11/05/24
September 23, 2007
Howe boys staggered by cruelty of Dad's stalker-neighbours: Mark Howe says the family tried to be civil but could simply take no more. "If it was still back in my playing days, one shift on the ice would settle this."
posted by tommytrump to hockey at 08:26 AM - 28 comments
Mark Howe says the family tried to be civil but could simply take no more. "If it was still back during my playing career, one shift on the ice would settle this.'' That's a real tough statement by a 51 year-old former pro athlete to make about a couple of 70 year-olds. Other than that, I am fully in the Howe's camp with regard to the neighbours' actions.
posted by grum@work at 10:22 AM on September 23, 2007
Wow. How completely messed-up is that?. About as completely messed up as it gets. From everything I've ever read and heard about them, Gordie Howe and his family have carried themselves through life with dignity and class, and hopefully this torment is dealt with swiftly and severely. I had the opportunity to meet Gordie a couple of years ago at a sports dinner, and he was wonderful to talk to, he just comes across as a very genuine decent person. On preview, Grum, I don't really have a problem with Mark's statement. The way I read it is simply that if this were back in the day, on the ice, he'd handle it the Howe way. Face to face, man to man, or in this case, man to prying, twisted troll. Family loyalty is a wonderful thing, and from all I know about them, the Howe family is straightforward, honest, and decent. On a separate issue, my prayers are with Gordie, and his children, for easy days dealing with Colleen's disease.
posted by tommybiden at 10:29 AM on September 23, 2007
What the neighbors are doing to the Howes is rude as hell, and cruel given his wife's illness, but calling it stalking and (even worse) "peeping molestation" is a bit much. It's harassment, but they only shared the photos with the authorities as part of their hare-brained scheme to prove he was running a business. This story is likely to inspire more outside scrutiny of these webcam creeps than the Howes experienced. It reminds me of some of the disputes among my retired neighbors. Some people have too much time on their hands, and they end up blowing up tiny disputes into giant furious feuds.
posted by rcade at 10:47 AM on September 23, 2007
really goes beyond neighborhood watch
posted by water1 at 11:15 AM on September 23, 2007
It's harassment, but they only shared the photos with the authorities as part of their hare-brained scheme to prove he was running a business. Actually, the article says the Dorfmans shared their photos with neighbors on the street, and actually even gave the info to the Howes' lawyer. We have Gordie coming in for a signing next weekend. I have been dealing with both his son, Marty, and his grandson, Travis. Not only have both been extremely gracious and helpful, but none of the phone calls I've made or contracts I've sent have gone to Howe's house. Power Play International has its own offices. What the neighbors have most likely been seeing is one of the sons or Travis carrying sticks and jerseys to be signed in and out of Gordie's house. I don't think there's anything illegal about that.
posted by wfrazerjr at 12:10 PM on September 23, 2007
Talk about your neighbors from hell... $25,000 seems a bit low for the shit the Howe's have put up with, I would be asking a cool million at a minimum. Especially if I am going to gift the money to a research program such as the one for dementia.
posted by Folkways at 12:26 PM on September 23, 2007
One of my neighbors is a one-woman "neighborhood watch" who lets nothing escape her. I'm glad she's not yet considered anything I do to be against her personal code. It's amazing to me that some people can be so obsessive and vindictive about something like this. Even if the Howes were conducting business in their residence, as long as it does not create a nuisance, what harm does it do their neighbors? This seems to me like a case of pure envy.
posted by Howard_T at 12:39 PM on September 23, 2007
What a pathetic pair these two must be. Given what I know of dementia from dealing with my grandparents, it actually sounds like the couple across the street may suffer from it, too. The insistence that something illegal or sinister is going on right across the street, and the obsessiveness of their "surveillance," lead me to believe that they might be in need of some help themselves.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 12:53 PM on September 23, 2007
Or they're just old bastards. A lot of my conversations with our neighborhood's more senior residents revolves around what other neighbors have done to annoy them.
posted by yerfatma at 01:53 PM on September 23, 2007
There's one of these public-morals types in my neighborhood too. We have a 30-mph speed limit here, and she constantly flags people down who she thinks are driving faster than that. I've witnessed a couple of crazy arguments she's had with people she's stopped. I'm sure she'll get her ass kicked one day.
