"said Podunk coach Joe Jones" vs. "Podunk coach Joe Jones said"

One of the lessons I received at my first news internship was using "said" after the subject in quotes ... except when you're introducing the subject.

For example:
Podunk Valley beat J-School, 2-1, in field hockey.
"It was a good game," said Podunk coach Joe Jones.
Podunk goalkeeper Jane Doe made six saves, clinching Podunk's spot in the District 1 championship game.
"Jane's been on a great run for us," Jones said.

While our shop pretty much sticks to this format, I've noticed our sister newspaper has been reworking my quotes to read as such:
The Podunk Township Patriots won Friday night's District 1 football championship, 31-17, at Bronco High.
"This is the proudest moment of my high school career," Podunk Township quarterback Frank Martin said.
Martin tossed for 150 yards, while the running game accounted for all four touchdowns.
"We can't run the ball without Frank playing so well," running back Joe Robbins said.




So, which style do you use?

 

Said at the end. Almost always.

The exception is when there's a clause separated by a comma, as in "said Podunk coach Joe Jones, who is now 17-1 vs. State U. in his career."

 

Bingo. Flipping the order just once in a story is a nice way to get a fact in without having to embed it in the next graf.

Otherwise it's "xxx said."

 

Agreed. I think I've also gone with said first when the person's title was ridiculously long. " ... said Podunk County Unified School District director of indoor and outdoor facility and equipment maintenance, replacement and repair."

I don't know if that was correct or not, but it seemed to flow better.

 

Personally, I find that this format (the one the last three posters liked) ...

"This is the proudest moment of my high school career," Podunk Township quarterback Frank Martin said ...

is clunky. It doesn't feel conversational.

 

I've always used "xxx said" but I run across it the other way around so much in my coworkers' copy that I don't even bother to change it now. I'm the only one who seems to stick to that rule.

 

Our style is "said XXX." I'm still not used to it.

 

What you were taught was right.

 

Write it the way you want it. Just don't muddle it.

 

Replace said with another action verb.
Would you say "Coach walked" or "walked Coach?"

 

For a second I thought you were going to tell him to use "exclaimed" or "opined" instead and I was going to cut you in your face.

 

Always "So-and-So said."

For example: "Don't you ever write a fucking word about my brother or you'll have me to answer to," Sacramento Kings thug Demarcus Cousins said.