So, I decided to really dig into this Charlie O’Connor guy and his hockey stuff a while back. It wasn’t like some big plan, you know? I just kept seeing his name pop up, mostly talking about the Flyers, I think. And I thought, okay, what’s the deal here? Let’s see what this is all about.
First thing I did, pretty simple, was just start reading whatever I could find from him. Didn’t really have a system. If I saw an article or a comment online mentioning his take, I’d go find it and read it. Sometimes it was straightforward game stuff, other times it was more about the bigger picture, like team building or player development. I wasn’t trying to become an expert overnight, just trying to get a feel for his perspective.
My process was basically this:
- Wake up, check hockey news. If his name was attached to something Flyers-related, I’d read that first.
- Watched some games differently. Instead of just following the puck, I tried to look for things he might have pointed out in his writing. Like, specific player matchups or system details.
- Spent some time going back through older articles or posts if he referenced them. Just to connect the dots, see how his thoughts evolved.
- Tried to separate his analysis from the usual fan noise online. That was maybe the trickiest part.
What I Noticed
Doing this for a few weeks, maybe a month or so, I started noticing a few things. He seemed pretty focused on the details. Not just ‘who scored’, but how it happened, or why a certain play worked or didn’t. It wasn’t always super flashy takes, more grounded in observation. Sometimes I agreed, sometimes I didn’t, but I could usually see where he was coming from. It felt like he actually watched the games closely, you know?
It wasn’t always easy, though. Sometimes the analysis went into stuff I didn’t fully get right away, maybe specific tactics or player roles. Had to re-read things a couple of times or just make a mental note to watch for it in the next game. And honestly, keeping up with the sheer amount of content during the season was a bit much sometimes. You blink, and there are three new things to read.
Overall thoughts?
Well, I feel like I got a better handle on how at least one person breaks down the game beyond the surface level. It wasn’t about becoming a mega-fan of his work, more about the exercise of focusing on one viewpoint to see what I could learn. Made watching hockey, especially the team he covers, a bit more interesting for me. It’s just one way to engage with the sport, I guess. Seeing the game through someone else’s detailed lens for a bit. That was my little project, anyway.
