James Sweeney was a 1980 recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the United States' top collegiate basketball player under 6'0" tall. He was the captain of the Boston College Eagles. He was nominated by Boston College as a Rhodes Scholar candidate. Raised in Trenton, New Jersey, he attended the Lawrenceville School before receiving an athletic scholarship to Boston College.
Sweeney testified as a witness in the 1978–79 Boston College basketball point shaving scandal in which members of organized crime schemed to control the outcomes of several games. Sweeney was neither charged nor offered immunity in exchange for his testimony.The most notable article on the subject was a cover story featured in Sports Illustrated and narrated by Henry Hill. The subject of Jim Sweeney was later picked up in David Porter's book "FIXED: How Goodfellas Bought Boston College Basketball."
Following his 1980 graduation from BC, Jim Sweeney played basketball briefly in Sweden. He returned to the States, married fellow BC classmate Maura Haggerty Sweeney in 1981 and spent the following years as a manufacturer's rep in the computer industry. While still in his forties, Sweeney and his wife Maura closed their computer firm to launch New Vision Entertainment, a Florida-based LLC focused on the development and promotion of entertainment properties that positively impact culture.
Creating a Trademarked sports personality named MIKE, Jim launched a series of MIKE Sports Comic Books and regularly blogs under the same pen name. He anticipates his character to eventually appear on a variety of sports media platforms.
Jim Sweeney continues to play basketball domestically and abroad through the masters basketball circuit. Jim and his wife Maura have one daughter, formerly homeschooled and currently an international journalist working out of London. The couple resides in Clearwater, Florida and travel extensively.