Mind That Bird

Sad to say, it probably hasn't.

Yes, we have fewer eyes to catch things. But we also have fewer pages, fewer stories.

So it's not like a copy editor who was editing 10 stories before is doing 20 now. He's still editing 10 . . . it's just that those 10 are half the stories in the paper instead of 25%-35%.

 

I'm amazed how often I see "Alex Rodriquez" in copy ...

 

Hell even the legendary voice calling the Derby itself couldn't get the name right...and barely mentioned MTB at all!

http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/05/05/mine-that-bird-shocked-everyone-including-announcer-tom-durkin/

 

It has to be right, because I haven't seen it any other way, but Pioneerof the Nile was seriously messing me up during Derby week.

 

The reason there is no space between pioneer and of is due to a rule that says horse names can't be longer than 18 characters (including spaces) so that the name will fit on the racing form

 

The Times put in the extra space in their Preakness recap. I'm not debating you. I'm just noting that it looks like someone at their desk noticed the missing space too.

 

Absolutely correct, sir. And UPChip, if the Times put that space in there, then the Times copy editors did something they absolutely shouldn't have, and considering he has been around as a high-profile Triple Crown prospect for a number of months now, I'm really surprised.

 

Yep, that's wrong.

 

I really, truly hope that this wasn't some high-minded New York Times deal where it somehow thinks it's better than that and simply refuses to introduce a "typo" into its sports section, no matter how correct it is.

Also, it's possible that's how it came from the writer. You'd still hope it was caught, though.

 

Did someone call? ;D