I wasn't at that NIT game mentioned, so I can't compare it to the 1990 Clemson game (which I did attend), but that's beside the point relative to the story about Dee's statue.
He was honored for decades of very effective work on behalf of UConn Athletics, not his brief coaching career, so why throw cold water on his memory.
There were no major fund-raising efforts before Gampel Pavilion (at least in my memory) and it was Dee who lead the growth of the fund-raising efforts that culminated in the building of Gampel and created the base upon which other efforts have brought in major support. The only area in which UConn has still not had great support is from the star athletes who've gone on to earn tens of millions of dollars but that's the way it seems to be with other schools for the most part.
He was an ambassador on and off campus and did so with grace and did it so effectively most people didn't notice any negative aspects to the events they attended.
One event we recall vividly was an Alumni event the morning after the Wednesday night 8/9 playin game at the Big East tournament. It was in the mid-80's and donors were invited to attend a breakfast at the then Hilton across the street from MSG. We were always in the Wednesday play in game for the Big East Tournament in those years and that year was no exception.
The Development department reserved a room for the breakfast large enough to serve as a ball room. We expected to see a large turnout, even though we'd lost again, but were stunned when we walked in. There were probably more than twenty tables setup and, since all were empty except for seven people at one table in the corner, we thought we had the room or date wrong.
It was the correct room and the seven people were Dee and three other couples. We all briefly commiserated about the previous night's loss but Dee made sure the focus quickly turned positive. We all had a nice time and looked forward to better days ahead.
Dee made it positive and I believe that's why a statue was erected in his memory.
