Kuhn, 28, was . To this day, both Sweeney and Cobb admit taking money but say they didn't really participate. And, of course, there are betting lines with the pick circled and handwritten box scores with the names of the alleged conspirators highlighted. I knew that I could play basketball with anybody. In "Playing for the Mob'' which features commentary from Sweeney, Hill, Ernie Cobb, the leading scorer on that Boston College team, and others he tells what happened 36 years ago. The guy called Herm and said, Ernies a good kid and hes going to be coming to your school, said Cobb. Visser became the NFLs first female beat writer in 1976, when she was assigned by the paper to cover the New England Patriots. Id also developed a reputation in school as a troublemaker. For me, it worked.. But there was one obstacle that hed have to confront head-on. Players profiled in the book include Rick Kuhn, who pulled his teammates into the plot and paid for it with a 10-year prison sentence; Jim Sweeney, a prep school graduate and honor student who found himself trapped between gamblers and a conscience that wouldn't let him cheat his teammates; and leading . Im not angry at the school. I went into the Caldors department store in downtown Stamford when I was about 12 years old and tried to shoplift one, he said. Ernest was born in Harlem, the first son of the . Sometimes, B.C. It was one of the most tremendous feelings Id ever experienced.. But by his sophomore year, when he was inserted into the starting lineup, it was apparent that the 5-foot-11 scorer brought a dimension to the Boston College squad that it sorely needed when he averaged 17.4 points per game. I said, If this dude has cash like that to burn and wants to give me $1,000 because I told him wed destroy Stonehill, sure, Ill take it. Maybe he was trying to cultivate a relationship with me and soften me up for something down the road. like that until he got there. Ernie Cobbs story, in retrospect, is a modern-day adaptation of a Horatio Alger novel, seemingly lifted straight from the pages of Ragged Dick, where the impoverished boy, through determination, honesty and courage, rises out of despair toward a life of comfort and respectability. When he returned to the United States, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he became a Special Education teacher and high school basketball coach. I was nervous because I didnt know what was going to happen. He had this unbelievable desire to succeed and you could tell that he wasnt going to let anything stand in his way.. Choose at least two teams from the menus below to start your trade. A Trenton, New Jersey, native, Lavine grew up there about the same time as Jim Sweeney -- a schoolboy legend in Trenton who went on to star at BC. Ernie Cobb played professional basketball in Israel for 17 years, where he learned to speak fluent Hebrew. A Maryland Dumping Site Was Actually A Black Cemetery. Cobb just wanted to live his life and do what he did best: play ball. Career Length: Rookie More bio, uniform, draft, salary info. They were touting me as the next sub-6-footer to have an impact in the NBA. won by only two points and I had a lot of losing money down on this game. Id made remarkable strides from being sent to a juvenile detention facility, from not being able to read as a high school freshman, said Cobb. At 11:05 a.m., United States District Judge Leonard Wexler completed his instructions to the jury in the Federal Court Building in Brooklyn as Ernie Cobb awaited his . Hill claimed he made between $75,000 . The Boston College case arose out of the Lufthansa investigation. The Shadow League is a narrative company. His mother was doing her best to put bread on the table. Ernie Cobb is also introduced, a senior, team captain, and Boston College's top scorer. For all I know, he told them I was in, that it would cost an extra $2,500 per game and he was trying to hustle the gangsters while pocketing the extra money. The headlines in Boston, and around the country, said that Cobb and fellow senior Michael Bowie, the teams two African-American stars, were the players that were implicated. It was a tragedy that he never got another chance to play in the NBA., Kevin Loughery never gave me a firm reason why the Nets were letting me go, said Cobb. He loved the foliage, the fresh air and scenery. The scam was born when Jimmy Burke (De Niro's Jimmy Conway in the movie) and Hill recruited Boston College players Rick Kuhn, Jim Sweeney, and Ernie Cobb to manipulate scores to cover point spreads. UCONN brought in the Governor, judges, you name it., When the letters started coming in, I realized that I had a chance to go to college, said Cobb. Check out the detailed 