Entries with the tag: gordie+howe

Happy 80th Gordie Howe

by Paul on 03/31/08 at 07:52 AM
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from Jim Kernaghan of Sun Media,

I “was” Gordie Howe as a kid 9 or 10 years of age on the pond and in street hockey. A little more than 10 years later, I was once sent to interview him for my newspaper. Imagine, actually talking to Gordie Howe! How would I ever get close to the large, slope-shouldered superstar engulfed by so many people at the Canada’s Sports Hall Of Fame?

Luckily, the essential Gordie Howe radar was unfailing. He glanced over and accurately sized me up as an ill-at-ease rookie reporter, then ambled over and stuck his hand out.

What followed was Gordie’s description of being busy in the off-season, including an incident about falling through the ice during a commercial shoot up north with his young sons, Mark and Marty. Gordie did everything but walk me back to the paper and write the story himself.

more

added 8:00am, from John McGourty of NHL.com,

Joe Louis Arena erupted in applause as Howe walked the red carpet to center ice, where he was met by current Red Wings’ General Manager Ken Holland, who presented Howe with a more-modern leather Red Wings’ jacket. Howe wore it proudly for the remainder of the day.
“I still have the other one, corduroy. And, it fits,” Howe said. “This thing is heavy. They’ve treated me pretty darn nice here.”

read on and make sure to check out the info box therer for numerous Gordie stories from Mr. McGourty, who must have been in Howe’s back pocket for the last week or so.

The NHL Hour

by Alanah on 03/27/08 at 02:28 PM
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“Mr. Hockey,” Gordie Howe, will be the guest on today’s edition of NHL Hour hosted by National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman on XM Satellite Radio.

The show is on from 4-5 p.m. ET today on XM (Channel 204) and NHL.com. NHL Hour is an interactive talk radio show that is hosted by a rotation of League executives, and co-hosted by XM sports host and former NHL player Bill Clement. 

*At showtime, listen live at this link.  While on the air, listeners can call into the show at 1-877-645-6696, or send questions/comments via this email address: .

**Archived shows available for download via a podcast on NHL.com.

Howe is Hockey

by Paul on 03/26/08 at 12:25 PM
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from John McGourty of NHL.com,

But a dynasty was forming in Detroit, as the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1950 and four Stanley Cups in six years. This run coincided with Howe reaching physical maturity.

Howe was 6-foot, 205 pounds, one of the larger players in the NHL at that time. He was tall and lean with a farmer’s hard muscles. He came from utter poverty and he wouldn’t let anyone compromise his career on the ice.

Howe one-punched Maurice “Rocket” Richard to the ice early in his career and he crushed Bobby Orr late in his career. Howe was uncanny. He could deliver immediate, devastating retribution or he could let a slight go unpunished so long that the perpetrator forgot about it, until he found himself flat on his back when Howe found a situation that wouldn’t compromise his team’s chance of winning.

more with a photo gallery....

Morning Line - Part 2

by Paul on 03/25/08 at 09:23 AM
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Gordie Howe from a Q & A in the Detroit Free Press,

“I always said I believed in religious hockey, and that it is better to give than to receive. I remember one guy said he tried to hit me all game but all he saw was tape. When I was playing, a coach might say, “You don’t like so and so?” And I’d say, “I don’t like any of them out there. When the game’s over, I like a lot of them, but on the ice is not a place to be liking people.”

more

Wayne Talks Gordie

by Paul on 03/16/08 at 09:55 AM
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from Tony Gallagher of the Vancouver Province,

Wayne Gretzky was the planned surprise guest at the party the Vancouver Giants are having for Gordie Howe to celebrate his 80th birthday today, but while he said he wouldn’t be able to come, he’ll surely find a way to send along his regards.

The Great One took some time here to tell a few of the tales of his interaction with the man Reggie Fleming used to call “Blinkey” as a way to try to get under his skin, always a dangerous proposition. And it all started with that famous picture of the two taken when he was just 10 years old; Wayne remembers it like it was yesterday.

“I remember I was getting out of school that day because I was meeting Gordie at the Holiday Inn at 2’ o’clock,” said Gretzky

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Howe Facts

by Paul on 03/14/08 at 08:50 PM
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from the Vancouver Sun,

In a feat unsurpassed by any athlete in any sport, Gordie Howe finished in the top five in scoring for 20 straight seasons.

Howe was offered the job as the first head coach of the New York Islanders in 1972. He declined.

read on for 30 facts about Gordie…

Two Greats Talk

by Paul on 01/31/08 at 10:14 AM
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Wayne and Gordie talk hockey before the Coyotes/Wings game last night.

added 11:11am, The NHL Frozen Moment caught Wayne and Gordie too.

It Always Starts On A Pond

by Paul on 12/21/07 at 10:56 AM
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from John McGourty of NHL.com,

It was seven years ago that “Pond of Dreams,” the Emmy-nominated short hockey film, was shown before the 2000 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto. Viewers of the national television broadcast and fans in the Air Canada Centre watched as young NHL stars Jaromir Jagr, Pavel Bure, Eric Lindros and Paul Kariya paid tribute to three retired greats – Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux – while playing pick-up hockey on a small Ontario pond.

