Copy-editing question

Well played, freak.

 

I saw that but was so torn as to whether it was intentional that I decided to leave it alone.

 

I didn't take up the profession to get into the games free, by the way.

I took up the profession to get into games free and get free food. So there!

 

At smaller papers, hard to find someone who is both competent with grammatical/writing skills AND has enough sports knowledge to keep statistics/explain what happened in the games....and willing to work evenings/weekends...and work for little $$$$....

 

Agreed that the first example reeks. A team can't play its best game in one quarter. I'd much prefer it if the writer added a simple clause that tied everything together. "The Podunks played their best football of the season in the fourth quarter, holding NoName Central to 3 yards of total offense and going on to win handily . . . "

 

They can play their best game in the fourth if it's the fourth game of a volleyball match, which I presumed based on the score of 25-18.

 

You are correct.

 

So I couldn't even remember what this thread was about, much less why I posted in it. And reading the OP again, I think the edit you made was actually incorrect, Inky. "Winning handily 25-18" was modifying "the fourth (game)." The Podunks won the fourth game handily 25-18. They didn't win handily 25-18. Your edit could easily be misinterpreted as saying they won the match handily 25-18.

It's nothing to fret about, obviously. But the original structure was definitely the better form. If you wanted to edit it because you find that structure unclear, your best bet would be: "The Podunks played their best game in the fourth, which they won handily 25-18."

 

Taken out of context, I can see that. But the sentence in question was in the third or fourth graf. The full score of the match had already been given.