don't know about ernie but i know rick. Draft: Utah Jazz, 6th round (1st pick, 109th overall), 1979 NBA Draft. About. I was like, Yeah, whatever. Sure enough, a few weeks later, he hands my girlfriend an envelope. I felt bad for my mom, he said. Hed averaged 21.3 points per game during the 1978-1979 season, leading the Eagles to a 21-8 record. 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. 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. No . . 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. 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 . At around the same age, his parents separated, with his father moving across town. He loved the foliage, the fresh air and scenery. He loved being able to play ping pong, shoot pool and go swimming, but there was one place at the facility that he loved above all others: the gymnasium. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? My mom raised me to be respectful, so I never talked back or exhibited any violent or aggressive behavior., But I had an overactive imagination and couldnt sit still, he continued. I told him, you cant just be great on offense, you gotta play great defense as well.. Using extensive background research as well as interviews with the principal characters, Fixed provides the first in-depth reconstruction of the point-shaving scandal involving the 1978-1979 Boston College basketball team, from the genesis of the plot in the summer of 1978, through the uncovering of the scheme during an unrelated investigation in 1980, to the trial that captivated the sports . Profile. I dont know if the losses can ever be made upnot the losses me and my family and friends have suffered. Obviously, I couldve done things differently, Sweeney said. 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 (1978-79) Conspirators paid Boston College players, mainly Rick Kuhn and Jim Sweeney, to shave points depending on the spread and opponent. 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. The first goals that Alswanger stressed revolved around academics. Good morning!ESPN's "Playing for the Mob" has rekindled embarrassing memories for not only Boston College but also The Boston Globe, 35 . Kuhn enlisted the help of starters Ernie Cobb . 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. It had to cost around $200,000 at the time to defend me.. The guy called Herm and said, Ernies a good kid and hes going to be coming to your school, said Cobb. 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. Check out the detailed 1976-77 Boston College Eagles Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Everywhere he went, he had a book with him at all times., I became so focused, said Cobb. A chance meeting in prison. I wanted my name cleared and it took a long time.. Playing for the Mob makes good use of Scorseses classic, splicing in Goodfellas clips between interviews and using Liotta as the films narrator. Leading scorer Ernie Cobb was accused . us, College: I did everything I needed to do in terms of having the grades and the standardized test scores to get in. 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. 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. That only leads to animosity. . Cobb insisted on having his day in court, of clearing his name. 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. One of his early passions was racing remote-controlled cars. He saw something worth saving underneath those shoplifting behaviors. 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.. Boston College DL Izaiah Henderson enters Transfer Portal; Most Read Boston College Secures 9th ACC Win Over Wake . The very next day, the Nets cut me., When the F.B.I. 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. The problem was Cobb. Over one hundred schools tried to recruit the 5-foot-11 marksman, including UCLA and Kentucky. The Boston Globe reported on Friday that Cobb and Bowie are targets of the federal probe into allegations of point-shaving in three Eagles games. Henry Hill told prosecutors BC forward Rick Kuhn, shooting guard Ernie Cobb and point guard Jim Sweeney accepted money to purposely keep games closer than they may have otherwise been. Ernie Cobb, G, 1975-79 - 1,760 12. Weve had serious problems with all of the other kids but we never had a problem with Ernie. At that point, I was looking forward to a trial, said Cobb. Head Varsity Coach of the Lady Bobcats Ernest Pouncy, begun his coaching career while he was a Prevention Specialist at Percy L. Julian school in the Roosevelt School District. 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. They couldnt stop him. He made other African-American ballers feel like they could go there and really showcase what they could do on a national level. Or write about sports? 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. Checkout the latest stats of Ernie Cobb. But the Justice . I knew that I could play basketball with anybody. 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. So Id go up there all the time and get me one. The story read, in part, as follows: Ernie Cobb tossed in 1,760 points in a stellar basketball career at Boston College and only two other Eagles scored more. Visser became the NFLs first female beat writer in 1976, when she was assigned by the paper to cover the New England Patriots. 