“I’m Wayne Gretzky,” said one, unaware that Gretzky, Howe and Lemieux were walking toward them in the video.

“I’m Gordie Howe,” said the second.

“You’re always Gordie Howe,” chided a third.

continued

Watch the video…

Continue Reading »

Howe Still Carrying Those Sharp Elbows

by Paul on 12/05/07 at 07:22 AM
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from Pat Hickey at the Montreal Gazette,

The other reason I give Howe the edge over Gretzky is that you never heard him complain about the rough treatment he received from opponents. Howe didn’t need Dave Semenko riding shotgun. Opponents took on Howe at their peril and his elbows were legendary. He dropped the gloves often enough that he gave his name to the Gordie Howe hat trick, which consisted of a goal, an assist and a fighting major.

The gathering at centre ice last night wasn’t as emotional as some of the spectacles staged by the Canadiens, but it produced enough nostalgia for Howe to remark: “I feel like elbowing someone.”

a bit more and some other NHL talk…

The Howe Tune

by Paul on 12/04/07 at 06:02 AM
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Remember the KK post about a month ago called ”Gordie Howe Is The Greatest Of Them All”?  Well, if you enjoyed it I suggest you read Dave Stubbs at the Montreal Gazette today,

Whether Detroit Red Wings Hall of Famer Gordie Howe was the greatest of them all, regardless of the record book, might forever be debated by hockey fans.

But in the spring of 1963, when Howe was celebrated in a hit song by Verdun’s Bob Davies, there was no doubt.

Tonight, the man they call Mr. Hockey will be joined by a handful of other Red Wings legends at the Bell Centre when the Canadiens pay tribute to one of their Original Six rivals, another special event on the road to the Habs’ 2009 centennial.

continued

With the game being on Versus tonight, we can only hope they care enough about their fans that they show this pre-game tribute!

Gordie Howe Is The Greatest Of Them All

by Paul on 11/06/07 at 09:28 PM
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Since Joe Pelletier asked, here are my memories of Gordie Howe…

Almost 44 years ago to the day (November 10th), I was there.

I witnessed Gordie Howe break the goal scoring record when he ripped a wrister against Montreal goaltender Charlie Hodge for goal #545.  The old Olympia shook from the foundations, a standing-O for what seemed like an eternity, it would build, die down a bit, then build once again.

I cried, why, because I too was relieved of the pressure Gordie was feeling.  He had gone scoreless for about six games and even his shoulders were starting to feel the burden.

I remember looking up in the rafters before the game, the Wings had tons of balloons up there, hoping to release them onto the ice if Gordie scored.  Well, released they did, but about half of them had deflated, and they rained down on the ice like a wounded duck.  It didn’t matter, fans started tossing anything they could, cups, hats, food, even a few pairs of shoes.

I shudder whenever I think of that day so let’s take a stroll down memory lane…

Continue Reading »

Stories From Espo

by Paul on 10/04/07 at 02:24 PM
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from the News-Register,

Esposito recalled an incident in which he and another hockey great, Gordie Howe, were among the old-timers to lace up the skates for a charity game. They noticed a younger player skating “way too fast,” as Esposito put it, for an exhibition game. Howe, famous for his fisticuffs as much as his scoring touch, took exception to the upstart showing up the old-timers. So when Howe met this opponent at an ensuing faceoff, he suggested he slow down.

When the cocky youngster responded with a derogatory remark to “Mr. Hockey,” Howe’s trademark nickname, he paid for it. Howe took him down hard with some strategically placed stickwork, leaving him writhing on the ice. Let’s just say the fleet-footed upstart didn’t skate too fast during the remainder of the game.

read on… Wouldn’t you like to sit down with Phil one night and have a few pops?

Gordie

by Paul on 09/25/07 at 10:10 AM
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from Simcoe.com,

In a real coup, Simcoe.com had an opportunity to interview the Hockey Hall of Famer for this special, Internet-only story.

Born in Floral, Sask. in 1928, Howe spent most of his youth in Saskatoon, where he played hockey as often as he could, including at night.

“I built a net myself and put it on the street underneath the streetlight because we didn’t have an outside light at our house. And when it got dark, I was still shooting away. And you had to be accurate because you had to look for the dumb puck in the snow if you missed. Basically, I just had a love for the game,” Howe said from his home near Detroit.

read on… recommended reading…

This was posted on 9/24/07, but the link wasn’t working.  It appears to be fine now, so I have moved it up so all can read if they wish.

Howe In Dispute With Neighbor

by Paul on 09/20/07 at 06:15 AM
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from the Detroit News,

Hockey legend Gordie Howe says he’s being checked by his neighbors—17,000 times a day—and he’s tired of it.

Howe, who has been the subject of a residential association dispute for more than a year, this week won a temporary restraining order barring the neighbor from spying on his home with a surveillance camera.

continued… just give the guy a shot to the ribs, Gordie!