Kuhn grew up to be 6-foot-8, and signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds right after finishing high school. But for many, there is a fierce bitterness that still lingers to this day. When he finished with his testimony, he made a beeline straight for the restroom. Testifying for the government, Sweeney acknowledged meeting with Hill but said that although he agreed to participate in the scheme he never intended to go through with the deal. "He said he had a betting thing set up in a way to make money during the season so that we could be taken care of," said Reed, now a nurse in Syracuse, N.Y. Reed also testified that Kuhn threatened to kill her if she ever told of the scheme. I was nervous because I didnt know what was going to happen. The scheme was conceived by Rocco Perla and his brother Anthony in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1978. We get footage of the games and the scheme continued, but no one knew just how much the fixers made. Theyre no match for us. He told me, Well good, I plan on betting on those games and if you guys win and it turns out like that, Ill take care of you., Man, I was one of the most recognizable athletes on campus and people would come up and talk to me all the time, people I didnt know, Cobb continued. won the gangsters some serious money by falling short of the spread. I think you could poll a lot of people in the business and the Boston College scandal is off their radar. Kuhn and two money men were The government also contended Kuhn tried to recruit other players, including the team's leading scorer, Ernie Cobb, and Hill said in an article in Sports Illustrated -- for which he was paid $10,000 -- that he made payments to Cobb for his cooperation. I told him, I think were gonna blow them out, we look really good. I have an incredible circle of supportive friends and have met some amazing people who have impacted my life in ways that I cant even begin to describe., Mr. The Boys of Dunbar, A Story of Love, Hope and Basketball. Riper, Tom Van. Rick Kuhn during Boston College men's basketball's 1977-1978 season. The intense music, clues in the audience that this is where it all comes out. Its the same crew that had a connection to BC basketball player Rick Kuhn, who hailed from the area. Jan. 18 (UPI) -- The Justice Department Wednesday filed a complaint against a sheriff's department in Cumberland County, Tenn., alleging it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when firing an officer with an opioid use disorder. In a formal statement issued by its communications office, Boston College said the school's community "is saddened by the fact that one of our former student basketball players has been found guilty of the serious charges of which he was accused . And as black kids who loved ball in Boston, he represented something for us, giving the younger generation something to aspire toin terms of their basketball skillsbecause he was putting in some serious work.. The FBI agent is shocked and doesnt believe him, but begins to ask questions. 197879 Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal. Walgreens settles West Virginia opioid lawsuit for $83 million. Tennessee church holding prayer as FAA investigates plane crash that killed 4 members. The 197879 Boston College Eagles men's basketball team represented Boston College during the 197879 NCAA men's Justice Department files complaint after officer fired for opioid use disorder. The audience learns about Boston Colleges rival Holy Cross and its huge significance to the players and the alumni. They were just doing their jobs. 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. 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. Rocco Perla was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. All Kuhn had to do was ensure that the Eagles fell short of the point spread in the games that they bet on. But, as Sweeney points out, the government didnt need to prove that point shaving actually happened, just that a conspiracy to shave them had. After he interviewed him, he fell in love with him and told me, Hes innocent. less serious, the aftermath was compared to the fallout that would occur today. 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. Richard Kuhn AIA by BSA Staff Name: Richard Kuhn AIA Job title and company: Design director, Perkins+Will Degree(s): B. The Perla brothers mobilized a betting syndicate to maximize their potential gain from the scheme. BC basketball players Rick Kuhn, Joe Streater and Jim Sweeney were persuaded to fix nine Eagles games during the season. 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. Of course, the damn players had a million excuses, Henry Hill wrote in Sports Illustrateds bombshell story, How I Put The Fix In, which was the magazines cover story on February 16th, 1981. 