Kicking Off 2008: What If V-Kid Isn't a Fan?

I read at a sports-writers' reading series last night in NYC , and in advance of the reading, the hosts from Gelf Magazine did an interview with me and among the thought-provoking questions asked the following:

You have a blog called Varsity Dad. What happens if your son decides not to be a Florida fan, or even not a sports fan?

As I typed out my answer, I felt like reprinting it here was the right way to kick of 2008 on VarsityDad.com. I have included the response in full, and I'd be curious for your take on it in the Comments.

Paying more attention to Varsity Dad is one of my biggest resolutions of 2008, because I think there's so much potential there -- and the reaction I got from fans who double as parents was so positive when I launched the site last spring.

And my own experience raising a sports fan is just now getting interesting. My son just turned 19 months and for the first 18 months, he basically sat around. Oh, sure, I could put him in a Florida jersey my in-laws bought him, but that was about it. In the last month, he has taken to shouting "Go Tebow!" -- at virtually everything. Now I can't shut it off, and it's like I created a monster. This is the hazard of imposing your sports fandom on your kid.

If my own experience over the last 6 years in becoming a Florida fan so late in life has taught me anything, it is that it is incredibly important for my kid to create his own sports allegiances, mindfully.

On the other hand, I recognize the limitations of my own fan situation – and the pivotal role that fandom can play when it starts in childhood, particularly through a relationship with a parent. Mostly, I have learned to be incredibly tolerant of anyone's current fan allegiance -- no matter how (or when) they arrived at it. Sincerity is where the authenticity comes from.

Sidebar: Take this "Pink Hat" civil war that the self-obsessed Boston sports fans got into over Red Sox fans. My favorite part is the way the Red Sox "die-hards" mocked the "Pink Hats"... as if ANY of them gave a rat's ass about the Patriots until the Pats won their first Super Bowl. If they say they did, they're lying or fooling themselves. And they gave up on the Celtics, too, right up until they traded for KG. Now, it's like they never abandoned the team (even though they all did). I just find it ludicrous that anyone would feel so insecure about their own fandom that they would make competing with others in the same fan base – who generally aren't competing back – into such a large part of their fandom. It's kind of pathetic, actually.

That's a roundabout way of saying: My son can root for Florida or not. I'm certainly not one to judge. (My wife, on the other hand, as a Florida lifer, would like to see him be a Florida die-hard forever. If he became a Georgia or FSU fan, I think she might disown him.)

However, I do think a parent and child who share the same fan appreciation and affiliation can create some very special memories together that transcend sports fandom and become integral to the relationship itself.

Now, if he didn't like sports at all? Tougher question. I actually think there's a certain minimum level of sports interest that anyone/everyone should have in order to simply function in society – particularly "guy society." Being able to talk about sports is social currency -- perhaps its most potent form.

But I feel the same way about TV or movies or books or politics or current events or food or technology or home improvement or most popular Google keywords or anything else: There is a certain cultural literacy one should have in order to be a functioning person.
I would much rather Gabe become a restrained polymath than a sports nut, to be honest. If he ends up a sports nut, that's great, but I hope he takes the time to try to understand other things.

-- D.S.

A Varsity Dad's New Year's Resolution

More posts on VarsityDad.com. (Seriously.)

Happy Holidays to Varsity Dads (and Moms)

This Varsity Dad side-project has been a little tougher than expected, but one of my resolutions for 2008 is to make this blog a more regularly updated (and, hopefully, visited) destination for all things at the intersection of parenting and sports.

The question was posed: At the 11th hour, what is an appropriate gift for a sports-minded parent to buy their kids for the holidays?

Depending on the age (read: not adults), there's nothing wrong with a jersey or other piece of team memorabilia. This year, Gabe is sporting a Percy Harvin jersey (really, it's a Florida football No. 1 jersey, but that turns out to be Harvin), received from his grandparents.

That's pretty thin as far as advice goes, but I'm going to step up the effort as it relates to New Year's Resolutions.

Happy holidays!

-- D.S.

Coolest Varsity Kid Ever?

Check out this link. (The kid may have a future: One of my earliest childhood memories -- though not THIS early -- is a similar thing. Of course, "future" is relative: Does the kid's dad really want the kid to have a high-flying career as a columnist on ESPN.com, only to morph into a blogger?)

Is Pimping Your Varsity Kid Wrong?

Then I don't wanna be right.

Baby Naming: "Wrigley Fields"

That's not a joke. I grew up a huge Cubs fan and, after college, I lived right down the street from Wrigley Field. It's a beautiful, wonderful place. But if your last name is "Fields" and you name your kid "Wrigley," you might as well dedicate that 529 investment to future therapy bills.

When Autographs Go Wrong

"Red Sox Suck": That's how Yankees rookie Shelley Duncan signed a baseball to a 10-year-old Red Sox fan who asked him for an autograph this past weekend.

Now: Is the kid's parent outraged because Duncan used the word "suck" or because he trashed the Red Sox?

Doing that to a 10-year-old is kind of jerky, but the one bright side is that it's a hell of a conversation-starter as a piece of memorabilia the kid will have on display.

If nothing else, it's a badge of honor for a Red Sox fan to have been smack-talked by a Yankees player, and have the evidence to prove it.

-- D.S.

Welcome, Jonathan Brady!

How would you like to have Tom Brady as your dad? (Ping me, Tom: I've got all sorts of advice for you.)

How to Make a Baby Cry...?

...Play her the Michigan fight song.

Here's the YouTube clip.

(Why is the "embed" function disabled on the YouTube page?)

Matt Leinart is No Varsity Dad

Via BruinsNation (h/t Deadspin): Matt Leinart ain't a very good dad. You know, I didn't like him very much before, and this doesn't help things.

Here's the sad truth: If Cameron wants baby Cole to have any semblance of a well-adjusted life, she should keep him away from Matt.

-- D.S.

New Parenthood Kills Workout Enthusiasm

Aha: So this is why the last 13 months have turned me into such a lazy fat-ass. (h/t: NYT.com)

One-Year-Old Brooklyn PhenomCommits to Florida Basketball

In a development rocking the world of college basketball recruiting, 1-year-old basketball prospect Gabe Shanoff verbally committed to play for the University of Florida.

Shanoff made the announcement yesterday on his blog, with a simple message: "Guh," interpreted as an alliterative toddler shorthand for "Gators."

The 2-foot-7 Shanoff projects as a combination guard after a solid season of dunking on a toy basket. At his most recent annual physical, the doctor projected Shanoff to fall in the 75th height percentile.

Shanoff's father, Dan, said that playing time was a key factor.

"With top 2007 guard recruits Jai Lucas and Nick Calethas graduating in 2011, Gabe will be positioned to step right in and fill a team need in 2024," Dan Shanoff said. "Once he starts walking."

Florida coach Billy Donovan declined to comment, citing NCAA regulations about discussing recruits before they have signed an official letter-of-intent or no longer sleep in a crib.

Shanoff's unprecedented announcement comes in the wake of 14-year-old 8th grade point guard Ryan Boatright pledging his verbal commitment to play basketball for Southern California and Trojans coach Tim Floyd a few weeks ago.

"Boatright was a role model for making an announcement this early," Shanoff's father, Dan, said. "The trend is definitely toward early commitments to take the pressure off the kids.

"How much less pressure can you have than to make a commitment as a 1-year-old?

"Now Gabe can concentrate on preparing for the academic rigors of pre-school and working on his fundamentals as a player, like walking on his own without holding on to the couch."

According to recruiting analysts, Florida had been the early leader for Gabe's commitment, going back in utero. "Gabe was an 8-month-old fetus when the Gators won their first national title," Dave Telep of Scout.com said.

"Hearing that TV coverage in the womb might have been the difference that other programs simply couldn't compete with, particularly when you add in the second national title when Gabe was 8 months out."

Remaining close to his family played a large role in his decision: One set of Shanoff's grandparents live in Gainesville and "insisted" they "were available to babysit anytime."

Shanoff had also been considering his father's alma mater, Northwestern, along with a handful of programs geographically closer to his current New York-based day-care center, including Syracuse and Villanova.