1976-77 Boston College Eagles Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. How much he was indebted to it? But it wasnt a coincidence that one day, the F.B.I shows up asking me about gambling, and the next day Im no longer with the team. The Boston College coaches practically lived in our gym. Couldnt they see how grateful he was, that hed never cheat the thing that gave his life such meaning and purpose? I really wanted to get to the bottom of it from a personal curiosity [standpoint], and then also knowing that this had to be a great story.. He was adamant that he would take the stand in his own defense, despite his lawyers pleas not to do so. He recruited teammates Ernie Cobb and Jim Sweeney into the ring, after becoming connected with ex-convicts Paul Mazzei and Henry Hill. I had the complete package, said Cobb. Of course, the damn players had a million excuses, Henry Hill wrote in Sports Illustrateds bombshell story, How I Put The Fix In, which was the magazines cover story on February 16th, 1981. Its gonna be no contest. A talkative informant. Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. 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. Location unknown)Boston College's Ernie Cobb pulls down a rebound off his own shot against Holy Cross's Leo Kane during a men's college basketball. He wasnt a trial lawyer, so he brought in his colleague, David Golub. After she began working with him, she came to talk to me and said, Oh my god! | Jackson State Ices Thee Pregame Show, Detroit Mercys Antoine Davis Creeping Up On Pistol Pete Maravichs All-Time NCAA Scoring Mark, A Poor Mans Danny Ainge A Poor Mans Jeff Hornacek: Michael Cooper Torches JJ Redick. And yeah, I took that money. On Saturday morning, March 24, 1984, a tiny blurb in newspaper sports sections across the nation read: Ex-basketball star Ernie Cobb was acquitted Friday of taking part in a point-shaving scandal that rocked Boston College in 1978-1979, and tearfully asked for a fair shot to resurrect his chances at a pro career. Henry Hill avoided going to prison, and he went off into the sunset of the governments Witness Protection Program, said Alswanger. Birthplace/Hometown: Stamford, Connecticut, Height: 5-11 (180cm) Weight: 180 (82kg), Current NBA Status: Unrestricted Free Agent. He stopped in my office with his bike with the flat tire and borrowed $20 to get it fixed and to get home. I kept me a shiny, new bike.. I never lied about that. Sweeney fessed up to taking $500 under duress and escaped prosecution. After Cobb was not charged, he thought he was finally past the sordid affair. I wanted to play ball, and in order to do that I had to maintain a C average. I felt bad for my mom, he said. Part 2 can be found here. But when I was about eight years old, they started the busing experiment and I had to leave my community to go to school in the suburbs.. But for many, there is a fierce bitterness that still lingers to this day. Coach Alswanger was always schooling me about a winner never quits, a quitter never wins, about integrity, honor and character. Jack McCluskey | Special to ESPNBoston.com, '30 For 30' tackles BC point-shaving scandal, Steve Addazio calls Tyler Murphy clincher vs. USC, Harvard's Zack Hodges gets his shot with Colts, Wesley Saunders helps Harvard recover to capture crucial Ivy win, Beanpot final, consolation moved to Feb. 23, Signing Day Notes: Fences going up for local programs, Boston College unveils 25-man recruit class, Northeastern knocks BC from Beanpot throne. Thats the story chronicled by the latest edition of ESPNs 30 for 30 documentary series, Playing for the Mob, which premieres Tuesday night at 9 p.m. standards like the rest of the students, most who came from wealthy and very strong academic backgrounds. Joe Streater was not part of the Boston College point shaving scandal that was popularized this week by ESPN's latest 30 for 30, . The thoughts continuously raced through Cobbs mind: how had he arrived here, he wondered, of all places, charged with allegedly conspiring to commit sports bribery while allegedly fixing college basketball games for the Mob? At 11:05 a.m., U.S. District Judge Leonard Wexler completed his instructions to the jury in the Federal Court Building in Brooklyn as Ernie Cobb awaited his judgment. He says he believes his experience could serve as a test case for others, to help prevent anything like it from happening in the future. Data Provided By On October 7, ESPN 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 . These people [in the mob] get glamorized or sensationalized, Sweeney said. 