KRFO: Did you ever get blown out of the Metrodome? (video)

[BleedGopher]

per KRFO:

We're throwing it back to those days when a great rush of air would literally blow you right out of the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Ahh, you remember Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, don't you? It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that the home of the Twins, Vikings and Gophers was still gloriously standing in Minneapolis, with its white plastic, puff-like roof all inflated. Of course, the Metrodome hasn't been standing in Minnesota now for over seven years; it was torn down in February, 2014 to make way for the shiny, new billion-dollar U.S. Bank Stadium, which sits in roughly the same spot.

And, actually, saying the Dome's roof was plastic is inaccurate. According to this story from Stadiums of Pro Football, the Metrodome's roof was actually made of Teflon (which, I guess could be considered 'plastic,' but I digress...) and it was totally supported by air.

But, here's the thing you might not remember: If you happened to exit the Metrodome using the regular, not revolving doors, all that air pressure inside pretty much blew you right out the doors. Literally. This Post Bulletin story from 1990 says there were reports of fans' hats being blown off while leaving through those doors, and some fans were even completely knocked over. I seem to recall there being a pretty good breeze at your back even when you left the Dome using the revolving doors, as well.


Check the video (from 2002) below to see what I'm talking about. Were YOU ever blown out of the Dome? Of course, the Metrodome itself was blown...up... by dynamite when crews tore it down 7 years ago; that video is just below, as well.

Yes, times sure have changed, since the Twins, Vikings and Gophers called the Metrodome home, haven't they? The concessions ALONE at Target Field, Huntington Bank Stadium (that's the new name for the Gopher's TCF Bank Stadium) and U.S. Bank Stadium are EONS better than what you could get at the Dome (except for maybe a Dome Dog)

Throwback Thursday: Did You Ever Get Blown Out of Minnesota's Metrodome?

Seeing as it's Throwback Thursday, we're throwing it back to those days when a great rush of air would literally blow you right out of the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

krforadio.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[nsmike]

I was! I had season tickets during that era. I was there to see Darrel Thompson's 98 yd run against Michigan.

 

[forever a gopher]

Often the only bright spot after seeing the Gophers get blown out. At least getting shoved out the door from air pressure made you smile a little no matter how bad the defeat.

 

[hungan1]

I wonder if anyone ever lost their toupee.

 

[Word]

I was! I had season tickets during that era. I was there to see Darrel Thompson's 98 yd run against Michigan.

Tons of times for me. Lots of Twins games in there too.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I really miss that.

I recall once before a gopher game it was TERRIBLE cold outside. The gates hadn't opened and a small crowd was standing outside.

A security guy then opened one of the side doors, actual doors, and out blew this warm air. Everyone cheered.

Then two students begged him to let them try to get IN the door. He let them. Their hats went flying, coats almost blown off. Eventually they had to crawl in the door. It was fun.

 

[LakevilleBro]

I recall getting blown out of there, and that distracted me from thinking about some of those brutal losses. Michigan, Northwestern, Wisconsin blocked punt game, etc.

 

[TruthSeeker]

That was always fun.

 

[tmvander]

An awful lot of weird looking khakis and cargo shorts in that video.

 

[GhostofBronko]

There was that time when we played Iowa that a fan got blown in the Metrodome.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

There was that time when we played Iowa that a fan got blown in the Metrodome.

It was tottaly a misunderstanding and they would never do such a thing.

 

[balds]

Too many times to count. And oh boy, did the sound of the guys beating on those 5 gallon pails bring back the memories.

 

[Cobra]

Blown in the Metrodome?
lol…. Different story!

 

[Bayfield Gopher]

Tons of dome memories. Was at the Twins game behind third base when the roof tore and torrents of rain water came tumbling down. I think it was DQ Night. Did a Twins game for $.83 with a WCCO promo. Opposing teams used to claim that the Twins changed the air flow to blow out during their at bat. Had Gopher ST for years and enjoyed second deck views looking through the goal posts. Best seats in the house. 4 for $44 promo in Family section was popular. That place could really get loud.

 

[fmlizard]

Nice subject line now Tim Brewster's retrieving the lost password on his burner account

 

[HopHead]

Try coming out of one of those doors with a sousaphone on your shoulder. That's an adventure I had many times as a member of the marching band. Sometimes it was after a practice and there was only a single door open so the air speed was even greater.

 

[oak_street1981]

I am pretty sure I hated the Metrodome as much as anyone, and I really hated what it did to the Twins Baseball experience and Gopher Football, and really did not do much for the Vikings either, but they did not suffer as much.

I hated the Metrodome so much I did not see a game there for 16 years from the dreaded Illinois 24-42 loss in year one of the Metrodome (beginning of Joe Salem's losing streak) until 1998, year 2 of Glen Mason. I was supposed to attend the Oklahoma game in the Holtz era but my U of M HS classmate forgot the tickets in his dorm, so we just walked over 7 Corners and drank at Bullwinkle's and Grandma's, finally noticed late we should have won the game.

