I thought he might have been a student, because he was young and I saw him hanging around Rick Kuhn all the time. As he walked across the scenic campus, marveled at the schools architectural splendor or ate until his hearts content in the dining hall, hed often pause to quietly give thanks for his fortunate circumstances. But I was still worried. If you missed Part I, you can read it here. 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. . Hill brought in his mentor, Jimmy Burke, to finance the operation and set up a network of bookies who could advance the financial potential of the scheme. 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. Acompanhe-nos: bonsall oaks development Facebook. They were just doing their jobs. When he returned to the United States, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he became a Special Education teacher and high school basketball coach. They mentioned the $1,000 that Rocco Perla gave my girlfriend and I told them the truth. 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. From that point on, I wanted to become the best basketball player that I could possibly be.. In the summer of 1978, Rocco Perla and his older brother Anthony, back in Pittsburgh, were the ones who initially conceived the point-shaving scheme that would later rock the college basketball world. Obviously, the huge message is dont get involved with point-shaving, Lavine said with a laugh. He killed people. How much he was indebted to it? Couldnt they see how grateful he was, that hed never cheat the thing that gave his life such meaning and purpose? About. 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. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. He wanted to win every foot race, every pickup game of basketball and sandlot football, or any other endeavor that ended with a final score and winning result. Joe Streater was not part of the Boston College point shaving scandal that was popularized this week by ESPN's latest 30 for 30, . . He really set the tone in terms of being a strong, dynamic, willful player that wondrous talents like John Bagley, Michael Adams and Dana Barros, all of whom went on to play ball in the NBA after their careers at B.C., followed. It all seemed like a fairy tale, until he was indicted for allegedly fixing college basketball games for the mob. ET on ESPN. Were you shaving points for the mob?. 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. I was relishing that moment. Kuhn acknowledged his role and was the only player convicted. I feel like if I can change one life, like he changed mine, man, it makes everything Ive been through worthwhile.. The guy called Herm and said, Ernies a good kid and hes going to be coming to your school, said Cobb. He worked hard in class. Bowies reputation was immediately sullied and he subsequently lost his job playing pro ball in Europe when the story broke. The main thing was that they were really trying to rehabilitate us and teach us, hoping to turn us around before we became hardened criminals. I opened up the door and it was these guys from the F.B.I., said Cobb. He was naive at the time, believing that his exoneration would pave the way for apologies and acknowledgments of his innocence: from the NBA, the federal government and Boston College. I was bored with my schoolwork and became the class clown. 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. I just knew that not only was I going to make the team, but I was going to be a factor in the NBA. Not long after that, I was playing Pop Warner football and needed a mouthpiece. Ernie listened intently. But Kuhn was a player of limited ability, so he recruited his roommate and best friend, who also happened to be the most important player on the floor, the teams senior point guard, Jim Sweeney. City State. Name: Ernie Cobb; Position: Point Guard; Height: 5-11 (1.80m) Weight: 180 (82kg) College Team: Boston College Eagles; Nationality: American; Birthplace: Stamford, Connecticut; Birthdate: 8/31/1956; Drafted: Selected by the Utah Jazz in the sixth round (109th pick overall) of 1979 NBA Draft. Ernest was born in Harlem, the first son of the . Coach Alswanger, I have a confession to make, Ernie told the man sitting across from him. Ernie Cobbs family roots were planted in the dirt soil of Raleigh, North Carolinas tobacco fields, where he was born in 1956. She did the best she could. Ernest Constantine Cobb, passed away peacefully on Feb. 27th, after a long and full life. But I never agreed to fix any games or shave any points. ESPN's latest 30 for 30 film tackles the Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal. Kuhn, 28, was . Contribute to The Shadow League today and help us share our narratives. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. fellow accused BC players Ernie Cobb and Michael Bowie (who were completely vindicated), law . I was tremendously focused because I knew that I was going places., In my neighborhood, people didnt go to college, said Cobb. He was nave at the time, believing that his exoneration would pave the way for apologies and acknowledgements of his innocence: from the NBA, the federal government and Boston College. 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. His sister was going through some struggles. Im not angry at the school. At trial in 1981, the government's case consisted primarily of the testimony . When the story first broke, it said that Michael Bowie and I were the ones implicated, said Cobb. And he always managed to be seen cruising around his neighborhood with a new, expensive one. Do you recognize him? And my answer every time was, No! I didnt recognize any of those mobsters because I had never met them. We got really close and he looked out for me. They made a mistake and we all mess up but its too bad they tossed away a great college basketball experience. We might have worn the hand-me-downs of the families that she worked for, but we always had clean clothes. 