Shanoff’s father noted that a factor that made the Big East attractive was its legacy of charismatic New York City point guards (“Give up your girl before you give up your dribble… of milk from your chin.”), a personality trait of the 1-year-old that his dad attributed to his Brooklyn-bred paternal grandmother and great-grandma, who was rumored to have once rejected neighborhood schoolboy hoops legend Red Auerbach for a date.

Most recently, Shanoff had expressed interest in Oregon, but recruiting analysts linked the attention to his fascination with toy ducks, rather than a sincere desire to play for Ernie Kent.

When asked about the Ducks, Shanoff squealed, "Duck!" and crawled over to his pile of toys, leaving open the speculation that without the signed letter of intent, which can be completed in October 2023 at the earliest, the commitment is not entirely solid.

(As if it needed to be said, but -- sigh -- has to be in this day and age: This is satire. neither Dave Telep or Billy Donovan were really contacted for this post.)

What to Name a Varsity Kid?

Needless to say, I don't think Tiger and Elin used a baby-name consultant to come up with "Sam Alexis," but this Wall Street Journal article on baby-naming is a must-read.

Any of you name your kid (or would name a future kid) after something sports-related, like an athlete? Or perhaps you name your kid with athletic stardom in mind... a name that would sound really good over a stadium PA system or SportsCenter highlight. (Or simply win the Name of the Year bracket.)

For the record, Gabe Shanoff was not named for either Gabe Kapler or Gabe Kaplan or future NBA second-round draftee Gabe Pruitt. (And, furthermore, his name isn't "Gabriel" with "Gabe" as a nickname. It's just "Gabe.")

I would say that of all things related to the baby industry, names are my favorite thing.

Sam Alexis Woods: First Pics!

Update: OK, front page of the New York Post!

Wow, Tiger is really controlling the p.r. about new daughter Sam like a genius. The latest: He reveals the first pics of Sam on his web site. That's the way I'd do it, too. (But, Tiger: Where's Sam's blog? Email me, man...I can help!)

More here from AOL's Fanhouse.

Tiger Skipping Buick for Baby

That's my guy...

Advice for Tiger, Part Nth

Tiger Woods' new fatherhood lends itself to the easy column for traditional media and bloggers alike. Here's the Washington Post's Sally Jenkins, with a rare appearance in the paper with a nice little advice-for-Tiger gimmick column.

Let me ask the Varsity Dad community: How do we get Tiger to notice this site? How do we get him to participate as a Commenter? Tiger: You're invited! Come on in!

This Is It: Tiger Woods Becomes a Dad!

Congrats to Tiger and Elin on the birth of daughter Sam Alexis Woods. (Come on, Tiger, I know you're as excited as a regular dad: How about some stats? And let's see those photos?)

Given Tiger's preeminent position in sports culture, this kid is the closest thing sports fans have to celeb-baby royalty. This is the Varsity Dad Sports-Star Birth of the Year.

When things settle down for Tiger, I expect he'll head straight to Varsity Dad to join the community. Feel free to email for advice, pal!

-- D.S.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the Varsity Dads out there!

Continuing the must-read Father's Day posts...

A series from the Ladies...

Kermit the Blog.

Keep 'em coming. And hope you're all enjoying the day.

-- D.S.

Happy Father's Day to All The Varsity Dads!

I had these grand plans to write a massive, what-it-all-means post worthy of Father's Day on a site called "Varsity Dad," but circumstances have gutted my time to write it. I'm hoping to do something this weekend, but at the very least, I wanted to wish a huge happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. It's going to be a big year ahead for all you Varsity Dads (and Varsity Dad). -- D.S.

UPDATE: What I can definitely do is link to any blog posts out there (that you write or simply enjoyed) on the subject of Father's Day. Here's a starter for you. And don't forget to check out that Wright Thompson piece from ESPN.com you can find a few posts down.

In Kissing Suzy Kolber's commenter draft of "Dad You Want to Have," check out the comment at 11:19 a.m., the commenter's fourth-round pick. I don't care if he's mocking me. It's awesome.

Via EDSBS: The Top 5 College Football Fathers of All Time.

Father's Day '07: Our Coverage ContinuesWhat's Wrong With a Cheerleader Outfit?

Reader Kyle McInnis emailed to point me to a post at his blog The Wishbone, inspired by Varsity Dad, about the fatherly advice he has for his newborn daughter about being a sports fan. His No. 1 rule: Support mom and dad's alma mater until you're in college.

Hmm... I think that sounds reasonable. If you manipulate your kid ("manipulate" used lovingly, of course) into being a fan of your team, they will likely keep the faith at least through college.

Wait: Alma mater? But what if neither parent WENT to the school rooting interest of choice? My wife grew up in Gainesville, which is why she's a Gators fan. I met my wife, which is why I'm a Gators fan.

Shouldn't it be "Support mom and dad's favorite team?" Wow: When you put it like that, perhaps the kid's allegiance will be more tenuous, much to the dismay of the parents, I'm quite certain. (Will Gabe be confused if I say: "Let's root for Florida! But let's ALSO root for Northwestern!" It's a good thing there's a clear difference between the two on the football field and hoops court.)

Anyway, McInnis has four other rules, and he brings up an interesting point: Would a good Varsity Parent raise their kid to be a sports fan differently depending on whether they were a boy or a girl? (If Gabe had turned out to be a girl, I would have still launched this blog with the same mission.)

Here at Varsity Dad, I've always espoused a "gender-neutral" approach: I want to develop and explore lessons, tactics and experiences that can work no matter if you're raising a boy or a girl -- and no matter if you're a Varsity Dad or Varsity Mom, for that matter.

For example, McInnis' rule No. 4 will be contentious: "You may wear a cheerleader outfit at any time."

Hold on: Why box your daughter into a "cheerleader" (girl) vs. "athlete" (boy) construct? Why not let her wear a football jersey -- or, perhaps a little more realistically, a piece of apparel supporting one of the school's women's teams? For that matter, if your son wanted to be a cheerleader, I would hope you wouldn't object.

As you can see, here's what I like best about his post: It's a phenomenal conversation-starter. Not just about tips or advice for raising a sports fan (which is at the core of this blog's mission), but how -- if at all -- that changes when you're raising a son versus a daughter.

I hope this sparks some interesting conversations. As comments are moderated, I'll keep a close eye on them and have them posted as close to real time as possible.

-- D.S.

Welcome: Bryce Maximus James!

Stats: LeBron's second son, born 12:51 a.m. at 21 inches and a whopping 8 pounds 6 ounces.

Name Analysis: "Bryce James" has a pretty nice ring to it. And "Maximus" as a middle name? That's so badass (but I suspect that only the son of LeBron James can pull it off).

Congras: To Daddy LeBron, but -- of course -- even greater congrats to Savannah Brinson, LeBron's girlfriend who actually did the delivering.

Hopefully, the birth of his son offers more than small consolation to LeBron as his Cavs are about to be swept out of the NBA Finals by the Spurs.

But it's a Father's Day gift he'll never forget. -- D.S.

The Varsity Dad Story of the Year

Wright Thompson's Father's Day story is amazing. Here's a link to read it.

LeBron's Pending Fatherhood: The Update

Looks like we were all a wee bit premature in discussing the choice LeBron might have had to make between being at the birth of his second child and playing in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. At this rate, there won't BE a Game 5 of the NBA Finals. It's almost as if fate is trying to steer him toward the decision he SHOULD have made in the first place... -- D.S.

(Sorry for the lack of more posts this week. I am paralyzed by the pending Father's Day weekend. If there is a bigger moment in the year for Varsity Dads than Father's Day, I don't know what it is. Oh, wait: Or Mother's Day! I'm all about "Varsity Dad" not being about dads, but all parents.)

How I Spent My Weekend

I was guest-blogging at Deadspin, and this morning I managed to work in a (relevant) picture of Gabe. In the context of the news that Gilbert Arenas, my favorite player, is opting out of his contract with the Wizards, my favorite team, after the 2008 season, I felt the picture I used to complement the sentiments expressed in the post couldn't have been more appropriate. -- D.S.

