CENTRAL TEXAS – While the sounds of Christmas are filling the air and hockey fans around the world are planning their holidays around the World Junior tournament, the Spengler cup or their favorite hockey team, the Warrior asks that fans around the world take this time to remember to remember career minor leaguer, Rob Guinn.
Guinn died in an automobile accident while returning from a college class in July 2008, leaving behind beautiful wife Brooke, young infant daughter Olivia, as well as countless fans and former teammates. Everybody has a story about the stay at home defenseman, with an infectious smile and good partner in any prank.
The Warrior, working as a color analyst, met Guinn in Central Texas while he was fighting to earn his release from the ECHL. Guinn mentioned that he hadn’t been paid because he wasn’t yet an official member of the team. At that point Earl Horn, one of the team owners walked by and the Warrior introduced Guinn to Horn and told Earl that we needed to pay Guinn $300 in travel money. Horn paid the money on the spot and instantly a friendship was born.
Guinn’s toughness would be tested during his very first shift as a member of the Central Texas Stampede, when Corpus Christi enforcer Geoff Bumstead challenged him in front of the Stampede bench. Guinn took the challenge and while he may not have won the fight, he won the respect of his teammates and fans alike.
The next two months of bus trips consisted of rookies Guinn and former St. Mary’s University teammate Matt Hill sharing stories with me on the bus about their various experiences in college and hiding beer from the veterans on the rare occasions when it was allowed on the bus.
The team folded on January 7th 2001, but Rob, unlike a lot of the players on the team played hard each and every shift, even though he knew the team had already folded.
“Hey they paid me before I was even a member of the team and most of these people will never see me play again,” Guinn said when thanked for his efforts after the final game. While players were busy making plans to get out of Central Texas, Guinn and I placed a call to Todd Brost, coach of the Elmira Jackals. It was my final act as a member of the Stampede.
Rob went on to play several more seasons for different teams, but The Warrior lost touch with him until a chance meeting on face book in early June 2008, where a few laughs were exchanged and Guinn stated he was coming off an awful year and wanted to play one more season. We made an agreement to keep in touch and talked a few times afterwards online.
Less than two weeks later Rob Guinn was gone, and while shedding a tear on his death, I called former Central Texas Stampede teammates Matt Brenner and Matt Hill to share a story or two about him. I also spoke with Brooke Guinn and learned a little bit more about Rob Guinn, the person and just how strong Brooke is.
Shortly after Rob’s death, Brooke suffered the loss of her sister, yet she keeps moving forward raising her daughter and celebrating holidays outwardly for the sake of Olivia, while mourning the loss of her husband each and every day.
The Warriors asks that we remember Rob Guinn and help contribute to a fund that has been set aside to assist in Olivia’s education. Please send donations to Rob Guinn Memorial Fund Leighton Legal Law Firm, 802 N. Clinton Street, Suite 1, Bloomington, Ill. 61701
Chinook Hockey League home to many former Minor Pro Players The Warrior, along with Wade Giesbrecht, who calls himself the Don Cherry of amateur hockey take a look at the Chinook Hockey League considered the strongest Men’s Sr. AAA league in all of Canada. Giesbrecht: 1. 2009 Allan Cup Champion Bentley Generals: Brian Sutter’s squad still ranks #1. The team has 17 returnees to start the season with more to come as well as former NHLer Daryl Laplante, who has been re-activated after a 1 year hiatus. Sutter will not tolerate complacency or mediocrity. You can see it in the level of individual performance. To a man this team continues to improve as players and naturally they get better as a team. It doesn’t hurt to set the bar in terms of goaltending either. The Generals have picked up ECHLer and RPI grad Jordan Alford, after his unexpected return from the pro ranks a few weeks ago. Alford and Scotty Galenza ensure the Gens of having the top tandem in the league. Reports of Kevin Smyth’s demise were greatly exaggerated. Big 97 still attacks dauntingly from the wing but it’s their depth at center that makes all the difference. Laplante, Curtis Austring, Chris Martini and Kent Beagle give The Army’s roster a royal flush in terms of match-ups. Even if GM Jeff Macinnis doesn’t add a couple of defenseman to this club…they can out check any team in the nation. The Warrior: There is no doubt that Brian Sutter’s bunch is the première team in the league right now. They are solid at ever position and have a legitimate third line led by tough guy Jeff Hansen and pesky Rob Hartnell. Austring could play on the power play on many AHL league teams and unless the league starts enforcing interference, he could score 20 power play goals this season. The biggest problem could come in goal where Scott Galenza is going through another year of being replaced in goal as the #1 tender, despite doing what ever it takes to win. Alford is a great pick up, but like last year when the Generals exploited a loophole to sign away League #1 goalie Cody Rudkowsky, Galenza has to feel disrespected. Sutter has to show more loyalty to his net minders especially when they play as well as Galenza. Giesbrecht: 2. Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs: T his is the spot Stony Plain has been almost elusively entitled to for 5 seasons now. The Chiefs added depth for the playoffs last year with most of those players returning. The only team to have beaten Bentley this season, the Chiefs roster is only marginally improved from the roster which went to 7 games with Bentley in last year’s semi-final series. They topped up the defensive core with a local whiz: Benjamin Lindemulder, currently second in league scoring among defensemen. A decorated AJHLer in his day, Lindemulder’s speed and touch are a sweet fit with the Chiefs finesse style of play. Blair Manning, amongst the all time leading scorers in the Central Hockey League, is their biggest signing . His decision to sign full time with Fort’ was perfect timing, as top scorer Doug Auchenberg’s departed to Stony Plain. You can also throw Kyle Pess’ name onto the pile. He’s one of a half dozen Fort forwards with game breaking speed. The Warrior: Wade can’t be farther away on this pick as Manning is aging and hasn’t been a threat in the Central League for a long time. Auchenberg is still a big time player that could play in the Central League and still be a star. Former Central Players Bryan Forslund is still an effective player, but Warren Toews is in the twilight of a mediocre career. Another CHL signee, Corey Rutt is a toe drag and little else. The Warrior likes the team’s offensive potential, but considers the Chiefs too soft to compete in the Chinook Hockey League. Giesbrecht: 3. Stony Plain Eagles find themselves ranked in a deceiving spot here. The loss of Goaltender Cody (Rudy) Rudkowsky can’t be overlooked. He was the MVP of the team last year. His decision to go to Europe leaves a gaping hole. The Eagles were scraping for solutions all summer and I am not of the belief Sean Fields provides the same level of goaltending to what Stony has been accustomed to over the years. Before Rudy there was Ryan Hoople, who for several years was the best in the league. The ‘Birds had to be hoping Rudy would be around for a similar timeline but it was not to be and so what was once the strength of their team is now a question mark. They did open the door for disgruntled Doug Auchenberg who couldn’t get along with the hierarchy in Fort any longer. However, Auchenberg can be hot & cold and his debut in Stony is lukewarm right now. He’s sitting just 21st in league scoring and with most of the gravy games already gone off the traditionally easier early part of the schedule; it appears unlikely Auchchenberg will defend his scoring title as an Eagle. The Warrior: Stony Plain is just a step below the Generals right now with the biggest gap being in coaching. Former Trail BC Little League World Series representative Mike Tavaroli, now in his third season, is out coached, outline changed and out recruited by Sutter. The team can win without former coach Craig Goebel, but Tavaroli has to make better in game adjustments if the Eagle want to challenge Bentley. Tate Locke is an undersized forward but he just keeps scoring big goals and Jim Kerr is one of the league’s best on the power play. Former NHLer Kyle Rossiter anchors the blue line and for what he lacks in toughness new signee Marty Melnychuk will more than make up for. Add Dan Leckelt, Pat Glenday and Marshall Kronewitt to the mix and the team is as tough as any. Goaltender Jason Fricker is still one of the league’s best but has played behind Ryan Hoople and Cody Rudkowsky for years. Fields and Fricker are just a notch below Galenza and Alford. It is only December. This time last year, the Chiefs were not even on the ‘AAA’ radar. So, we know a lot can change. Keep coming back to the Warrior zone to see if the Don Cherry of Texas and The Don Cherry of Amateur hockey can ever agree on anything. Hartnell and the Warrior end 13-year feud The Warrior takes look at a former WPHL Forward Rob Hartnell and the long and winding road to a friendship that took 13 years to develop. Sometime during the early part of the 1996-1997 season the Central Texas Stampede and the El Paso Buzzards were involved in a hotly contested match up when late in the game Stampede forward Jason Taylor became involved in a slugfest with pesky forward Rob Hartnell. The two were issued game misconducts and continued the fight behind closed doors just outside their respective locker rooms. This would start a long time feud between the Warrior, known at that time as one of the best hecklers in the league and Hartnell, definitely one of the biggest agitators in the league. It didn’t help matters that Rob was traded during the season to the Stampede’s arch rival Waco Wizards just as the teams were about to play each other on what seemed like four consecutive weekends in a row. Hartnell was wreaking havoc everywhere on the ice and made it a point to seek the Warrior out in his little perch as he left the ice. This wasn’t your typical player, fan feud as the comments were distasteful on both sides, and got to the point where it was becoming a pretty intense rivalry. During the off season, Hartnell was traded to the Amarillo Rattlers and earned the nickname suitcase when after seven games he was traded to the Austin Ice Bats. It was there the rivalry boiled over, as after a mid December game where Hartnell fanned on a shootout attempt and The Warrior gave Hartnell the choke sign as Hartnell was coming off the ice adding a few choice words to go with it. Kyle Haviland, an Ice Bat Defenseman, then speared The Warrior, with the Warrior grapping the stick and pulling it out of Haviland’s hands. Police arrived and Jim Burton, the Austin Ice Bat coach