Howe About That!

Another reason to love hockey: Check out this excerpt from a NY Times article today about William Clay Ford - yes, that Ford family - and his lifelong love of hockey.  Ford spearheaded the effort to bring the NCAA Hockey Final Four to Detroit this year.  At age 52 he still plays defense on a top-notch adult amateur team.  Here is his story about meeting Gordie Howe when he was a kid:

Ford said one of his happiest childhood memories was attending a summer camp led by the hockey great Gordie Howe in suburban Detroit. Ford, then 8, wanted to show Howe — his hockey idol — his work ethic and toughness.

He spotted Howe and put his head down to skate hard.

“My heart just jumped,” Ford said of first seeing Howe. “The next thing I know, I was slammed. I’ve never been hit so hard in my life. I’m lying in this heap, and it’s Gordie looking down at me.

“He says, ‘Son, always skate with your head up.’ I was so honored to have been checked by Gordie Howe. That was the coolest thing that ever happened to me.”

Gotta love hockey (and Gordie Howe).