tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24495557.post-17464495620494861322008-01-17T07:11:00.001-05:002008-01-17T23:48:53.235-05:002008-01-17T23:48:53.235-05:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mathew Kowald: Worst. Dad. Ever.</span><br /><br />You are going to be hearing a lot today about <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mathew Kowald</span>, a 36-year-old Portage, Wisconsin nut-job who strapped his 7-year-old son down and <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/packers/2008-01-16-father-arrested_N.htm">forced the kid to wear a Packers jersey</a> during the Packers' playoff game last weekend.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We've all been there</span>: We buy our infants or toddlers or kids the team gear, hoping they will be little reflections of ourselves -- what better way to bond than over a mutual love of a sports team? (Hell, most of you are probably fans of your favorite team because a parent was a fan and "passed it on" to you.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">But this is a cautionary tale</span>: Taking it so far over the line as to constitute child abuse, rather than "super-fan" fun. I think that's something to keep in mind as you pose your young child in the gear of your favorite team -- YOUR favorite team -- like some kind of Fandom Mini-Me.<br /><br />-- D.S.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>DanShanoff.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08126386161198401693noreply@blogger.com1