There were really only two things to like about the Metrodome for me, and maybe old Hubert's was #3 to be generous:

-that aforementioned rush of air on the back when the backlog of exiting fans was too much for the revolving doors and the ushers opened the traditional doors, resulting in the air movement

-hanging out in the lower deck student section behind the south goalposts during games even when I was over 30- beer and restrooms were close enough- the student section and the Band was the only life that place ever had other than a few big games here and there. (Lou Holtz era exception or two)

The not to be mentioned Michigan game of 2003 was the only time I really saw a whole lot TCF 2019 Penn State style life in the place for a Gopher Fan other than the 2003 and 2005 (until a certain punter dropped a snap) UW games.

Thank God it is gone forever.


-the Blue line made it a little better as I used to meet a couple of south suburban, passive fan, old buds once a year at Fort Snelling and we would mix up some serious rum drinks in giant cups and ride the train to the stadium ..... back then I liked NDSU fans, they were better than Iowa fans as we told them on the train around 46th St. on the dreadful Mason win in 2006 ... that was sort of fun, or not so much but better than what came later

 

[fmlizard]

Try coming out of one of those doors with a sousaphone on your shoulder. That's an adventure I had many times as a member of the marching band. Sometimes it was after a practice and there was only a single door open so the air speed was even greater.

The only thing worse than going out carrying one of those would be going against the wind!

(former 6th grade tuba player here)

 

[Schnauzer]

It was always a bummer when the staff would insist fans use the revolving doors to exit, and always a mini-treat when they’d stand back and allow people to get the wind rush through the bigger doors.

 

[oak_street1981]

It was always a bummer when the staff would insist fans use the revolving doors to exit, and always a mini-treat when they’d stand back and allow people to get the wind rush through the bigger doors.

Yes, for me at least, it was a rare, uplifting surprise.

 

[Word]

Tons of dome memories. Was at the Twins game behind third base when the roof tore and torrents of rain water came tumbling down. I think it was DQ Night. Did a Twins game for $.83 with a WCCO promo. Opposing teams used to claim that the Twins changed the air flow to blow out during their at bat. Had Gopher ST for years and enjoyed second deck views looking through the goal posts. Best seats in the house. 4 for $44 promo in Family section was popular. That place could really get loud.

Were you there for the Twins game where they had to stop the game because fans were throwing hot dogs at Chuck Knoblauch?

 

[HopHead]

The only thing worse than going out carrying one of those would be going against the wind!

(former 6th grade tuba player here)

You got that right. I seem to remember always entering via the loading dock but we would exit from the windy doors.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

I set my personal best for the long jump exiting through those doors.

 

[FredCoxRocks]

There was that time when we played Iowa that a fan got blown in the Metrodome.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

It was always a bummer when the staff would insist fans use the revolving doors to exit, and always a mini-treat when they’d stand back and allow people to get the wind rush through the bigger doors.

Yes. If I recall, during the first year or two they generally kept the regular doors shut ("the dome will deflate"). Then they eased up and we could frequently enjoy that refreshing post-game boost of whimsey so necessary to Gopher fandom.

 

[West Fargo Gopher Fan]

Many many times

 

[50PoundHead]

Tons of dome memories. Was at the Twins game behind third base when the roof tore and torrents of rain water came tumbling down. I think it was DQ Night. Did a Twins game for $.83 with a WCCO promo. Opposing teams used to claim that the Twins changed the air flow to blow out during their at bat. Had Gopher ST for years and enjoyed second deck views looking through the goal posts. Best seats in the house. 4 for $44 promo in Family section was popular. That place could really get loud.

A lot of Twins and Gopher memories. Was there the night Dave Kingman hit a towering pop fly into one of the vent holes in the inner roof. Of course, goofball Mickey Hatcher picked a ball out of the home plate umpires ball bag and tagged Kingman (Hawhawhaw! That Mickey was quite the cut-up). I honestly can't remember the ruling. Saw Eddie Murray hit one off a speaker. Remember the first season before they put up the baggie when guys would hit routine fly balls into the folded up football seats.

Not many good football memories. I remember being pumped to see the Gophers against Penn State only to watch Ki-Jana Carter reel off an 80-yard run for a TD during the opening series. Was at the game referenced above where Illinois started the Gophers on a downward path in 1982 after the Gophers started 3-0 and had the town buzzing. I remember an almost miraculous comeback engineered by Rickey Foggie against Northwestern only to come up short at the end.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Well, the one good point of the Dome was that you knew the game was going to be played, and you weren't going to freeze or melt - at least once you got inside.

When the Twins were not so good, you could walk up right before the game and get a decent seat.

Went to a number of Gophers games there - typically non-conference games. (because I could scam free tickets through work. Our radio station got tickets to give away, and people would not always want tickets to the non-conf games, so I would take them.)

They used to give out those long-sleeved T-shirts before the first game of the year. I have several in a dresser and I still wear them during the fall.

And, I kind of liked the Dome Dogs.

 

[Word]

When the Twins were not so good, you could walk up right before the game and get a decent seat.

Still can.

 

[FormerFatOL]

That wind wasn't strong enough to blow the goalposts out the door for dumbass Iowa fans back in '02.