Saturday, October 30, 2010

Rewriting a rout

A GAME STORY started this way on Saturday:

Ricky Stanzi threw three touchdown passes and No. 18 Iowa knocked fifth-ranked Michigan State from the ranks of the unbeaten in decisive fashion, stomping the Spartans 37-6 on Saturday.


I'd change it to this:



Ricky Stanzi threw three touchdown passes as No. 18 Iowa beat fifth-ranked Michigan State 37-6 on Saturday and knocked the Spartans from the ranks of the unbeaten.

It's a logical way to write it. You need to get the win in there first.

Or you could say they handed the Spartans their first loss.



Contact: I can be reached at tgilli52@gmail.com or nc3022@yahoo.com. Also, my Twitter handle is EDITORatWORK.

(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)
(the book of great NASCAR stories)

More blog entries by Tom Gillispie

Anecdotes by Tom Gillispie

Friday, October 29, 2010

Facing third and long

I FOUND A BASEBALL HEADLINE that uses a reference to football, but I like it.

Rangers Head to Texas, Facing Third and Long

 

Why does it work? The Texas Rangers have lost two games to the San Francisco Giants, and the third game of the World Series is coming up in Arlington, Texas. Normally, football is king in Texas (the two sports in Texas are football and spring football practice). Coming off a 9-0 loss, the Rangers are in deep trouble — third and long.

 

It works on a couple of levels, but I'm not sure they need the comma.



Contact: I can be reached at tgilli52@gmail.com or nc3022@yahoo.com. Also, my Twitter handle is EDITORatWORK.

(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)
(the book of great NASCAR stories)

More blog entries by Tom Gillispie

Anecdotes by Tom Gillispie