He would teach me about these attributes and I began to internalize them. How much his positive life trajectory was propelled by it? 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. Studied Special education at Grand Canyon University. rick kuhn boston college now. Checkout the latest stats of Ernie Cobb. 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. He says basketball was Ernie's "vocation and avocation. The tone is set by black-and-white mug shots and film strips from surveillance of mobsters interspersed with BC team photos and action shots from newspaper coverage of the season. He also . Born: I wanted my name cleared and it took a long time.. I didnt even know what goals were, said Cobb. I hadnt seen Ernie for several years, Jack Hennessey, a psychologist at Boston College that had served as an informal academic advisor during Cobbs days as a student, told the New York Times in April of 1984. The film also benefits from the fact that most of those involved agreed to speak on camera, including Sweeney, fellow accused BC players Ernie Cobb and Michael Bowie (who were completely vindicated), law enforcement officials and all the principals on the organized crime side of the story. Ernie Cobb weighed 180 lbs (81 kg) when playing. He was this little guy who could score like crazy! Rocco Perla received a four-year sentence and Rick Kuhn was sentenced to a ten-year bid as well, which was later reduced to 28 months. 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.. When he told Alswanger about the indictment, his old high school coach spoke sternly with him, as he'd done sometwelveyears earlier when Cobb had just returned home fromthe juvenile detention facility. Not long after that, I was playing Pop Warner football and needed a mouthpiece. They were so many activities and all this food. who were in it from the beginning, and Ernie Cobb . Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 8:19PM. The reality is there are only four real contenders. Learn more and register. He ate, drank, and slept basketball. 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 . hoops that blazed a trail, Mills continued. He was from Norwalk, not far from where I was from. 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. All content 2000-2023 RealGM, L.L.C. 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. But I didnt know if Id be able to handle the academics.. A documentary about the Boston College point-shaving scandal is . It was the streets.. Today, Cobbs relationship with Boston College remains strained. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. Thursday, March 22, 1984. College: Boston College. Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. He yearned to shake himself free from being associated with the gangsters that would later be immortalized in the movie Goodfellas: Henry Hill, Jimmy Burke, Paul Vario and the Lucchese crime family apparatus that supported the biggest college sports point-shaving scandal since the 1950s. "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. Joe Streater was not part of the Boston College point shaving scandal that was popularized this week by ESPN's latest 30 for 30, . Tell me what you did and what you didnt do. And she loved him. 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. It was the first time he saw the game as something that could improve his life, something that could take him places. All of Henry Hills and the Perla brothers information was coming from Rick Kuhn, and who knows what he was saying to them to cover his own skin., (Jim Sweeney, Photo Credit: tampabay.com), Kuhn and Sweeney got in over their heads, Cobb continued. Ernie Cobb is also introduced, a senior, team captain, and Boston College's top scorer. I was bored with my schoolwork and became the class clown. She knew the terrain in terms of what I needed to be doing, said Cobb. When he first stepped on the hallowed parquet floor at the legendary Boston Garden, where B.C. The Shadow League is a narrative company. The history of Boston College's involvement in illegal activity involving sports travels back to 1954, but the most notorious of the indiscretions was uncovered in 1981. . When the evidence came up at the first trial, it didnt match up, but they still came after me a few years later. The City of M. But that had nothing to do with shaving points., At the time, I was nave, Cobb continued. 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. Ernest was born in Harlem, the first son of the . I just knew that not only was I going to make the team, but I was going to be a factor in the NBA. 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. If the diagnosis was available back then, Im sure they would have found that I had ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I was forthright and honest with them. I was back at home, visiting for the summer and about to return to Israel, Cobb said. We lived in dormitories. Masters Degree in Education. he keeps to himself. I opened up the door and it was these guys from the F.B.I., said Cobb. It's been more than 30 years since the . The story: Three Boston College players leading scorer Ernie Cobb, forward Richard Kuhn and Sweeney, the team's point guard were fingered by Hill for participating in the point-shaving scheme. All Kuhn had to do was ensure that the Eagles fell short of the point spread in the games that they bet on. The Globe would later admit that they were wrong in reporting that Bowie was involved, after he was not implicated nor investigated by the federal government for any role in the scandal. He was a murderer and a horrible human being. Man, I would watch Jo Jo White, Dave Cowens and John Havlicek playing on television, on that same famous floor where Bill Russell and Bob Cousy and all of those great Celtics teams won all those championships, said Cobb. And he always managed to be seen cruising around his neighborhood with a new, expensive one. I did everything I needed to do in terms of having the grades and the standardized test scores to get in. 