Kings Unlikely Run to Immortality

Los Angeles Kings unlike Cinderella run this 20011-12 season has the team on the verge of winning first Stanley Cup in the long yet mystifying history of the franchise.  Kings had a tug of war in a 4 way battle for the Pacific Division and ended up in the 8^th seed in the Western Conference withstanding the last push by the Colorado Avalanche to end the season.  By falling to the 8^th seed in the final week of the season the Kings yet again were denied the franchise’s first division title.   Franchise was established in 1967 as the oldest hockey franchise west of the Mississippi river.

When the Kings were the upstart franchise in 1993 the Montreal Canadiens were the reviled villain of jealousy because no franchise in North America was as prestigious or successful as they were as the teams played for the Stanley Cup.  Canadiens winning the Stanley Cup in six games was another triumph for the franchise but the story of both franchises changed not long afterward.  The “Great One” Wayne Gretzky lead the Kings to almost immortality with Marty McSorley and Luc Robitaille before going on their own ways after 1995 and weren’t the same again.  Gretzky moved on to play with the St. Louis Blues in 1996 before playing out his final 3 years as a New York Ranger.   McSorley moved on to play with the Boston Bruins among other places.  McSorley’s career was forever stained after high sticking incident which knocked out thug to be on the ice Donald Brasher out cold.  Robitaille enjoyed Stanley Cup success very late in his career with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008.  The former coach of the Kings (which my mother refers to him as a pimp) Barry Melrose made himself cake and ran away with a very successful career as a hockey analyst for ESPN. 

Canadiens on the other hand still year for the 25^th championship in franchise history, especially so after the team traded legend Patrick Roy to the hated Quebec Nordiques in 1995.  Roy would lead the former Nordiques turned Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Final victory only months after the franchise relocated to Denver, Colorado.  The New York Yankees since then surpassed the Canadiens in most championships in North American sports in almost unprecedented 114 win season in winning the World Series verses the San Diego Padres in 1998.

Kings tried to rebuild (with current NHL analyst) Jeremy Roenick as the star in 2001.  Kings shocked the Detroit Red Wings in the first round winning the series 4-1.  Kings went on to lose second round series to eventual Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche.  Kings were beyond over the cap and the Kings had to rebuild yet again as the franchises potential of becoming a power in the west faded like a bus losing its spark after the 2004 season was an utter failure.  The future looks glorious for the Kings remarkably for the very first time. 

Here are my recent photos 

Sorta coach 2130 in customized Miranda Cosgrove wrap.  I did this in February 19, 2012.

Rose near the Center of Cincinnati Mall layover on May 10, 2012.

Sorta coach 4017 at the Marburg Avenue cut-off on May 15, 2012.

New Sorta coach 1202 at the Center of Cincinnati Mall layover on May 16, 2012.

White Amaryllis I found near the Oakley railroad on May 17, 2012. 

Big mushroom I found in Oakley on May 17, 2012.

Sorta coach 4021 I've dreamed of getting a photo for 2 months.  Yes I had sexual thoughts about former Playmate of Playboy Chelsea Fujisawa while seeking out this coach.  Coach was at the Marburg Avenue cut-off on May 18, 2012.

Sorta coach 940 on June 21, 2011 before being wrapped.

Sorta coach 940 in blue Cricket wireless wrap on September 9, 2011 near the Center of Cincinnati Mall layover.

Sorta coach 940 in green Cricket advertising wrap on May 18, 2012.  Coach was at the Center of Cincinnati Mall layover.

Fountain at Madeira, Ohio on May 20, 2012

Sorta coach 2132 in the haze of May 21, 2012.  Coach was sitting at the Center of Cincinnati Mall layover.

Sorta coach 2109 on May 22 at the Marburg Avenue layover.

Sorta coach 1107 at the Center of Cincinnati Mall layover on May 23, 2012.

Sorta coach 4010 on May 23, 2012 at the Marburg Avenue cut-off layover.

Sorta coach 2130 lost in the clouds at the Center of Cincinnati Mall layover.  Photo was taken on May 23, 2012.

Sorta coach 942 on July 18, 2011 near the Center of Cincinnati Mall layover.

Sorta coach 942 today.  Photo was taken on May 24 2012,  Coach was wrapped in Metro's new look in December 2011.

Flower near Cinco Bank.  Photo was taken later on my walk home on May 24, 2012

Sorta coach 1208 is another baby bus ordered.  Photo was taken at the Fairview Loop which is only a minute walk from my house on May 25, 2012.

Flower I found after leaving Cincinnati Friends meeting (Quaker church) on May 27, 2012.

Sorta coach 1101 breaks down near Good Samaritan Hospital on May 29, 2012.

Sorta coach 1205 relaxing at the Center of Cincinnati Mall layover on May 31, 2012

Sorta coach 952 at the Marburg Avenue cut-off on June 1, 2012.  Coach was wrapped in Metro's new look in February 2010.

New Sorta coach 1212 at the Center of Cincinnati Mall layover as the sun sets on June 1, 2012.