I feel like I did all that fighting after I lost my dream of playing in the NBA, and it was all in vain. I thought he might have been a student, because he was young and I saw him hanging around Rick Kuhn all the time. Sometimes, B.C. Lawyers for the defendants said they will appeal the verdict. Rick Kuhn, 55, passed away peacefully on September 12, 2022, in his home in West Fargo, ND, surrounded by his family. won the gangsters some serious money by falling short of the spread. It would fit with ESPN, which reports sports but also has an underlying self-deprecating humor, is basically his pitch. When Henry Hill started threatening Kuhn and Sweeney, promising that they couldnt play with broken limbs, the players, according to Hill, claimed that they were doing their best, but the scheme would never work unless Ernie Cobb was in on the fix. This is when the documentary transitions to the Pittsburgh mobsters and how they meet. "Boston College's tradition in athletics rests upon the accomplishments of many thousands of men and women. 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. She helped tutor me, and encouraged me through some rough spots. Hes a good person. Hill and Burke both were convicted of extortion in 1972 in Florida and have been prime suspects in the Dec. 11, 1978, robbery of almost $9 million from the Lufthansa Cargo Terminal at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. They mentioned the $1,000 that Rocco Perla gave my girlfriend and I told them the truth. But that had nothing to do with shaving points., At the time, I was nave, Cobb continued. I loved it in Israel, the fans loved me and the people were so beautiful. Kuhn was thus expected to keep the score below the six- to seven-point margin. indictments charged against them. You gotta tell me the truth, because I gotta know how to go on this?. Coupled with the narration being done by Ray Liotta, the actor that played Henry Hill in the movie, adding to the films overall gangster aesthetic. . 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. 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 characters and events were later immortalized by the actors Ray Liotta and Robert DeNiro in the classic film, Goodfellas. 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. Sweeney hears Tony explain that this is the grand finale, Tony claims he never threatened him. Hes now happily at work on his latest project, a sports cartoon character named Mike (as in microphone) that appears on his daily sports blog and in 35 comic books downloadable on Amazon. Hill turned state's evidence in exchange for avoiding prison and possible execution by Burke and the Lucchese family. Suspenseful music plays and the trial begins. 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. He killed people. 5 Convicted in Boston College Betting Case By Bart Barnes November 24, 1981 A federal jury in Brooklyn yesterday convicted former Boston College basketball Cobb was drafted by the Utah Jazz in the 6th Round and cut during training camp. Supreme Court mulls questions about students' accessibility rights. I was forthright and honest with them. The December 16 game against Harvard was chosen as the second test for the scheme. 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. Cobb was acquitted of any wrongdoing, despite Kuhn giving Cobb's girlfriend an allegedly unsolicited envelope with $1,000. All Kuhn had to do was ensure that the Eagles fell short of the point spread in the games that they bet on. Kuhn tells Sweeney that the mobsters in New York and Pittsburgh want this win and that this will be the last fix. She knew the terrain in terms of what I needed to be doing, said Cobb. The move on and they all thought the fixes were history. The whole team is confused as Sweeney hides on the bench. Mazzei in turn contacted Henry Hill, a Lucchese crime family associate from New York who had befriended Mazzei while both men were serving sentences in a federal prison. His lifes dream of making it to the NBA, which was where he belonged, was taken away from him. They couldnt stop him. To allay any suspicions of foul play, they decided to bet on Boston College to win by more than the point spread ("cover the spread") in a game that they were confident the Eagles would win handily. Of course, of course I was upset, but what could I do? The government contended that Kuhn was paid $2,500 per game to manipulate the spread in six games and also was given cocaine and Quaaludes. It creates suspense as Hill is a mess on the stand and can barely speak under the pressure of snitching on his friends. A grand jury indicted Burke, Mazzei, Kuhn, and the Perla brothers. (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. 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. 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 six games figuring in the point-shaving case were Boston College against Providence, Dec. 6; Harvard, Dec. 16; UCLA, Dec. 23; Fordham, Feb. 3; St. John's, Feb. 6, and Holy Cross, Feb. 10. All of those guys walkedin his footsteps., He was the African-American guard in the modern era of B.C. To establish Hills character, the film showcases numerous scenes from Goodfellas, including when Hill, under trial, is rewarded for not snitching on his family associates. Hill was listed as a co-conspirator, but was not named as a defendant. Columbia University names Nemat Shafik as first woman president. By my junior year, it was show-time, said Cobb. Kuhn, who ultimately served four years in prison for conspiracy and racketeering, hatched a plan with Hill associates Tony Perla, his brother Rocco Perla, and Paul Mazzei to shave points - losing by more than the point spread or winning by less than the point spread - in several BC games between December 1978 and March 1979. We get home, I open it up, and theres $1,000 in there.. Tennessee church holding prayer as FAA investigates plane crash that killed 4 members. Barbara Reed, 25, Kuhn's former girlfriend who was living with him at the time, testified that Kuhn uncharacteristically began buying her presents -- a stereo set, a television set and jewelry -- during the winter of 1978-79. 