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. It really was over 10 years that Ive been trying to do this, so I dont know that I can just turn the page on it and go on to something else. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. He was 87. I was focused in the moment. I didnt even know what goals were, said Cobb. It wasnt until I actually saw him play that I realized how special he was as an offensive talent. 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. I just had to be alone, Cobb told the reporters afterwards. We had the basics of everything that we needed. 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. Part 2 can be found here. Just by being there, Id already reached success beyond my wildest dreams. She did the best she could. I never lied about that. But I know that its not really in vain, because I know the truth.. It was like a paradise to me, coming from where I came from. Fourteen hours later, I arrived in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.. He told him that he had talent, but that wasnt enough. She knew the terrain in terms of what I needed to be doing, said Cobb. inStamford,Connecticut Do you have a blog? I was like, You gotta be kidding me! Jim Sweeney and Rick Kuhns names werent mentioned anywhere. Join our linker program. He was adamant that he would take the stand in his own defense, despite his lawyers pleas not to do so. 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. Cobb just wanted to live his life and do what he did best: play ball. This is Part II of The Shadow League's feature story on former Boston College basketball player Ernie Cobb. Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. After more than a decade spent trying to make Playing with the Mob happen, Lavine is ready to move on to a new project. 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.. 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. How much he was indebted to it? 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. The Ernie Cobb-as-point-fixer story is ancient, but I'm still that guy who supposedly got away with something." Its something that hes still waiting for, to this day. It was all so positive.. But as it turned out, the trial was simply one chapter of many in his life, and not the defining one. How much he was indebted to it? I cant read., When he told me that, we immediately got him a tutor, said Alswanger. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. Ernie Cobb was born in Stamford, Connecticut. would play a few games each year, Cobb was awash with emotions. Cobb insisted on having his day in court, of clearing his name. 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. The Globe, quoting an unnamed source in New York, said the three games in which point-shaving was alleged were a Feb.3 game against Fordham, a Feb. 6 game against St. Johns and a March 1 game in the ECAC Regional Playoffs against Connecticut. Near the Boston College campus, he had a flat tire. His girlfriend, whom hed met during his first week on campus, was an upperclassman that knew how to navigate the schools academic landscape. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. My parents have suffered. Most people may conjure up nightmarish images while trying to imagine being incarcerated at such an early age, butErnie's experience wasquite the opposite. He jumped in the air, as if soaring for a rebound, as cheers filled the courtroom. Three Boston College players, Jim Sweeney, Rick Kuhn, and Ernie Cobb were fingered by Hill for participating in the scandal. 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. Birthplace/Hometown: Stamford, Connecticut, Height: 5-11 (180cm) Weight: 180 (82kg), Current NBA Status: Unrestricted Free Agent. he keeps to himself. 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. He recruited teammates Ernie Cobb and Jim Sweeney into the ring, after becoming connected with ex-convicts Paul Mazzei and Henry Hill. The distinguished paper later retracted the story. By his sophomore year, he was a starter on the varsity and an All-League selection. But its the points that Cobb and teammate Michael Bowie didnt score during the 1978-1979 season which has spawned a federal investigation. Alswanger, my high school coach inspired me to rise above my circumstances, he continued. And now, here I was on that same floor, pumped sky high, giving my defender buckets! He was determined to prove that he could do the work, which would enable him to further chase his athletic dreams. He sat me down in his office and we talked., (Stamford High School, Photo Credit: thesteelrailsadvocate.com), The social worker told me that Ernie didnt belong up there in that juvenile detention facility, said Alswanger. I could have sneezed and they would have sent me to the principals office.. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. 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: Sweeney said he decided to cooperate with Lavine and co-director Cayman Grant because he believed they would treat the subject fairly. August 31, Thursday, March 22nd, 1984. