At a Lawton home, pigskin, skeletal co-existence reign supreme

When you see the football action going on in the front yard of the Julian home, you’ll be right to say there are a lot of boneheaded plays underway.

That’s because a plastic skeleton squad of players, cheerleaders and fans are posed amid a scene of pigskin action across the street from Wilson Park. In this display, the bone-jarring action is the real deal.

Standing between towering 10-foot and 12-foot tall skeletons, Jason Julian knows his yard at 2112 NW Dearborn is ready for a winning season.

A native of the Baltimore, Md., area, Julian made sure his squad is sporting the requisite purple and black colors of his beloved Baltimore Ravens. That was his idea. The skeletons, on the other hand, were all his wife Beth’s idea.

“My wife is insane,” he said before laughing. “She likes skulls and skeletons. Halloween is her favorite time of the year.”

A nearby home in the neighborhood also has a towering 12-feet tall skeleton standing guard outside its front door. Julian said when his wife saw that one, she drew inspiration and became obsessed in finding one for their home.

The 10-feet tall skeleton, now holding purple pompoms in its boney fingers and a Ravens jersey on its torso, was the first to come to the Julian home. It was the floor model found at a store in Wichita Falls, Texas, and the last in stock, Julian said.

The next week, the white whale of a 12-foot tall skeleton was captured at an overstock store, also in Wichita Falls, he said. That skeleton now wears a green runner that looks like a football field. He said his wife made that.

“She’s pretty creative,” he said. “She also made the jerseys.”

Next, a six-pack of life-sized skeletons were purchased. Julian said he didn’t have a bone to pick with his wife regarding the purchase.

“We decided we might as well start trying to find something fun to do with them,” he said.

With football season’s approach, Julian said the idea was born. Three of the life-sized skeletons were set in formation for a passing play underway. The quarterback and waiting receiver are wearing Ravens jerseys because, of course, they are. The defender lying face first on the ground with the quarterback’s foot on its skull is wearing a conference rival Pittsburgh Steelers jersey.

“They have a pretty good rivalry,” he said of the real teams as well as the skeleton squad.

A trio of cheerleader skeletons with purple pompons, bows and skirts are posed along the sidelines in mid-cheer, along with a pair of plastic animal skeletons for support and to line out the six-pack roster.

But, wait, there’s more.

Two more life-sized skeletons also are walking the sidelines carrying a large, inflatable football on a stretcher. Football can be a violent game for the usual beefy players. At this house, the bonier the better.

This display isn’t about being macabre, though. Julian said it’s just a neat way to inject some fun into the neighborhood. After serving in the Army for 14 years before a medical discharge, “I would’ve done the full 20 if they’d have let me”; the Dearborn house has become their home. His wife is from Lawton and his 22- and 23-year-old sons still live here. Their oldest son, 25, is married and lives in Moore.

The Julians are considered some of the youngest residents of the neighborhood. That’s not a bad thing.

After Halloween, Julian said to not expect the skeletons to go away. It seems they’re the newest residents at the home. He said his creative wife is already looking at ideas for them to make a montage for a Thanksgiving theme. After that comes Christmas and he makes no bones about it, she’ll come up with something pretty cool and, together, they’ll make it happen.

“There’s plenty of things we can do,” he said. “She’s looking for ideas to see what we can do.”