Point: For the first time since the autumn of 1990, both Flames and Oilers fans are approaching the upcoming season with the belief that their teams are going to be really damn good.

Point: if there's anything that Flames and Oilers fans like more than watching their team, it's talking about it.

Point: Fans of both teams take special pleasure out of revelling in the struggles and limitations of the other.

Point: While there are many, many outlets for Flames and Oilers fans to rant, many of these outlets also suck, and none are set up to give both sides equal standing. (For example, if I was a regular commenter here, I'd be a troll, plain and simple).

Point: There are many good bloggers in Alberta who generally focus on other things, but whose musings on hockey deserve a hockey audience.

The Battle of Alberta group blog has been established as a nod to these five indisputable points. To begin, we have one contributor from each side of the fence.

On the south side, we have me: Matt Fenwick, live in Lethbridge, lived in Calgary from 1973-1998. I was on the players' side during the lockout, and have been a Flames fan since Nelson Skalbania moved them to Calgary in the summer of my 7th birthday.

On the north side, we have sacamano: lives in Edmonton (since 1996), full blown Oilers fan since they upset Colorado in 1998. He may be monitoring the 2nd half of the season from Merry Olde Englande.

The success of this weblog will be determined by the enthusiam both of the contributors and of those who choose to say their piece in the comments, which are open to all.

The other potential pitfall for this site is the very real possibility that the Oilers will suck right out of the gate, and turn this whole deal into a pretty one-sided argument...

**Update, November 2006**:

Sacamano has indeed moved on to be Contributor Emeritus, from his new home in Sheffield. The role of North Contributor is now filled by Andy Grabia, King of All Blogs. Occasional guest appearances are also made by Colby Cosh.

The site has gotten love on dead trees from the Globe & Mail and Vue Weekly, and in web features on Culture.ca and Newsweek. The best love, though, is still the love in the Comments, which generally kick ass and are substantially funnier and more interesting than the main posts.