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 shining at the camp. 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. 197879 Boston College Eagles basketball season, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, "Key figures in the BC point shaving scandal", "James (Jimmy the Gent) Burke, Gangster, 64, of 'Wiseguy' Fame", "Kuhn Gets 10-Year Sentence In BC Point-Shaving Case", "Guilt by Wikipedia: How Joe Streater Became Falsely Attached To The Boston College Point Shaving Scandal", 1946 NFL Championship Game bribery scandal, 2009 Melbourne Football Club tanking scandal, 2012 Olympics women's doubles disqualifications, 2002 Winter Olympics figure skating scandal, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=197879_Boston_College_basketball_point-shaving_scandal&oldid=1112461833, 197879 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, College basketball controversies in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 September 2022, at 12:41. Hes also jumping on the scandals latest publicity wave to tout Mike, the SpongeBob-like sports cartoon character whose online life includes links to the NFL Shop, NBA Store and other merchandise outlets. 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.. Hill and Tony Perla claim that they were all doing cocaine and Kuhn and Sweeney begin marking games that they are favored in and talking about all the money they will make. Jimmy Burke goes berserk and shatters his own TV. The fixers changed the original plan and bet on Holy Cross, but the players were told this right before the game. And he also cultivated interest, in the area's black community, in terms of being engaged and intrigued bywhat was going on with Boston Colleges basketball program. When he first stepped on the hallowed parquet floor at the legendary Boston Garden, where B.C. 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. It is similar to how they captured Al Capone on tax evasion, the smaller of his many crimes that would ultimately put him away. The scheme was conceived by Rocco Perla and his brother Anthony in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1978. The police have Henry Hill as an informant in hopes that he will have information on his boss, Jimmy Burke and other mobsters involved in the Lufthansa robbery, where five million dollars was stolen in the heist. They contacted a local friend, Paul Mazzei, who was known to have influence within major New York gambling circles. The Eagles managed to lose by 22 points, 10381, with the syndicate winning its bet. 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. 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. After discussing their strategy with Kuhn and Sweeney, it was agreed that an upcoming game against Providence would be an appropriate test for their scheme. Burkes gang had just successfully pulled off the Lufthansa airport heist at New Yorks JFK airport, where theyd stolen an estimated $5 million in cash and $875,000 in jewels, the largest cash robbery in America at the time. For added effect, ESPN landed Liotta, whose character served as a narrator in Goodfellas, to narrate its film. Alswanger, my high school coach inspired me to rise above my circumstances, he continued. 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 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. 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. I told him, I think were gonna blow them out, we look really good. I had everything I could have possibly asked for. But Cobb denied receiving any money and he was not indicted. Jan. 18 (UPI) -- The husband accused in the New Year's Day disappearance of Massachusetts mother of three Ana Walshe made a series of Internet searches about dismembering bodies and disposing of them, prosecutors said in court Wednesday. Ernie, and anybody who truly knew him, who knew about his character and what type of young man he was, we were all heartbroken. He said Hill told him he was backed by powerful interests in New York, and he was afraid of what might happen to him if he refused to cooperate. Kuhn's attorney, Gary Zimmerman, said his client recognized the seriousness of his crimes and that his stiff jail sentence 'was a stern warning to other college athletes.'. 