Jeff O’Neill & Carolina: Rapprochement? Or ‘No, Reproach Meant!’

[Stephen]

O'Dog is an interesting case of having such a successful post-playing career in media that it's overshadowed his actual playing career.

I'd say during his time in Hartford/Carolina he would have been one of the more important players in the history of that franchise, a Justin Williams level player. He was awful on the Leafs and completely charmless as a player.

And yet he's carved out a very successful career on the radio and in the media and is now more firmly cemented as a Leafs alumni, personality and whatever than whatever he did on the ice.

 

[MCR74]

That'll do it.

 

[PuckFegula]

He’s a loud mouth that pretends he follows the league but really doesn’t. Smart to distance yourself from him

Avery was like that on chiclets recently- can’t stand that shit. Had somethin negative to say about all sorts of players but didn’t know their names and shit.

Anywho, O’Neil was fun in NHL ‘04 or whatever. That’s the extent of my praise for him.

 

[Vegaspunk]

Yeah really bizarre how the Hurricanes won't invite him when they could invite Stanley Cup winners that don't constantly shit all over the team and their ownership

What a clown, expected take from a 50 year old man going by "O-Dog"

 

[DaveG]

Yeah really bizarre how the Hurricanes won't invite him when they could invite Stanley Cup winners that don't constantly shit all over the team and their ownership

What a clown, expected take from a 50 year old man going by "O-Dog"

Pretty much. If he didn't go out of his way to shit on the org at every given opportunity he'd have likely been invited back long ago the same way another guy from that 02 team era was in Sean Hill. Just comes off as a guy that's overly full of himself considering the team took a discount return to facilitate him playing closer to home after what happened with his brother, and gave him the chance to try a comeback when nobody else would.

 

[PistolPete]

A 30-40 goal guy in the dead puck is easily a 40-50 goal guy now.. O’Neill was one dimensional but he was good at that one thing.

I’d say he was a star player, especially on those teams, but for sure he falls short of being a super star in the very top of the league.

I think his criticisms of the team were mostly due to the cheap ownership at the time? Not sure

He had a three year run.

Far from enough to qualify for star player status

 

[PistolPete]

People, people, people....

The man calls himself O-Dog.

Think of anyone you have ever heard of nicknamed dog- (or named Jason)- jerks, right?

Assholes? Schmucks? Douchebags?

That's all ya need to know about Jeff O'Neill
I don't know the man at all but all I need to know is.....he calls himself O-Dog.

O for Obnoxious.

 

[Summer Rose]

People, people, people....

The man calls himself O-Dog.

Think of anyone younhave ever heard of nicknamed dog- (or named Jason)- jerks, rights?

Assholes? Schmucks? Douchebags?

That's all ya need to know about Jeff O'Reilly
I don't know the man at all but all I need to know is.....he calls himself O-Dog.

O for Obnoxious.

“O-Dog” would be an acceptable nickname for someone no older than about 25, but alas.

 

[HisIceness]

Even before Dundon, Jeff would occasionally take pot-shots at the franchise. He was a critic of Karmanos and Rutherford. He did some Twitter Q&A thing like 2015 and he some things to say that sounded like a man with an axe to grind

I think he was pissed he didn't get a roster spot in 2007 after doing the PTO thing, he was a longshot but I guess he thought otherwise.

 

[Breakers]

I remember when the Buffalo Bills honored Takeo Spikes

they gave him a little ceremony, but gave him TERRIBLE seats

and he lost his damn mind and left during the game

 

[StrangeVision]

I don't know much about this guy outside of this thread, but it sounds like he's pretty much getting what he deserves.

 

[nogatco rd]

What a clown, expected take from a 50 year old man going by "O-Dog"

For 99% of the population, yes. But when you work in radio a goofy nickname is pretty much a prerequisite, so I kinda give him a pass on that.

 

[PistolPete]

“O-Dog” would be an acceptable nickname for someone no older than about 25, but alas.

Hmmmm.....

20 maybe?

 

[Dr Pepper]

O'Dog is an interesting case of having such a successful post-playing career in media that it's overshadowed his actual playing career.

I'd say during his time in Hartford/Carolina he would have been one of the more important players in the history of that franchise, a Justin Williams level player. He was awful on the Leafs and completely charmless as a player.

And yet he's carved out a very successful career on the radio and in the media and is now more firmly cemented as a Leafs alumni, personality and whatever than whatever he did on the ice.

Happens a lot here.

Jeff O'Neill, Jamie McLennan, Carlo Colaiacovo, Mike Johnson, Frankie Corrado to name a few.

 

[Dr Pepper]

People, people, people....

The man calls himself O-Dog.

Think of anyone you have ever heard of nicknamed dog- (or named Jason)- jerks, right?

Assholes? Schmucks? Douchebags?

That's all ya need to know about Jeff O'Neill
I don't know the man at all but all I need to know is.....he calls himself O-Dog.

O for Obnoxious.