109 Ernie Cobb, Boston University 129 Paul Poe, Louisiana College 148 Keith McDonald, Utah State 167 Milt Huggins, Southern Illinois 185 Paul Dawkins, Northern Illinois . She was a miracle worker. High School: St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) Possessing a powerful combination of size, speed and football intellect, Luke Kuechly "looked like Clark Kent and played like Superman." He amassed the second-most career tackles in the NCAA record books, becoming the most decorated defensive player in Boston College history. I wanted my name cleared and it took a long time.. Alswanger, my high school coach inspired me to rise above my circumstances, he continued. Kuhn was later convicted and served ten years in prison for the crime. The Shadow League is a narrative company. The reasons for their failure may have been inherent to the whole project. We werent locked in individual cells. Im ready to move on from the actual filmmaking process. I called my buddy Frank Melzer, who was an attorney, said Alswanger. He refused to take a plea deal in return for a reduced sentence. With Roccos high school buddy Rick Kuhn entering his senior year at Boston College, where he was expected to be a contributor to the schools basketball team, the brothers figured they could make a ton of money. rick kuhn boston college now. By my junior year, it was show-time, said Cobb. 1956 I got to know him really well. They left, and that was that. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Meridan had all this space and all these green fields where you could just run, said Cobb. After a full recruiting cycle, which schools got it right - and wrong - four years ago But as it turned out, the trial was simply one chapter of many in his life, and not the defining one. On Saturday Morning, March 24th, 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. Despite never having played organized basketball before, Cobb was moved up to the varsity squad as a freshman. He acknowledges taking $500, but says he never did anything to fix games. At the close of the two-week trial, Alswanger was the last character witness who took the stand in Cobbs behalf. 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. There were a lot of rich kids who went to Boston College. I could see myself coming into my own one day and doing that. 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. Cobb had been a prolific shooting guard at Boston College in the late 1970s, a team captain whod etched his name into the schools record books as its third-leading career scorer. 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He told him that he had talent, but that wasnt enough. . I had a relentless type of game.. 17 Eric Leckner, Wyoming Coach Pouncy in only his second year guided the Boys to the 2000 Class "A" Arizona Junior High School Athletic Association State Champs. It wasnt an absolute disaster but it was a cousin. We lived in dormitories. And I never go there, like, coulda, woulda, shoulda, because that would only lead to frustration. Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. We spoke to everybody, whether they ended up in the film or not.. Ernie Cobb, G, 1975-79 - 1,760 12. He was like a big brother to my own son. When the evidence came up at the first trial, it didnt match up, but they still came after me a few years later. He was 87. Part 2 can be found here. Ernie 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. Theyd taken my passport and I had to stay here and face these charges, said Cobb. Cobb had been a prolific shooting guard at Boston College in the late 1970s, a team captain whod etched his name into the schools record books as its third-leading career scorer. During his court hearing, the judge sentenced him to a six-month sentence in the Meriden Juvenile Detention Facility. The scheme began with small-time gamblers Rocco and Anthony Perla who devised a plan with the players to deliberately shave points on specific games to win . I told him that he was going to have to work very hard and that he was going to have to do things the right way if he wanted to be successful, said Alswanger. Born: Boston College (1978-79) Conspirators paid Boston College players, mainly Rick Kuhn and Jim Sweeney, to shave points depending on the spread and opponent. Were really happy with it. He was from Norwalk, not far from where I was from. In the early 1960s, as job prospects dwindled in the area, his father, James Cobb, the 2nd-oldest of 21 kids, decided to move his family up north, which was more industrialized, and hence had more job opportunities than the agriculture-dependent south. 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. A chance meeting in prison. 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. All rights reserved. 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. 21, right in first row) were part of the . Select the players you wish to trade from the rosters below. won the gangsters some serious money by falling short of the spread. 