Bobcat History Lesson: A Haunted House?
10/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
It is most appropriate that, on this Halloween weekend, the Bobcats visit what is for them has been a house of horrors. The J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome was erected in 1977, and ever since then it has haunted the Bobcats.
Before the Skydome came along, Flagstaff, Arizona had been to the Bobcat football program just what it has to the thousands of visitors that flock to the area every year for a look at the Grand Canyon or a sentimental trip down legendary Highway 66 – a vacation destination. The Bobcats were 3-2 in old Lumberjack Stadium, and in the last two trips won by a combined total of 76-17. Then in 1977, in the rarified air of the Skydome, the Bobcats lost a second-half lead and fell 28-21.
Two years later, MSU registered its only win in the Skydome, a 10-7 thriller in which Miles City’s Jeff Muri nailed a 53-yard field goal with two minutes to play to give the Bobcats a win. Since then, the Bobcats have lost in every way imaginable. MSU has lost close games, like 20-17 in 2002 and 14-13 in 1997, and have been blown out, like the 37-0 loss in 1995 and 54-21 in ’87.
Certainly the Skydome doesn’t look ominous in any way, nestled among the rolling pines of north-central Arizona on the western edge of the NAU campus. It’s a structure not unlike Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in many ways, although it’s 20 years newer and is just enough bigger to allow for football to be played. The building seats 15,300 for football, sits 7,000 feet above sea level, and covers 6.2 acres. The roof spans 500 feet, and at its apex is 142 feet above the playing surface.
When the Bobcats upended Montana 10-7 in Missoula on that magical November afternoon in 2002, the Walkup Skydome became the Bobcat football program’s official worst nightmare. MSU is now 1-13 in the Skydome, and stands 1-8 in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. By contrast, the ‘Cats are 9-8 in Holt Arena and 3-6 in Idaho’s Kibbie Dome.
The curse of the Dome may be foreboding to Bobcat fans – not a single current Bobcat player was born when the ‘Cats last won at NAU – but there are a couple pretty good reasons for the streak. First, NAU has been very good over the years, especially since the Dome was built. The Lumberjacks are 109-53 all-time in the Skydome. Second, the Bobcats have not typically brought strong teams to NAU. Since the win in 1979, only three Bobcat teams have arrived in Flagstaff with winning records, and all three were coached by Cliff Hysell, who beat NAU only once. MSU’s average record when playing at NAU since 1979? Two wins, four losses.
So while the Bobcats face ghosts of slaughters past this evening, they do so knowing that, at the time of kickoff, this is the best Bobcat team to play in the Skydome since Jeff Muri’s boomer in 1979 gave the team its only win.
Before the Skydome came along, Flagstaff, Arizona had been to the Bobcat football program just what it has to the thousands of visitors that flock to the area every year for a look at the Grand Canyon or a sentimental trip down legendary Highway 66 – a vacation destination. The Bobcats were 3-2 in old Lumberjack Stadium, and in the last two trips won by a combined total of 76-17. Then in 1977, in the rarified air of the Skydome, the Bobcats lost a second-half lead and fell 28-21.
Two years later, MSU registered its only win in the Skydome, a 10-7 thriller in which Miles City’s Jeff Muri nailed a 53-yard field goal with two minutes to play to give the Bobcats a win. Since then, the Bobcats have lost in every way imaginable. MSU has lost close games, like 20-17 in 2002 and 14-13 in 1997, and have been blown out, like the 37-0 loss in 1995 and 54-21 in ’87.
Certainly the Skydome doesn’t look ominous in any way, nestled among the rolling pines of north-central Arizona on the western edge of the NAU campus. It’s a structure not unlike Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in many ways, although it’s 20 years newer and is just enough bigger to allow for football to be played. The building seats 15,300 for football, sits 7,000 feet above sea level, and covers 6.2 acres. The roof spans 500 feet, and at its apex is 142 feet above the playing surface.
When the Bobcats upended Montana 10-7 in Missoula on that magical November afternoon in 2002, the Walkup Skydome became the Bobcat football program’s official worst nightmare. MSU is now 1-13 in the Skydome, and stands 1-8 in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. By contrast, the ‘Cats are 9-8 in Holt Arena and 3-6 in Idaho’s Kibbie Dome.
The curse of the Dome may be foreboding to Bobcat fans – not a single current Bobcat player was born when the ‘Cats last won at NAU – but there are a couple pretty good reasons for the streak. First, NAU has been very good over the years, especially since the Dome was built. The Lumberjacks are 109-53 all-time in the Skydome. Second, the Bobcats have not typically brought strong teams to NAU. Since the win in 1979, only three Bobcat teams have arrived in Flagstaff with winning records, and all three were coached by Cliff Hysell, who beat NAU only once. MSU’s average record when playing at NAU since 1979? Two wins, four losses.
So while the Bobcats face ghosts of slaughters past this evening, they do so knowing that, at the time of kickoff, this is the best Bobcat team to play in the Skydome since Jeff Muri’s boomer in 1979 gave the team its only win.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