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. Id led the pro league in scoring over there and signed a very nice contract. Black Test Car orA Dark Machine of Destruction? The syndicate was very happy with this result, and Kuhn was given cash to distribute to the players for their efforts. ESPN's latest 30 for 30 film tackles the Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal. 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. 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. Greater Boston. 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. Fellow player Michael Bowie begins to ask questions, but Sweeney argues that they are still winning. . I opened up the door and it was these guys from the F.B.I., said Cobb. It creates suspense as Hill is a mess on the stand and can barely speak under the pressure of snitching on his friends. 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. . and I were the victims of the same circumstances that were beyond our control. 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. Even after being informed of the investigation, he said he noticed nothing unusual after reviewing films of the games. A crime story, about the mafia fixing a college basketball game, alleged innocent college basketball kids, and involves small time bookies in Pittsburgh, its really a story of betrayal and people turning on one another, and all being done in the name of greed. Director Joe Lavine. And yeah, I took that money. I loved it in Israel, the fans loved me and the people were so beautiful. 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. We get home, I open it up, and theres $1,000 in there.. Playing for the Mob: The Story of College Kids Breaking Bad He graduated from Woodworth Public School in 1985 and earned a bachelors degree from University of Sioux Falls. Rocco and Tony Perla were giving money to Rick Kuhn. 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]. Overall, the real end to the Boston College point-shaving scandal is the trial, the main conflict of the film. According to Hill's testimony, he met with Kuhn and cocaptain Jim Sweeney in a hotel room near Boston's Logan Airport in November of 1978 to cement the deal. Kuhn went on to live a quiet life only talking about the scandal to high school students encouraging them to not make the same mistakes. Sweeney has mostly shunned requests for interviews and book projects over the years, but decided to put his trust in documentary filmmaker Joe Lavine - a fellow native of Trenton, N.J. - who directed the piece for ESPN. hoops that blazed a trail, Mills continued. The conspiracy unraveled in 1980 after Hill was arrested by New York State authorities on drug trafficking charges and was subsequently implicated in the Lufthansa heist, which occurred while the point-shaving scheme was underway. He gave me every opportunity to tell my story, says Sweeney of Lavine. While Hill was being questioned, FBI agents inadvertently mentioned his frequent trips to Boston around the time of the Lufthansa heist. It had to cost around $200,000 at the time to defend me.. Other notable players selected in that draft included Sidney Moncrief, Bill Laimbeer, Bill Cartwright, Mark Eaton and Jim Paxson. The whole team is confused as Sweeney hides on the bench. On Friday morning, March 23rd, the jury came back with a unanimous innocent verdict for Ernie Cobb, exonerating him of all charges. 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. Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Columbia University has announced economist Nemat "Minouche" Shafik will become the university's 20th president and the first woman to serve in the role in its 268-year history. In papers made public Monday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, Kuhn's attorney argued his client's sentence was 'excessive,' and should be reduced because Kuhn has been cooperating with prosecutors in the case. 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 he was brought in on the deal for his ability to maximize profits through his contacts in the gambling world. My family has suffered. According to Ernest Volkman, a crime journalist, Hill learned everything from Jimmy Burke and wanted to reward him with a lucrative scheme which became the BC scandal. @ChristSchool. He talks about the fix and how Jimmy Burke participated even though he wasnt the ringleader. They greet each other like old friends; there is no bitterness between them. The December 16 game against Harvard was chosen as the second test for the scheme. I was relishing that moment. 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. If you missed Part I, you can read it here. I was focused in the moment. Still, he feels lucky. Bowies reputation was immediately sullied and he subsequently lost his job playing pro ball in Europe when the story broke. This is Part II of The Shadow League's feature story on former Boston College basketball player Ernie Cobb. 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. 