Saturday’s Junk Pile: Sweetest Quote of the Week, plus Landon Donovan and “Story Highlights”

A couple of things that made me smile this week, but which weren’t quite enough for an entire post:

Most Adorable Quote of the Week Award…

…goes to Stephane Le Mignan, coach of French Ligue 2’s Vannes OC, who just booked a ticket to the Coupe de la Ligue final after beating Ligue 1’s Nice on penalties.

Background: This is their first year ever as a professional team. Last year they were in Ligue 3 National, the third division, where amateurs can still play. Ten years ago they were in the fifth division. Their stadium seats all of 8000 people.

From Le Mignan:

“I don’t think I realise [what’s happened] yet. This is our first ever year in the professional game, our first ever participation in the Coupe de la Ligue and yet we have won a ticket to the Stade de France! It’s huge. It’s a stadium where you are used to going to watch others, or the French team. On April 25, we will be there!”

I’ve been to Stade de France, and he’s right. It is huge. Congrats to Vannes on an amazing run.

Of course, Bordeaux will slaughter them in the final. But let’s hope that having it happen in the Stade de France in front of 80,000 people and on national TV takes the away a bit of the sting.

Or…something.

And now it’s time for my mandatory link to something marginally related to MLS:

You know what really bugs me? The “Story Highlights” that are appearing at the top of so many articles lately. For those who are too damn lazy to even skim.

From one about the Landon Donovan loan to Bayern:

Story Highlights
–Los Angeles Galaxy star Landon Donovan is on loan to Bayern Munich until March
–A month of games isn’t enough to experience what it’s like to play for super-club
–Donovan would be better served by staying until end of Bundesliga season in May

Did you get the full story from that? Yeah, me neither.

But this has given me an idea. I think I’ll make a career out of writing these up for actual books:

Romeo and Juliet:
–His parents hate her parents
–They want to get married
–They die instead.

On the other hand, if I were writing the summary of the Donovan article, I’d need just five words: “Man up and learn, dude!”

P.S. from me: We believe in you, Landon. Make this work.

Some Related Stories:

Category: World Football