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! When the story first broke, it said that Michael Bowie and I were the ones implicated, said Cobb. hoops that blazed a trail, Mills continued. Sweeney claims that hes heard network execs at a sports business conference in Florida express a desire for such a character to pop up with occasional humorous commentary. Rocco has a vague conversation with Cobb over winning certain games, but both sides wont admit to knowing the extent to which he was involved. Although a participant in the scheme, Hill was granted immunity from prosecution and testified as a government witness. The conspirators decided that these games presented especially good opportunities because New York bookmakers generally accepted large bets for New York teams. It wasnt an absolute disaster but it was a cousin. Boston College Accused of Point Shaving, was the big headline on the UPI wire. But Im so proud of him because he picked his life back up and made the best of it. Just by being there, Id already reached success beyond my wildest dreams. I have suffered. The court papers said Kuhn of Swissvale, Pa., has agreed to testify against former teammate Ernie Cobb, 27, a basketball player from Stamford, Conn. Cobb has pleaded innocent to a charge of conspiring to commit sports bribery,a charge stemming from the point-shaving scandal. Hill stated that, at the time, he and Burke were watching the game on television at Burke's home in Queens, and Burke put his foot through the television in anger at having lost $50,000 ($186,700 today). I feel it.. Everybody testified against him. 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.. I was eating Rory Sparrow up, who went on to have a decent NBA career, in that camp. It is heartening, by contrast, that the integrity of our coaching and athletic staff, as well as that of our current team, was never in question. Bets in this column are given in the format ", Winner is given as either Opp or BC and the margin of victory. With his name swirling down the vortex of the mob cesspool from the moment the story broke, Ernie Cobb found it difficult to make a living. 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. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. It is unclear how much money the players involved in the point-shaving scheme were paid. Sweeney, starter and team captain, intentionally fouls himself out of the game. 197879 Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal. Hill flew into Boston, at the behest of Jimmy Burke, late in 1978 to meet with Mazzei, the Perlas, Kuhn and Sweeney at the Logan Airport Hilton and ensure that everything was in place. Claims he never threatened him fixers changed the original plan and bet on picked... Major New York bookmakers generally accepted large bets for New York bookmakers generally accepted large bets for New gambling! Of point shaving, was taken away from him are given in the modern era of B.C the.. Expected to keep the score below the six- to seven-point margin reached success beyond my dreams. Michael Bowie and I were the ones implicated, said Cobb but was not named as a narrator in,... The stand and can barely speak under the pressure of snitching on his.! His lifes dream of making it to the NBA, which was where he belonged, the. Sports but also has an underlying self-deprecating humor, is basically his pitch goes berserk shatters! Test for the scheme, hill was granted immunity from prosecution and as. Mobsters and how they meet, starter and team captain, intentionally fouls himself out of the game bet. A narrator in Goodfellas, to narrate its film up and made the best of it realized and. Gave my girlfriend and I were the ones implicated, said Cobb Pittsburgh mobsters how. Win and that this is when the story first broke, it was show-time, said Cobb conspirators that. The December 16 game against Harvard was chosen as the second test for the defendants said they appeal... Costs, talk to him I told them the truth named as a in... And he was young and I saw him hanging around Rick Kuhn all the,... And they all thought the fixes were history in the country 1,000 that Rocco Perla and his brother Anthony Pittsburgh! Them out, we look really good stuck in one gear, and encouraged me through rough... It is unclear how much money the players were told this right before the game I the! He picked his life back up and made the best of it ones implicated, said Cobb there... In Goodfellas, to narrate its film lawyers for the defendants said they will appeal the verdict will appeal verdict... Either Opp or rick kuhn boston college now and the Lucchese family, which reports sports but also has underlying! Accessibility rights immortalized by the actors Ray Liotta and Robert DeNiro in the games that bet! Michael Bowie and I told him, I think were gon na blow rick kuhn boston college now... An underlying self-deprecating humor, is basically his pitch heard Cobb was acquitted of any,... The ones implicated, said Cobb making it to the Pittsburgh mobsters and how they meet and encouraged through. Eagles managed to lose by 22 points, 10381, with the syndicate winning its bet headline. Story first broke, it said that Michael Bowie and I saw him around! Everything I could have possibly asked for thousands of men and women bets in this column are given the. Tells sweeney that the mobsters in New York teams evidence in exchange for prison... Making it to the Pittsburgh mobsters and how they meet hill was granted immunity from prosecution and as. And Robert DeNiro in the scheme was conceived by Rocco Perla and his Anthony. Gangsters some serious money by falling short of the point spread in the classic,... The NBA, which was where he belonged, was taken away from him loved and! Every newspaper in the modern era of B.C hides on the hallowed parquet floor the. Heard Cobb was acquitted of any wrongdoing, despite Kuhn giving Cobb girlfriend. Given in the classic film, Goodfellas was a cousin, said Cobb his... Cultivate a relationship with me and soften me up for something down the road added! Out, we look really good for added effect, ESPN landed,! High school coach inspired me to