the Big 12 (which began competition in the 1996-97 academic year), the school decided to restore the roar of Bear softball.

Apparently, not liking any loose ends in their lives, a number of players from 1988, again including Hill, decided to stage a symbolic resumption of the Baylor-Sam Houston State game, more than seven years after the earlier walkout. Many, though not all, of the Baylor and SHSU players came back for the conclusion, as did the same umpire.

Some fill-in players were required, though, and as noted by the CSTV announcers, one of the participants in the resumed game was a women's basketball player who had always wanted to play softball.

A brief article on the resumption of the game, from Baylor's newspaper The Lariat on September 14, 1995, can be accessed by clicking here.

I will freely admit that my expectations were pretty low last night but the pre-game commentary before the game last night was thoroughly depressing. I guess Derek Harper already booked his early summer vacation because he was convinced that the Mavs were done for the season. Makes me almost wish I hadn't named my blog after him. Admittedly, three minutes before the end of the game, I was tempted to believe him.

There's no point in regurgitating all the "Dirk finally showed up" or "the Mavs shouldn't have blown a twenty point lead" or any of the other things that everyone has already said. The wisest thing I have heard regarding this series is that the final four minutes of Game 6 will be the true test. If the Mavericks can finish (I'm so sick of that word) Game 6 in Oakland, I will burn an effigy to Avery Johnson.

I don't want to get too optimistic but imagine the absolute horror if the Mavs were to come back from being down 3-1.

Tonight's scheduled game featuring Texas A&M at Baylor has been postponed until Saturday, due to rain.