Reusse: In this lifetime of constant change in sports, a few requests

This was the week at the end of 1965 when I had been lured to the Duluth News-Tribune and Herald to fill one of the openings on the sports staff. My experience was serving as a copy boy in the Minneapolis Tribune’s sports department, where the pay was a bit higher than the $76.08 per week ($64 take-home) starting wage in Duluth.

Yet, a sensitive young man can only have his intelligence besmirched so many times by Sid Hartman for not being able to find the envelope with the small, metallic engraving of Shorty Pleis or Jimmy Cairns to run with his column before there’s a need to move on.

My true fear in moving to Duluth to cover sports was this: hockey.

I had never seen a game in person. I did watch the U.S. win the gold medal in Squaw Valley, Calif., in 1960, cheering with exuberance — mostly because goalie Jack McCartan had spent a summer playing third base for the hometown Fulda Giants and coaching us interested youths in baseball.

Fortunately, I was able to attend a few seminars from our Duluth hockey writer, John Gilbert, and also was given the crack assignment of covering the Hornets’ senior team.

I don’t think I was aware of the existence of soccer back then. I was aware that girls and women weren’t being provided with scholastic or collegiate team sports. Didn’t dwell on that much six decades ago around the Duluth sports desk, as I recall.

Long, long ago. Amazing changes — decade-to-decade, then year-to-year, now week-to-week.

For instance: Ben Johnson has a good Gophers basketball team coming back for 2024-25. A week later they are scattered to the wind. And rather than a shot at a Gophers return to the NCAA tournament, he has a shot to be the next basketball coach fired by athletic director Mark Coyle.

Change, made and recommended. That’s theme of this year-ender.

Major League Baseball: This was numero uno since riding the bike around the lake to watch the World Series during grade school lunch in 1950s. Me: “I’m late getting back, Sister, but Don Larsen is pitching a perfect game.”

There was some optimism at this time a year ago, with the positive effects of the pitch clock. Then, in 2024, they managed to start slowing the game down again, starting pitching continued to be de-emphasized — and the ball remained way too rarely in play.

When I’m home and a game is on TV, rather than glued to it, I’m checking in and out. That’s a bad sign.

NFL: Always been an in-and-out watcher. Super Bowl: Don’t watch a minute of pregame; miss most of the halftime show.

More than anything, the officiating drives me bonkers. Refereeing has more influence on the outcome of a close game in the NFL than anywhere, I say.

Also: Ban Chicago Bears from TV. They make me sick.

NBA: Too many three-pointers. Simple fix: Add a foot to the line, make distance equal all around, take away the easy corner three.

Overall, I’m good with NBA, especially in the arena. Of course, the hometown team should be assessed a technical for every five seconds the pregame anthem goes over 70 seconds. Let’s play ball.

Hockey: You know they were right to go back to the smaller rink at Mariucci. It’s a better game. The NHL, women’s game, Big Ten … half-century later, I’m fine with it.

Except, when they go three overtimes in an NHL playoff game and everybody’s saying how great it is, as you have players moving up and down the ice like sloths.

WNBA: Getting better, more good shooters, more serious about itself with expansion and a longer schedule. My view of the league would be higher if the last two games in what could have been a great WNBA Finals weren’t allowed to become Greco-Roman wrestling with terrible shooting.

Golf: Watched it all not that many years ago. Now, maybe a couple of hours on Saturday and Sunday of a major. Saudi money with LIV ruined it — and there’s no clear solution.

Olympics: Thought France and Paris spoofing themselves in the opening ceremony was excellent. Beyond that … OK, I’m old, but break dancing for gold? I’m gone.

College football: Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame, just out of long-ago habit. Trying to figure out legitimacy in 18-team conferences is not possible with nine-game schedules.

I’d rather watch St. John’s and Bethel (and I do) than the Gophers play Wisconsin with the goal being a tie for seventh in their conference. Penn State game here was good though … I’ll give that to P.J.‘s fellas.

MLS: Starts in March, ends in December. Tell FIFA to take a hike and play a sensible schedule. I do like the World Cup being on the way, though. The flopping with full histrionics is fantastic.

Happy New Year. Feel free to do the tweaking hinted at here in 2025.