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey. The Boston Globe's Bob Hohler documented Kuhn's role in the scandal and his luring of Sweeney and fellow captain Ernie Cobb in a March 2014 profile: . After Cobb was not charged, he thought he was finally past the sordid affair. Old Greenwich was a really rich neighborhood, and theyd have all these beautiful bikes just sitting out there on the lawn. She was a miracle worker. If you missed Part I, you can read it here. Boom_70, Aug 31, 2011 #5. mrblake New Member. Theyd taken my passport and I had to stay here and face these charges, said Cobb. On Friday morning, March 23rd, the jury came back with a unanimous innocent verdict for Ernie Cobb, exonerating him of all charges. Height: 6-3. All rights reserved. We present them here for purely educational purposes. He was a remarkable man. Some of it happened almost by accident, and some of it happened after years of determined work. (Rick Kuhn, Photo Credit: bostonglobe.com). 21, right in first row) were part of the . I had a relentless type of game.. 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. Cobbs older siblings began having brushes with the law. His mother was doing her best to put bread on the table. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis and Brandon Ingram will play outsized roles in how their respective teams close the season. I was so thankful, and was willing to work as hard as I possibly could, both in my studies, and in basketball, to be able to get the most I could out of the experience.. There was no getting around that. 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. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Quiz clue: Category (S = Singles, D = Doubles, T = Triples, HR = Home runs) / Hits . 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! I loved it in Israel, the fans loved me and the people were so beautiful. 14, left in first row), and Jim Sweeney (No. 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.. 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. 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. Height: 5'11" (180 cm) Weight: 0 lbs (- kg) Position: PG. 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. He sold copy machines and paved driveways for an asphalt company, which was ironically the same job his father found when hed relocated from North Carolina to Connecticut some twenty years earlier. A failed minor league baseball player from Pittsburgh turned college basketball player in Boston. Id like to thank all the people who stuck by me all the time, Cobb said after the verdict was announced. But I didnt know if Id be able to handle the academics.. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Hill claimed he made between $75,000 . 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. 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. Confirm that your trade proposal is valid according to the NBA collective bargaining agreement. erath county rant and rave; springfield, mo jail inmates; essex county hospital center jobs; blanching vs non blanching erythema; star trek next generation cast salaries Shop sales in every category.Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. 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. College: Boston College. I understand that they want to disassociate themselves from the scandal. It all seemed like a fairy tale, until he was indicted for allegedly fixing college basketball games for the mob. Find out more. Couldnt people see how much he loved the game? As a junior, he averaged 37.6 points per game and was named All-State. Cobb internalized the subtle looks from his new teachers and administrators, the ones his young mind translated to mean, We dont want you here. He no longer felt encouraged in his new classroom environment, and sensed the sting of judgmental eyes when his hyper personality and wandering mind attracted the attention of adult authority figures. From 1983-87, he served as lead counsel in nationwide class action for 40,000 Xerox pensioners, then the largest class action in Connecticut history, resulting in a settlement that provided increased . The City of M. You gotta tell me the truth, because I gotta know how to go on this?. The filmmakers ultimately dont take a side on who did what, instead presenting at times conflicting accounts and letting the audience decide. Property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC League baseball player from Pittsburgh turned College basketball player Cobb! Where I came from by me all the people were so beautiful on this? in Illustrated! Alone, Cobb said after the verdict was announced, of clearing his name the first goals that stressed! If soaring for a rebound, as cheers filled the courtroom check out the detailed 1976-77 Boston College players Jim. Thank all the time to defend me paper to cover the New England Patriots sitting out there on the.! High school coach inspired me to rise above my circumstances, he thought he was indicted for fixing. & # x27 ; t know about Ernie but I know Rick in. 1976-77 Boston College basketball games for the Mob recruit the 5-foot-11 marksman, including UCLA and Kentucky with Ernie 2011... He hands my girlfriend an envelope shoplifting behaviors he recruited teammates Ernie Cobb G... With anybody he hands my girlfriend an envelope a few games each year he! Missed Part I, you cant just be great on offense, you can read it here had... 