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admin
U!N!O!
8274 Posts |
 Posted - 07/27/2010 : 4:17:29 PM
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Many of you will remember this player from the 2009 Frozen Four...Vinny Saponari (recently "dismissed" by Boston University for drinking)
http://thrashers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=534969
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As a freshman, Saponari had 8 goals and 9 assists on as a member of the team that captured the NCAA title in shocking fashion, scoring twice in the final minute of regulation to force a tie against Miami (Ohio) before winning in overtime.
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Saponari will play this coming season with Dubuque of the USHL, as the Thrashers helped point him in that direction. He could have opted to play as an over-ager in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, but by playing in the USHL, he retains NCAA eligibility to play at another school in the 2011-12 season.
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Marr said that Dean Blais, the coach at Nebraska-Omaha who guided the United States to the 2009 World Junior Championship title, likes Saponari. He was among the last players cut for the team's 23-man roster in December.
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growsales1
All-Star Mav
USA
2526 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2010 : 5:47:18 PM
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College kid drinking.... What is this world coming to...
SIGN HIM UP... We will take him.
"Release the Hounds!!" |
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FiveIronSLAM311
Sophomore Mav
454 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2010 : 6:26:23 PM
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| Wow this kid is obviously a bad egg. Next thing you know they are going to say that high school kids are drinking too...o wait. |
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Hoffin205
Junior Mav
USA
622 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2010 : 10:27:41 PM
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Been there, done that, and that .... oh, and a little more
DBF
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of all who threaten it
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Bigredmed
Junior Mav
988 Posts |
Posted - 07/28/2010 : 08:48:27 AM
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To be the Devil's advocate here.
Do we want this kid?
Imagine that you are a hockey player. You are recruited to one of the traditional powerhouse teams. You are given a scholarship, so you can go to a big name Ivy League school for free. You are playing on a team that is a perennial threat in your conference and you play in a top conference.
Your choice: Do what the coach tells you and keep this sweet dream come true situation going, or screw the coach and go out and get drunk against team rules. Which would a normal, level-headed, clear thinking person choose?
We have had those kind of players in the past. What happens to them? They get kicked off the team. But before they get their scholarship pulled, they embarass the team, the school, and us, the fans. Meanwhile, a kid who is a walk on or on a partial scholarship can't get any help, a kid we could have recruited is either stuck in juniors or playing for one of our opponents (and out to stick it to our coaches when they come to town.)
I must be in the minority, but I think I would rather take a pass on a player who is destined to get a D&D bust at a Bluffs casino. We've been there before, and I don't think we need to walk that path again.
We only get 3 news stories a year in the OWH, I don't want two of them being about the out of control players. |
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Mikey
Sophomore Mav
Poland
437 Posts |
Posted - 07/28/2010 : 09:21:39 AM
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Devils advocate to the devils advocate.
Remember you are dealing with 20 year old kids here. They sometimes do dumb things. I think we all did when we were that age (I know I did). The smart ones learn from their mistakes (I did) and don't make them again. Sometimes it makes them work that much harder, getting the second chance. We have one player on our roster now who got into much bigger trouble than this when he was younger and he has been clean as a whistle his entire time here. I think you have to trust the coaching staff (if) he even gets offered.
The problem with doing something right the first time is nobody understands how difficult it was. |
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FiveIronSLAM311
Sophomore Mav
454 Posts |
Posted - 07/28/2010 : 11:35:23 AM
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| I think this coaching staff will be VERY clear on what happens if they do sign this kid. Also you have to remember in hockey you are not dealing with your normal college athlete. Most of these kids are much older than the traditional college athlete. There could be students who are 23 or 24 on your team and don't think twice about drinking. In other sports you have much younger athletes usually. All I am trying to say is that he may have just been the product of being a college student and hanging out with his team and getting into trouble because the rest of them are 23 and 24 and he is not old enough to drink. |
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West O Mike
All-Star Mav
Christmas Island
3862 Posts |
Posted - 07/28/2010 : 12:37:23 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bigredmed
To be the Devil's advocate here.
Do we want this kid?
It depends on the kid and how he has reacted to his mistake. Does he realize he made a mistake, or is he just sorry he got caught? What is he doing to make amends? How genuine does he appear?
It's not a clear cut yes or no answer. I understand the point about not wanting a case of trouble. I also don't believe in castigating a kid because he made a mistake.
Fortunately, he has a second chance in juniors to prove himself to be worthy of a second chance off the ice.
In the end, it's a judgement call to be made by Dean Blais. I don't think this is a hockey question; he's proven that status. This is a question about this person's character. That's something we absolutely know nothing about. He may be a great kid that made a single big mistake. Or this kid could be T-R-O-U-B-L-E. Or most likely...something in the middle. Can he become more of the former than the latter? Time will eventually tell.
Blog: http://huskermike.blogspot.com |
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growsales1
All-Star Mav
USA
2526 Posts |
Posted - 07/28/2010 : 3:48:26 PM
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Lets not make a mountain out of a mole hill... the kid was caught drinking, not kidnapping young boys and duct taping them to fences and taking a sharpie to them... LMAO.
"Release the Hounds!!" |
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Bigredmed
Junior Mav
988 Posts |
Posted - 07/28/2010 : 7:00:47 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by growsales1
Lets not make a mountain out of a mole hill... the kid was caught drinking, not kidnapping young boys and duct taping them to fences and taking a sharpie to them... LMAO.
"Release the Hounds!!"
Wow!
Is there something you want to get off your chest? A confession maybe?
No, I agree that this kid could be fine. I wish him well and have confidence that if he shows up, the coaches will have gone over things with a fine tooth comb.
Just prefer to have a team that generates solid graduates, maybe a few NHL players and Academic All Americans than a team that generates people who we all have to look askance at.
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CaseyMav
#10
Botswana
2051 Posts |
Posted - 07/28/2010 : 8:10:33 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bigredmed
quote:
Originally posted by growsales1
Lets not make a mountain out of a mole hill... the kid was caught drinking, not kidnapping young boys and duct taping them to fences and taking a sharpie to them... LMAO.
"Release the Hounds!!"
Wow!
Is there something you want to get off your chest? A confession maybe?
Surely you're not unaware of the activities of former Bowling Green players... And yes, I called you Shirley. 
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Bigredmed
Junior Mav
988 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2010 : 07:38:56 AM
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My bad. Amazing how completely one can block out the disgusting pervs from Bowling Green.
And don't call me Shirley. |
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growsales1
All-Star Mav
USA
2526 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2010 : 1:40:12 PM
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... Cue Joe Pa ...
"Release the Hounds!!" |
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goon
Freshman Mav
USA
161 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2010 : 12:11:08 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by FiveIronSLAM311
Wow this kid is obviously a bad egg. Next thing you know they are going to say that high school kids are drinking too...o wait.
That's ok, Blais has been known to turn a player around.
http://ndgoon.blogspot.com |
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admin
U!N!O!
8274 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2010 : 12:40:29 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by goon
That's ok, Blais has been known to turn a player around.
I have no doubt that he'd be a fine player for Coach Blais.
I just posted the article because I thought it'd kinda cool to have the player who dashed Miami's National Championship hopes on our team.
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buetane
Senior Mav
Iceland
1050 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2010 : 1:51:22 PM
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| Maybe if we still played against them Jon. For some reason, this also reminded me of the fact that Jacob Cepis plays for Minnesota. He was at Bowling Green a few years ago and I hope somebody introduces his face to the boards this year. |
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Dubuque Player on Blais' Radar...formerly with BU
