Posted April 12, 2012

Fran Dunphy Roast raises over $30K for Temple chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters

  • Dunphy, who teaches leadership at the Fox School as an adjunct professor, is a board of trustees member for Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern Pennsylvania, the nation’s fourth-largest chapter.
  • Former Philadelphia Mayor and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell called Dunphy “one terrific basketball coach and, even more important, one terrific human being.”
  • Former Temple basketball coach John Chaney joined in the roasting.
  • The more than $30,000 raised by the roast and silent and live auctions benefitted Temple’s chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Mike Krzyzewski helped open the roast of Temple basketball coach Fran Dunphy with a nod to Temple’s upset win over No. 5-ranked Duke.

“It’s tough to roast you man, because you roasted us in January,” Krzyzewski said of the Owls’ 78-73 win at the Wells Fargo Center. “You and your guys really laid it on us in Philadelphia.”

“I admire you immensely man, and the fact that you’re allowing yourself to be roasted tonight to raise money for such a great cause is not surprising. That’s just who you are,” Krzyzewski said to conclude his video message. “And next time when we play, remember that I said some nice things about you.”

The April 11 roast – organized by the faculty and staff of Temple’s Fox School of Business and School of Tourism and Hospitality Management – was a night of laughter for a serious cause. The more than $30,000 raised by the roast and silent and live auctions benefited Temple’s operational but unfunded chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Dunphy, who teaches leadership at the Fox School as an adjunct professor, is a board of trustees member for Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern Pennsylvania, the nation’s fourth-largest chapter.

In 2011, the university chapter matched 201 Temple students and children in community- and site-based programs, including those at nearby Dunbar Elementary School, KIPP Philadelphia Charter School and Tanner Duckrey School.

But Temple’s chapter does not have a dedicated funding stream, and it costs approximately $1,200 per match, the majority of which goes to child safety and support services. Approximately 1,100 children are on a waiting list for matches in Greater Philadelphia.

“It was fantastic to see the faculty and staff come together for such a noble cause,” said Fox Legal Studies Chair Samuel D. Hodge Jr., who leads the Fox and School of Tourism Faculty and Staff Engagement Committee and was the driving force behind the roast. “We had great support from the community, and the speakers were just fantastic. We had a diversity of people from the coach’s life.”

The roast, held at Alter Hall, featured remarks by former Philadelphia mayor and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who called Dunphy “one terrific basketball coach and, even more important, one terrific human being.”

Attendees included former Temple coach John Chaney, Villanova’s Jay Wright and Philadelphia University coach Herb Magee. Roasters ranged from University of Pennsylvania coach Jerome Allen, Drexel’s Bruiser Flint and Saint Joseph’s Phil Martelli to Philadelphia Daily News sportswriter Dick Jerardi and Comcast SportsNet anchors.

In response to Krzyzewski’s remarks, Martelli jumped on Temple’s and Duke’s early losses in this year’s NCAA Tournament: “Misery loves company, and if you lose in the first round, you should talk to each other,” he said.

KYW Newsradio’s Harry Donahue, the voice of Temple basketball and football, took a similar approach. After updating the crowd on the Flyers, Phillies and 76ers scores -– which all ended in victories -– he deadpanned, “And South Florida still beat Temple.”

When Dunphy took the stage to end the evening, he repeatedly thanked those in attendance and emphasized the transformative power of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“We think we do a lot, but now we must do a lot more,” he said.