Columnist Linda Frohlich: Mercury: No hard feelings

Linda Frohlich

Thursday, June 10, 2004 | 8:50 a.m.

Linda Frohlich, a professional basketball player and former UNLV All-American, writes a column exclusively for the Las Vegas Sun.

I know everyone is wondering what happened in Phoenix and what is happening in my life right now. Well, I'm going to tell you ... without beating around the bush.

First of all, I am OK and I wanted to say thank you for all of the support that I have received in the past couple of weeks.

Now, let's get to my story: I arrived at the Phoenix Mercury training camp on May 9 after my extended European season in Italy. I did not practice that day and did not participate in an exhibition game, the Mercury's second, the next day.

The day after the game, Tuesday, May 11, there was no practice. So my first official practice was on Wednesday, May 12, after rushing out of Italy immediately the night after my last game there.

I have to honestly say that my first practice with the Mercury was relatively easy for me -- first, because I was still in great shape after my season in Rovereto, and second, because I have been through more intense, more physical and longer practices.

Practice in training camp is crucial, because that is when the coaches are forming their opinions about you -- watching you perform under pressure. Early in my first practice session I started getting a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was wrong: I was standing around a lot, and was hardly getting any practice time.

Things were completely out of my control, and that felt weird. Looking back, after having some time to digest what has happened, I can say that I did not get a fair look at training camp due to my late arrival and the Mercury's change in coach. The new coach preferred to go with a lineup of four guards and one post player.

After two days of practice I received a call from the general manager, and he told me the news no player ever wants to hear: "Linda, I am sorry, but we'll have to let you go."

Nooooooooooooo!

It did hurt ... especially because in the last couple of months in Europe I had visualized being on this new team, and the girls on the team were really nice.

I hope no one takes from this article that I am mad at the Mercury or the organization: I am not mad at anyone. I just wanted to tell the truth about how I feel. I know a lot of times I read or watch interviews where celebrities sugarcoat the truth about what really went on, and I did not want to do that.

So what is next for me? I am currently in California and there are a couple of teams in the WNBA that have an interest in my game, so I might get picked up by one of them. My agent calls me and gives me updates on what teams are saying. So there is a chance that I will get picked up by another team.

If I am not picked up this year, I am going to make some appearances at TriFytt Sports basketball camps in late June (in Las Vegas June 21-25) and then I am going back to Germany to compete with the German national team to try to qualify for the European championship.

I am calm, and even though it stinks what happened to me, I know that it is happening for a reason. I believe that everything is going to work out better than I can even picture.

Linda Frohlich, a professional basketball player and former UNLV All-American, writes a column exclusively for the Las Vegas Sun.