Poor Writers/Copy Editors

[Fritz]

Y'know, we all fuss and study the minutiae of being an NFL player. We expect them, after a couple years, to know their profession inside and out, to be technicians, to be students of the game.

Lately, I've been catching more and more errors in basic grammar and word use by the writers of the JSO and Press Gazette. There was a couple weeks ago the classic misuse of "its" instead of "it's." And now there's this in a GBPG article listing reasons for optimism. The writer is Mike Vandermeuse:

"No, there’s no such thing as a morale victory."

A morale victory? WTF? It's moral victory.

And before any of you jump on me for being picky, and that it doesn't matter because I should know what the guy meant, consider this:

You get into an accident and bang up your front fender. You've got a big deductible, but you want your car to look right, so you bring it into a body shop.

The shop calls you a few days later and tells you your car's ready. You get there and when you examine the work you see that the fender looks better but still has a dent in it. It's not fixed right.

So you point this out to the body shop guy. He turns to you and says, "Well, that's no big deal. You know what it's supposed to look like."

If you're going to make your living as a wordsmith, then know your craft.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I agree. I think it's a generational thing. I'm astounded by the grammatical errors in major newspapers and wire services.

[SkinBasket]

Everyone relies on spellcheck now, not just us idiots. Reading is hard. You have to pay attention and move your eyes around and stuff. Unless someone can do it while making a phone call or listening to their iTunes or playing bejeweled, they consider it a waste of time. Electronic multitasking is our new opium.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Fritz,

While you are correct about the common usage, "moral victory" actually makes no sense. There is nothing to do with morals or ethics in a win or a loss.

There seems to be a paradigm shift regarding usage, and that "morale" is being substituted because it actually makes sense. I've seen this usage on other sites, and have also run across this discussion.

So, you should actually be happy that we are finally getting rid of improper usage.

[bobblehead]

I can take this hole (yes, that is on purpose :P) thing a step further.

I'm the first one to rag on someone who wants to play spelling police on a blog where we are typing fast and furious and not proof reading out stuff, but I had an experience with one of my first jobs.

First memo from the top brass started like this:

"We would like to thank you all for your patients during this difficult time"

I turned to my boss and declared it was time to start paying me like a doctor dammit.

Second one went like this:

"You will then put half the items to you're left...."

Now again, I bag on know it alls on blog sites who get wood by pointing out a spelling error or typo, but if you are top brass sending a memo down to the peons ffs get a proofreader. The second one is especially egregious because it takes a conscious effort

[Fritz]

Fritz,

While you are correct about the common usage, "moral victory" actually makes no sense. There is nothing to do with morals or ethics in a win or a loss.

There seems to be a paradigm shift regarding usage, and that "morale" is being substituted because it actually makes sense. I've seen this usage on other sites, and have also run across this discussion.

So, you should actually be happy that we are finally getting rid of improper usage.

I'm more interested in the common usage, which over time has resulted in speakers talking not about "morale victories" but "moral victories."

If Vandermeuse were speaking and used the term, I'd bet a fair amount of money he'd say "moral victory" and not "morale." My sense is not that the writer has picked up on this change of use, but that he doesn't know how to spell "moral."

[sharpe1027]

Fritz,

While you are correct about the common usage, "moral victory" actually makes no sense. There is nothing to do with morals or ethics in a win or a loss.

There seems to be a paradigm shift regarding usage, and that "morale" is being substituted because it actually makes sense. I've seen this usage on other sites, and have also run across this discussion.

So, you should actually be happy that we are finally getting rid of improper usage.

It makes sense to me. A team loses, but plays hard and does better than expected. The team learns that hard work pays off. They get a moral gain despite the loss.

Morale victory? What is that? The winner of a cheerleader competition?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Fritz,

While you are correct about the common usage, "moral victory" actually makes no sense. There is nothing to do with morals or ethics in a win or a loss.

There seems to be a paradigm shift regarding usage, and that "morale" is being substituted because it actually makes sense. I've seen this usage on other sites, and have also run across this discussion.

So, you should actually be happy that we are finally getting rid of improper usage.

I'm more interested in the common usage, which over time has resulted in speakers talking not about "morale victories" but "moral victories."

If Vandermeuse were speaking and used the term, I'd bet a fair amount of money he'd say "moral victory" and not "morale." My sense is not that the writer has picked up on this change of use, but that he doesn't know how to spell "moral."

I think he knows how to spell. As i said, the common usage is changing. There seems to be a switch...i've noticed it as well..bleacherreport, etc.

Probably best if we go with morrall victory.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Fritz,

While you are correct about the common usage, "moral victory" actually makes no sense. There is nothing to do with morals or ethics in a win or a loss.

