And, of course, there are betting lines with the pick circled and handwritten box scores with the names of the alleged conspirators highlighted. 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 . Duality underpins practically everything about the brief existence of the KD, Harden and Kyrie Nets. Kuhn, a reserve forward on the 1978-79 Boston College team, and four other men were convicted last November of a plot to manipulate the . Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey. But changing his behaviors did not happen overnight. He would teach me about these attributes and I began to internalize them. He had this unbelievable desire to succeed and you could tell that he wasnt going to let anything stand in his way.. Ernie Cobb. They were touting me as the next sub-6-footer to have an impact in the NBA. 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. He says basketball was Ernie's "vocation and avocation. Michael Adams, G, 1981-85 - 1,650 . He saw that I was heading in the wrong direction and tried to mentor me.. He ate, drank, and slept basketball. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. We might have worn the hand-me-downs of the families that she worked for, but we always had clean clothes. All content 2000-2023 RealGM, L.L.C. Born: Hed lost his older brother to drugs. Rocco Perla was sentenced to four and Kuhn was released after 28 months. It was the streets.. Can you name the Top 25 MLB career leaders in singles, doubles, triples and home runs? 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. He insisted on taking a polygraph test, against his attorneys advice, which he passed. Join our linker program. He told him that he had talent, but that wasnt enough. I understand that they want to disassociate themselves from the scandal. They made a mistake and we all mess up but its too bad they tossed away a great college basketball experience. 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. I went into the Caldors department store in downtown Stamford when I was about 12 years old and tried to shoplift one, he said. 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 . It devastated me as a youngster. 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. Three basketball players at Boston College Jim Sweeney, Ernie Cobb, and Richard Kuhn became entangled with members of the Mafia in a points-shaving scandal during the 1978-79 season. But its the points that Cobb and teammate Michael Bowie didnt score during the 1978-1979 season which has spawned a federal investigation. Coach Alswanger was always schooling me about a winner never quits, a quitter never wins, about integrity, honor and character. Draft: Utah Jazz, 6th round (1st pick, 109th overall), 1979 NBA Draft. About. Playing for the Mob makes good use of Scorseses classic, splicing in Goodfellas clips between interviews and using Liotta as the films narrator. Summaries. I would walk long distances, for miles, out into the suburbs in Greenwich. He was a murderer and a horrible human being. But I wasnt sure if I was really up to B.C. I feel it.. Do you have a sports website? He was from Norwalk, not far from where I was from. Press release from the City of Menifee: MENIFEE - Menifee's street projects and construction updates are getting an upgrade! Out of all the schools recruiting him, Cobb decided to accept Boston Colleges scholarship offer. Cobb admitted to accepting $1,000 but wasn't prosecuted. 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. Ernie Cobb played professional basketball in Israel for 17 years, where he learned to speak fluent Hebrew. I didnt think anything of it. Despite never having played organized basketball before, Cobb was moved up to the varsity squad as a freshman. Ernie Cobb weighed 180 lbs (81 kg) when playing. We had the basics of everything that we needed. When he was implicated in the scandal, I was shocked.. Rick Kuhn during Boston College men's basketball's 1978-1979 season. 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 dont know what went down because I wasnt involved. I was mesmerized.. 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. Kuhn was the only player convicted -- receiving a record 10-year sentence -- and served 28 months in prison. The combination thereof led to the downfall of a previously untouchable New York crime boss responsible for multiple murders and the largest cash heist in U.S. history, via cronies in Pittsburgh who ran a point-shaving scheme that paid a few players to keep scores within the spread at Boston College during the 1978-79 college basketball season. The Shadow League is a narrative company. Class of 1979. At trial in 1981, the government's case consisted primarily of the testimony . He had all of this ability, and he worked so hard, said Alswanger. Coach Alswanger, I have a confession to make, Ernie told the man sitting across from him. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 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. And he always managed to be seen cruising around his neighborhood with a new, expensive one. Perla and Kuhn had gone to high school together and were good friends. 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. His only response was an indication that the investigation was being continued. I was like, You gotta be kidding me! Jim Sweeney and Rick Kuhns names werent mentioned anywhere. Boston College; Induction 2023; Position: Linebacker Years: 2009-11 Place of Birth: Cincinnati, OH Date of Birth: April 20, 1991 Jersey Number: 40 Height: 6-3 Weight: 238 High School: St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) Possessing a powerful combination of size, speed and football intellect, . Utah Jazz, 6th round (1st pick, 109th overall), 1979 NBA Draft, More Ernie Cobb pages at Sports Reference, More Ernie Cobb Basketball Reference pages. 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. But before he stepped foot on campus for his freshman year to chase a new set of goals, he was hesitant, apprehensive and somewhat scared. 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. Ernest Constantine Cobb, passed away peacefully on Feb. 27th, after a long and full life. He turned to me and said, Coach, Im glad youre sticking up for your kid. Boston College Accused of Point Shaving, was the big headline on the UPI wire. 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. Will I ever totally leave Boston College? We were all so excited for him. 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. He was hopeful that hed have another chance to make it in the NBA. 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 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. Ernie listened intently. 11. He craved to clear his name once and for all. The motley crew next ensnared Boston College's leading scorer, Ernie 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. 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. So from then on I had a juvenile record. Also involved were bookmakers across the . He listened and did everything I told him to do. The distinguished paper later retracted the story. A talkative informant. Its gonna be no contest. 