Well, a strangeness to my view. Since this is an opensuse package and not the "lastest and greatest", not sure if I should post this here or "over there". It is a given that I may have, through some noobiness have bungled something early on that is causing this. I am prepared to accept the semi-public ritual shaming that may follow.
All references to results mean per "dovecot -n". One can be assured that dovecot.conf was edited followed by "dovecot -n", then 20-managesieve.conf edited followed by "dovecot -n", for each "set".
What happens is, it appears, that if one specifies or alters the "default" protocols in /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf, any protocols subsequently defined, at least in /etc/dovecot/conf.d/20-managesieve.conf, are not honored. It does not seem to matter if it is specified as "protocols = sieve" or "protocols = $protocols sieve".
Further, in /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf,
if one comments out "protocols", one finds protocols is not listed at all, unless there is a protocol defined later such as "sieve" in 20-managesieve.conf.
if one lists "protocols = " then "protocols = " is listed even if a protocol is defined later such as "sieve" in 20-managesieve.conf
of one lists "protocols = $protocols", nothing is listed, unless if:
"protocols = sieve" is defined in 20-managesieve.conf, "protocols = sieve" is listed
"protocols = $protocols sieve" is defined in 20-managesieve.conf - then "protocols = imap pop3 lmtp sieve" is listed.
Again, all as shown by "dovecot -n" after editing each file(s).
I hope this is useful in determining if there is a problem, and helps lead to a solution if one is warranted.
I'll send this also to the openSuse list as a distinct email.