Dome Memories

Does anyone remember the FIRST game in the Dome?? Joe Salem was the coach, everyone was pretty excited and the Dome was packed. Salem called it a "football palace" and predicted it would be a huge recruiting tool because everyone would want to play in the Dome.

The Dome was packed as everyone wanted to see a game in the new stadium. People remarked how run down Memorial Stadium was and how it was a dump and people were generally glad to be out of it. The attendance must have been near full because I had season tickets in the last row in the corner - the worst seats in the house. The Gophers demolished Ohio U 57-3 and I still have the program somewhere. Optimism was very high and very soon the Gophers would be ranked at #20. There was a picture of Larry Joyner in the Minnesota Daily with his #20 jersey on and his arms raised high to announce it.

Well.......you know what happened. The Gophs were 3-0 and in a tight game vs. Illinois when a seemingly harmless swing pass in the flat in the 4th quarter became about an 80 yard touchdown and the Gophers absolutely imploded after that and lost their last 8 games. Coach Tim Brewster was on the field for that play at TE for the Illini....maybe the curse of the Dome was finally lifted
when he came back on the other sidelines, at least one can hope!!

After that, the Dome did rock for a couple years when Lou Holtz was here. I remember that Dome was so loud that Purdue QB Jim Everett complained afterward that he couldn't even hear himself in the huddle. Coaches and announcers called it a huge edge due to the loudness factor and was even louder than some of the 100,000 seat stadiums. After Holtz left, interest died down after a few mediocre seasons and the novelty, loudness and luster wore off pretty quickly after that. Attendance dwindled and it didn't take very long for Gopher fans to want to get back outside and on campus again.

You know what, I am going to love to get into that new stadium as much as anyone and am really looking forward to it, but I can remember several occasions where I was very glad to have that Dome. I can remember getting pasted by Michigan 48-7 while it was just miserable outside and thinking, "Yeah, it could be worse - we could be "enjoying" this one outside!! LOL. It seems to me that every year we get 5-6 really really nice days that would be just gorgeous weather to be outside and we have to watch inside and that sucks, but we always seem to get one home game a year where I am glad to be inside, too. I guarantee that some of the same Gopher fans who can't wait to be outside right now will be the same ones who will be saying I wish we were inside the Dome today.

I won't miss the Dome so much for the perfect weather as much as some of the good memories. I know there are a lot more BAD memories than good ones, but I will remember the players who had their careers here during that time and some of the good games that I saw there. It's kind of like how Twins fans complain about the Dome for watching baseball in, but you can't take away winning the two World Series there either because they are intertwined.

Still, college football needs to be played on campus and you just can't top the atmosphere of an outdoor football game. I think fans will have a lot more fun on campus and the tailgating and pregame festivities should make it a much more entertaining experience for all. I will really be glad to get rid of all the Iowa and Wisconsin fans who packed the Dome and made it sound like an away game. I look forward to the new stadium and many future memories that hopefully top the Dome memories by 10X!!!

Here is to a new era that is a lot better than the Dome era!!

I hear what you're saying. I've complained about the Dome a lot but I realize that it COULD HAVE BEEN a better advantage, especially the sound and recruiting aspects of it. But in the end it wasn't. Plain and simple. I think the difference was that the gophers were always playing in the Vikings stadium. It was never their home.

I think my stepfather who has lived in several different cities during his life and followed several different sports teams said it best. He said when he goes to any stadium or ballpark other than the dome the smell, the weather and the atmosphere get him fired up! He's ready to shout, laugh, cheer, boo and get involved. He said when he goes to the dome he has to try and keep from falling asleep.

Amen! There's nothing more to add to this! Wonderful post!!!!

Thanks Mav, appreciate it.

Stevedave, I think your stepfather hit the nail on the head. The Dome just might be the worst atmosphere in the nation to watch a football game. Atmosphere can really make or break the whole experience of any sports event you go to and I hear you about it putting you to sleep.

With all the bad experiences and horrific losses we have had there over the last 27 years, I think it's kind of nice to put it behind us and move on to another era. For every good thing we remember, we can also think of 5 BAD things!!! Many games were plain excruciating to watch and it will be good to get all that behind us!

Still, I would rather be 12-0 and be playing in a Dome than 0-12 and playing in the best stadium in the world because I know I will enjoy a victory first and foremost, but when you put the whole package together, I think Gopher fans will really enjoy the atmosphere of the new stadium!!

I can't wait!!