So much of the joy of covering sports was missing this year. Our jobs were much harder, not nearly as fun and some days felt, frankly, something just above insignificant. And yet as the year ends, we look back at our collective work and realize we told some of our most important stories and produced some of our most important sections in memory. And that opinion is supported by you, because so many of you told us so.

Positive feedback from readers hit a high in 2020. You thanked us for providing some distraction, for keeping your favorite section humming along even when sports came to a halt, for creative and important storytelling, for not shying away from sensitive topics, and more.

To our readers — the ones who wrote or called, and the ones who just simply read each day — I want to say thank you, from my entire staff, for sticking with us this year. We thought about you every day as we went to work — be it in our kitchens or basements or guest rooms or in a highly sanitized press box — in providing this coverage. You inspired us, and continue to inspire us. If we helped you, in some small way, get through this year, know that you did the same for us.

Bring on 2021.

Chris Carr is the Star Tribune sports editor.