[Backstop]

In just a few short hours the biggest and most intense rivalry in Alberta resumes as the much beloved Calgary Flames take on the mostly dodgy and always hated Edmonton Oilers.

As we await puck drop on the eve of this great match up let's burn up some time by taking a stroll through some other great rivalries...

Coke vs Pepsi- although the competition between these two companies stretches further back into history it was the Cola Wars of the 1980s that really set these two brands as global rivals with a very staunchly divided Coke vs Pepsi consumer base that still exists today.

Blues vs Greens Chariots in ancient Constantinople - The blue team vs green team rivalry (based on chariot driver uniform colour) in Byzantine era chariot racing was pure carnage. It affected politics, resulted in countless murders and deaths, almost overthrew an emperor and culminated in an insurrection in 532 AD that resulted in the slaughter of thousands of Greens.

Hatfields vs McCoys - Another feud with some history that galvanized in 1878 when a disagreement over a pig between West Virginia's wealthy Hatfield family and Kentucky's working class McCoys led to a McCoy killing a Hatfield. The rivalry ran more than ten years with over a dozen family members on both sides murdered, in 1888 the law stepped in and by 1891 a truce was formed. Modern update - in 2003 descendants of the Hatfields and McCoys faced off against each other on Family Feud.

India Vs Pakistan Cricket - Resulting from a deep geopolitical rivalry that stretches back generations, India vs Pakistan cricket matchups draw some of the largest viewerships recorded in sports rivalries. 1.5 Billion viewers tuned in for the 2011 India vs Pakistan cricket world cup semi final as the match up nearly brought both nations to a standstill.

Burr vs Hamilton - 25 years of political clashes and public rebukes culminated in Alexander Hamilton (American Founding Father) and Vice President Aaron Burr standing 12 paces apart, facing off with pistols. Hamilton for his part in the duel fired into the sky, Burr fired into Hamiltons abdomen a wound that would take Hamiltons life a few days later.

Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier - Culminating in what has been called the greatest slugfest of all time, Frazier vs Ali, at the time was the first Heavyweight boxing matchup that truly captured the worlds attention. Two undefeated heavyweights, both considered the greatest ever, fight for the title and the belt. A behind the scenes rivalry between Ali and Joe kept this one going for years.

Boca Juniors vs River Plate - The Buenos Airies football Superclasico is such an intense rivalry that the 2018 quarterfinal leg that saw these two rivals matched up had to be moved to Spain. The two most successful football clubs in Argentina boast a rivalry that is often considered the most intense sports rivalry today.

DC vs Marvel - Another long running rivalry that has seen many crossovers since the mid 90s but still has a fanbase than can be utterly divided when it comes to their loyalties. The rivalry after acquisitions and mergers now pits Disney against Time Warner and Batman vs Star Wars.

Real Madrid vs Barcelona, El Classico - a long running rivalry between two of Spain's greatest football clubs, this rivalry has gifted fans with some of the greatest talent matchups in football history, Messi vs Ronaldo immediately comes to mind, these games also account for more player fights than any other matchups in Spain.


It's in our blood, we just love to hate a chosen rival... GFG !