posted by aerotive at 06:05 PM on September 23, 2007
This is a fine example of people having too much time on their hands.If it were me ,they would get a brick through the window every night.
posted by mars1 at 07:09 PM on September 23, 2007
Or they're just old bastards. Well, sure, there's that, I suppose.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:16 AM on September 24, 2007
I live in a suburb of Detroit and I think this took place in Bloomfield Hills. Allot of the people in this area think they are a bit better than the rest of the area population. It really would not matter if it was Gordie Howe or some other popular person, these people think they are the elite of the Detroit metro area. This is a major reason that the area is the most segregated community in the UNITED STATES. North of 10 mile road is where the pretty people live. South of 10 mile is where the common folk reside. No matter how much money Gorgie has he is just a normal guy like every one else and maybe that is part of the problem.
posted by sportnut at 11:02 AM on September 24, 2007
Actually, the article says the Dorfmans shared their photos with neighbors on the street, and actually even gave the info to the Howes' lawyer. I overlooked the detail about the neighbors. That definitely crosses over into harassment.
posted by rcade at 12:26 PM on September 24, 2007
You know how there are supposed to be no sacred cows, and everyone should be treated equally and all that? Well, Gordie Howe scored 20 goals as a 50-year old in the NHL. And he has one of my all time favorite hockey stats - finishing in the top 5 in scoring for 20 straight years. I don't care if he's naked on the front lawn. Leave him alone, jerkass.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:23 PM on September 24, 2007
I don't care if [Gordie Howe]'s naked on the front lawn. Are you sure you're Canadian? And have a pulse?
posted by yerfatma at 02:06 PM on September 24, 2007
I don't know if I want to see that, but hey, if that's what Gordie wants to do, damnit, Gordie, get naked, and I'll go get you a lemonade, or a beer, your call.
posted by tommybiden at 02:10 PM on September 24, 2007
Double what Weedy said. I hope the city confiscates the video equipment and puts those two on probation from now on.
posted by irunfromclones at 02:15 PM on September 24, 2007
finishing in the top 5 in scoring for 20 straight years Technicality: In 1959-60 season, he finished with the same number of points as Henri Richard (73), which was the 5th highest total. However, according to NHL rules at the time, the tie-breaker for points (if declaring an Art Ross Trophy winner) is goals, and Richard had 2 more goals than Howe, so he'd be the official "5th place" in scoring. So Howe actually finished in the top 6 that year,.
posted by grum@work at 05:32 PM on September 24, 2007
Are you sure you're Canadian?
posted by yerfatma at 07:34 PM on September 24, 2007
Technicality: In 1959-60 season, he finished with the same number of points as Henri Richard (73), which was the 5th highest total. However, according to NHL rules at the time, the tie-breaker for points (if declaring an Art Ross Trophy winner) is goals, and Richard had 2 more goals than Howe, so he'd be the official "5th place" in scoring. So Howe actually finished in the top 6 that year,. Well I'll be an uncle's monkey. I take it all back. Fuck Gordie Howe. Right in the ear.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:26 PM on September 24, 2007
the way gordie looked the last time i saw him, he probably doesnt need mark to take care of his light work. one shift on the ice with the old man and that couple would be toast.
posted by shaggyhooch at 03:24 AM on September 25, 2007
These people should be dealt with like anyone else that violate's another individual's privacy. "17,000 pictures in one day" with web cams facing Gordie Howe's house seems to me crossing the line and no matter the couple's age, the authorities should consider this to be harassment and/or borderline stalking.
posted by BornIcon at 06:49 AM on September 25, 2007
These people should be dealt with like anyone else that violate's another individual's privacy. Which means what? What case would we compare this to?
posted by yerfatma at 07:41 AM on September 25, 2007
"17,000 pictures in one day" That is really not eyebrow raising. Webcams can be set to grab images at a variety of rates. Standard motion video is 30 "pictures" (frames) per second. One could take 17,000 in less than 10 minutes at that rate.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:28 AM on September 25, 2007
One wonders if the neighbors taking the photos are the ones needing medical attention for dementia!!!
posted by Fly_Piscator at 10:32 AM on September 25, 2007
Fuck Gordie Howe. Right in the ear. Where would the world be without Family Guy?
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 01:59 PM on September 25, 2007
Wow. How completely messed-up is that?