Brad Gushue, left, and Randy Ferbey have put their differences aside to create curling's newest superteam. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Let the season begin!

As the 2010-11 curling season kicks into high gear with the first Grand Slam of Curling event this weekend in Windsor, Ont., I'm expecting a season of change and excitement.

The biggest change from five months ago is that the former "Big Two" of the sport - Olympic gold medallist Kevin Martin and archrival Glenn Howard - have been joined by Kevin Koe to make a "Big Three." Koe took that final step to stardom by beating Howard in the Brier final last year and going on to capture the world championship in Italy.

The real question moving forward is, can these three teams find a way to refocus their energies and remain the dominant forces in the sport? Or will we find some new blood, new names getting their share of the spotlight as the curlers now look four years forward to the next Olympic Games in Sochi.

For Martin, Howard and Koe, the lineups remain the same. Why fix something that isn't broken?

But virtually every other big-name team has switched things up for this season, seeking that magic formula. The most talked-about, surprising and controversial of these shake-ups is Brad Gushue teaming up with Randy Ferbey. Hell must have frozen over while I wasn't looking.

It was not that long ago that Ferbey took a few potshots at Gushue, creating a somewhat heated and strained relationship between the two. Circumstance, and money, has brought these two together. Randy and Brad were both looking for a change, and each of them brought some dough to the table with a few sponsors in hand. I am looking forward to the chemistry that will develop between these two.

It could be an amazing combination, as both are incredibly talented curlers. But it also could be a disaster, like trying to mix oil and water. If nothing else, it will be entertaining to watch.

Other lineup changes include Jeff Stoughton getting back together with longtime third Jon Mead, and Wayne Middaugh rejoining Joe Frans, his former second. Many will remember Frans as the first curler ever to fail a drug test, which he did following the 2005 Brier by testing positive for cocaine.

As the World Cup of Curling is now underway, it will be really interesting to follow all of these stories, and see how things settle up on the ice.