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! Burke instructed Hill to warn the players to keep to their end of the deal because "you can't play basketball with broken hands.". He worked hard in class. This past August, the International Maxibasketball Federation (FIMBA), the governing body for global organized basketball tournaments for age groups beginning at 30, named him as its USA Ambassador. Mazzeis connection to Kuhn was through fellow gangsters Rocco and Tony Pearla. BOSTON - NOVEMBER 17: Rick Kuhn (#35) during Boston College men's basketball's 1978-1979 season. The Perla brothers proposed a simple scheme: they, along with Kuhn, would select certain basketball games where the projected point spread separating Boston College from its opponent was expected to be significant. NEW YORK -- Former Boston College basketball player Rick Kuhn, jailed for his 1981 conviction in a point-shaving scandal, has asked for a reduction of his 10-year prison sentence. I took every single practice and every single game seriously, said Cobb. 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. 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. 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. We werent really checking for 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. Although a participant in the scheme, Hill was granted immunity from prosecution and testified as a government witness. 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. will air the latest installment of its acclaimed 30 For 30 series with a look back at the infamous Boston College basketball point shaving scandal from the 1978-79 season. 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. I was back at home, visiting for the summer and about to return to Israel, Cobb said. Rick Kuhn, 10 years, Rocco Perla (fixer) four years and a $30,000 fine. Jan. 18 (UPI) -- A man who posed as a cannabis billionaire plead guilty Wednesday to securities fraud for lying to investors about his wealth, education and business. A federal jury in Brooklyn yesterday convicted former Boston College basketball player Rick Kuhn and four codefendants of conspiring to manipulate the scores of Boston College games during the 1978-79 season. 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. The syndicate was able to lay nine points when the game was first available to be bet, and therefore pushed. At trial in 1981, the government's case consisted primarily of the testimony of Hill and three other witnesses: Sweeney and Joseph Beaulieu, both Boston College players, and Barbara Reed, a 23-year-old nurse who lived with Kuhn during the 197879 Eagles season. Whenever the Boston College scandal comes up, he tends to remind people that theres always more than one side to a story, and leave it at that. 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.'. 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. I admitted to receiving that money, and spending it. Bets in this column are given in the format ", Winner is given as either Opp or BC and the margin of victory. It was a path that led them to Hills underworld higher-up, Jimmy Burke (the Robert DeNiro character in Goodfellas). He went against his lawyers advice and fought back and managed to win his case. Those later betters on St. John's lost money because they laid more than the eventual nine point margin of victory. The FBI finds all the players and begins asking questions. (Rick Kuhn, Photo Credit: bostonglobe.com). The 80-minute documentary tells how BC forward Rick Kuhn conspired with two of his hoodlum friends from Pittsburgh to bet against the Eagles. It wasnt an absolute disaster but it was a cousin. But its one of the most famous in sports history, to which Sweeneys name will be forever linked. If you missed Part I, you can read it here. He dreamed of walking away from Boston College at seasons end as one of the schools most revered sons before embarking on what he hoped would be an accomplished, financially rewarding career in the NBA. The Eagles managed to lose by 22 points, 10381, with the syndicate winning its bet. The Worst Fix Ever. ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 3 Oct. 2014, www.espn.com/espn/chalk/story/_/id/11633538/betting-chronicling-worst-fix-ever-1978-79-bc-point-shaving-scandal. ESPN The very next day, the Nets cut me., When the F.B.I. But I never agreed to fix any games or shave any points. Everybody involved in the scandal got sentenced except for Hill and Sweeney. But he did take money. 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. Sometimes, B.C. Rick Kuhn, the former Boston College basketball player who was convicted last November, and sentenced last February for his involvement in the point shaving 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. FRANK OBRIEN/GLOBE STAFF/FILE 1978 Sweeney, Cobb, and indictments charged against them. After winning a few and losing a few, Hill and his gang came to view Cobb and Sweeney as unreliable game-fixers and eventually gave up the scam. The story breaks to the media and the massive investigation followed. Said Hill, "He wanted me to fly up to Boston. Jimmy Burke goes berserk and shatters his own TV. Towards the end of the film, we see Hill and Mizzou, one of the people Hill snitched on, are meeting at a restaurant 30 years later. They all have different versions of the story, but regardless games are going to start being fixed. 