Dad Restrains Son with Tape for Refusing to Wear a Green Bay Packers Jersey

"Upset that his seven-year-old son wouldn't wear a Green Bay Packers jersey during the team's playoff victory Saturday, a man restrained the boy for an hour with tape and taped the jersey onto him.

Mathew Kowald was cited for disorderly conduct in connection with the incident with his son at their home in Pardeeville, Lt. Wayne Smith of the Columbia County Sheriff's Department said. Pardeeville is about 30 miles north of Madison."

(Quotation from the Associated Press)

I'm going to take the contrarian view and defend the actions of Mr. Kowald. In Wisconsin Packermania is a religion, and it stands to reason that a father would want his child to celebrate a playoff victory by donning a Packers jersey. The frozen tundra of Lambeau Field is more sacred than the National Cathedral, and the seven-year-old brat should have shown more reverence to the gridiron heroes of Green Bay.

I'm not a Packers fan, but their come-from-behind victory was so dramatic that even I felt compelled to wear a giant cheesehead.

If Catholic parents had a son who ripped off his crucifix from his neck, nobody would bat an eye if the little creep got his butt spanked.

Let's be a little bit more understanding of Kowald's outrage at his son's obstinacy. Kowald wasn't cruel to his son—he didn't force the disobedient little jerk to wear a Miami Dolphins jersey.

Under the circumstances, I think Kowald should be praised for exercising such remarkable restraint.

If the Packers make it to the Super Bowl, perhaps the kid should stay with Grandma—no telling what Kowald will do to him if he refuses to wear a Packers jersey during such a critical game.

Editorial Note: This essay is "tongue in cheek" please don't fill my inbox with letters accusing me of condoning child abuse