Another AP boo-boo?

Just noticed something on the NFL standings that AP moves every day ... have they changed the style for abbreviating the month of September? Everything is now abbreviated "Sep." ....

 

Dammit, do you realize how much stockholder money they can save by eliminating those pesky bytes?

 

And yet they want to charge us more ... :|

 

I believe that AP's college football logs have always had it as Sep. I remember going into it one time to add the t and shit started breaking over. Not worth the time and trouble.

 

It does not, in fact, make a whole lot of sense that every other abbreviated month is three letters, and September is four.

 

Don't have an AP stylebook handy, but I believe Sep has been the preferred form in agate for years.

 

Yeah, just like "St." stands in for "State" in college football scores (Michigan St., Ohio St., etc.), when it's in fact the abbreviation for "street."

 

I can't believe this would even rank as a "boo-boo."

 

Would this?

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Go ahead, pick your <b> adjective </b>. The Pittsburgh Steelers probably used it following a stunning 35-7 loss to Baltimore on Sunday.

Safety Ryan Clark called it <b> "a whipping." </b> Several players went with "humbling." Linebacker James Harrison considers it <b> "a reality check" </b> while offensive tackle Willie Colon labeled it "embarrassing."

 

Nice, somewhat subtle (but I guess it shouldn't be) catch.

 

On the "Sep." vs. "Sept." argument, I think that's a classic example of worrying about the wrong things in this business.

Is it technically correct to use "Sept." rather than "Sep."? Yes.
Is there any reader out there who will see that and notice it or think of it as an error? Doubtful.

If you're to the point where the rest of your section, writing, editing, coverage decisions, story play, etc., is so perfect that the next thing on your list left to correct is how the AP abbreviates the name of a month, then you're in good shape. But I doubt that's the case for anyone on here.

 

My gripe with AP is one that's probably of greater interest to my readers: Why can't they move wild card standings?