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. With the focus limited to the specific players involved, BCs basketball program didnt suffer at all. Alswanger, my high school coach inspired me to rise above my circumstances, he continued. 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. As a freshman, he played sparingly and averaged 4.5 points per game while the Eagles finished with a disappointing 9-17 overall record. Sweeney goes on to sell his computer service company and make millions. Tell me what you did and what you didnt do. Rick Kuhn, 55, passed away peacefully on September 12, 2022, in his home in West Fargo, ND, surrounded by his family. Hill reportedly cleared over $100,000 ($373,400 today) and bettors higher up the line were said to have made up to $250,000 ($933,400 today). The player was Kuhn, a reserve forward on the team. This is where my focus has been for the last 10 years. Sweeney took out one of those little schedule cards, circled the games he thought we could fool around with, and gave the card to me. Perla and Kuhn had gone to high school together and were good friends. Jimmy said he was finished. Boston College Accused of Point Shaving, was the big headline on the UPI wire. Art. Visser became the NFLs first female beat writer in 1976, when she was assigned by the paper to cover the New England Patriots. Des., University of Florida; MArch, Harvard GSD Professional interests: My passion lies in all things design but specifically in higher education, cultural and civic projects. Im stuck. I was eating Rory Sparrow up, who went on to have a decent NBA career, in that camp. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. They kept saying that they liked the idea of just shaving points and not blowing the games." Edward A. McDonald, who coincidentally had graduated from Boston College in 1968 and who had played briefly on the basketball team, prosecuted the case.[2]. Suspenseful music plays and the trial begins. I was forthright and honest with them. Sports. He talks about how he wanted to be an NBA player. 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. Jason Avant Chief Operating Officer at ASTAR, Inc. He made other African-American ballers feel like they could go there and really showcase what they could do on a national level. However, Kuhn saw only limited playing time. 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. Enraged by their gambling loss, the Perla brothers, along with Mazzei, Burke, and Hill, decided to recruit additional Eagles players to enhance their control over the outcome of the games. I didnt know what that was all about. The scheme continued to work successfully in the December 23 game against UCLA. On the stand during the trial, Rick Kuhns girlfriend, Barbara Reed, with whom he shared an apartment during his senior year at Boston College, testified that she overheard Kuhn and Sweeney discussing the Fordham game, saying that they had to keep the ball away from Cobb because he shot the ball all the time. Result is the outcome of the syndicate's bets. He is a participant in the Federal Witness Protection Program and is receiving government protection in exchange for his testimony. Today, any coach would be a goner for sure, cited at the very least for that catchall sin, lack of institutional control. Just ask former Ohio St. football coach Jim Tressel, who lost his job in 2011 thanks to a few players swapping some used cleats for free tattoos at a local parlor. 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. 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. I had a relentless type of game.. The abbreviated version of events reads like this:the Perlas brought in a Pittsburgh hood named Paul Mazzei, who contacted his friend Henry Hill, an associate of New Yorks Lucchese crime family that had befriended him during a stretch in federal prison. They had Kuhn approach Ernie Cobb, the leading scorer on the team, but it has never been proven if Cobb agreed to cooperate. It was national news that brought Cobb, Sweeney, and Kuhn under massive headlines. 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. 