(left) Vinny Saponari was considering DU, BU, Wisconsin and a few other schools when he was being recruitedFrom: The Daily Free Press
by Jake Seiner
Sophomore Vinny Saponari, a two-year starter with the Boston University men’s hockey team, said Tuesday he was “shocked” by his dismissal from the Terrier squad earlier that morning.
“I just found out today, like all of you, and I’m pretty shocked, just as shocked as everyone else,” Saponari said. “I didn’t see this coming. I know I’d made some mistakes as far as rules go, but I really didn’t think it would lead to this.”
In a meeting Tuesday morning with BU coach Jack Parker, Saponari was informed that he would be dismissed from the team. Saponari was told by Parker that he was being dismissed for breaking a team drinking rule, and then showing up late to the subsequent team bike ride, which was punishment for breaking the team rules.
His brother Victor Saponari was dismissed yesterday from the Boston University men's hockey team, and sophomore Corey Trivino will be suspended for multiple games to begin the 2010-11 season, according to a press release put out by the team today.
“Over a period of time, there have been cumulative instances in which Victor and Vinny Saponari have displayed conduct unbecoming of a Boston University hockey player,” BU coach Jack Parker said in the release. “In a related issue, Trivino will be suspended for the early part of next season.”
The were suspended in connection with an alcohol-related incident that occurred less than 48 hours before a playoff game, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.
Rising senior goalie Adam Kraus, who was also involved in the incident, could possibly be suspended as well.
Sources said the coaching staff was recently informed that the four players were drinking on the night of March 17, less than 48 hours before the Terriers’ Hockey East semifinal matchup with the University of Maine. BU’s season came to an end with a 5-2 loss in that game.
Victor Saponari and Kraus are both of legal drinking age, but a long-standing team rule forbids players from drinking on any night other than Saturday. Vinny Saponari and Trivino are both underage.
According to sources, there were several other incidents that occurred during the season that factored into the punishments. WTBU Sports is reporting that Victor Saponari skipped a practice.
Back in 2007, four players, all of age, were suspended indefinitely for drinking on a Sunday afternoon. They returned to practice five days later and missed two games.
In 82 career games at BU, Vinny Saponari tallied 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists), while his brother, Victor, dished out two assists in 14 career games.
“I just found out today, like all of you, and I’m pretty shocked, just as shocked as everyone else,” Saponari said. “I didn’t see this coming. I know I’d made some mistakes as far as rules go, but I really didn’t think it would lead to this.”
In a meeting Tuesday morning with BU coach Jack Parker, Saponari was informed that he would be dismissed from the team. Saponari was told by Parker that he was being dismissed for breaking a team drinking rule, and then showing up late to the subsequent team bike ride, which was punishment for breaking the team rules.
His brother Victor Saponari was dismissed yesterday from the Boston University men's hockey team, and sophomore Corey Trivino will be suspended for multiple games to begin the 2010-11 season, according to a press release put out by the team today.
“Over a period of time, there have been cumulative instances in which Victor and Vinny Saponari have displayed conduct unbecoming of a Boston University hockey player,” BU coach Jack Parker said in the release. “In a related issue, Trivino will be suspended for the early part of next season.”
The were suspended in connection with an alcohol-related incident that occurred less than 48 hours before a playoff game, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.
Rising senior goalie Adam Kraus, who was also involved in the incident, could possibly be suspended as well.
Sources said the coaching staff was recently informed that the four players were drinking on the night of March 17, less than 48 hours before the Terriers’ Hockey East semifinal matchup with the University of Maine. BU’s season came to an end with a 5-2 loss in that game.
Victor Saponari and Kraus are both of legal drinking age, but a long-standing team rule forbids players from drinking on any night other than Saturday. Vinny Saponari and Trivino are both underage.
According to sources, there were several other incidents that occurred during the season that factored into the punishments. WTBU Sports is reporting that Victor Saponari skipped a practice.
Back in 2007, four players, all of age, were suspended indefinitely for drinking on a Sunday afternoon. They returned to practice five days later and missed two games.
In 82 career games at BU, Vinny Saponari tallied 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists), while his brother, Victor, dished out two assists in 14 career games.
10 comments:
ooh! ooh! ooh! Me first!
DG! You are such a horrible dispicable person. How could you post this?! How is multiple college hockey players getting kicked off/suspended from a premier college hockey team at all related to college hockey!?
The Ostrow, Shore & Mermis boys better not party with their older brothers.
You'd hate to have to call your parents and say, "Hi Mom. Tidy up the bedrooms. Me and little bro just got kicked out of school."
What an ugly kid. That's the real tragedy here...
They didn't get kicked out BU - they just kicked off the hockey team.
That said, they will lose their scholarship money(s) next year, and will likely wish to transfer, unless their parents want to foot the bill for the just the academic piece (unlikely).
While it might be tempting to go after a 30-point scorer, the charcacter-related red flags are concerning. If Parker felt they were worth keeping, they'd still be on the team. My guess is this goes far deeper than just breaking a drinking rule and missing a practice - those can be served by suspension. To kick players all the way out, there is likely something deeper at play...
I don't know why he's shocked. He's known about this for, like, 6 weeks. I guess he thought Parker might not really do it.
Sux to B U!
Hahahaha.
Ok. I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself.
http://boston.barstoolsports.com/random-thoughts/rate-this-bu-party-like-a-puck-star-rap/
These Bad Boyz are rappers!
Thanks for the heads up RWD.
Saponari was/is a USA Hockey creation. He is from Georgia (a hockey hotbed - not) and his association with the Geffrion family (Blake & Danny) and USA Hockey is what got him into Culver and the NTDP Program. He is a good player but there are/were many better that were passed over for the NTDP so he could have a slot.
He can follow Geoffrion to Wisconsin. They have obviously have no team rules(seen Smith's and others arrest records?) about drinking and getting arrested over and over so it would be a perfect fit.
Really blind-sighted by being kicked off cause he didn't know the rules or because he didn't think they applied to him? Parker sat five players a couple years ago for less.
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