Bruce Bowen Joins Varsity Dads

Ozmel Bowen born on Saturday morning. Dad Bruce was there (hmm: showing up LeBron?)

From the San Antonio Express-News:

According to delivery room sources, he didn't knee a single nurse in the crotch. "But afterward he got a little irritated," Bruce Bowen said. "Then he started kicking." Five minutes old and already following in his father's flailing Nikes.

Heh. Kid might get teased for his father's reps, but then Ozmel can bring Daddy's champioship rings in for Show-n-Tell. Beat that.

-- D.S.

Duck Cup Solution Found: Puck It!

Thanks to reader Jibblescribbits, who suggested skipping the Ducks toddler T-shirt (see post below) and going with a commemorative puck, which will be much more fun for everyone (unless Kid flings it through the TV screen, which you just KNOW will happen).

Enjoy your weekend, everyone. I'll be guest-blogging over at Deadspin over the weekend and otherwise gearing up for the Sopranos series finale.

Ducks Win Stanley Cup:Gabe's Hot Streak Continues

As I mentioned before the Stanley Cup finals started, Gabe made it clear that's he's rooting for the Ducks -- if only because "duck" is one of the few words he can say and an object he totally recognizes and understands. (He has a half-dozen rubber ducks strewn around the apartment.)

Needless to say, this morning when he woke up, I told him that the Ducks won the Stanley Cup. He perked up and looked around for one of his toy ducks, of course. I went online to find him a toddler-sized Ducks championship T-shirt, and the team didn't offer one.

Come on, Ducks execs! I'm offering you the chance to earn the lifetime allegiance of a fan (a fan on the East Coast, no less) -- given the state of the NHL, isn't that enticing? Maybe one of them will read this and reach out. You don't need an MBA to know that the lifetime value of a 1-year-old customer is a lot more valuable than the LTV of, say, a fan in their 30s and 40s.

(Between the Ducks' Cup title and the Florida Gators titles in football and basketball, Gabe is on a hell of a rooting-interest hot streak in 2007. Would an MLB or NFL team like to court him? I think he's open to any and all offers.)

-- D.S.

Buy Your Kid Any Sports Memorabilia Lately?

This is adapted from a small item I posted over at DanShanoff.com:

I am no "sports memorabilia" guy, but I have started to collect certain stuff for Gabe: A personalized Gilbert Arenas jersey, a football signed by Urban Meyer, a framed photo of Steve Spurrier (as yet unsigned), every commemorative Sports Illustrated issue over the Gators' two-year run.

Two weeks ago, Gabe's grandparents came to town bearing a new addition: They ran into Tim Tebow at the local Gainesville Outback Steakhouse, and he signed a menu.

But the biggest yet arrived yesterday (and, remember, I claim I'm not a memorabilia person): A piece of the Georgia Dome floor where Florida won their most recent national title in basketball. Yes, it was an impulse buy in the days following the Final Four.

Are these for Gabe... or for me? Obviously, he doesn't appreciate them... who knows if he even will 10 or 15 or 20-plus years from now? I think that falls under "Using my kid to pursue my own child-like wish fulfillment."

Here's the question: Have you gotten your kids any sports memorabilia? (Or have the gotten any on their own?) It could be something as simple as an autograph or as elaborate as... well, some piece of laquered plywood. And, if so, which is the most treasured piece? By your kid... and by you.

-- D.S.

Update: LeBron Won't Miss FinalsFor Birth of Second Child

UPDATE: Here's a must-read post from Bethlehem Shoals at Free Darko, about this very topic!

Yesterday, we talked about whether LeBron has a dilemma on his hands, given that the birth of his second kid is on track to be during Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

The Akron Beacon-Journal has the background. AOL Fanhouse has the update, and here it is:

LeBron has spoken: He ain't missing the...birth of his child Finals. I said it yesterday: Maybe they can pipe it through to the arena Jumbotron.

I'm wondering if this will spark any debate at all. NBA fans without kids will undoubtedly agree with LeBron. Do fans with kids feel the same way? It begs the question:

Which is more "once-in-a-lifetime": The birth of a child or playing in your first -- perhaps only -- NBA Finals?

-- D.S.

LeBron: Varsity Dad 2X Coming in Game 5?

Word has it that LeBron's girlfriend is due to deliver their second child on the night of Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Good thing the game will be in Cleveland. Maybe they'll even induce a day or two early?

Look for the story to get bigger as the due date/Game 5 get closer. It's not necessarily an easy choice to decide between birth-of-child and NBA Finals: Does LeBron really want to be the Phil Stacey of the NBA?

(You may remember Phil from American Idol this season. He skipped the birth of his daughter in order to be at Idol auditions. Yes, he made the Top 12, but he couldn't have known that when he made the decision.)

Prediction: Either inducing or the other timing will work things out without incident. And if the timing seems to be a huge crisis, couldn't they just put the birth on the arena Jumbotron? (No?)

-- D.S.

And She Isn't Even Born Yet...

Eric from Nine Month Odyssey wrote a post, inspired by the V-Dad "official" launch, with a few core Varsity Dad values he is quite certain he wants to pass along to his unborn daughter.

Here's the link, with my favorite being the one about staying away from off-color team memorabilia, particularly pink hats that seemed to find prominence/mockery during the Red Sox postseason run in 2004.

First: Kudos for not inflicting pink on your kid just because she's a girl. If you've raised her to be a great fan, she'll want to wear the team's real colors.

Second: In lieu of the usual donation to breast-cancer research that the pink team merch purchase usually includes, I hope Eric will make a small but regular donation to the cause.

-- D.S.

P.S.: If you have a blog post you think is particularly relevant to Varsity Dad, absolutely send it along. More likely than not, I'll give it a nice big post of its own. And if you link to a post in Varsity Dad, let me know that, too, and I'll be happy to offer a hat/tip.

Meanwhile, you don't have to have a blog to contribute to Varsity Dad: Submit a comment (though it won't show up instantly, because I moderate them), email me a story or send along a link to something you've found in mainstream media or on a blog you think is V-Dad material.

(Oh, and does "V-Dad" work as shorthand? Because I sure as hell won't dub the site "V.D." Can you imagine the Google search results I'll end up on? Eh: Maybe I'll just take the extra half-second and type the entire phrase.)

"Meet the Mets!"

What I really want to know is: How long did it take to train the kid? And how many takes did the dad/videographer need to get it? I agree with his comment: Next stop, Diamondvision!

Dwyane Wade: Varsity Dad...Again!

Congrats to Dwyane Wade, whose wife gave birth to Varsity Kid No. 2 -- Zion -- yesterday night. Now, D-Wade: How about getting going on those signature sneakers for the toddler set?

How to Pick a Champion:Stanley Cup Edition

Gabe is obsessed with ducks. It's one of the few words he can say. It's one of the few animals he clearly recognizes. It's his favorite toy (or toys, because now we have many versions of them).

It makes his rooting interest in the Stanley Cup finals that much easier to figure out: I mentioned to him that it's the Ottawa Senators (my pick) versus the Anaheim Mighty Ducks...

...And his head perked up: "Duck!" he cried out. (Actually, it's more like "Duh!" But we know what he's talking about.)

It might be coincidental, but it is Gabe's first pro-sports championship prediction. Given his success with college sports (Florida football, Florida hoops), I should probably go with Anaheim.

(UPDATE: Ducks take a 1-0 lead in the series with a 3-2 win at home last night over Ottawa.)

-- D.S.

Memorial Day, Sports and Your Kids

In honor of Memorial Day weekend: When my kid is old enough, I plan to teach him about Pat Tillman, perhaps the greatest role model in the history of sports.

I don't say that because he gave his life for his country -- in one of the greatest individual tragedies in sports history -- but because of everything I learned about the way he conducted himself in life: With honor. With humanity. With clarity.

Sadly, I learned these things after he was gone.

But I think the best way to honor his memory is to understand his unique code of humanity, for the purpose of sharing with our kids a rare role model among athletes truly worth emulating.

Here is Tillman's Wikipedia page.

