When a coach says a naughty word (GASP!) ...

but the quote is a good one that needs to make it in, how does your paper handle it? I read in a major metro today a writer replace the dirty word with a funny synonym. Instead of shit, he used [doody]. I found it a little strange and immature.

 

[expletive]

 

What he said.. I've seen it that way dozens of times over.

 

That may work for an adjective, but more clarity is nicer - i.e., synonym - if it's a noun. "He's a dirty [expletive]," Joe Bagodonuts said.

 

USA Today had something similar when they reported that Kyle Petty dropped the f-bomb on national TV during the race at Sonoma.
They used "what the F-?"
I don't mind seeing that or using [expletive], but doody? You've got to be [expletive] me!

 

From Amy K. Nelson's story on Russell Martin on ESPN.com:

When Martin's name was recently mentioned to one National League talent evaluator, he responded with a short, simple line: "Martin is very, very, very good."

But, why?

"He does everything well and plays his [butt] off."

 

Like in mine and Clever's example, I've seen several papers replace even the fairly harmless ones, damn = [darn] and hell = [heck]. Is there an AP style on which swears to use?

 

So then by that token, what are considered naughty words?

Obviously the seven deadly words. But what about ass? Damn? Crap? Hell?

What if a euphemism is used? "Joe Bagodonuts played like a pole smoker?"

EDIT: beat me to it, webb

 

AP used to send out language alerts for even the Barry Switzer undercusswords (hell, damn and crap). They don't anymore. We incorporate these words and nobody complains.

For other ones, I admit we're inconsistent. I once quoted Dale Earnhardt Jr. saying "tee-total shit" and inserted [expletive], but also I quoted a high school pitcher saying "he pissed me off real good" and inserted [ticked].

 

CP (Canadian Press) now okays the use of expletives. And I agree.

If they said it, they said it.

It's not my job to police what parents' kids read. I report facts. The fact is he said "fuck." Deal with it. I didn't say it.

Readers have the CHOICE to BUY our newspapers. It's not like we're forcing them to read us.

They have a problem with what someone said, take it up with the person who said it.

 

And most of them aren't. Maybe because our papers are filled with cuss words

No, seriously, the paper should be PG. The hells and damns are acceptable, but no self-respecting newspaper should print the word "fuck" without a fucking good reason.

 

I believe Ty is referring to Schultz's column in the AJC in which Jim Leyland is quoted several times, and all the quotes seem to feature a naughty word or two.

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/sportscolumns/entries/2007/06/24/braves_have_big.html