told the fast arriving police that The Warrior had spit on Hartnell, but he didn’t want me arrested. Several years later Burton apologized for the lie, but that didn’t stop Jason Cohen from reporting the incident in his book Zamboni Rodeo. While The Warrior will admit following Hartnell’s career, it wouldn’t be until January 2nd 2009 where the two would meet again as Hartnell was now a third line center for the Bentley Generals and the Warrior was a carded trainer with the now defunct River Cree Warrior’s. The only problem was that prior to that event, The Warrior’s now ex girlfriend tried to book a 14 day vacation at Desires Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico meaning the Warrior would miss that game. The Warrior had waited 10 years to meet up with Hartnell so he refused to change his plans, choosing instead to make the 2 ½ hour trip to Bentley. Loosing 9-2 at the time and seeing Hartnell in front of the River Cree bench during a time out, Warrior lit into Hartnell. “Hey! You’re beating us 9-2 and you’re a minus 2. You stunk in the WPHL and you’re still stinking up the joint. If it hadn’t had been for me nobody would even know your name. My radio show made you a star. “ The conversation then turned to my applying for a car sales job in Alberta not knowing Hartnell was the sales manager with Hartnell stating he would never give me a job. The referee, looking bemused, told us both to shut up and with that the game ended and I left for my vacation in Los Cabos in what would be both the best vacation I have ever been on and the last. In March, GMC announced they were shutting down Pontiac and The Warrior called Hartnell at his dealership in Alberta and offered his condolences. After 30 minutes of story telling, The Warrior came to the realization that he didn’t hate Rob Hartnell He just hated that Hartnell had never played in Central Texas. As many of you will notice, the difference between the old Warrior from www.inthecrease.com and the Warrior with Pro Hockey news, is I have a greater appreciation for those that play the game. You see, its not only the game that’s so great, its those that play the game at any level that make this the greatest game on earth. Next issue a look at Internet sensation Ken Tasker and his now famous fight with Trevor Senn. Warrior thoughts: Wow Best player in the SPHL, Mississippi’s Matt Zultek is a pretty amazing trivia answer to many questions, having scored the 1999 Memorial Cup-winning goal for Ottawa to defeat Calgary 7-6 in overtime and being involved in the Wayne Gretzky trade from Los Angeles to St Louis as future draft pick. The downfall of hockey continues in Louisiana as the once great Ice Gators are struggling both on and off the Ice and both the owner and Ron Handy appear to be in over their heads. Quick! Call The Warrior before its to late. Congratulations to Mark Adamek of the Wichita Thunder who won the masters with a minus 15 leading all of A-level Minor Pro hockey with the worst plus/minus. Face it; it’s the AHL, the ECHL and then a drop off to everyone else. Good to see owner Mark Adams doing so well with Missouri Valley. His teams in Lubbock were always competitive and he is a darn good competitor. I took some shots at him for some salary cap violations but at the end of the day, the league is better with him then without him. Former Waco Wizard, Central Texas ,Fort Worth Brahma, Sudbury Wolves, Sudbury Northern Wolves coach Todd Lalonde was last seen selling cars in Windsor Ontario. Strange to see, he also coached women’s hockey at the collegiate level and his former intern Jeff Bowerman is the Sports Information Director at a small women’s college in Texas. Wonder if he still calls Lalonde to see if he should put a coat on? Bill McDonald is an assistant coach with the Alan Americans in the CHL. This is a prime example of a guy just hanging around the game because he likes to teach. His teams were always tough and outside of Don Mckee, no one can be harder on the refs. Tell me it isn’t so! Mad Max Middendorf is now a referee? It’s also nice to see Brian Bull and Paul Depuydt return to the CHL. What’s next, the return of Ron Morgan? The Warrior is still amazed at the number of ex-players that have emailed him thanking him for returning to this column. Look, you can’t be considered one of the leagues’s all time tough guys and then send me a request to join your farm on Farmville. Real men play mafia wars not fish world or Farmville. I joined both because of a girl, but I won’t play. As a 15 year old kid in Antioch California, I would join my friends Darell Lebrun, Eddie Reyes, Frank Riley, Mark Sullivan, Ferris Anthony, and my brother Pete Kinsel to play street Hockey at Kimball Elementary. Prior to the games we would sometimes go to Eddie’s house to heat up our sticks and get just the right curve then head out to Kimball for our weekly game. Sometimes people would stop and watch us play. A fight or two would break out just to thrill the 10 people who were watching us play such a strange game. There were lots of good memories in those games, so it’s sad to report that Eddie died last month. Somewhere Eddie is in heaven laughing at the memory too. I added a fan page and it’s good to see Bill Romanowski and his four Super Bowl rings have joined. Bill would have made a great hockey player. Follow me on twitter @ www.twitter.com/warriorsports or www.kingofdodge.com Or join my fan page @ www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=187692407775 Got a topic or a thought? Contact me at thewarrior@prohockeynews.com
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