And here is Gary Smith's piece on Tillman for Sports Illustrated.

Thoughts and prayers for everyone who has lost a loved one serving in any of our country's armed forces or in any of our country's military conflicts, particularly this current one.

Varsity Dad: The OFFICIAL Launch!

Welcome to the "official" launch of Varsity Dad! I'm glad you're here.

This is a blog dedicated to raising a great sports fan. Because, as the mantra on the upper-right explains: Your kid ain't LeBron.

But they CAN be an all-star fan. In fact, I'd argue that raising your kid to be a great sports fan is superior to raising them to be a great athlete.

(Make no mistake: We are living in a culture where athletic participation by kids is becoming professionalized -- and corrupted -- beyond recognition. Don't get me wrong: There's a place for sports participation among kids. I'm just saying they – and you – will be infinitely happier if you place a value on excelling as a fan, rather than as an athlete.)

Here is the site's original post, which lays out the Varsity Dad "philosophy" and background to the blog. Needless to say, it's a work-in-progress.

For the last four-plus months, I have been working on this spin-off blog from my regular DanShanoff.com blog. As you can see from the Archives on the right, there are nearly 50 posts already set up, covering everything from directly (and indirectly) relevant news to great posts on other blogs to personal experiences. Check them out!

Want to add Varsity Dad as an RSS feed or to your RSS reader?
http://www.varsitydad.com/feeds/posts/default

I'm always looking for tips: Links to news stories and blogs, tales of your own experiences, whatever you think might fit. And please feel invited to send in comments on posts that resonate. (I moderate the comments myself, so if you don't see your comment appear right away, know that I'll have it posted shortly afterward.) Contact me using the address found in the upper-right: varsitydad[at]gmail[dot]com.

Whether you are an experienced parent, a new parent, a future parent or just want to weigh in from the benefit of your own experience as a sports fan, I hope you enjoy the blog and I hope to hear from you.

(By the way, the word "Dad" in the blog name isn't meant to imply that I only think that fathers influence their kids' development as sports fans. That simply represented MY voice on this blog. I value moms and dads equally here; after all, my kid's mom drives the fandom bus in our house.)

If I can make one request: If you know anyone who might enjoy this blog, please pass along the URL. The bigger the community, the better.

This should be a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy it.

-- D.S.

P.S.: Thanks to the fantastic site FanIQ for the immediate and flattering feedback.

Elijah Dukes: The Anti-Varsity Dad

I talk all the time about pro athletes who should enjoy "Varsity Dad" status. Here's the first instance I have pointed out the "Anti-Varsity Dad." And Elijah Dukes has earned it. Yeesh.

A Little NBA Lottery Math

The future of the NBA might have been formed on Tuesday night when the draft rights to super-center Greg Oden and super-swingman Kevin Durant were assigned to the Portland Trailblazers and Seattle Supersonics. (Their pairing is irrelevant for the purpose of this analysis.)

I was struck by a little Varsity Dad math, which I run into all the time when thinking about kids' development as sports fans:

If my kid is 1 and the age where a sports fan has a recognizable "fan consciousness" is between 10-12, then both Oden and Durant will be in their 9th NBA seasons – at a minimum – before Gabe will really "know" them.

Translation: At best, Gabe will know them as long-established NBA superstars. The concept of them as "phenoms" over the next few seasons will be totally foreign to him. Somehow, I think the next 10 years will fly by.

-- D.S.

OK, This Is a Very Sad One

I don't mind confessing I teared up a little bit when I read this. Here's the link. And here's the lead from the Ottawa Citizen's story about it:

In the end, it was a hockey game Elgin-Alexander Fraser was not going to miss.

The three-year-old spent his last hours at home, nestled between family and friends on a mattress on the living room floor in front of the television, watching the Ottawa Senators reach the Stanley Cup finals.

His right lung had collapsed and he breathed loudly, wheezing. When it became too hard to keep his heavy-lidded eyes open, because of the morphine, his family whispered the play-by-plays to him.

"Go if you want to go now, bud," said his father, Hamish Fraser, to his wee son, who weighed just more than 30 pounds.

"You don't have to hang on."

But that afternoon, he did hang on, to see his favourite team win, just as the players promised him they would.

Two hours later, as his mother and father tightly held his hands and told him they loved him, he softly closed his eyes.

Afterwards, his mother, Victoria Fraser, washed him, clipped his nails and dressed him in a grey Senators jogging suit. She then cradled him in her arms for more than an hour.

"Everything that happened just seemed to fall into place and everything felt right at that moment," said Ms. Fraser.

Elgin died of a rare form of childhood cancer called neuroblastoma, and had captured the emotions of thousands who raised funds at charity events for him to fight cancer.

"He went peacefully," said his father, adding that his son loved hockey "more than anything," and was the Senators' biggest fan.

Rest in peace, Elgin. Condolences to his family, their friends and all the Senators fans who had embraced him and his cause.

Participation vs. Fandom:On "The Dangerous Book..."

As this blog is dedicated to raising young sports fans, not young athletes, I'm totally ignoring the New York Times story today on the state of the new Little League rules about pitch counts. (Seriously: The fact they have to have those kind of rules at all is why "I want my kid to be an all-star athlete" is among the most debilitating parenting trends of the last few decades.)

No, I'd much rather focus on the genius of "The Dangerous Book for Boys," the surprising (and runaway) bestselling book* that covers tons of "lost" games and activities for kids, some totally sports-related, some more tenuous. (Stickball! Go-Carts! Slingshots! More!)

The NY Times (Sunday Styles section, no less) had an article on the book -- and its accompanying larger "trend" -- yesterday. Here's the story link.

The book is totally aligned with the Varsity Dad philosophy: I'm all for the value of having kids play competitive sports for almost any reason except "my kid WILL be a pro athlete!" and "my kid WILL succeed in sports where I failed!"

But there has GOT to be room for participation in sports (or sports-ish) activities, like the ones described in the book, for the sheer joy and thrill of exploration and imagination -- of expanding your world or your mind or your character.

I'm not saying the "Dangerous" book replaces anything, but by NOT incorporating it (or related thinking), you are doing a disservice to your kid as an all-star anything.

-- D.S.

* -- Father's Day is coming up in a few weeks. Not a bad gift idea. For dad, not kid (even though kid will love it, too).

Varsity Kid Turns 1

It's hard to imagine that there's a faster year in one's life than the first year of the first kid. (I'm sure more experienced parents laugh at that, but I'm equally sure they can empathize.)

Wait a second: Now that he's been around for a year, is he eligible to declare for the NBA Draft? How about making a verbal commitment to play basketball for Billy Donovan? (Eh: Or maybe Harvard's Tommy Amaker...)

Nevermind: The whole point of Varsity Dad is that my kid won't be a superior athlete -- yes, even mediocre Ivy League basketball will be far too much of a reach -- but he has all the potential in the world to be an all-star sports fan.

On Gabe's birthday, let's review his fan highlights from Year 1:

Rooting interest: His favorite college football team (Florida) won a national title, and his favorite college basketball team (Florida) won a second straight national title. Who needs a pro team to cheer for when you've got that? (Call that a project for Year 2.)

Merchandise/memorabilia: He's got a half-dozen Gator-related T-shirts, two Gator-related baby books and a football autographed by Urban Meyer (plus a basketball jersey personally autographed by Gilbert Arenas).

Acumen: Oh, and he finished in 18th place out of more than 1,200 fans in one of the largest single NCAA Tournament pools of the year. (h/t: Varsity Mom)

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but that's a hell of a start.

Upshot: It's going to be hard for him -- in any future year, ever -- to match this year's performance of his favorite teams. (Highest. Bar. Ever.) Too bad he won't remember it, but I guess that's what photos are for.

"Agent Zero" Meets "Agent One"

One of the key Varsity Dad platforms is fan self-determination (not, say, necessarily forcing my fandom on my kid), but for Gabe's first birthday (next week), I couldn't resist:

A month ago, Gilbert Arenas was running a charity promotion on his site where, on a given Saturday at 6 a.m., the first 2,000 fans to sign up would get a personalized autographed jersey and sneaker... for $25.

