Guest Coloumnist Linda Frohlich: WNBA season a thrill ride, but doesn’t always mean fun

Thursday, July 3, 2003 | 9:53 a.m.

Linda Frohlich, an All-American at UNLV, is in her second season with the WNBA' s New York Liberty. She writes every Thursday in the Sun. Find out what she's ' p to by checking out her Web site at www.LindaFrohlich.com

Have you ever been on a rollercoaster before?

It starts off slow and gradually builds up its speed and confidence. Numerous times at this junction of the ride I forget that I am even on the rollercoaster, but within a moment's notice that all changes.

One second ago I was 200 feet in the air and then before you know it I am equal to sea level. Then you make a sharp right turn, and then a left followed by a complete 360-degree loop in speeds upwards of 60 mph. For these couple of minutes of your life you don't know what is going to happen, so you just hold on and enjoy the ride.

This is just what the WNBA season is like, with every turn and loop. I guess right now you can say that we are heading down toward sea level. We have had some real unfortunate events happen to the New York Liberty. A couple of key players suffered injuries in the early part of the season. It seemed they were on their way back by having a couple of solid games after struggling in the early part of the season, but in only two days our season took a dramatic turn.

One day before we played Detroit, Crystal Robinson twisted her ankle, so she did not suit up for that game. Then, during the game, another one of our guards reinjured her calf muscle so she is not 100 percent. Then to top all of that, our leading scorer, Becky Hammon, tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the first seconds that she was in the game. Now she is out for the rest of the season.

With all of this happening, you would think that it was Friday the 13th. Our backs are against the wall now and we have to fight. I came across an article in the newspaper that basically stated that we are done for the season. I know this is not true. All this means is that everyone has to take it up a notch. Yesterday the young players got pulled aside and got a talk from our leader and captain Teresa Weatherspoon.

She said that she believes in us and knows that we can fill the void. That really meant a lot to us and hopefully we will make her proud.

Only time will tell what lies next for us. Who knows what will be the next turn in the rollercoaster of our season? But rest assured, I have put on my seatbelt and will enjoy the ride.