During a luncheon yesterday, Donovan recalled the Gators' roller-coaster season and how the local news media rolled along.

Two teams with roller-coaster seasons fighting to make the playoffs.

Only tenacity got him through a roller-coaster season.

He acknowledged that this had been a roller-coaster season that was particularly stressful for all involved.

"Why not have a roller-coaster season, have it come down to a big game, and make the playoffs?"

The news regarding Nolan is just another twist in a roller-coaster season that has seen the Giants go through one of their worst periods ever.

The Expos, baseball's vagabonds, have had a roller-coaster season.

The points standings were led by Davey Allison, who had experienced a roller-coaster season.

Both teams have put together rocky, roller-coaster seasons, but the Chargers' last loss, at home to Arizona, really stunk.

It was also typical of the Giants' roller-coaster season.