Obviously, Arenas being my favorite player, I couldn't resist and easily was up in time to log on and bid. For the record, by 6:10 a.m. the thing was basically sold out... that is, when you could access the site at all. Apparently, other fans liked the deal also.

Anyway, I put in an order for a "Gabe"-personalized jersey and it finally arrived on Wednesday. There it is, in what I have to presume (or delude) is Gil's handwriting: "Gabe" and Arenas' autograph.

The jersey is a XXL. I tried putting it on Gabe. He's big for his age... but not THAT big. It would be better as a crib sheet. (Hmm...) So instead I hung the jersey in his room, like art.

Will he be an Arenas fan? Consider that by the time he has any real fan consciousness (age 10-12), Arenas will be 35. Probably as eccentric as ever. Probably not 30 ppg as ever.

But I have to believe there's a correlation between rooting for a player and having a personalized autograph of that player, even if that player isn't your absolute favorite.

Anyone else have the experience of getting an autograph -- personalized or not -- for their kid and having either a new or renewed appreciation for that player? And did your kids turn into lifelong fans of that player?

-- D.S.

Derek Fisher: True Varsity Dad

Attending to his ailing daughter, Utah Jazz guard Derek Fisher missed three quarters of his team's crucial Game 2 NBA playoff match-up at home against the spunky Warriors, then arrived at the arena and came off the bench to chip in a critical five points in OT to lead the Jazz to the win. For having the right priorities -- yet still coming through for his team -- Derek Fisher claims true Varsity Dad status. Here's the link.

How About the Varsity MOMS?

Fellow Northwestern journalism alum Christine Brennan of USA Today has a great column about athletes and mom-dom. Here's the link.

NFL Draft Preview: I Drafted a Bugaboo Frog

Will you (or have you) watched the NFL Draft with your kid? Do they have a favorite part?

The NBA Draft showcases more of this, but I always like it when the draftees in attendance hear their name called and hug their moms, who are inevitably bawling. (Are they proud? Are they happy? Are they thinking about the new car/house/lifestyle?)

When we were getting ready for the arrival of Gabe, my wife and I were shopping for strollers, and I found myself viewing our research and "test-drives" through the lens of the NFL Draft Scouting Combine.

In the end, we picked the Bugaboo Frog.

Upside: Great for walking (which in NYC is huge), looks good, sturdy, less of a "cap hit" than the Bug Chameleon.

Downside: The judgment from other parents. (Although in Brooklyn, particularly over the last year, all you see are Bugs, so that has eased up a bit.)

There were others: Maclaren (great value pick), Peg Perego (too bulky), RockStar Baby (ArenaLeague material, naturally) and others.

Was it ludicrously expensive? Yes. But the thing is a tank. I love it. I was sold from the get-go. My wife needed convincing, but ultimately was won over by my enthusiasm, which was the cover she needed. (She could always claim that I forced her to get it, even though she loves it, too.)

OK, I've gone off on a distant tangent here, but the point is this: The NFL Draft is a wonderful metaphor for all sorts of baby/kid-related purchases where there is more than one option out there.

I would borrow something from the genius bloggers at Kissing Suzy Kolber and do a mock draft of all-time greatest baby characters, but I think it begins and ends with Stewie from "Family Guy." (Also receiving votes: Maggie Simpson. Not receiving votes: Anyone from "Look Who's Talking.")

-- D.S.

Take Your Kid to Work Day

Um...OK. So what does that mean: That I carry Gabe the 10 feet from the living room floor to the dining room table where I do my blogging? Maybe I can ask him who he thinks the Raiders should take with the first pick of the NFL Draft? (And he better say: "Best Player Available." I'll settle for a babbling approximation.)

More Pollack (and Son) on the Lakers

Here's the link. I think we need a Pollack-Shanoff West Coast/East Coast Showdown. He can have his Lakers, and I'll back my Wiz (with Gabe playing his usual role of Agent Zero-Point-Nine.)

(H/T: TrueHoop, again.)

D-Train Set to Join Varsity Dads

Dontrelle Willis pulled off a nifty trick: He pitched his way to his 4th win of the month (AND hit a stand-up triple), then rushed off to the hospital to be with his wife, who was giving birth.

(That makes Willis slightly more of an interested father than, say, American Idol's Phil Stacey, whose claim to fame was missing the birth of his kid to audition for Idol.)

Tracking...

Alternadad on the Suns-Lakers

Neal Pollack makes an excellent Varsity Dad. And his son sounds like a future blog commenter.

(h/t TrueHoop)

If I WAS to Raise an Athlete...

Here's the template. Great read. The money Varsity Dad-ish line:

"He is the reason you tie your 2-year-old son's right hand behind his back when your wife isn't around."

It's a beautiful day outside. Read it, then get going.

-- D.S.

Late to This, But...: "Tressel Hayes?!"

I'm late to this story, but about that Ohio State couple that named their kid "Tressel Hayes..."

Now, back when my wife was pregnant, Florida was making its (first) run through the NCAA Tournament, and my Morning Quickie chat audience thought it would be really funny if we named the kid "Joakim." Some of the more realistic participants put the far more reasonable (but no less fanatically driven) "Noah."

Now, "Noah" would have been a great name. "Noah Shanoff": Terrific name. If "N" was one of the first-name first-letters we were considering, I'm positive that "Noah" would have been a serious contender. And, yes, everyone would have thought that I named my kid after Joakim Noah, even though it's just a great name (and a huge -- huuuuge -- coincidence).

But at least "Noah" is a real first name. "Tressel," while an homage, is not a first name; it's a parental indulgence. I try to be "live and let live" when it comes to parents' fandom -- including baby names -- but that seems a bit much of a tribute.

There is an incredibly wide range of names out there for kids. This one seems like it was inflicted, rather than given. I'm not sure how I feel about the athlete tribute. After all, how do you think the guy in Buffalo named "Orenthal James" has felt the last 10 years?

Baby names should be important to the parents -- Gabe is named for his maternal grandmother, whose name started with a "G" -- and I'm not disputing that sports names can be significant enough to a parent to qualify. But this is a tough one.

What happens when the kid wants to upgrade for college and go to Michigan over Ohio State? (Actually, that would be a pretty good gimmick for admission to Michigan: "Help!") But, somehow, I think his parents won't let him even THINK about applying to Michigan.

I guess the good news is that as long as he wants to stay in Columbus the rest of his life, drinks are on the house.

More Swag For My Kid

The only question is: How can I NOT buy this for my kid (along with my wife, my in-laws, myself...)

Want to buy this for yourself? (Or the rival shirt featuring the 1992 Duke lineup?)

Click here.

True Fan Confessions?

Based on the new site True Mom Confessions, I think I might need to launch "True Fan Confessions."

(h/t Eat the Press' Rachel Sklar)

So Much for Tiger:New Parent Curse?

Yikes: Is there a New Parent Curse?

My entire logic behind picking Tiger Woods to win the Masters was that his pending parenthood would inspire him to victory.

Instead, it's totally reasonable to suggest that pending parenthood was perhaps the smidgen of distraction that caused him to JUST miss out.

And consider this: Recent add to Varsity Dad Gilbert Arenas will miss the rest of the season after a knee injury last week.

(If there is good news, it's that he'll get more time to spend with his new baby boy, "Triple-A.")

Carmelo Anthony, you've been alerted!

Name Tiger's Baby?

That's the premise of a clever piece of content by USAToday.com. Here's the link. I'm going with "Earl," for his father, but the popular nickname "Cub."

Masters Preview: Tiger or the Field?

The annual Masters question is "Tiger or the Field?" and I reliably take "The Field" (no offense to Tiger).

This year, though, I'm picking Tiger -- if for no other reason than his pending fatherhood as inspiration for crushing the field.

As I've mentioned before, Tiger's new-parent status is sizing up as the Varsity Dad event of the year.

(Speaking of new-parent status, belated congratulations to the Washington Post Sports Bog's Dan Steinberg on the birth of his girl.)

