At trial in 1981, the government's case consisted primarily of the testimony of Hill and three other witnesses: Sweeney and Joseph Beaulieu, both Boston College players, and Barbara Reed, a 23-year-old nurse who lived with Kuhn during the 197879 Eagles season. The goal for making some real money is to get the character a TV gig with ESPN, NBC Sports, or another major sports network. He said he was brought in on the deal for his ability to maximize profits through his contacts in the gambling world. After the four-week trial in 1981, Jimmy Burke was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Paul Mazzei and Tony Perla were sentenced to ten. The fixing begins to wear into Sweeney, who confides in his roommates but never seeks out the proper authority. The six games figuring in the point-shaving case were Boston College against Providence, Dec. 6; Harvard, Dec. 16; UCLA, Dec. 23; Fordham, Feb. 3; St. John's, Feb. 6, and Holy Cross, Feb. 10. It was a path that led them to Hills underworld higher-up, Jimmy Burke (the Robert DeNiro character in Goodfellas). The Boston Globe story was initially investigated and written by a young Boston College alumnus named Leslie Visser, who would go on to become a very accomplished, groundbreaking journalist and role model for women who aspired to work in the field of sports media. The scheme was hit or miss early on. The narrator explains that the strength of how Henry Hills testimony is would determine if Burke was going to be convicted. I dont know what went down because I wasnt involved. Sweeney had enough of that over a few months 35 years ago to last a lifetime. He is a participant in the Federal Witness Protection Program and is receiving government protection in exchange for his testimony. Rocco has a vague conversation with Cobb over winning certain games, but both sides wont admit to knowing the extent to which he was involved. II. The Shadow League, 29 May 2017, theshadowleague.com/30-years-after-his-exoneration-former-bc-hoops-star-ernie-cobb-is-still-fighting-to-clear-his-name-pt-ii/. After perhaps his greatest moment during the preseason, when he had that outstanding game against the Celtics right before the regular season tipped off, Cobb was relaxing in his hotel room when he heard a knock at the door. I understand that they want to disassociate themselves from the scandal. They left, and that was that. Jimmy Burke goes berserk and shatters his own TV. I was so frustrated at one point that I got on my bike in Stamford, Connecticut and just started riding. Heading into his senior season in 1978-1979, as the team captain, Cobb was hoping that he could lead his team to the NCAA Tournament. Everybody testified against him. Burke, through Hill, would front the money to pay the players, forwarding the money through Mazzei and the Perla brothers. For Cobb, the result was far worse. I dont know if they recognize it, but B.C. The 197879 Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal involved a scheme in which members of the American Mafia recruited and bribed several Boston College Eagles men's basketball players to ensure the team would not win by the required margin (not cover the point spread), allowing gamblers in the know to place wagers against that team and win. They had Kuhn approach Ernie Cobb, the leading scorer on the team, but it has never been proven if Cobb agreed to cooperate. BOSTON - NOVEMBER 17: Rick Kuhn (#35) during Boston College men's basketball's 1978-1979 season. It was one of the most tremendous feelings Id ever experienced.. Ernie, dont lie to me, Alswanger instructed him. While the line may have been as low as 13 at some point, the syndicate had to lay 15, and therefore lost their bet when Rhode Island won by only 13. At that point, I was looking forward to a trial, said Cobb. There were times when the work got really hard, when I wanted to give up, when I had to stay up all night reading or studying or writing papers, and shed be right there pushing me, telling me, You cant give up! This is an important part of the documentary because it shows the respect they have for one another regardless of the past. After he interviewed him, he fell in love with him and told me, Hes innocent. You understand? . But its one of the most famous in sports history, to which Sweeneys name will be forever linked. Theres never been any mob money riding on the outcomes, as far as anyone knows. The mobsters Paul Mazzei and Henry Hill met in a nearby jail stayed in touch after serving their time. The Worst Fix Ever. ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 3 Oct. 2014, www.espn.com/espn/chalk/story/_/id/11633538/betting-chronicling-worst-fix-ever-1978-79-bc-point-shaving-scandal. After the investigation was completed, Cobb was not named as a defendant in the initial trial, U.S. vs Burke, which opened to a circus of media attention on October 27th, 1981. In early February, Boston College was scheduled to play two New York State teams, Fordham and St. John's. He made other African-American ballers feel like they could go there and really showcase what they could do on a national level. If this film has taught us anything, it is that it doesnt matter which side was more at fault, ultimately the decisions they made changed their lives forever. He took advantage of an opportunity that surfaced when a pro team from Israel offered him a spot on their roster. Jan. 18 (UPI) -- The husband accused in the New Year's Day disappearance of Massachusetts mother of three Ana Walshe made a series of Internet searches about dismembering bodies and disposing of them, prosecutors said in court Wednesday. I saw Ernie score 28 points against the Celtics in one of the final pre-season games when he was with the Nets, said Alswanger, Cobbs former high school coach. I feel like I did all that fighting after I lost my dream of playing in the NBA, and it was all in vain. They treated me great. Do you recognize him? And my answer every time was, No! I didnt recognize any of those mobsters because I had never met them. He graduated on time with a degree in sociology. Burke was sentenced to twelve years' imprisonment. The Boys of Dunbar, A Story of Love, Hope and Basketball. If youve seen the famous mafia flick, you probably remember Liotta making several references to his Pittsburgh connections, his main partners in a drug ring, among other things. She also recalled Kuhn saying that Cobb was too into his own game to cooperate with the betting thing, but the New York gangsters were adamant about getting him involved. He was a murderer and a horrible human being. ESPN's latest 30 for 30 film tackles the Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal. After Cobb was not charged, he thought he was finally past the sordid affair. The intense music, clues in the audience that this is where it all comes out. When the evidence came up at the first trial, it didnt match up, but they still came after me a few years later. Alswanger, my high school coach inspired me to rise above my circumstances, he continued. Today, Cobbs relationship with Boston College remains strained. Sweeney was not charged. At the close of the two-week trial, Alswanger was the last character witness who took the stand in Cobbs behalf. While Hill was being questioned, FBI agents inadvertently mentioned his frequent trips to Boston around the time of the Lufthansa heist. So I guess the thought process was, Well, if there were criminal activities going on, it had to be the brothers! My name and picture, and Michael Bowies as well, was on the front page of every newspaper in the country.. They need to get another player to help fix games. "Boston College's tradition in athletics rests upon the accomplishments of many thousands of men and women. I cooperated willingly, and Im glad I did, Sweeney says. To allay any suspicions of foul play, they decided to bet on Boston College to win by more than the point spread ("cover the spread") in a game that they were confident the Eagles would win handily. I just had to be alone, Cobb told the reporters afterwards. His testimony continued terribly, he was a nervous wreck, he was rambling about unnecessary information and he couldnt even look in Burkes direction. This is when the documentary transitions to the Pittsburgh mobsters and how they meet. This has gone on for four years. The government also contended Kuhn tried to recruit other players, including the team's leading scorer, Ernie Cobb, and Hill said in an article in Sports Illustrated -- for which he was paid $10,000 -- that he made payments to Cobb for his cooperation. Black Test Car orA Dark Machine of Destruction? The scheme thus ended on an unsuccessful note. 30 Years After His Exoneration, Former BC Hoops Star Ernie Cobb Is Still Fighting to Clear His Name Pt. and I were the victims of the same circumstances that were beyond our control. After discussing their strategy with Kuhn and Sweeney, it was agreed that an upcoming game against Providence would be an appropriate test for their scheme. Other notable players selected in that draft included Sidney Moncrief, Bill Laimbeer, Bill Cartwright, Mark Eaton and Jim Paxson. Sports. The problem was Cobb. Mazzei and Tony Perla were sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. Fake cannabis billionaire pleads guilty to securities fraud. He graduated from Woodworth Public School in 1985 and earned a bachelors degree from University of Sioux Falls. They could have probably gotten away with the fix if they handled certain things better. Netflix hiring flight attendant for private jet with compensation up to $385,000. There were a lot of rich kids who went to Boston College. For the conspiracy to work, the men knew they would need the cooperation of other players on the team, according to the testimony of Henry Hill, a convicted felon and the key prosecution witness. The story breaks to the media and the massive investigation followed. In this case, while the spread was as high as 5, the syndicate was able to lay just 2 points, and therefore pushed when Holy Cross won by 2. This scene gives the audience insight into the type of person Henry Hill was and how hard it was to testify against someone like Burke. It is unclear how much money the players involved in the point-shaving scheme were paid. A fitness fanatic who augmented his training by swimming and riding his bicycle very long distances, Cobb hopped on his ten-speed shortly after the indictment was announced and began pedaling. I feel like if I can change one life, like he changed mine, man, it makes everything Ive been through worthwhile., Copyright 2009-2021, All Rights Reserved | The Shadow League. Ultimately, nothing happened. like that until he got there. Needing an inside man, the brothers wanted to recruit Rick Kuhn, a high school friend of Rocco who was entering his senior year at Boston College and was expected to be a key member of the 197879 Eagles team. Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Columbia University has announced economist Nemat "Minouche" Shafik will become the university's 20th president and the first woman to serve in the role in its 268-year history. will air the latest installment of its acclaimed 30 For 30 series with a look back at the infamous Boston College basketball point shaving scandal from the 1978-79 season. Cobb scores 8 points in the last minute of the game only to be blocked in the last seconds of the game. It is quite a ride, so please, enjoy it. @ChristSchool. indictments charged against them. Kuhn told people at Boston College later The syndicate was able to lay nine points when the game was first available to be bet, and therefore pushed. would play a few games each year, Cobb was awash with emotions. Golub was a brilliant lawyer, and he told me that hed have to interview Ernie first to see if he was gonna take the case on. Jason Avant Chief Operating Officer at ASTAR, Inc. According to Hill's testimony, he met with Kuhn and cocaptain Jim Sweeney in a hotel room near Boston's Logan Airport in November of 1978 to cement the deal. Kaskade, DJ Diesel (Aka Shaquille ONeal) Among The Headliners At This Years Indy 500 Snake Pit, Real Madrid Vs. Liverpool Is Already Make Or Break, The American Express Draws Flashy Field Despite Un-Elevated Status, Jake Paul And Tommy Fury Agree To Fight (Again) On Feb. 25. Who Is The NBA GOAT: Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Or Kareem? I didnt like dealing with a third party I didnt know and had never metBut the word came back that Cobb was enthusiastic and, dont worry Henry, nothing can screw up now., In the 30-for-30 documentary that ESPN just aired, Henry Hill admits that he never talked to me, said Cobb. You gotta tell me the truth, because I gotta know how to go on this?. Danois, Alejandro. And after they put my name out there, and after I admitted to taking that $1,000, they didnt have enough evidence to prosecute me. hoops that blazed a trail, Mills continued. Professional wrestler Jay Briscoe dies in car accident at 38, Sister Andre, world's oldest living person, dies at 118, Ukraine's interior minister, other officials killed in helicopter crash near school, Qantas flight lands safely after engine trouble prompts mayday call, Meditation may alter gut microbes, study of Tibetan monks suggests. The government contended that Kuhn was paid $2,500 per game to manipulate the spread in six games and also was given cocaine and Quaaludes. Hill flew into Boston, at the behest of Jimmy Burke, late in 1978 to meet with Mazzei, the Perlas, Kuhn and Sweeney at the Logan Airport Hilton and ensure that everything was in place. By my junior year, it was show-time, said Cobb. The Perla brothers proposed a simple scheme: they, along with Kuhn, would select certain basketball games where the projected point spread separating Boston College from its opponent was expected to be significant. Kuhn explains to Sweeney that they are both going to get killed after not successfully fixing a game against Providence. 197879 Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal. He talks about how he wanted to be an NBA player. SELECT OPTIONS SAVE TO CART DETAILS Restrictions: No commercial uses without permission. The former friends work hard to cast blame and the true conversations that went on between the mobsters and players will never be discovered. But for Bowie, it was too little, too late. The abbreviated version of events reads like this:the Perlas brought in a Pittsburgh hood named Paul Mazzei, who contacted his friend Henry Hill, an associate of New Yorks Lucchese crime family that had befriended him during a stretch in federal prison. He didn't want to be bothered with these kids anymore." won by only two points and I had a lot of losing money down on this game. Fourteen hours later, I arrived in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.. Mandan, ND 58554 opens in a new window call Rick Kuhn at (701) 663-6385 call Rick Kuhn at Call Me Email Me. Director Joe Lavine goes on to feature many references and clips of the movie. Their strategy was effective Boston College, a five-point favorite, covered the spread with a 9080 win over Connecticut. I didnt think anything of it. On October 7, The scheme continued to work successfully in the December 23 game against UCLA. Needing an inside man, the brothers wanted to recruit Rick Kuhn, a high school friend of Rocco who was entering his senior year at Boston College and was expected to be a key member of the 19787 Thats the real strength of his story, that you pick yourself up and make something of yourself.. 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