There seems to be a paradigm shift regarding usage, and that "morale" is being substituted because it actually makes sense. I've seen this usage on other sites, and have also run across this discussion.

So, you should actually be happy that we are finally getting rid of improper usage.

It makes sense to me. A team loses, but plays hard and does better than expected. The team learns that hard work pays off. They get a moral gain despite the loss.

Morale victory? What is that? The winner of a cheerleader competition?

Hardly. The team worked hard...and they lost. That certainly doesn't show that hard work pays off. Probably shows the opposite.

When we use moral stories like the tortoise and the hair or the grasshopper and the ant...we learn something. You don't learn anything like those lessons by losing.

Or, if you lose but achieve a victory elsewhere. Let's say in the 300. Leonidas and his men all die...definitely a loss, but since they will achieve fame, honor and a good afterlife..that might count as a moral victory.

An underdog losing a tightly contested game has nothing to do with morals or ethics. Everything to do with morale. They lost, but in the process improved their morale...spirits were lifted by the closeness of the loss.

Either way, doesn't matter to ty.

[Bossman641]

Fritz,

While you are correct about the common usage, "moral victory" actually makes no sense. There is nothing to do with morals or ethics in a win or a loss.

There seems to be a paradigm shift regarding usage, and that "morale" is being substituted because it actually makes sense. I've seen this usage on other sites, and have also run across this discussion.

So, you should actually be happy that we are finally getting rid of improper usage.

It makes sense to me. A team loses, but plays hard and does better than expected. The team learns that hard work pays off. They get a moral gain despite the loss.

Morale victory? What is that? The winner of a cheerleader competition?

Hardly. The team worked hard...and they lost. That certainly doesn't show that hard work pays off. Probably shows the opposite.

When we use moral stories like the tortoise and the hair or the grasshopper and the ant...we learn something. You don't learn anything like those lessons by losing.

Or, if you lose but achieve a victory elsewhere. Let's say in the 300. Leonidas and his men all die...definitely a loss, but since they will achieve fame, honor and a good afterlife..that might count as a moral victory.

An underdog losing a tightly contested game has nothing to do with morals or ethics. Everything to do with morale. They lost, but in the process improved their morale...spirits were lifted by the closeness of the loss.

Either way, doesn't matter to ty.

Since this is a topic about spelling and correct usage I had to do it. Sorry

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Not a problem.

[Fritz]

The tortoise and the hair? Didn't Skin do that thread in the garbage can??

[Packers4Ever]

The tortoise and the hair? Didn't Skin do that thread in the garbage can??

Here's one - how about the team was "defeeted"

[MJZiggy]

Re: Poor Writers/Copy Editors

Y'know, we all fuss and study the minutiae of being an NFL player. We expect them, after a couple years, to know their profession inside and out, to be technicians, to be students of the game.

Lately, I've been catching more and more errors in basic grammar and word use by the writers of the JSO and Press Gazette. There was a couple weeks ago the classic misuse of "its" instead of "it's." And now there's this in a GBPG article listing reasons for optimism. The writer is Mike Vandermeuse:

"No, there’s no such thing as a morale victory."

A morale victory? WTF? It's moral victory.

And before any of you jump on me for being picky, and that it doesn't matter because I should know what the guy meant, consider this:

You get into an accident and bang up your front fender. You've got a big deductible, but you want your car to look right, so you bring it into a body shop.

The shop calls you a few days later and tells you your car's ready. You get there and when you examine the work you see that the fender looks better but still has a dent in it. It's not fixed right.

So you point this out to the body shop guy. He turns to you and says, "Well, that's no big deal. You know what it's supposed to look like."

If you're going to make your living as a wordsmith, then know your craft.

Fritz, you know how I feel about these things, so

Ty, the usage isn't changing. The cliché is "moral victory" and if you're going to use such overused verbiage professionally you may as well get it right. I find stupid mistakes like that all the time and it drives me nuts. Writing is how these people make their living. This is what they get paid for. They don't put up with accountants and mathematicians using the wrong numbers, why is it not a big deal for a writer to screw up my language? Is it ok for a receiver to run the wrong route and just say "well, you know where I was supposed to go.

Max, it can't be a generational thing because that would make me old and that just won't do.

[HowardRoark]

Fritz,

While you are correct about the common usage, "moral victory" actually makes no sense. There is nothing to do with morals or ethics in a win or a loss.

There seems to be a paradigm shift regarding usage, and that "morale" is being substituted because it actually makes sense. I've seen this usage on other sites, and have also run across this discussion.

So, you should actually be happy that we are finally getting rid of improper usage.

What would Gandhi say.