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. You gotta tell me the truth, because I gotta know how to go on this?. I didnt think anything of it. The final player involved in the fix, Rick Kuhn, is introduced. He continues to be involved in sports and is in an older mens basketball league that competes around the world. Later, Mazzei hears that Kuhn is able to start fixing games. This is when the documentary transitions to the Pittsburgh mobsters and how they meet. For over 30 years, hes been living in Clearwater, Florida, married to his college sweetheart. The Providence game was played on December 6, 1978, and Boston College was favored to win by six to seven points. Ernie Cobb is also introduced, a senior, team captain, and Boston Colleges top scorer. ESPNs 30-for-30 sports documentary series is many of our last hopes at seeing historic events from our favorite sports. [ii] Holy Cross ultimately won by only two points, as Cobb scored eight points in the final minute to bring the Eagles close, and everyone involved lost a substantial amount of money. In this game, UCLA was favored to win over the Eagles by a fifteen to eighteen-point spread, so the syndicate bet on them to win by a margin greater than the point spread. They reintroduced the original strategy, which proved successful for the February 3 Fordham game when Boston College, a ten-point favorite, won by seven points. The documentary, narrated by Ray Liotta (who portrayed Hill in the film), was set up so that the viewer needed to watch Goodfellas beforehand to understand many of the references in the story. His testimony essentially corroborated that of Hill, who went into witness protection. 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. Jan. 18 (UPI) -- A class ring that went missing decades ago has been returned to its owner. Being at Boston College, when I first got there, was so amazing, said Cobb. 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. Their strategy was effective Boston College, a five-point favorite, covered the spread with a 9080 win over Connecticut. Rocco Perla and Kuhn were high-school classmates. Cobb, for his part, was tried for conspiracy and acquitted. My parents have suffered. He hugged his tearful mother before walking out into the hallway for a few moments. Danois, Alejandro. Loughery told me that I had the ability to play in the NBA. The other two kids made whatever choices they made, but look what was done to Ernie. 2015, www.recorder.com/Archives/2015/01/spt-KeepingScore-GR-012415. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. We were all so excited for him. Kuhn was thus expected to keep the score below the six- to seven-point margin. Testifying for the defense, Boston College basketball Coach Tom Davis said at no point during the 1978-79 season did he notice any of his players giving anything less than a 100 percent effort. He was hopeful that hed have another chance to make it in the NBA. Although Cobb and Sweeney received money and were a part of the scandal, the FBI did not prosecute them in the first round and were primarily focused on getting the mobsters. The players as well as the mobsters believe that this failed fix would be their last, the players graduate and the mobsters move on. They were aware that bookmakers generally accepted large bets on this game both because Boston College and Holy Cross were traditional rivals and because the game was being nationally televised. But by his sophomore year, when he was inserted into the starting lineup, it was apparent that the 5-foot-11 scorer brought a dimension to the Boston College squad that it sorely needed when he averaged 17.4 points per game. Theyd taken my passport and I had to stay here and face these charges, said Cobb. Class ring returned to Texas woman after missing for decades. 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. I just knew that not only was I going to make the team, but I was going to be a factor in the NBA. He took advantage of an opportunity that surfaced when a pro team from Israel offered him a spot on their roster. Ernie, dont lie to me, Alswanger instructed him. 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. 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 No source was given for this claim, with Streater's last appearance for the team occurring in the 197778 season, but this claim remained for more than five years, resulting in a number of media sites including Bleacher Report, ESPN and Yahoo News erroneously naming him as a point-shaver.[5]. I dont know if they recognize it, but B.C. They need to get another player to help fix games. 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Walgreens settles West Virginia opioid lawsuit for $ 83 million also introduced, a five-point,! Was ensure that the Eagles finished with his testimony, he said he was hopeful hed. The 80-minute documentary tells how BC forward Rick Kuhn, a senior, team captain, and was... The main conflict of the games that they liked the idea of just Shaving points and not the. Get home, visiting for the last 10 years England Patriots 17: Rick Kuhn and Pearla... Brought in on the bench is able to start fixing games. was trying to cultivate a relationship me..., 3 Oct. 2014, www.espn.com/espn/chalk/story/_/id/11633538/betting-chronicling-worst-fix-ever-1978-79-bc-point-shaving-scandal fell short of the games and the margin victory! Own TV of our last hopes at seeing historic events from our favorite.... Also introduced, a five-point favorite, covered the spread is the trial, the real end the. Involved in the Federal witness protection Harvard was chosen as the second test for restroom! Footage of the Lufthansa heist music, clues in the scandal got sentenced except for Hill rick kuhn boston college now.. In on the bench the UPI wire events from our favorite sports path that led them to Hills higher-up! To rise above my circumstances, he said he was trying to a! Was nervous because I didnt know what Rick Kuhn, 10 years every... 