Boston College continues to sort out mess from gambling scandal

     Associated Press
      NEWTON, Mass. -- Two Boston College players have been reinstated and three others were given additional suspensions by the NCAA for their parts in the biggest gambling scandal in college football history.
      The school suspended 13 players for the final three games of the 1996 season after an investigation into gambling on the Eagles football team. One has since suffered a career-ending injury, four were allowed to complete their coursework and three had their scholarships revoked.
      Of the remaining five, the school said, two players have had their eligibility reinstated, two are suspended for the first two games of the 1997 season and one will sit out the first four games.
      The school did not identify which players received which punishment, and a spokesman declined further comment.
      Football coach Dan Henning resigned at the end of the 1996 season, due mostly to his 16-19-1 record. Basketball coach Jim O'Brien also left the school after a falling out with the admissions office over the rejection of three recruits just days after the football scandal broke.
      Last week, athletic director Chet Gladchuk left to take over the same position at Houston.
      The 8,800-student school was at the center of a point-shaving scandal in 1982 when Rick Kuhn was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in fixing six basketball games during the 1978-79 season.
      Initial reports pointed to a similar problem this time. Rumors of point-shaving first surfaced after the Oct. 26 Syracuse game, in which the Orangemen trailed 14-7 before rallying for 17 points in the final 1:43 of the first half.
      After a 20-13 loss to Pittsburgh several players were confronted by Henning and the team's student captains.
      Thirteen players were eventually suspended by the school, the most players ever implicated in a gambling scandal. After a nine month investigation by Middlesex County District Attorney Tom Reilly, six men were indicted last week in connection with the gambling ring -- none of them current BC athletes.