And you thought Cowboys fans were extreme!

Although I am in Whitehouse, I still keep up with what is happening in Wisconsin. This little news report from the Baraboo paper gives you an idea of what I'm missing:

Cops: Dad tied up son who wouldn't cheer for the Pack
By Matthew Call

PARDEEVILLE — A Pardeeville father accused of forcing his 7-year-old son to wear a Packers sweatshirt and then tying him up during the divisional playoff game last weekend said the incident was a joke that "got blown way out of proportion."

Mathew Kowald, 36, was cited for disorderly conduct Wednesday after authorities arrested him Monday on tentative felony charges of causing mental harm to a child and false imprisonment. He was issued only a disorderly conduct citation for the incident.

Kowald reportedly forced a Packers sweatshirt on the boy, who said to his father that he refused to root for the Packers and was told by Kowald that anyone who said that would be grounded. Kowald allegedly also wrapped his son in insulation tape, forcing him to watch the football game.

The boy's mother took pictures of the incident on her cell phone camera and filed them with the Columbia County Sheriff's Department.

Kowald pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct after he was released from the Columbia County Jail. He received a fine of $186.

On Wednesday afternoon, Kowald said his son was challenging him in a friendly manner that he would not root for the Packers against the Seattle Seahawks when Kowald got home from work Saturday and began to watch the football game.

In a joking manner, Kowald said he told his son to put on the Packers sweatshirt and his son refused, throwing it back at him in jest, Kowald said.

In a continuation of that joke, Kowald said he tied the boy up and that his son was laughing at first. "Then he couldn't get out and he got upset and that's it. It lasted a minute," Kowald added. "I didn't mean no harm, and he knows that, but I haven't been able to tell him that."

Reached by phone Wednesday, the boy's mother, Rebecca Kowald, declined to comment. According to the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Web site, she filed a restraining order Wednesday against her husband.

"I know I sound like the Big Bad Wolf, but anyone who knows me knows I'm not," he said. "It was just for fun. To me, it's something dads do with their kids..."

Kowald allegedly came home at around 5 p.m. Saturday and began yelling because he could not find a television remote control, according to a sheriff's department report. After wrapping the boy's wrists and ankles together, his mother asked Kowald if she could free him, according to the report. Kowald reportedly said no but let the boy's sister cut him free with a pair of scissors.

I wouldn't be too surprised to see the Kowalds showing up at my old law office ...

It does remind me of a local divorce case (not one of our clients) where the parents spent more time fighting over who got the Packer Christmas decorations than they did over custody of the children.