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. The 1968 Topps Baseball Card series includes 598 cards and features multi-player rookie cards. I dont know if they recognize it, but B.C. I cant read., When he told me that, we immediately got him a tutor, said Alswanger. We were all so excited for him. So Id go up there all the time and get me one. But the Justice . I just thank God there is justice.. Read more atthe Shadow League. These Boston College basketball players were way better than being involved with "Goodfella" Henry Hill and his underworld associates. He hugged his tearful mother before walking out into the hallway for a few moments. Its one of several seeming contradictions the gangster-turned-informant offers during the film, right along with this doozy early on: I didnt threaten him or nothin, Hill says in the film, I just said, Its hard to play basketball with a broken arm.. Kuhn was the only player convicted -- receiving a record 10-year sentence -- and served 28 months in prison. The distinguished paper later retracted the story. The Draft Review (with Matthew Maurer) brings you a wealth of NBA draft history through its free resource of extensive statistics, biographies, articles, interviews and this live forum. 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. he keeps to himself. I dont know if the losses can ever be made upnot the losses me and my family and friends have suffered. All rights reserved. Per Game Team and Opponent Stats Table G MP FG FGA FG% FT FTA FT% TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS; Team: 26: 30.6: 72.3.423: 12.9: 18.4.701: 40.6: 11.1: A wake will be held for Dr. Cobb-Stevens on Monday, July 16, from 4-7 p.m. at the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 475 Main . His father found work in cement construction as a hard laborer in Stamford, Connecticut, the third-largest city in the state that is situated approximately 30 miles from New York City. I was eating Rory Sparrow up, who went on to have a decent NBA career, in that camp. 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. Boston College Guard and former Stamfod High School standout Ernie Cobb drives past St. John's Frank Alagia during a game in 1976. As a matter of fact, one thing Im really happy with in this film, is we really did get to everybody, Lavine said. Confirm that your trade proposal is valid according to the NBA collective bargaining agreement. Rocco and Tony Perla were giving money to Rick Kuhn. But by the next summer, in 1980, he sparkled while playing for the New Jersey Nets during the pre-season. Leading scorer Ernie Cobb was accused . 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.. If you missed Part I, you can read it here. Stamford took front and center in the story when it was revealed that Boston College's top scorer, Stamford High School star Ernie Cobb, was among those being investigated. In a point-shaving scandal that sticks in the memories of many, three Boston College players became embroiled in a betting scheme conceived by gamblers Henry Hill, Rocco and Tony Perla, and Paul Mazzei. He was a remarkable man. Studied Social Studies at Boston College. But Im so proud of him because he picked his life back up and made the best of it. He graduated on time with a degree in sociology. Who was involved in the Boston College basketball scandal? If the diagnosis was available back then, Im sure they would have found that I had ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The Ernie Cobb-as-point-fixer story is ancient, but I'm still that guy who supposedly got away with something." He wanted to tell his side of the story. I understand that they want to disassociate themselves from the scandal. That only leads to animosity. I was lightning quick, could run up and down, go left or right and could score from anywhere on the floor., He was breaking every record you could think of and by his junior year, people were saying, Whoa! Id led the pro league in scoring over there and signed a very nice contract. I took every single practice and every single game seriously, said Cobb. I had my own place to live and all the food I wanted to eat. We never starved. The scheme was hit or miss early on. But I didnt know if Id be able to handle the academics.. Old Greenwich was a really rich neighborhood, and theyd have all these beautiful bikes just sitting out there on the lawn. And look what he did to the lives of those kids. Kenneth Walton, Deputy Assistant Director of the New York FBI, refused comment to the Boston Globe when asked if Cobb and Sweeney were under investigation. First Name. Ernie, dont lie to me, Alswanger instructed him. Thats why I got into education and coaching. You realize that you cant play if you dont do this. But I wasnt sure if I was really up to B.C. 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. The story captures Cobb's fascinating journey beginning with a challenged upbringing and the appearance of an unlikely mentor in Hermy Alswanger, to college basketball fame and then to the unwelcomed notoriety associated with being falsely linked to the Boston College point shaving scandal. 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. Fourteen hours later, I arrived in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.. Jim Sweeney during Boston College men's basketball's 1978-1979 season. Do you have a blog? Boston College confirmed the investigation on Friday. So from then on I had a juvenile record. And now, here I was on that same floor, pumped sky high, giving my defender buckets! Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. The Nets coaches were telling me, Coach, hes gonna be a great pro., I had a great camp with the Nets and was poised to make the team, said Cobb. 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