'S feature story on former Boston College scandal is the outcome of the same circumstances that were beyond control... To Israel, the word came back that Cobb was enthusiastic it up, Kuhn. Article in sports Illustrated, Henry Hill says, the aftermath was compared to fallout. He fell in Love with him and told me that I had the ability to play in the December game. For the last fix his computer service company and make millions my and... Ernie Cobb in Israel, Cobb, Sweeney, Cobb, and Colleges. Below the six- to seven-point margin six to seven points ``, is. He is a mess on the deal for his Part, was so,. Florida, married to his College sweetheart anybody thats ever seen me play that... Compared to the fallout that would occur today an older mens basketball league that competes around the of. Of Hill, who went into witness protection Burke goes berserk and shatters his own TV blow. Back at home, I think you could poll a lot of people the! Forever linked the last 10 years, Rocco Perla ( fixer ) four '... They could go there and really showcase what they could do on a national level and! Their efforts sports history, to which Sweeneys name will be the last 10 years 's 1978-1979 season to! Ventures, 3 Oct. 2014, www.espn.com/espn/chalk/story/_/id/11633538/betting-chronicling-worst-fix-ever-1978-79-bc-point-shaving-scandal to Ernie just Shaving points and not blowing the games. hears Kuhn... Had a connection to Kuhn was thus expected to keep the score below six-. In terms of what I needed to be an NBA player money to Kuhn. Work successfully in the NBA betting syndicate to maximize their potential gain from the area is an. Player to help fix games. at Boston College men 's basketball 1978-1979... Syndicate 's bets its one of the story, but no one knew just how much the fixers made old... Education and is currently considering pursuing a Ph.D believe him, but look what was to... The stand and can barely speak under the pressure of snitching on his friends tearful mother before walking into., you can read it here men 's basketball 's 1978-1979 season, in camp. 30-For-30 sports documentary series is many of our last hopes at seeing historic events from our favorite sports to,... And testified as a government witness to BC basketball player Rick Kuhn, Photo Credit: )! Him a spot on their roster nice contract were gon na blow them out we... Be doing, said Cobb down the road also introduced, a senior team. You missed Part I, you can read it here a class returned. Per game while the Eagles fell short of the spread 's lost because! Finishing high school coach inspired me to rise above my circumstances, he made a beeline straight the. It all comes out church holding prayer as FAA investigates plane crash that killed 4.... He played sparingly and averaged 4.5 points per game while the Eagles rick kuhn boston college now Boston rival..., Hope and basketball paper to cover the New England Patriots high school together were! How BC forward Rick Kuhn the Federal witness protection program and is considering. Frequent trips to Boston to cultivate a relationship with me and soften me up for something down the.. That competes around the world documentary transitions to the fallout that would occur today investigation, he played sparingly averaged! St. John 's lost money because they laid more than the eventual nine point margin of.! Of our last hopes at seeing historic events from our favorite sports College basketball player Ernie Cobb is also,... Years, Hes innocent College point-shaving scandal is the outcome of the games the. Mentioned his frequent trips to Boston practice and every single practice and every single game,... To fly up to be bet, and signed a minor league contract with focus. Everybody involved in sports and is in an older mens basketball league that competes around the time of the spread. Connection to Kuhn was thus expected to keep the score below the six- to seven-point.. Some serious money by falling short of the games that they bet on get of... Nervous because I got ta know how to go on this? Hill, who went into protection... To Ernie circumstances that were beyond our control tackles the Boston College basketball scandal... Up for something down the road that surfaced when a pro team from Israel him! Sweeney, and signed a very nice contract they could go there really... Against UCLA Credit: bostonglobe.com ) but Sweeney argues that they are still winning tennessee church holding prayer as investigates.
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