NCAA Tournament Results:Son Crushes Dad

Amazingly, Gabe finished in 18th place -- out of more than 1,200 -- in my Daily Quickie Readers pool of ESPN.com's Tournament Challenge. I was hundreds of places behind. (Gabe's mom was the real star: Not only was she responsible for "guiding" Gabe's wildly successful picks, but she won her own pool, too.)

Combine that with Gabe's in utero performance a year ago (tied for 30th out of more than 10,000 -- yes, ten-THOUSAND -- entries), and he obviously has some serious NCAA Tournament bracket-picking mojo. As far as fan skills go, that's not a bad one to have.

NCAA Tournament Title Game Madness

The nuclear family bracket pool is a rout:

10-month-old son: In 49th place out of more than 1,200 entries in my "Daily Quickie Readers" Tournament Challenge office pool. That's the 96th percentile. And he predicted Florida over Ohio State in the title.

(That's on top of Gabe's in utero performance a year ago, when he finished in 30th place overall out of more than 10,000 -- yes, that's ten THOUSAND -- entries.)

34-year-old dad: The quote-unquote "expert" is in the 68th percentile, hundreds and hundreds of spots behind.

So: Who's the real expert in the family? (Trick question. The correct answer is: Mom, who picked Gabe's brackets both last year and this year and is a Florida victory away from winning her girlfriends' pool.)

Anyone else getting absolutely obliterated in their brackets by their young children (and spouses)?

"Baby Madness?"

OK, this is too much, even by my standards. (Besides, Gabe has already committed to play for Billy Donovan, so there's not much reason to showcase his "dunk" skills.)

(h/t Deadspin)

Gilbert Arenas Joins Varsity Dads

Agent Zero has his first boy, who he has already nicknamed "Triple-A":

Alijah Amani Arenas.

"Alijah Arenas" is an awesome name.

Here's Gil's complete report, from his latest blog entry:

"I was talking a little trash to him already. I told him hopefully he darkens up a little bit, because he was a little light in the skin. Then I told him he needs to watch the movie 300, because he needs to be a Spartan type of man. I gave him the name Triple-A: Alijah Amani Arenas. We’re trying to get him sponsored by AAA now and get his diapers paid for."

Man, I knew I missed out with "Gabe." (I have GOT to start working on that sponsorship!)

I know it's your second kid, Agent Zero, but welcome to the Varsity Dad club.

-- D.S.

Is Your Kid the Next Kevin Durant?

I'm always trying to tie Varsity Dad posts to the latest sports news, and Texas phenom Kevin Durant's early exit from the NCAA Tournament lends itself to an interesting proposition:

If he decides to turn pro, he will be one of the Top 2 picks of the upcoming NBA Draft. It's a lock. Given his status, he'd be crazy NOT to go pro.

(Of course, Florida's three star players -- coming off a national title -- were all expected to be high NBA draft picks, too. Joakim Noah would have been number 1 overall. But all three decided to return to school to defend their title. But it's not like Durant has a similar incentive; what's he going to defend: His team's single NCAA Tournament win?)

Anyway, here's the question: If your kid showed a professional-level aptitude in something like engineering or finance or journalism and they had the opportunity to leave college early and make a TON of money -- and in industries where the value of the actual degree is dubious -- would you support them?

After all: Can't they always go back and get their degree later on? What, precisely, is the value of a college degree when one substantial end-goal of college -- getting a job and building a career -- doesn't necessarily require one, particularly in the cases of extreme talent?

-- D.S.

How a Future Fan Grows Up Confused

It's a good thing that I got on board early with my wife's Florida fandom. Gabe will have no such horrifying confusion about his allegiances like this poor kid. (via Deadspin)

NCAA Tournament Picks?

Last year, while my wife was 7 months pregnant, she entered a bracket on behalf of the kid in my 10,000-entry ESPN.com pool I was running through my column.

On the strength of picking Florida all the way (naturally), Gabe's entry came in 30th out of 10,000. Not bad at all. (I think I ended up ranked in the 5000's...)

So: Do you go through NCAA bracket-picking with your kids? Any funny stories or techniques to share? Do any of your kids end up with crazy, eerie success rates or upsets picked?

By the way, feel free to enter this year's edition of my pool. Just go to ESPN.com's Tournament Challenge and find the group name "Daily Quickie Readers."

Tom Brady: Varsity Dad Poster Guy?

I had thought that pending new daddy Tiger Woods was going to be Varsity Dad's lead Poster Dad, but he's getting competition from Tom Brady. Serious competition.

You know about Brady getting ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynihan pregnant before they broke up late last year. Now comes news that his current girlfriend Gisele Bundschen is pregnant, too!

Brady: From All-Pro to All-Preg.

So who should be Varsity Dad's Poster Dad: Tiger? Tom (2x)? Carmelo? Gilbert Arenas (any day now!)

AK-47 Adds Another; Melo's La-La Births Wah-Wah

I don't mean to turn this blog into "Athlete Celebrity Baby," but it's springtime and the NBA is full of new Varsity Dad material.

Kirilenko's baby came Tuesday; Carmelo's baby came Wednesday

Melo's baby's name is Kiyan. I like how it has the same phoenetics as the first syllable of his dad's name. (However, I don't expect to see it in the Social Security baby-name database Top 1000.)

AOL's NBA Fanhouse has a post that sums it up. Here's the link.

Carmelo About to Join Varsity Dads

How excited is Carmelo Anthony about the any-minute-now birth of his baby boy? He dropped 21 points on the Hornets in a Nuggets win.

Hmm: How was I spending the final hours before Gabe's birth? There was this, the Friday before. (OK: The link to my final Quickie column before he was born -- the actual day before -- seems to not be working. This happens from time to time, usually with the few old columns I'm specifically trying to get to.)

I actually wrote one of my favorite Lead Items ever that day. Here it is:

Two Words for You: D'Oh. Canada.

What kind of moronic fans boo any national anthem, let alone the wonderfully benign anthem of our wonderfully benign neighbors to the North?

Apparently, Sharks fans do.

It's not just disrespectful; it makes all sports fans in the U.S. look bad. (Hey, Canadians: The rest of us love you! Please continue to bring us fantastic indie rock music, Don Cherry and cheap prescription meds!)

San Jose fans inspired me with their ridiculous jeering (almost as much as they inspired the visiting Oilers).

Sing along to the tune of "O! Canada!" with these updated lyrics below:

"Boo Canada!"

Boo Canada!
So hated by Sharks fans!
But it's no patriot love...
...to rip another's land!

Fans show no heart...
...But they get a rise
From Oilers vi-si-ting!

But an act so snide,
Shark fans are so dumb:
It's only motivating!

God keep our ice...
...Jingoism-free!

Boo Canada?
It backfires miserably...

Boo San Jose!
Your team's now down 2-3!

So: Did YOU spend the final days/hours before your kids' births immersed in anything memorably sports-related?

-- D.S.

Bedtime Reading: Baseball Prospectus 2007

An email from reader "Lew":

"I saw on DanShanoff.com that you had mentioned getting Baseball Prospectus 2007, well in 2004 I did my summer internship at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in their library. Myself and one of the other interns once talked about how cool it would be when we have kids that instead of reading them bed time stories we could read them baseball statistics from Total Baseball. Just curious, what is the varsity dad's take on putting lil ones to sleep with stats."

Great question! I regularly read Gabe from the sports section on the weekends. His patience for it is measured in seconds, not minutes. But the idea to use baseball stats analysis as bedtime reading is an awesome one. I presume it's like other bedtime reading: It's all in the tone, not the content. Of course, you're on hook when your kid asks, "Daddy/Mommy, what's Win Shares?"

Keep the questions coming! I want them to become a regular feature on the site.

-- D.S.

Championship Week Rooting Interest

As if it wasn't enough to root for George Mason in their unlikely conference-tournament run to try to get back to the NCAA Tournament, I find myself rooting for them because they have a key player named "Gabe Norwood," and I find myself naturally rooting for anyone named "Gabe." (And he's clutch, too, which helps.)

Is that wrong, to create a rooting interest based on similar first name? (I mean, it's not like I feel compelled to root for athletes named "Dan" or "Daniel." But with Gabe, it just feels appropriate to root for him.

