Arnold,

The Habs won that ’93 Stanley Cup over my LA Kings with Wayne Gretsky who actually won the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals and then were swept. Jacques Demers pulls that fast one with Marty McSorley’s stick measurement and the momentum shifted from what would have been a 2-0 series to a 1-1 series with fallen morale on the Kings.

As a fan and enjoying Hockey greatness the 1980’s was a good time to move to Calgary, Alberta as I did in 1980. Starting in 1983 the two Alberta Hockey teams were in 8 consecutive Stanley Cup Finals and won 6 of them, including the Flames defeating the Habs in 1989, after losing to them in 1986. For many years there was the New Years Eve Tradition in Calgary that the Flames always hosted the Canadiens.

The ‘80’s was good to me and we saw that alignment you speak of with the confluence of different teams in different sports winning a championship. For me it was the 49ers, Lakers and Oilers who each won five championships in the 1980’s, except the one in 1994 by the 49ers. On three occasions two of my favorite three teams won championships in the same year and on one occasion all three won a championship. The Double Win occurred in 1984 with the 49ers and Oilers, in 1985 with the Lakers and Oilers and in 1987 with the Lakers and Oilers again. In 1988 the Lakers, Oilers and 49ers all won championships. There were more the following two years and then again four years later in ’94.

It is nice as a fan when this happens. Unfortunately, as you say, you get used to it and the well dries up. I have never abandoned my teams, although in hockey I do watch all of the west coast teams and the Avs now, but there have been long droughts with the Lakers and 49ers. I'm not a fan of the city of Edmonton and there are no more wild west brazen Pocklington types but the colors still send chills up my spine and how bloody good they were. Lakers showtime on skates, more talent on one team than any team in history in any sport, although that would be debatable.

But it was ownership that was the difference, the Buss family in LA and the DeBartolo/York Family in SF, eccentric and irreputable Peter Puck in Edmonton. Years ago I heard Dr. Gerry Buss being interviewed and the interviewer asked, “so, what are your long term plans for the Lakers”. Without hesitation, and without any emotion his laconic reply came, “well, the Celtics have 16, we have 14, guess we gotta win 3 more”. Bingo! That’s what you want from Ownership. Now the Celtics have 17 and the Lakers have 16, so two to go now.

Never give up. That's what Dynasty is.

Pins and Needles now, though, eh? Knocking on Greatness door again and the Gods are aligned in some fashion beyond our understanding and we are careful not to upset the natural balance of the Universe.