As Sunday's Grey Cup showdown approaches, the east-west battle lines are being drawn among friends, neighbours and even married couples on the Prairies.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders have long frustrated their fans with lengthy championship droughts, and the dry spell will end for one of them in Sunday's game.
Loyalties are divided on the town council in Russell, Man., near the Saskatchewan border.
(CBC)
In Russell, Man., 15 kilometres from the Saskatchewan border, there is no neutral ground.
"Everybody, they pick sides," local resident Ed Thom told CBC News. "One's either on the Roughriders' side or the Blue Bomber side. You just have to. That's all there is to it."
Even the municipal government is split: two councillors for the Bombers, two for the Riders, with the mayor breaking the tie as a Winnipeg fan.
"I'm very excited, simply because this wasn't able to happen before, until Winnipeg actually got in the weaker Eastern Division," said Coun. Eldon Montgomery, a Riders fan, to the guffaws of his councilmates.
While team support may be split in the town of 1,400, Rider fans appear more visible, with green flags seen hanging from many a flagpole about town.
But Bomber-loving politicians have an explanation for that.
"I think we're a little more staid, a little more laid-back — but then we've had a little more success than they have," said Coun. Chris Radford, who cheers for the blue and gold.
'Grounds for divorce'
If emotions seem to be running high in Russell, imagine the tension in the Winnipeg home of Craig and Janice Gill.
The love Craig and Janice Gill show for their rival teams draws stares and comments on the streets of Winnipeg.
(CBC)
Janice is a born-and-bred Riders fan, while Craig is true to the Blue.
The newly married couple's team enmity is illustrated around their basement television, with green fan paraphernalia displayed on one side of the room and blue and gold on the other, mirroring the rival jerseys they wear.
"We were walking down the street, holding hands, and there was some people behind us and the guy just said, 'Oh, Bomber/Rider fans, that's grounds for divorce right there," said Janice.
The Gills assured CBC their rivalry is a friendly one. They plan to watch the game as a couple, with no hard feelings at the end no matter which team wins.
Sunday's game (CBC, 4:30 p.m. CT) will mark the first time the two Prairie neighbours have met in the CFL championship.
Winnipeg last played in the Grey Cup in 2001, when it lost. The team last won in 1990, the franchise's 11th championship.
Saskatchewan last made it to the final in 1997, and hasn't won since 1989.
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