From the "Holy shit! What the f*ck were they thinking?" file

You only cover us when we wear wife beaters!

 

Man I'd hate to play for a team nicknamed the Wife Beaters.

 

What about the JV wife beaters? Don't they get coverage, too?

 

Laughed out loud. Thanks.

 

You're absolutely right; it's a shit lede.

It is MORE THAN 20 years, not OVER!!!! Over is a motherfucking preposition!

Whew. Carry on.

 

What a terrible lead.

Not as many in the past, and too many believe using "over" instead of "more than" isn't that big of a deal. Using proper words and style does matter.

Unfortunately, you're correct.

 

Count me in the "it isn't a big deal" category.

There is a difference between using proper words and style. Style is deciding how otherwise arbitrary choices are made consistently throughout a publication. They don't make either choice right or wrong outside of that context. Style is not on the same level as grammar, syntax and semantics.

If I'm writing for a publication that has chosen AP style for matters of consistency, then "over" in that context is a style mistake. If I'm an individual, especially in an informal setting, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that usage.

 

So Mark Whicker is covering high schools now?

 

That was exactly what I thought, too, when I read that lead, and this thread.

Obviously, whoever edited this story missed that thread entirely...

 

Well this thread went to places I didn't expect.

 

That's happened over 9000 times around here.

 

Only 9,000?