I was back at home, visiting for the summer and about to return to Israel, Cobb said. Early on, before the season got underway, Cobb says that he was approached by a man from Pittsburgh named Rocco Perla, who hed seen hanging around campus with his teammate, senior forward Rick Kuhn. 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. Even after being informed of the investigation, he said he noticed nothing unusual after reviewing films of the games. Overall, the real end to the Boston College point-shaving scandal is the trial, the main conflict of the film. When he returned to the United States, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he became a Special Education teacher and high school basketball coach. Snitching is seen as one of the worst things you can do to a business partner, but to these people, it is just water under the bridge. He worked hard in class. The movie begins by introducing the key Boston College basketball players and the Pittsburgh mobsters. All Kuhn had to do was ensure that the Eagles fell short of the point spread in the games that they bet on. So, in very basic terms, if B.C. was favored to win a game by ten points, Kuhn had to make sure, if the game was in play with the mobsters and the bookies, that they won by less than ten in order for the gamblers to make money. 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. When he first stepped on the hallowed parquet floor at the legendary Boston Garden, where B.C. Of course, of course I was upset, but what could I do? He was a murderer and a horrible human being. 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. Bets in this column are given in the format ", Winner is given as either Opp or BC and the margin of victory. 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. Kuhn, 28, was one of five people found guilty of conspiracy to engage in racketeering and other charges that stemmed from a point-shaving scheme hatched for the 1978-79 school season. Ultimately, nothing happened. But I found out that I wouldnt be allowed to leave the United States because the government was going to bring me to trial.. In practice, he was the lunatic who his teammates sucked their teeth and rolled their eyes at when he told the coaches that they needed to run more sprints after an exhausting practice. Supreme Court mulls questions about students' accessibility rights. The Providence game was played on December 6, 1978, and Boston College was favored to win by six to seven points. On October 7, I felt like, You put my name out there, so let me clear my name! When they investigated me, I told them straight up about the $1,000 that Rocco Perla had given me. Prosecutors say man accused in wife's disappearance Googled how to dispose of a body. Cobb was drafted by the Utah Jazz in the 6th Round and cut during training camp. My girlfriend and I bought a new stereo, television and some furniture. When the story first broke, it said that Michael Bowie and I were the ones implicated, said Cobb. I was reading about the Boston College point-shaving scandal of the late 70s and I was wondering whatever became of Rick Kuhn in his later life. All Kuhn had to do was ensure that the Eagles fell short of the point spread in the games that they bet on. 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/. 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. Richard Kuhn AIA by BSA Staff Name: Richard Kuhn AIA Job title and company: Design director, Perkins+Will Degree(s): B. "It really could be far more serious and more of an annual situation than anyone suspects," said Ralph Miller, basketball coach at Oregon State University. The prosecution contended that the scheme was intended to enable the five men to win large sums of money by betting on the games and beating bookmakers' point spreads. He didn't want to be bothered with these kids anymore." At this point in the film, we stray away from the actual point-shaving and more into the consequences and investigation after the fact. Boston College's basketball team ended their 197879 season with a 229 record. But, as Sweeney points out, the government didnt need to prove that point shaving actually happened, just that a conspiracy to shave them had. Kuhn tells Sweeney that the mobsters in New York and Pittsburgh want this win and that this will be the last fix. The conviction of former Boston College basketball player Richard Kuhn for his involvement in the point shaving scandal during the 1978-79 basketball season was Hill was listed as a co-conspirator, but was not named as a defendant. Jim Sweeney admits that Kuhn gave him cash. The February 6 game against St. John's was a "push" (winning back exact bets), as the syndicate neither won nor lost when St. John's prevailed 8576, the exact point spread (nine) the bookmakers had offered.[i]. The government presented telephone records showing evidence of extensive communications between the conspirators during the 197879 season and records provided by Western Union and various hotels which further corroborated government testimony. I told him, I think were gonna blow them out, we look really good. He traveled throughout the world, getting paid to play the game that he loved. (Joe Dennehy/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) Save PURCHASE A LICENSE Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to use this asset. Playing for the Mob: The Story of College Kids Breaking Bad Jason Avant Chief Operating Officer at ASTAR, Inc. Hes innocent., When they indicted me, they wanted Peter Vario, the mobster, so they tried us together, said Cobb. Sweeney was not charged. I called my buddy Frank Melzer, who was an attorney, said Alswanger. was favored to win a game by ten points, Kuhn had to make sure, if the game was in play with the mobsters and the bookies, that they won by less than ten in order for the gamblers to make money. I feel it.. Kuhn would be responsible for ensuring, by his play on the court, that Boston College fell short of the point spread. 