I think a lot of the criticism Reusse receives is unfair. Reusse might actually be our best local sports columnist - though this says a lot more about our local sports columnists than it says about him. You can still count on him for at least one howler per month (his column on who was to blame for the Twins' last season is enshrined in my Lazy Sports Analysis Hall of Fame) and one solid column per month, with the rest being nothing to write home about. Not spectacular, but at least he's a better writer than Souhan. And as far as the Gophers go, his criticism often isn't wrong.
That being said, the fact that he actively reads this forum and trolls it for a reaction is rather sad, and raises the question of why the hell a sports columnist at what is ostensibly an established, well-read newspaper would do this. It certainly diminishes the modest esteem in which I held him. You're a grown man, Pat. Act like one.
I think the Reusse ripping is spot on. I like Doogie much more than Reusse, and even Doogie falls trap to being incredibly lazy on occasion.
Reusse is a dolt when it comes to college sports.
-He is surprised that Shortell hasn't transferred? What? I like Phil Nelson and I am excited to see those guys battle it out next season, but there is absolutely no guarantee who will be starting. Every program in the country will recruit a QB every season, so you will get competition. He is surprised that Max Shortell hasn't thought to himself "Oh no, they recruited another QB, I have to go find a school that will recruit a QB every 2-3 years." His surprise that Shortell hasn't transferred is just another example of him not having any idea about the college game.
-You can find countless examples of this throughout his writing.
Reusse also likes to take shots at the U for no reason.
When Mbakwe tweeted that he was coming back and did the #unfinished business
Reusse responded back to him "Ok big guy, you come back and the Gophers win the NIT next year".
a: What kind of reputable journalist trolls the local athletes twitter? That is classic trolling. It shouldn't be surprising because Reusse looks like we'd imagine every troll to look. Morbidly obese, hunched over the computer with chicken grease covered fingers.
b: How terribly awful is that take? You take a team that lost in the NIT Championships that will return everyone and add Mbakwe, and Reusse thinks that's as far as they can go?
There are countless examples. Reusse is the worst, in my opinion. Doogie at his worst, is just lazy and he falls trap to the mindset of getting clicks and appealing to the lowest common denominator. But I've never seen him troll an athlete and he definitely "gets" college athletics more than Reusse.