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. Ernest Cobb Special Education Cross Catagorical High School at Phoenix Union High School District Laveen, Arizona, United States 1 connection He just kept swishing them in, 30 or 35 points, I dont remember., Hill went on to say, And they (Kuhn and Sweeney) were still saying, We got to have Cobb. I realized that and so I passed the word through Tony (Perla), At all costs, talk to him. Next thing I heard Cobb was all set, but it was going to take another $2,500 for his share. 17 Eric Leckner, Wyoming 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. The teachers lived in our same community and they had relationships with our parents outside of the school. He made other African-American ballers feel like they could go there and really showcase what they could do on a national level. 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. Some of it happened almost by accident, and some of it happened after years of determined work. Height: 5'11" (180 cm) Weight: 0 lbs (- kg) Position: PG. "Fixed" follows the point-shaving scandal of the 1978-79 Boston College basketball team. 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. 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.. At one point Hill curses, apologizes sheepishly to the camera, and then falls right back into his expletive-laden speech. . . ET on ESPN. Johnny Bench is a former MLB catcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983. Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. She helped tutor me, and encouraged me through some rough spots. With having to work long hours, her children had a lot of free, unsupervised time on their hands, some of which was not utilized wisely. The third-highest scorer in BC history with 1,760 points, he was a co-captain with Sweeney in 1978-79, when he averaged 21.3 points a game. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. Where did this kid come from, said Alswanger. 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 fact that I went to court and fought for my name, that I stood up for myself and cleared my name, that I was exonerated and acquitted, its a travesty that Im still associated with this., My name is indelibly linked to it, Cobb continued. The campus was so beautiful. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. I went into that same Caldors and got arrested again for stealing one.. The guy called Herm and said, Ernies a good kid and hes going to be coming to your school, said Cobb. It wasnt an absolute disaster but it was a cousin. 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. That includes Rick Kuhn, the former minor league baseball player who started the scandal and who Sweeney says got him involved in it. At that point, I was looking forward to a trial, 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 . As a freshman, he played sparingly and averaged 4.5 points per game while the Eagles finished with a disappointing 9-17 overall record. When I think about my journey, it brings tears to my eyes. Cobb just wanted to live his life and do what he did best: play ball. I just thank God there is justice.. Ernie Cobb, G, 1975-79 - 1,760 12. Kuhn acknowledged his role and was the only player convicted. Being at Boston College, when I first got there, was so amazing, said Cobb. 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. Other notable players selected in that draft included Sidney Moncrief, Bill Laimbeer, Bill Cartwright, Mark Eaton and Jim Paxson. He wasnt a trial lawyer, so he brought in his colleague, David Golub. He wanted to tell his side of the story. I had the complete package, said Cobb. . 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. I wanted my name cleared and it took a long time.. Boston College confirmed the investigation on Friday. He recruited teammates Ernie Cobb and Jim Sweeney into the ring, after becoming connected with ex-convicts Paul Mazzei and Henry Hill. Hes a good person. He eats it up. It was like this whole new world opened up to him and his desire to succeed was unreal. So Id go up there all the time and get me one. But she had to work very hard, over some long hours, which meant she couldnt monitor my every move. The reasons for their failure may have been inherent to the whole project. The Ernie Cobb-as-point-fixer story is ancient, but I'm still that guy who supposedly got away with something." Contribute to The Shadow League today and help us share our narratives. Hill claimed he made between $75,000 . Masters Degree in Education. Copyright 2000-2023 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. Near the Boston College campus, he had a flat tire. The City of M. 21, right in first row) were part of the . Cobbs older siblings began having brushes with the law. fellow accused BC players Ernie Cobb and Michael Bowie (who were completely vindicated), law . We are not making it all up in our heads, thinking well of Kris Dunn because we want to: he has real talents to bring, and a body that for the time being will allow him to use them. On June 23rd, 1983, more than four years after hed played his final game at Boston College, Ernie Cobb was indicted and charged with taking cash bribes to alter the outcomes of games against Harvard, Rhode Island and Fordham. He loved the foliage, the fresh air and scenery. 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. Visser became the NFLs first female beat writer in 1976, when she was assigned by the paper to cover the New England Patriots. Check out the detailed 1976-77 Boston College Eagles Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. 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. 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. Ernie, and anybody who truly knew him, who knew about his character and what type of young man he was, we were all heartbroken. They were just doing their jobs. 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. Jim Sweeney and Ernie Cobb) were brought to trial for point-shaving during the '78- '79 season. His competitive desires were satisfied with all of the recreation activities that were offered. inStamford,Connecticut I cant read., When he told me that, we immediately got him a tutor, said Alswanger. It was there, where a whole new world opened up to him. I could see myself coming into my own one day and doing that. Ernie Cobb, 24, 5'11", 180-pound star of the team, from Stamford, Conn. 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. For me, it worked.. It was a loving, nurturing environment. But Im so proud of him because he picked his life back up and made the best of it. Weve had serious problems with all of the other kids but we never had a problem with Ernie. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. I knew that I could play basketball with anybody. But there was one obstacle that hed have to confront head-on. You realize that you cant play if you dont do this. The Shadow League is a narrative company. age of adaline comet. Tell me what you did and what you didnt do. He refused to take a plea deal in return for a reduced sentence. Do you recognize him? And my answer every time was, No! I didnt recognize any of those mobsters because I had never met them. The other two kids made whatever choices they made, but look what was done to Ernie. Theyd taken my passport and I had to stay here and face these charges, said Cobb. Everything Id worked so hard for was coming to fruition.. hoops that blazed a trail, Mills continued. 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