You do not hear the expression "Long live the coach" in sports anymore.  Instead, you hear pack your bags, take a hike, you're fired a lot more often.  Why is that?  Why does it seem like coaches today are given the boot at a higher and faster rate than in year's past?  Truthfully, I believe it has to do with the media.  It has such an important impact on our lives and can dictate what we are in favor or and we do not like in society.

Jacque Lemaire is one of those people who has coached 1,147 regular season and playoff games without having ever been fired.

"Remember, every coach in pro sports knows there likely will be two news conferences -- one when he's hired and one when he's inevitably fired," Michael Russo of McClatchy Newspapers said.  "Even before Lemaire's Hall of Fame playing career began, Lemaire says, he was never pulled into an office to hear those famous Donald Trump words, "You're fired."

Lemaire was a member of eight Stanley Cup-winning Montreal Canadiens team, including two-Stanley-Cup-winning goals.  After he retired, he eventually coached them for two seasons, in which they made the second round and conference championships.

Then the New Jersey Devils organization signed him and held onto him for five seasons, where Lemaire guided them to their first Stanley Cup Trophy in team history.

NJ actually made the playoffs in four of his five years in the Meadowlands, including that incredible 4-0 sweep of Detroit in the 1994-5 Finals.

After he unexpectedly deserted  the Garden State, he was not out of a job for very long.  Even though the Wild have not had as much success the Devils, Lemaire remained their head coach since day one.  The Wild entered the league in 2000-1 when Lemaire took over the reigns and have made the playoffs in two of their six seasons.

It seems like the team gets better each year.  This season, they are 20-13-2 and are in sole possession of fifth place in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.

In the meanwhile, the Devils have gone through eight different head coaches in the last seven years, finally hiring Brent Sutter in the offseason.

Unlike many professionals who do not have job security, Lemaire has a good relationship with the Habs, Devils, and Wild respective general managers.

With his proven track record as a player and coach, I am not surprised that he is still employed today.

Notes:
Great minds think alike.  You can catch Greg Wyshynski's interesting piece on Lemaire's retirement (whenever he wants) over at Fanhouse.

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