Courtesy Stan Peters of CFL Digest:

“We’ll see come labour day.”

It’s the phrase most often uttered by CFL fans when prognasticating over beers during the summer months, and chances are, by the time the traditional home-and-homes are all said and done in Winnipeg and Edmonton, the picture will be no more clear than it was on opening day.

Thanks to strong performances by the Stamps and the Eskimos, the Battle of Alberta version 2008 has fans of both clubs harkening back to the 90’s, when this game was more a clash of the titans than a chance to “right the ship” for the season’s second half.

The Eskimos are one of the surprises of the season so far, establishing a threatening ground game, respectable defence and an explosive new receiver in Campbell. But also surprising - to this Stampeder fan anyway - is the resolve shown by the Red & White in BC Place last week. That was one of those games that historically results in an “L” for the Stamps. 0-for 7 years under the dome, and too often flat after the bye, Hufnagel’s crew were gangbusters in relegating the Leos to the cellar, and setting up this pivotal back-to-back with the Esks.

We hope for the sweep but expect the split, enjoy a packed house where a third of the crowd isn’t cheering for the opposition, and we plan for a rough morning Tuesday when we drop the kids off at school on the way to work…. and with the potential for a log-jam atop the west division standings by the end of the week - the catch phrase over beers becomes “We’ll see come November.”

Classic.