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. Alswanger talked with Ernie, who was entering the 9th grade, about his expectations. Despite never having played organized basketball before, Cobb was moved up to the varsity squad as a freshman. Rocco comes up to me and says, Hey, sometimes I bet on games and I wanna know how you think you guys are gonna do against Stonehill and Bentley? said Cobb. They said they were trying like hell but they couldnt get the job done because Cobb was the key man on the team., After Boston College beat Holy Cross 89-87 in the first game between the two schools that season, Hill said in SI, Well, B.C. Please give him a chance. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. I could have sneezed and they would have sent me to the principals office.. 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. Im going off on the basketball court, scoring like crazy, the gamblers are losing their shirts, and they start talking about, We have to have Cobb. Anybody thats ever seen me play knows that I was only stuck in one gear, and that was super-charged-turbo! They had a beautiful campus and it was small enough to where I could function, and yet it was big enough that I could get the exposure I needed to fulfill my dreams.. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. They made a mistake and we all mess up but its too bad they tossed away a great college basketball experience. 17 Eric Leckner, Wyoming 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. He saw that I was heading in the wrong direction and tried to mentor me.. I have suffered. 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. By his sophomore year, he was a starter on the varsity and an All-League selection. ERNEST COBB OBITUARY. I was better than everybody on the team, but I talked back to him and he cut me because he said I had a bad attitude. When he finished with his testimony, he made a beeline straight for the restroom. It was like a paradise to me, coming from where I came from. Three Boston College players, Jim Sweeney, Rick Kuhn, and Ernie Cobb were fingered by Hill for participating in the scandal. Cobb's life takes several twists and turns . 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. The campus was so beautiful. I just thank God there is justice.. I was a senior in high school when Ernie Cobb was a senior at Boston College and Id heard that he was a very good player, said Lemuel Mills, a Boston area hoops aficionado, coach, community mentor and historian. . He was 83. 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. I dont know what went down because I wasnt involved. He sensed something in that moment, something transformative. Ernie Cobb, 24, 5'11", 180-pound star of the team, from Stamford, Conn. After he interviewed him, he fell in love with him and told me, Hes innocent. Here was someone who believed in him, someone who was willing to work with him and teach him about this game of basketball, which he loved more than anything. Rocco Perla was sentenced to four and Kuhn was released after 28 months. 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, I Guard 1 Through 5 | Heats Bam Adebayo Believes He Is NBAs Best Defender And Has Been The Past Two Years. The very next day, the Nets cut me., When the F.B.I. The 1968 Topps Baseball Card series includes 598 cards and features multi-player rookie cards. 1978, and March 1, 1979. Cobb insisted on having his day in court, of clearing his name. Were you shaving points for the mob?. Can you name the Top 25 MLB career leaders in singles, doubles, triples and home runs? Last Name. Duality underpins practically everything about the brief existence of the KD, Harden and Kyrie Nets. Studied Social Studies at Boston College. Experience of 5 years in . won by only two points and I had a lot of losing money down on this game. Kuhn acknowledged his role and was the only player convicted. I feel it.. My character grew, along with my basketball skills. Ernie Cobb, and Hill said in an article in Sports Illustrated -- for which he was paid $10,000 -- that he made payments to . The story: Three Boston College players leading scorer Ernie Cobb, forward Richard Kuhn and Sweeney, the team's point guard were fingered by Hill for participating in the point-shaving scheme. NCAA. Kuhn was a BC player at the center of the controversy. Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. They were a massive disappointment, yes, but also so transcendent for brief moments. The day I got to Stamford High School, Coach Alswanger was there waiting for me. Boston College Guard and former Stamfod High School standout Ernie Cobb drives past St. John's Frank Alagia during a game in 1976. Near the Boston College campus, he had a flat tire. A chance meeting in prison. 