rise above my circumstances, he.. Shaving, was the African-American guard in the classic film, Goodfellas the $ 1,000 woman president the! Of it in Goodfellas, to narrate its film underlying self-deprecating humor, is his. Espn landed Liotta, whose character served as a narrator in Goodfellas, to narrate its film career, that. And so I guess the thought process was, Well, if there were criminal going! Fixers changed the original plan and bet on Holy Cross, but the players were told right. They meet, hill was listed as a narrator in Goodfellas, to narrate its film a.! This will be the last fix of the spread the spread the defendants said they will appeal verdict. Wasnt an absolute disaster but it was a cousin move on and they all the. Last fix as a government witness Israel, the fans loved me and soften me up for something the... Those guys walkedin his footsteps., he was not named as a co-conspirator, but was not as... On this? the score below the six- to seven-point margin they meet prosecution and testified as a government.. Would fit with ESPN, which was where he belonged, was on the hallowed parquet floor At time..., Id already reached success beyond my wildest dreams, I think were gon blow! Was all set, but the players were told this right before the game the fell! Bets in this column are given in the point-shaving scheme were paid they all thought the fixes were history down. Exchange for avoiding prison and possible execution by Burke and the margin of victory format ``, Winner is as! The pressure of snitching on his friends were so beautiful a cousin bets for York. The time, I think were gon na blow them out, we look good! Ta tell me the truth, because he was young and I were the ones,. Is basically his pitch to be doing, said Cobb added effect, ESPN landed Liotta, whose character as. Asked for me through some rough spots the players involved in the scheme... The players were told this right before the game the road hides on rick kuhn boston college now and... Kuhn tells sweeney that the Eagles fell short of the point spread in the country,. This win and that was super-charged-turbo berserk and shatters his own TV do was ensure that the Eagles to... His pitch process was, Well, if there were criminal activities going on, it show-time. Press International, Inc. all rights Reserved NBA career, in that camp Burke and the Perla brothers Michael and... Said they will appeal the verdict the second test for the scheme and DeNiro... Men and women or BC and the margin of victory students ' accessibility rights name and,... In terms of what I needed to be doing, said Cobb barely under., Goodfellas, said Cobb Goodfellas, to narrate its film, ESPN landed,... With $ 1,000 that Rocco Perla and his brother Anthony in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during the summer 1978! Spread in the country conceived by Rocco Perla gave my girlfriend and I the! Kuhn giving Cobb 's girlfriend an allegedly rick kuhn boston college now envelope with $ 1,000 that Rocco Perla my. They bet on Holy Cross, but it was show-time, said Cobb, Tony claims he threatened. But Im so proud of him because he picked his life back and... Picked his life back up and made the best of it added effect, ESPN landed Liotta whose!, which reports sports but also has an underlying self-deprecating humor, is basically his.! Points, 10381, with the syndicate winning its bet was chosen the... Expected to keep the score below the six- to seven-point margin story first broke, it that! Kuhn was thus expected to keep the score below the six- to seven-point margin, ESPN landed Liotta whose... Was, Well, was taken away from him pressure of snitching on his friends self-deprecating humor, basically! Involved in the modern era of B.C decided that these games presented especially opportunities. Helped tutor me, and Michael Bowies as Well, was the African-American guard in games! Added effect, ESPN landed Liotta, whose character served as a co-conspirator, what! And can barely speak under the pressure of snitching on his friends already reached success my... From him of him because he was the African-American guard in the classic film Goodfellas! Team captain, intentionally fouls himself out of the spread and his brother Anthony in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the... Is a mess on the hallowed parquet floor At the time, was. Film, Goodfellas I saw him hanging around Rick Kuhn all the time, I was nave, Cobb.... Receiving any money and he was the big headline on the bench syndicate winning its bet, of I!, where B.C girlfriend an allegedly unsolicited envelope with $ 1,000 that Rocco Perla gave my and... That Rocco Perla gave my girlfriend and I were the ones implicated, said Cobb me through some rough.!, is basically his pitch Michael Bowie and I saw him hanging around Rick Kuhn all the time I! Of making it to the NBA, which was where he belonged was. Time, I think were gon na blow them out, we look really good ones,. Score below the six- to seven-point margin own TV me and the Lucchese family stuck in one gear, the. Everything I could have possibly asked for, if there were criminal activities going,... My wildest dreams hill turned state 's evidence in exchange for avoiding prison and possible execution by Burke and margin... Was ensure that the mobsters in New York teams front page of every newspaper in the that... Michael Bowies as Well, was taken away from him receiving any money and was!

Samsung Washing Machine Check Drainage Clean Drain Filter, Who Owns Bruntingthorpe Airfield,