Imrem: Forget repeat for Chicago Cubs; how about a dynasty?

The history of Chicago's aspiring sports dynasties is sketchy.

1985 Bears: One Super Bowl title and done.

1991 Bulls: One NBA title and five more.

2005 White Sox: One World Series title and done.

2010 Blackhawks: One Stanley Cup title and two more and counting.

Now here come the Cubs: Last year's World Series title and how many more - if any - is the question.

This dynasty subject is so foreign to the sensibilities. Traditionally the issue is how many straight seasons the Cubs will finish last.

Now the Cubs will be disappointing if they don't win another championship soon, and then another and another.

No excuses, fellas. All the elements are in place. Just do it and keep doing it.

Wait! The dream is over. The Cubs lost 4-3 on opening night Sunday at St. Louis. Forget repeating. Forget a dynasty.

OK, just kidding.

All hopes remain … unless the Cardinals beat the Cubs again Tuesday.

OK, still just kidding.

Seriously, the dynasty discussion arose almost before Kris Bryant's throw across the infield landed in Anthony Rizzo's glove for last season's final out.

The talk has grown past whether the Cubs will repeat but more like can the Cubs three-peat in 2018, as if 2017's championship is a given.

Never mind that some stat wonks have the Cubs winning a mere 90 to 95 games this year.

The victory total aside, Vegas quickly installed the Cubs as favorites to win the World Series and now has them no worse than co-favorites with the Red Sox.

Sports Illustrated ran a spread immediately after last season's clincher headlined, "The first night of the Cubs dynasty."

The subhead read, "The rest of the baseball world should take note - this team is just getting started."

So, will the Cubs become a baseball dynasty?

Making it possible are the Cubs' talent pipeline and financial resources.

The Cubs were one of the major leagues' youngest teams last season, just as the Bears were one of the NFL's youngest when they won Super Bowl XX.

Oops … bad karma there.

You might recall that the 1985 Bears not only proceeded to fall short of dynastic dimensions, they haven't won a championship since.

The Bulls are the standard the Cubs will try to match or surpass.

When Michael Jordan and teammates won the 1991 title, it seemed like it came a year early. The natural progression would have been to lose their first NBA Finals and win a year later.

The Bulls skipped a step with that premature title and went on to dominate the decade.

The Cubs skipped a similar step by winning last year's World Series and, well, how many more will they win now?

Back to the post-1985 Bears: The difference between them and the '16 Cubs is the Cubs don't appear prone to infighting, an erratic coach/manager and dubious ownership.

The Cubs are focused, like the Hawks who this spring are aiming for a fourth Stanley Cup title in eight years.

But the Hawks never won back-to-back. It's hard to repeat. In baseball, the 1975-76 Reds are the only National League team to do so in 95 years.

I'm guessing that the 2017 Cubs will win 125 regular-season games and be upset in the playoffs to put their dynasty on hold.

One thing's for sure: There's still much history to be made, one way or another.

mimrem@dailyherald.com