(For the record, I'm a fan of Gabe Kapler, who retired this offseason from the Red Sox. No, we didn't name our son Gabe after Kapler; however, if our Gabe wants to be the rare Jewish MLB player like the other Gabe, I'm not complaining.)

Gilbert Arenas: Official Varsity Dad?

When I got over the shock of seeing Gilbert Arenas thank me in his blog for giving him an NBA blog award, I noticed that he announced he's having a baby boy in the next few weeks. Congrats, Agent Zero! (This might be a good time to note I have dubbed Gabe "Agent 0.8" Shots of him in the homemade T-shirt coming soon.)

I officially extend an invitation to Gilbert to join the Varsity Dad community. (Not that it's officially launched yet or anything, but check out the quantity/quality of fun posts below that I've already prepared in anticipation of the very publicized launch! Soon, I promise! You are absolutely welcome to Comment now as part of the "soft" launch.)

What's Your Favorite Baseball Card Ever?

$2.35 million for a 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card. It begs the question: Is there a particular sports trading card (baseball or otherwise) that is particularly special to you? Do you own a copy? Did you get into trading cards as a kid? Is that something you'd encourage your own future sports fan to get into?

What is the Formative Fan Age(s)?

I'm working on a Nats preview for Deadspin's MLB Season Preview coverage. You can read the full story on Deadspin later this month, but suffice to say, I became a Nats fan when Deadspin editor Will Leitch asked me if I would write the preview.

Because, as of three weeks ago, I didn't have a favorite baseball team.

At age 34, I have adopted the Nats -- quite simply due to serendipity of Deadspin's editorial needs -- and I will root for them as passionately as if I had been all my life. (Amazingly, the same thing happened during NFL season, when a Deadspin season-preview assignment led to my fervent fandom of the Jacksonville Jaguars.)

I grew up a huge Cubs fan. Correction: Displaced Cubs fan living in the D.C. suburbs, hoping that the local cable company would one day get WGN. The main influence was my father, who is from Chicago and a lifelong Cubs fan. We went to Orioles games, but only really out of proximity to the nearest MLB game.

Amazingly, when I got to Northwestern for college, rather than embrace finally living in a city of fans who lived and breathed the Cubs like I did, my interest in the team atrophied. Looking back, I wonder if being displaced -- feeling like my fandom was somehow more special -- was at the heart of my Cubs fandom. It's interesting to think about.

Anyway, it's not like I didn't love going to Wrigley for games. And, after graduation, I got an apartment with two close college friends in Wrigleyville, literally three blocks West of Wrigley Field on Addison. It was like being on a TV show. (In fact, I had an eerily similar concept as "My Boys," which debuted on TBS this winter, 10 years ago. Undoubtedly: My bad.)

But I never again felt the same way about the Cubs as I did before I was 18 and got to Chicago. I never really felt that way about any baseball team. Living in New York for a while now, I enjoy it when the Mets are successful. And I am quite certain of my loathing of the Red Sox (and Red Sox Nation), along with the Yankees (and Yankees Nation).

I really enjoy the Cubs' successes -- more accurately, I could never see myself rooting against them -- but I don't want to insult true Cubs fans by claiming that I'm a "real" fan.

Which brings me back to my original point: At what point does fandom kick in? I'm not talking about a parent pushing team merchandise on an infant (cough!). I'm talking about a kid making the active decision to root for a team.

I presume that Gabe is years away, so I'm looking for input from those of you with older kids. Does it happen at 5? 6? 7? Older? As a litmus test: When was your own earliest sports memory? And when was your first memory about a favorite team? I was born in 1973, and I can't remember much before 1983. So is 10 years old the marker?

(And yet, I see kids much younger than 10 at the stadiums or arenas. So maybe I was a late-bloomer.)

But what I'm trying to reconcile is that even if your kid is a fan of the team, it's no guarantee that the fandom will be a lifelong commitment. There's no way that my father -- or me, myself -- could have ever predicted that the 13-year-old who wouldn't go anywhere without his beloved Cubs hat and who would call the local cable company begging for them to get WGN would -- 20 years later, or even 10 years later -- lose the passion.

-- Dan Shanoff

The End of an Era

I turn 34 today, which means that I enter the final year of my relevancy as a consumer in the coveted "male 18- to 34-year-old" demographic. But, as this blog represents, I'm even more intrigued about the marketing toward the future fan. I have a feeling that if I ran into a sports-marketer, they would be much more intrigued in my kid's future than mine. Sigh: Over-the-hill and irrelevant at... 34? Happy birthday, indeed!

Germany World Cup 2006 Baby Boom

Here's a great story about the Baby Boom in Germany happening... well... like NOW, 9 months after the World Cup was held there. I have to imagine that there are plenty of babies being born all over the world -- at least from World Cup countries. (via Deadspin)

Andy Reid: Kids Before Football

Eagles coach Andy Reid has always struck me as a bit of a hard character. I can't imagine that he's easy to play for -- I can't imagine he's easy to grow up with as a father.

I'm not suggesting his personal style had some influence on his two sons' recent troubles with the law -- they obviously have serious issues.

But I will be quick to commend him for taking a leave of absence from the team -- at a peak time for evaluating NFL Draft talent -- to help his sons with their obvious problems.

Despite how it might feel during football season -- particularly if you are managing a fantasy team -- the NFL isn't the end of the world. The Reid's family problems, however, must feel like it.

-- D.S.

What's In a Name?

I posted this over at my DanShanoff.com blog, but I realized it was much more relevant over here. Here's a re-post:

I'm as entertained by the Scott Wiese story as everyone else: He was the Bears fan who was so convinced that his team would win the Super Bowl that he vowed he would legally change his name to "Peyton Manning" if the Bears lost. Now he's a national sensation. A performance artist couldn't have pulled it off any more effectively.

Here's the question/topic for discussion: I'm not going to ask if there's an athlete you'd change your entire legal name for, but do you have a favorite athlete who you would consider naming your kid after? (For the sake of argument, let's say your partner defers to your decision.) Or, more interestingly, have you done that for real?

This came up briefly during the old ESPN.com chats I hosted when my wife was pregnant, because among the chat audience, the top contender for what the kid's name would be was "Noah," after Joakim. (No, not "Joakim" itself. Thought that WOULD be kind of badass. Joakim Shanoff? Um... maybe not.)

-- D.S.

PS: We ended up going with "Gabe." Not for any particular athlete (he was named for my wife's maternal grandmother), but if you're going to associate him with the most notable athlete named Gabe -- Gabe Kapler -- I won't complain. Jewish MLB player? I'll take it!

"My First Super Bowl": A Guide

There are a lot of "first" sports moments for Gabe in this first year -- whether he understands them or not.

There was the BCS title game a few weeks ago (particularly relevant for his Florida fan-ness... not that we let him stay up for the 8:45 kickoff), and -- of course -- there's his first Super Bowl today.

With that 6 p.m. Super Bowl start time, he'll get at least 90 minutes of playtime in the living room while the adults hang out eating, drinking, TV-viewing and ad-commenting.

(Note: I'm not big on him watching the TV directly, but I love the idea of him being in the SB-watching party environment.)

A few etiquette tips Gabe (or any kid partaking) needs to be taught:

(1) Talk is fine during the actual game, but everyone is expected to pipe down for the ads. I look forward to explaining to Gabe the seeming contradiction of talking during the action and get quiet for the marketing. (The era of DVR and TiVo has made this less of an issue, because you can always do a fast-rewind if you miss something.)

(2) Eat all you want, but don't (a) kill the chip bowl and or drink cooler without refilling it or offering to get people a new drink or (b) forget to bring something to the party -- it can be something you want to eat, but make sure that it's not something ONLY you want to eat.

(3) Buy at least one "square" in the Super Bowl pool on behalf of each of your kids. It'll give them something to get excited about, especially if they are too young to follow the game. Buying one for you or your spouse is optional.

