It’s not as easy as you might think to write newspaper headlines.
It requires wit, wisdom and an uncanny ability to find the perfect words to fit character counts that would flummox many wordsmiths. And it’s often done on deadline with someone breathing down your neck to finish editing the story.
Such is life for the brave ink-stained wretches of print journalism.
So we ask you for empathy before laughing out loud at an unintentional double entendre published in Sunday’s editions of The Columbus Dispatch.
To wit, a headline atop a game story about Ohio State’s big win over Penn State unfortunately read, “No. 3 Ohio State rides ‘D’ to win over No. 7 Penn St.”
Unsurprisingly, fans cracked jokes about the dubious headline on social media. Here are some of the best reactions suitable for publication.
Never been prouder of the local paper https://t.co/5uZONFhoEc
— Ben Koo (@bkoo) October 23, 2023
That 20-something copy editor knew what he was doing. https://t.co/hWbdpob9iJ
— Jacob Wolf (@JacobWolf) October 23, 2023
Ohio state fans in the comments like, 'haaaayy!' https://t.co/VYLkC0Wxzm
— poetx (@poetx) October 23, 2023
By rule of nature, I will get older.
— Christian Lukens (@ChristianLukens) October 23, 2023
By choice, I will never grow up. https://t.co/pfE7QpPDJJ
Business as usual in Ohio https://t.co/ZLp9qrKfJk
— Despicable Me (@J_C25) October 23, 2023
🤣 who approved this? https://t.co/0rME9bNWWx
— Jake Montemayor (@SlcJake) October 23, 2023
only on BIG NUDE SATURDAY! https://t.co/PEenm9KGv7
— 🏳️⚧️ Hannah (@zyxwhannah) October 23, 2023
Neither teams had an O https://t.co/UBqiR8uyKN
— Á🍁 (@SqueenixVibes) October 23, 2023
Unbelievable headline https://t.co/IXLICpBZSN
— David Zaldivar (@DavidZebra900) October 23, 2023
I can't say for sure I've never done this, but I've always tried to be careful with my use of that letter for this exact reason. https://t.co/BqwOthZkrK
— Andy Roberts (@ARoberts_WLB) October 23, 2023
https://t.co/ol66cQ5d1i pic.twitter.com/HzHjulBWsI
— Breathtaking Inanity (@breathtkinan) October 23, 2023