I mean it's not "Rod the Bod" but it's not terrible.

 

[bleedgreen]

No one really knows the current state of affairs between the two sides or why it is that way. He struggled as a young player on the Whalers as he came at a tough time. They had acquired Shanahan but didn’t really have a good playmaker for him. Cassels and Sanderson were perfect together, Nikolishin wasn’t really a good fit and 19 year old Oneill was the best option so he got thrown in the fire and forced to be a number one center at times when he wasn’t developed. After Shanny left he bounced around the lineup and was essentially the third line center until two things happened. He got moved to Ron Francis’s wing and one piece sticks happened. He’s one of a few guys that really were aided by the sticks it seemed. He was a decent shooter before that but he became much more consistent and basically fired everything he could as he got more confident. RF fed him a lot of good passes as well.

He was a very good player for awhile. He did leave after his brother died. It bothered me he had negativity towards the team but he was part of a very tumultuous time, and I can see players being put off by it. Sanderson and Burke were traded months after the move because they admitted to sport illustrated they weren’t happy about the move and preferred Hartford - they were arguably the best two players on the team.

Both sides should be able to put it behind them, and if O is willing to I’d hope the team would do the same. There’s no reason for negativity now.

 

[PistolPete]

I mean it's not "Rod the Bod" but it's not terrible.

I doubt RBA calls himself that though.

O'Neill uses it himself.

And dog is a nickname that gives you ample info about a person thst is a safe bet to be accurate.

 

[nogatco rd]

No one really knows the current state of affairs between the two sides or why it is that way. He struggled as a young player on the Whalers as he came at a tough time. They had acquired Shanahan but didn’t really have a good playmaker for him. Cassels and Sanderson were perfect together, Nikolishin wasn’t really a good fit and 19 year old Oneill was the best option so he got thrown in the fire and forced to be a number one center at times when he wasn’t developed. After Shanny left he bounced around the lineup and was essentially the third line center until two things happened. He got moved to Ron Francis’s wing and one piece sticks happened. He’s one of a few guys that really were aided by the sticks it seemed. He was a decent shooter before that but he became much more consistent and basically fired everything he could as he got more confident. RF fed him a lot of good passes as well.

He was a very good player for awhile. He did leave after his brother died. It bothered me he had negativity towards the team but he was part of a very tumultuous time, and I can see players being put off by it. Sanderson and Burke were traded months after the move because they admitted to sport illustrated they weren’t happy about the move and preferred Hartford - they were arguably the best two players on the team.

Yeah weren’t they playing in Greensboro for a year? Some coyotes-esque elements to the late-stage Hartford/early Carolina years.

O’Neill doesn’t strike me as a guy who filters his thoughts particularly well so I’m not surprised he handled those challenges less than tactfully.

Both sides should be able to put it behind them, and if O is willing to I’d hope the team would do the same. There’s no reason for negativity now.

Agreed. He’s actually been very complimentary of the whole organization this year although occasionally has something negative to say about Dundon.

 

[Dr Pepper]

I doubt RBA calls himself that though.

O'Reilly uses it himself.

And dog is a nickname that gives you ample info about a person thst is a safe bet to be accurate.

As others have pointed out though, as a radio host it sorta comes with the territory.

It's not "your hosts, Brian Hayes, Jamie McLennan and the O-Dog Jeff O'Neill!"........they've got nicknames too....."Hayes-y B" and "Noodles".

 

[Chainshot]

“O-Dog” would be an acceptable nickname for someone no older than about 25, but alas.

Is he called that by Jimmy, Mikey, or Sammy?

 

[Breakers]

One thing that has to be considered

Leafs alumni perks ARE NOT the standard

Jeff is expecting that, and it isn’t the case

Hayes and Ray Ferraro ego checked his a$$ on this

Leafs alumni has the box seats with catered jalapeño chicken fingers and beers and letterman jackets the whole works

Expecting that from other teams is hilarious

 

[CDJ]

Say what you want about him but he’s a part of the 40 goal/100 PIM club which to me means he’s cool as f***

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

People, people, people....

The man calls himself O-Dog.

Think of anyone you have ever heard of nicknamed dog- (or named Jason)- jerks, right?

Assholes? Schmucks? Douchebags?

That's all ya need to know about Jeff O'Neill
I don't know the man at all but all I need to know is.....he calls himself O-Dog.

O for Obnoxious.

Hmmm we all have nicknames we refer to ourselves as here “Pistolpete”… lol

 

[PistolPete]

Hmmm we all have nicknames we refer to ourselves as here “Pistolpete”… lol

Not surprised. Maravich is an all time great. Good to see he's getting appreciated

 

[PistolPete]

As others have pointed out though, as a radio host it sorta comes with the territory.

It's not "your hosts, Brian Hayes, Jamie McLennan and the O-Dog Jeff O'Neill!"........they've got nicknames too....."Hayes-y B" and "Noodles".

Yes, they do grab nicknames but it's not as if thst was his only option.