Growing up in Southern Alberta means that you disapprove of anything to do with your northern counterpart.
It means that every July you try to hit as many pancake breakfasts as possible and rock your sharpest cowboy hat and boots at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. (What is K-Days?).
While there may not be a giant mall with a water park and mini golf, the Rocky Mountains are right in your backyard and send warm chinooks to keep you comfortable during the winter.
It means you’ve spent the last two Stanley Cup Finals likely cheering on the Florida Panthers.
It means that even though you want your team to win every game, you want them to win just thatlittle bit more on Labour Day Monday.
If you’re looking to find someone who understands the intricacies that come with living on opposite ends the QEII, search no further than born-and-raised Calgarian Micah Teitz, who is no stranger to the provincial rivalry between Calgary and Edmonton.
“It goes way back for me,” said Teitz, who’s history battling the Green and Gold dates back tohis U Sports days.
Before taking his talents to the CFL, the middle linebacker suited up in the locker-rooms on the other side of McMahon Stadium for the University of Calgary Dinos. His experience with the Battle of Alberta includes a game where the Dinos stomped the U of A Golden Bears 50-15 with Teitz racking up 10 solo tackles in the win.
The 29-year-old adds that there is an extra layer to these inter-provincial matchups.
“It’s funny, one of the offensive linemen on Edmonton, Mark Korte, we played our full college games against each other,” he said. “Now it’s come full circle that we play in the Labour Day Classics, too.”
For the Springbank Community High School alum, the bad blood between Alberta’s two major cities extends beyond football.
“Even with the Flames and the Oilers,” he said. “I know the Oilers have been on top of the Flames for a bit, but we’ll get this one.”
Monday marks the 60th Labour Day meeting between the Stamps and the Double E since the game became a solid tradition in 1959. Calgary holds the bragging rights with a current record of 41-27-1.
Entering this tilt, the Stampeders hold a 7-3 record, good for second place in the league. Meanwhile, the 4-6 Elks have won three in a row and are looking to inch back up the standings into the playoff race.
To the right, Canada’s middle provinces face off with the Riders (8-2) and Bombers (6-4) tapped in for their version of the Labour Day spectacle, making these back-to-back weekends pivotal for West Division teams looking to set themselves apart.
“It’s a really special time of year,” said Teitz. “Everything is heating up in the team rankings and it’s really important that we play our best football.”
And while Teitz is well-versed in the heated rivalry, this year’s 2025 Stampeders squad has plenty of new faces who are not as familiar with Monday’s annual clash.
But he says the team has been caught up to speed on the significance Labour Day holds to players and fans alike.
“Throughout the week everyone has been talking about how much Labour Day means and how important it is,” he said. “This is how you can set yourself up for playoffs and these are thegames you want to win.
“We’ll be ready, and we’ve got a good plan for them.”
Kickoff goes at 4 p.m. MT.