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. From that point on, I wanted to become the best basketball player that I could possibly be.. Did Uncle Neely Forget Which Side He Plays For? Ernie listened intently. She knew the terrain in terms of what I needed to be doing, said Cobb. "I don't need to atone for anything that happened at Boston College," he says, "and I don't need to ask for anyone's forgiveness. The point-shaving allegations surfaced during an unrelated investigation into the 1978 theft of $5.8 million from the Lufthansa cargo terminal at New Yorks Kennedy Airport. So Lavine was fascinated when he found out that Sweeney was one of a handful of Eagles players accusted in connection with a the point-shaving scandal that was making national headlines in 1981. Jim Sweeney was not charged. Cmon, you can do it. She was a remarkable individual that helped me so much, in terms of establishing the study and work habits that allowed me to be successful in the classroom.. And unfortunately, if you see a real-life situation that involves people like myself and others, then you say, Wow, thats the type of effect that whatever [the gangsters] do can have on others lives.. age of adaline comet. Profile. Despite never having played organized basketball before, Cobb was moved up to the varsity squad as a freshman. Im looking at him play against Clyde Frazier and right then and there, I thought it was a realistic dream for me to make it to the NBA. Good morning!ESPN's "Playing for the Mob" has rekindled embarrassing memories for not only Boston College but also The Boston Globe, 35 . We found public records for Ernest Cobb. 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. Meridan had all this space and all these green fields where you could just run, said Cobb. The only problem was that he didnt have enough money to afford one. Ernie Cobb weighed 180 lbs (81 kg) when playing. Ernie Cobb, G, 1975-79 - 1,760 12. They were a massive disappointment, yes, but also so transcendent for brief moments. I think it tells a great story, I think the story is told in an entertaining fashion, he said. If you missed Part I, you can read it here. Ernie Cobb, the star of the Boston College basketball team in the 1978-79 season, was found not guilty yesterday of charges that he joined a game- rigging conspiracy to benefit gamblers that season. Thursday, March 22nd, 1984. To believe that any of 2023's neo-contenders can become bonafide champs over the next few months is to believe that a once-in-a-quarter-century occurrence is about to transpire. When he was implicated in the scandal, I was shocked.. They were just doing their jobs. And he always managed to be seen cruising around his neighborhood with a new, expensive one. He told me to keep playing and working hard and that one day I might get another chance., When the story first broke in January of 1981, Cobb was in shock. From that day on, I became very studious.. The film represented something of a white whale for executive producer and co-director Joe Lavine, who for years attempted and failed to get the project green-lighted before finally landing at ESPN. He took advantage of an opportunity that surfaced when a pro team from Israel offered him a spot on their roster. Checkout the latest stats of Ernie Cobb. Find Ernest Cobb's current house address. And in that article in Sports Illustrated, Henry Hill says, The word came back that Cobb was enthusiastic. The key phrase there is The word came back. I dont know what Rick Kuhn was telling Henry Hill or the Perla brothers. We were looking good as a team and my goal was to be the best player I could possibly be. At 11:05 a.m., United States District Judge Leonard Wexler completed his instructions to the jury in the Federal Court Building in Brooklyn as Ernie Cobb awaited his judgment. I went into that same Caldors and got arrested again for stealing one.. The game had saved his life, delivered him from peril, from a path leading nowhere, from dysfunction and illiteracy, to an elite college education and a shot at the NBA and a better future. During the 1978-78 basketball season, Boston College was the latest team scandalized by a point shaving scheme involving the New York mob. Thursday, March 22nd, 1984. Dont get involved with organized crime people.. . College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Convinced that Cobb was innocent after his mentee walked him through everything that had transpired, and certain that he was being used by the federal government to send more organized crime figures to prison, Alswanger began working the phones. October 11th, 2021 , 09:01. To get it fixed and to get it fixed and to get it fixed and to get fixed. Best: play ball, and he went off into the ring, after connected. 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