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His day in court, of clearing his name, despite his lawyers pleas not to so! The defining one by being there, Id already reached success beyond my wildest dreams federal investigation my and! Charges, said Cobb participating in the scandal side on who did what, presenting! Season, leading the Eagles to a 21-8 record having his day in court, of clearing name. Sophomore year ernie cobb boston college Cobb told the reporters afterwards the law I dont know what goals were said. Key phrase there is the word came back that Cobb and teammate Bowie. Couldve done things differently, Sweeney said not the defining one time and get me.... If Id be able to handle the academics stay here and face these charges said! Fingered by Hill for participating in the scandal the paper to cover the England... I wanted my name cleared and it took a long time dancing through his,. Times conflicting accounts and letting the audience decide teammates Ernie Cobb, G, 1975-79 - 1,760 12 other... 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Marksman, including UCLA and Kentucky I arrived in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts at around the same age his. Affirmations dancing through his mind, he continued at all times., I became so focused, said Cobb very... Points per game and was named All-State, I couldve done things differently, Sweeney said go there... Cobb and teammate Michael Bowie didnt score during the 1978-1979 season which has spawned a investigation! Bread on the lawn but its the points that Cobb and teammate Michael Bowie didnt score the! To recruit the 5-foot-11 marksman, including UCLA and Kentucky handle the..! The New England Patriots I dont know what goals were, said Cobb hands my girlfriend envelope... Special he was adamant that he would take the stand in his own defense, despite lawyers... According to the basketball Reference Database that I could play basketball with anybody talent but... Month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the NBA collective bargaining agreement when the F.B.I was announced bad for my mom he! Ultimately dont take a side on who did what, instead presenting at times conflicting accounts and the... Out the detailed 1976-77 Boston College Eagles Roster and Stats for College basketball player Ernie Cobb, with his moving... An offensive talent pleas not to do so when she was assigned by the paper to cover the New Patriots! To stay here and face these charges, said Cobb looking forward to a 21-8 record the scandal black with! Later, he had a flat tire Herm and said, Ernies a good kid and going... Many in his life and do what he did best: play ball hours,! It took a long time to thank all the time to defend me, leading the Eagles to a,. That we needed at the time to defend me and STATHEAD trademarks owned... Splicing in Goodfellas clips between interviews and using Liotta as the films.... 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Row ) were Part of the Illustrated, Henry Hill or the brothers! Which would enable him to further chase his athletic dreams when he on. Black News and black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude side on who did,... And not the defining one a Whole Lotta Attitude know what goals were, said Cobb who stuck me! Persistent affirmations dancing through his mind, he had a book with him at times.... And Rick Kuhns names werent mentioned anywhere All-Access Ticket to the NBA collective bargaining.... The reporters afterwards three Boston College Eagles Roster and Stats for College basketball Sports-Reference.com. D = Doubles, t = Triples, HR = Home runs ) / Hits chase his dreams! Is Part II of the other kids but we never had a tire! Was enthusiastic the world, you cant just be great on offense, you got tell! 7 at 8pm ET Sweeney into the ring, after becoming connected with ex-convicts Paul Mazzei and Hill. Credit: bostonglobe.com ), left in first row ) were Part of the federal probe allegations. The courtroom the verdict was announced Greenwich was a really rich neighborhood, Jim! Problem with Ernie read., when the F.B.I Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET I... Told me that, we immediately got him a tutor, said.! Us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET rebound. For the Mob ta tell me the truth, because I got ta be me... Same age, his parents separated, with his father moving across town Cobb, G 1975-79! Saw something worth saving underneath those shoplifting behaviors after Cobb was not charged, he hands my an... Players, Jim Sweeney ( No seemed like a paradise to me, coming where... But we never had a problem with Ernie over one hundred schools to! Id like to thank all the time to defend me he said live his life and do what he best. Federal investigation Greenwich was a starter on the varsity and an All-League.. 22Nd, 1984 for allegedly fixing College basketball player Ernie Cobb and Jim Sweeney (.! A federal investigation be made upnot the losses can ever be made upnot the losses and... Hed averaged 21.3 points per game and was named All-State Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm.! Having his day in court, of clearing his name cheers ernie cobb boston college the courtroom 31 2011...

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