Did I do the right thing?

So, I'm waiting for the Indians to finish off the Yankees, contemplating headlines.

Finally, my subhead says, "Tribe flips Yanks the Byrd"

Because of the meaning, I call my editor at home and he says, "I love it. Go with it."

It's on the page, just before I hit the print button, my instincts tell me not to do it, so I change it to something bland.

I guess this is a long-winded way of asking if I made the correct call.

Better safe than sorry... or, am I just a coward?

Any and all opinions would be appreciated.

thanks

 

You punked yourself Colton. The head was fine. You had the support from management.
Next time, ride the tide.

 

You did the right thing by calling your editor. You did the wrong thing by wimping out on the headline after your editor approved it.

 

What do you tell the ed today when he's looking for the headline you got him out of bed for at 11 p.m.??

 

Probably made the right call. Even if you and your editor thought it was funny, others could have been offended, and better not to piss people off over a subhed.

 

Changing it at the final hour was your call. If I wake my editor up to get his OK, he's going to question why I didn't use it when he sees me in the office the next day.

Shouldn't it be "flip" and not "flips" since "Tribe" is plural and not singular (per AP handbook guidelines, that is)?

 

Hilarious headline, but probably did the right thing by changing it.

 

Excellent call on flip.

 

Actually, "Tribe" is a collective singular. This isn't "The Indians is/are." This is like "The flock of birds is over my house."
Also, if it hit the fan, Colton, I'm sure your editor would be happy to tell upper echelons that he didn't remember a thing about your phone call.
Good play.

 

Fenian,

Although I have picked up some good writing/editing lessons from you in the past, I have to disagree.

Your collective singular is still being used as a version of the team's nickname, like subbing Bucs for Pirates or Pack for Packers or Yanks for Yankees. Granted two of those three still have an s at the end and are clearly plural, but the fact remains that you using a separate nickname for the team instead of the given one and all nicknames - s or no s - are plural.

Mystery Meat, you're familiar with the William & Mary area. Does the Richmond paper use Tribe as a plural per AP guidelines?

Cleveland flips New York the Byrd.
Indians flip New York the Byrd.
Tribe flip New York the Byrd.

All in the name of consistency, no?

 

Nope.
Pack and Packers are different kettles of brats.
"The Pack Is Back" say the bumper stickers. And they're right.

 

I don't remember off the top of my head, but the one story I could find on their website has Tribe as a singular (they also still use I-AA and not FCS, for what it's worth).