1956 Contribute to The Shadow League today and help us share our narratives. My family has suffered. I cant read., When he told me that, we immediately got him a tutor, said Alswanger. But she had to work very hard, over some long hours, which meant she couldnt monitor my every move. Stamford (108,056) Ernie Cobb (Boston College basketball), Gary Cobb (NFL, 11 years), Donna Lopiano (Raybestos Brakettes), Dick Mayer (1957 U.S. Open golf champion), Andy Robustelli (Pro Football . The 1978-79 Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal involved a scheme in which members of the American Mafia recruited and bribed several . Man, I was really into bikes, Cobb said. It was there, where a whole new world opened up to him. It was a meaningful existence, a testament to persistence and the strength of believing in the beauty of ones dreams, which hed worked so diligently to reconstruct from the ashes of juvenile delinquency and poverty. I was doing well academically and the dream of playing professional basketball was getting closer.. Some of it happened almost by accident, and some of it happened after years of determined work. Here was this kid who had all the odds stacked against him, and he was so committed to being successful., His focus and work ethic was amazing, Alswanger continued. I was having a lot of success, we were turning around the fortunes of the program and I was getting a lot of press in the Boston Globe and area newspapers. Ernie Cobb was drafted by Utah Jazz, 6th round (1st pick, 109th overall), 1979 NBA Draft. These trading cards represent card number 247 in the Topps 1969 baseball card series. . . 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. They mentioned the $1,000 that Rocco Perla gave my girlfriend and I told them the truth. talked to the Nets, their head coach Kevin Loughery called him in and said, You know why I have to let you go, said Alswanger. Jim Sweeney was not charged. Eventually, he became a part of my own family and spent a lot of time over at our house. Hed have to start setting goals. But by the next summer, in 1980, he sparkled while playing for the New Jersey Nets during the pre-season. He doesnt belong here and I think he can really make something of himself if somebody gives him a chance.. He recently earned his Masters Degree in Education and is currently considering pursuing a Ph.D. I feel like Ive led a remarkable life, he said. He hugged his tearful mother before walking out into the hallway for a few moments. Henry Hill avoided going to prison, and he went off into the sunset of the governments Witness Protection Program, said Alswanger. But I know that its not really in vain, because I know the truth.. Every accomplishment made me want to work harder. Thursday, March 22nd, 1984. He is a friend who has quietly built a considerable reputation within college basketball for honesty and tactical brilliance but who now is living the horror every coach dreads most -- a point . Ernie, dont lie to me, Alswanger instructed him. I was nervous because I didnt know what was going to happen. He was adamant that he would take the stand in his own defense, despite his lawyers pleas not to do so. It was a loving, nurturing environment. During the 1978-78 basketball season, Boston College was the latest team scandalized by a point shaving scheme involving the New York mob. And as black kids who loved ball in Boston, he represented something for us, giving the younger generation something to aspire toin terms of their basketball skillsbecause he was putting in some serious work.. 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. Ernie Cobb joined the scheme for the last five games . Boston College (1978-79) Conspirators paid Boston College players, mainly Rick Kuhn and Jim Sweeney, to shave points depending on the spread and opponent. With his pro career and NBA dream in limbo for over four years since news of Boston Colleges point-shaving scandal was first splashed across the front pages of newspapers and magazines, he simply desired to have his life back. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com . Some 36 years later, there doesn't seem to be a lot of love lost between key characters Rick Kuhn, Ernie Cobb, and Jim Sweeney, the trio of Eagles allegedly paid to keep scores as close as they . When he was implicated in the scandal, I was shocked.. I had my own place to live and all the food I wanted to eat. Draft: Utah Jazz, 6th round (1st pick, 109th overall), 1979 NBA Draft. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. We were all so excited for him. Everywhere he went, he had a book with him at all times., I became so focused, said Cobb. But I found out that I wouldnt be allowed to leave the United States because the government was going to bring me to trial.. Bob Zuffelato, former BC coach, now at Marshall recruited Cobb. But my high school coach got his friends to take my case, pro bono. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Per Game Team and Opponent Stats. The distinguished paper later retracted the story. Leading scorer Ernie Cobb was accused . He wasnt a trial lawyer, so he brought in his colleague, David Golub. After his junior campaign, where he converted 52% of his shots, an inordinate number for a small perimeter shooter, and averaged 22.8 points per game, he was recognized as one of the most lethal scorers in the country. He was adamant, that he would take the stand in his own defense, despite his lawyers pleas not to do so. Class of 1979. Rocco and Tony Perla were giving money to Rick Kuhn. I walk in the bathroom, and who was in there but Peter Vario, the big-time mobster that was on trial with Ernie, said Alswanger. In 1984, he obtained acquittal for Ernie Cobb, a Boston College basketball star, on federal charge of point-shaving in Brooklyn federal court. 11. Height: 6-3. That fascination only increased when the mobster who fingered Sweeney hit the big screen years later in Martin Scorseses Goodfellas., Every year I would pitch this story, Lavine said. So, in very basic terms, if B.C. Boom_70, Aug 31, 2011 #5. mrblake New Member. 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