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 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. Boston College was favored by twelve to thirteen points, but won the game by only a three-point margin, 8683. The goal for making some real money is to get the character a TV gig with ESPN, NBC Sports, or another major sports network. The jury of eight women and four men reached its verdict after three days of deliberations and a trial that lasted five weeks. The five men could each receive a maximum sentence of 30 years in jail and $45,000 in fines. They all have different versions of the story, but regardless games are going to start being fixed. indictments charged against them. Boston College Accused of Point Shaving, was the big headline on the UPI wire. But that had nothing to do with shaving points., At the time, I was nave, Cobb 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 intense music, clues in the audience that this is where it all comes out. Regardless of what the audience thinks, the eyes of the law he is not guilty. The move on and they all thought the fixes were history. Cobb was acquitted of any wrongdoing, despite Kuhn giving Cobb's girlfriend an allegedly unsolicited envelope with $1,000. Kuhn was thus expected to keep the score below the six- to seven-point margin. Rick was born on October 14, 1966, in Jamestown, ND, to Timothy Kuhn and Marretta (Deede) Kuhn. They mentioned the $1,000 that Rocco Perla gave my girlfriend and I told them the truth. The government won convictions against Burke, the Perlas , Mazzei and Kuhn thanks in part to testimony from Sweeney, who was neither charged nor offered immunity. Can anyone shed some If you missed Part I, you can read it here. Hill casually brings up and admits to fixing basketball games at Boston College. Hill revealed his involvement in the point-shaving scheme, offering to relate the full story if federal officials would guarantee him full immunity and would agree to intercede on his behalf to convince state officials to drop the drug charges pending in state court. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The FBI had all the evidence they needed and were going to try and swing that Jimmy Burke played a large role in the scandal in order to convict him. Thus, for example, if participating bookmakers determined Boston College to be an eight-point favorite in a particular game, Kuhn would be paid a bonus, usually $2,500, if they won by less than eight points. ESPNs 30-for-30 sports documentary series is many of our last hopes at seeing historic events from our favorite sports. The former friends work hard to cast blame and the true conversations that went on between the mobsters and players will never be discovered. The audience learns about Boston Colleges rival Holy Cross and its huge significance to the players and the alumni. 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. Sweeney describes his side of the story, claiming he is invited to dinner with Kuhn and Tony, where he meets Henry Hill who threatens to kill him if he doesnt begin fixing games with Kuhn. Hill gave up everybody including the players involved. You understand? ESPN's latest 30 for 30 film tackles the Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal. They could have probably gotten away with the fix if they handled certain things better. The scheme was conceived by Rocco Perla and his brother Anthony in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1978. Do you recognize him? And my answer every time was, No! I didnt recognize any of those mobsters because I had never met them. 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 went against his lawyers advice and fought back and managed to win his case. Mazzei and the Perlas were particularly hopeful that Hill would enlist the support of his associate, James Burke, to finance the payments to the players and to set up a network of bookmakers who were in on the scheme. Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Walgreens agreed to pay $83 million to settle a lawsuit in West Virginia related to its role in the opioid crisis and its effect on the state, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced Wednesday. 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. We see it all come out and the mobsters being held accountable. Its the same crew that had a connection to BC basketball player Rick Kuhn, who hailed from the area. 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. You gotta tell me the truth, because I gotta know how to go on this?. 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. I took every single practice and every single game seriously, said Cobb. This is a BETA experience. Even with the not guilty verdict, he still lost all hope of going to the NBA. 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. Investigators find phone records from Pittsburgh to Burke that allow them to connect the point-shaving scheme to him. He said he would have done that if the sides were reversed. I have suffered. But I know that its not really in vain, because I know the truth.. 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. Jan. 18 (UPI) -- A class ring that went missing decades ago has been returned to its owner. I want to be disassociated from it as well. It is unclear how much money the players involved in the point-shaving scheme were paid. @ChristSchool. Boston College confirmed the investigation on Friday. 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. In the time of COVID-19, sports fans everywhere are trying to find ways to pass the time. I didnt know what that was all about. Sometimes, B.C. They need to get another player to help fix games. I was this poor kid with no financial resources, going on trial with a member of the mob. While Hill was being questioned, FBI agents inadvertently mentioned his frequent trips to Boston around the time of the Lufthansa heist. Holy Cross was favored to win and, consistent with the scheme, were bet on to win by a margin greater than the seven-point spread. This scandal did not end with the regular basketball season, it continued to affect and alter these players and gangsters lives for years after. And now, here I was on that same floor, pumped sky high, giving my defender buckets! Fake cannabis billionaire pleads guilty to securities fraud. The problem was Cobb. I continue to feel like I have to defend myself, all these years later, even after the government tried their case against me and I was found innocent. By my junior year, it was show-time, said Cobb. I dont know what went down because I wasnt involved. The December 16 game against Harvard was chosen as the second test for the scheme. When he finished with his testimony, he made a beeline straight for the restroom. These bookies could handle large bets and lay them off and spread the bets among a number of unsuspecting bookmakers around the country so as not to arouse suspicion. The Perla brothers were small-time gamblers who saw the upcoming 197879 Boston College Eagles basketball season as a perfect opportunity to earn a lot of money. In the 1979 NBA Draft, Magic Johnson was the first overall pick of the Los Angeles Lakersafter leading Michigan State University to the National Championship over Larry Birds Indiana State team. Burke instructed Hill to warn the players to keep to their end of the deal because "you can't play basketball with broken hands.". When he arrived on campus in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, Cobbs internal mantra was, I gotta stay eligible. With those persistent affirmations dancing through his mind, he took his academic responsibilities seriously from day one. They couldnt stop him. 197879 Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal. The FBI agent is shocked and doesnt believe him, but begins to ask questions. It creates suspense as Hill is a mess on the stand and can barely speak under the pressure of snitching on his friends. 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