Throwing red flag at ESPN

It’s time for Montanans to crank up the crowd noise.

Let’s force ESPN to call an audible on its decision to limit coverage of the opening playoff games for both the Bobcats and Grizzlies to online broadcasts that will be available in only a teeny part of Montana.

Bobcat and Grizzly fans religiously follow their teams through the regular season, relishing the prospects of postseason action in the Football Championship Subdivision. To be denied televised access to both teams’ Dec. 3 games is unthinkable, but the only hope of changing the situation rests with ESPN.

After hearing that many colleges have access to the broadband ESPN3 online serviice, we thought Flathead Valley Community College might serve as a local venue for fans to watch the games. But college officials looked into the matter this week and determined it’s not possible.

So, it’s up to Griz Nation and Bobcat fans to lean on the network.

Fortunately, Montana’s congressional delegation is leading the charge in getting ESPN to reverse its call. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester and Rep. Denny Rehberg all pounced on ESPN, urging a change in arrangements and making it clear just how big a deal this is.

Fans need to jump in the game, and they can. A Missoula businessman started a Facebook page (http://on.fb.me/uMMsu) on which fans are posting their pleas for ESPN to broadcast the Dec. 3 games in Montana or sell the broadcast rights to other stations. This game isn’t over until it’s over.

p to have Sykes’ Market open again in downtown Kalispell.

The grocery store has a 106-year history on the corner of Second Avenue and Second Street West, and the new facility builds on that legacy.

In fact, the entire Sykes’ complex is becoming an impressive addition to downtown. The restaurant opened a year ago in refurbished space and is a wonderful gathering spot. The dozen apartments being built above Sykes’ Market will open in a few months and a 2,500-square-foot conference room in the basement of the grocery store is sure to be a busy place for community events.

Another new element of the Sykes’ complex is the addition of an art studio in the remodeled Jungle Rama Day Care building that will be shared by Mark Ogle and Joe Abbrescia Jr.

This kind of investment in our downtown area will strengthen our community and is a testament that small businesses such as Sykes’ are the true building blocks of our economy.