A Suggestion for Next Sesaon’s Devils Replacement Coach

Wouldn’t naming this guy head coach next season just make things so much easier for everyone?

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Blindsided — Julien is Fired

An AP report has been posted on ESPN saying the Devils have fired Claude Julien and that Lou is taking over coaching duties. Here at the Interchangeable Parts blog we’re half-hoping this is an April Fool’s joke. But as it’s not, we’re going to go on the record here as saying we’re completely stunned. There is nothing obvious about how the team has been performing to warrant this, so there must be something going on behind the scenes that we don’t know about. There’s some dynamic going on that is beyond our ken. And because this is the Devils, we will never have it explained to us.

It’s at times like this that it’s really difficult to be a sports fan. So much of our time and energy is spent watching this team, thinking about this team, talking (and now writing) about this team. But there is so much we never know. When something like this happens, how can we help but feel naive? All this said, we at IPB (the extra B is for bargain) trust Lou implicitly. This is perhaps the first time our blind faith is being shaken, but we will not agree with those who say this is just a power grab by Lou. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the team knows the org chart has for years been:

1. Lou
2. Marty
3. The Players
4. The Coach

Lou would get the credit for the team winning whether he was behind the bench or not. But those of us with more than a passing knowledge of the Devils can only feel this is less like when Ftorek was fired with eight games left, and more like the 2003-2004 season when the organization was shrouded in mysteries and lies concerning Stevens’ health.

At least this time the players can’t be blamed for coach killing. All Devils fans will admit the team has a troubling habit of partaking in that particularly unsightly activity. But this time, until we hear otherwise, this is all on Lou.

We can only hope that the minute we publish this post, Lou will call a press conference to say “April Fool’s!” And if that’s the case? Then we think we’ll be even more worried… Lou? April Fool’s?

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