(4) Help your kid find a rooting interest. Even if neither team in the game is their usual favorite team. I mentioned Gabe's below (residual Florida allegiance, family legacy of Bears fandom). It could be a favorite player, the more favorite city, the more favorite uniforms (or, "What's Happening"-style, more favorite helmet designs). If the kid is really young, it could simply be the team name they can pronounce most easily. (For Gabe, this was a push, between the "Beh" sound of "Bears" and "Kuh" sound of "Colts." Both got similar reactions.)

This year, for the first time, I'm looking forward (or not) to the implications that Gabe has to go to bed sometime during the 2nd quarter. Fortunately, we're having the SB-watching party at our apartment, so I won't miss much of the game, but what happens when it's a "road game" and we have to leave a party mid-game? I suppose that's what portable car-seats are for -- just stick him in a spare bedroom and stick around until the game is over. Or is that irresponsible?

Let me know how you helped your kids participate in the game-watching. Do you have any particular rules or traditions? Enjoy the game!

-- D.S.

Welcome to DanShanoff.com Readers!

If you're seeing this post, you probably found the hint of a sneak-preview of this new blog project buried in a post over at danshanoff.com. (Nicely done in finding it!)

There's not much here yet, but I'm writing new posts everyday, so I figured that DS.com readers, of anyone, should get the chance to see the posts fresh(-ish), rather than as part of a backlog of archived posts when I launch it next week officially.

No matter: Welcome! This blog is inspired by last year's arrival of my first kid and is dedicated to tracking the ups, downs, friction and folly of raising a sports fan. (Nine months old? Yeah, I'm starting early on him. But really, until he has develops some sort of "fan cognition" -- which probably won't be too long, given last weekend's development -- it'll be about figuring out what "raising a fan" even means.)

This blog is a work-in-progress -- and it will be for at least a little while. Feel free to email me any feedback at the email address to the right. I'll have an "official" "launch" next week, time/date still TBD. But this should be fun, and any of you who find it interesting or intriguing couldn't be more welcome.
-- D.S.

Super Bowl XLI Rooting Interest:The First Glimmer of NFL Fandom

It's Gabe's first Super Bowl. His NFL fan affiliation is still undefined, so he gets a nice chance to simply pick one of two options: Colts or Bears.

There are a couple of factors that are going into the decision-making mix:

(A) His existing fan allegiances. Gabe's Florida Gators fandom has two significant implications: (1) He has an interest in rooting for Rex Grossman. (2) He has an interest in rooting against Peyton Manning.

(B) His family birthright. Gabe's paternal grandfather's family is huge Chicagoan. I have to imagine that "Grandpa" -- a Bears fan -- would like to see his only grandson get behind the Bears.

(C) His father's complicated history. (With the Bears, specifically.) Mostly from my dad's influence, I grew up a huge Bears fan. Settle in for some backstory:

I was 12 -- arguably the most formative year for any fan -- for the Bears' 1985 season.

More than that, I grew up a Bears fan in Washington, D.C. I can't stress enough the effect of displaced fandom on a kid in heightening interest.

(What makes that so interesting is that when I finally got to Chicago full-time, for college, and I was finally surrounded by "my people," my love for the team eroded. Ultimately, I stopped liking the NFL altogether, but that was a function of working for the NFL and another story altogether.)

I never regained the die-hard love of the Bears that I had as a kid. But I have always maintained a sympathy (even this season, when I adopted the Jaguars -- thanks, Deadspin!). It's interesting: While I lost my passion for rooting FOR the Bears, I could never imagine rooting AGAINST them.

And so even though I picked the Colts to win the Super Bowl in my preseason picks (over the Bears, I have to add), I will be rooting for the Bears on Sunday -- a residual feeling from my fandom as a kid.

Only 9 months old, Gabe has no real choice in the matter, but I think that given the factors above, he'll be rooting for the Bears, too. At least, that's the direction we'll be pushing him.

And, for the first time, I'm wondering what NFL team he'll be a fan of when he finally has the cognitive ability to make a choice. Will it be the Bears? Is it possible that his experience this weekend will leave some sort of subconscious imprint on him?

-- D.S.

P.S.: I'm in Chicago this week for work, and I was going to pick up a Rex Grossman jersey for Gabe to wear. But they're $40! That's ridiculous. So I'm going to Photoshop an image I'll iron on to a blank white onesie: "Future Sex Cannon." A better homage to Grossman, I cannot imagine.

Dad-to-Be Tiger Off to Good Start

Tiger Woods and I are regularly in the same place in life. Well, not really: He's winning his 7th PGA Tour event in a row, and I'm launching a new parenting blog.

But he and Elin got married the same weekend as me and my wife in 2004. And his 2007 will be defined much like mine was in 2006: Getting axed from a sweet gig as a popular sports columnist Becoming a dad.

Some critics wondered if Elin's pregnancy would erode his focus. Those of us who are new parents know otherwise: I wish I put Gabe's college fund down on Tiger's win last weekend -- and dominance all season. The man is obviously inspired by pending parenthood.

Tiger's dad-ness -- I've already reserved him a spot on the Varsity Dad Wall of Fame -- is going to be one of this blog's big obsessions of 2007. By the time Tiger Junior shows up (and let's hope that's not the name), hopefully Woods will be a regular Commenter on this blog.

Here's an early tip for Papa Tiger: Outfitting the kid in Stanford gear is cool enough. But how about making sure he finds at least one rooting interest on the Tour besides his dad? Let the Oedipal issues start early!

-- D.S.

Does This Mean He's Eligiblefor an Endorsement Deal?

So I'm not quite sure what to think of this:

I happened to catch the beginning of the Senior Bowl yesterday afternoon. I was sitting there with Gabe, my 9-month-old son, on my lap.

At the first commercial break, an extended version of that Under Armour "Click-Clack" ad comes on. The gist of the ad is a bunch of NFL players doing some training drills and repeating the mantra, "Click-clack."

It's a catchy enough ad. And so I'm mimicking the sound from the TV as the ad rolls along. Then, when the ad finishes, I turn to Gabe and I say, "Click-clack, Gabe!"

And he looks straight at me and says, just about as clearly as he's ever enunciated anything in his short life: "Click-clack."

Now, here's the dilemma: I believe that this was Gabe's first words. Not "Da-da." Not "ba-ba." ("Bottle") Not "Ma-ma."

"Click-clack."

(I suppose it could have been worse and his first words could have been: "We must protect this house!")

Still... his first words: An advertiser marketing message? Should I be excited or depressed about this development?

-- D.S.

(This post was also published at my DanShanoff blog.)

Welcome to Varsity Dad

I looked at the first sonogram of my wife's belly and, through the joy, the thought hit me:

My kid ain't gonna be LeBron James.

I'm all for parenting that encourages kids to believe they can be anything they want to be. But as a one-time professional sports critic, I know better. Lawyer, physicist, chef – even sportswriter? Why not?

Pro athlete? Not a chance.

Parents' aspirations for their child's sports-stardom might be sincere. Hey: If you want to push your kid to be some kind of sports star, that's your prerogative. The reality of that, however, is a complete myth. Beyond the sheer (im)probabilities, let alone the opportunity cost of what you deny your kid to accomplish their/your dream, it strikes me as not particularly fun for anyone.

And as I set out to parent my kid, I've only got one goal as it relates to sports:

To raise an all-star fan.

Unlike actual sports participation, being a fan is totally masterable. The expectations that society has of a sports fan couldn't be lower. There's a high social value to being a fan – it's one of the most basic and powerful forms of currency. And, finally, there are no anxieties (or disappointments) about making the varsity, getting drafted or becoming an All-Star.

The idea to define what makes a great sports fan in a blog crystallized when I wrote a column in the spring of 2006 for ESPN.com, explaining why I was rooting against sports' ultimate Cinderella - George Mason in college basketball's March Madness championship tournament.

My loyalty was to Florida's Gators, the Cinderella's opponent; it was an allegiance I had married into. In exploring the strange circumstances of how I had adopted a passionate fan allegiance -- (1) so late in life, and (2) through my wife, no less -- I expanded the analysis to something more universal: Redefining the rules of fandom to embrace – not reject – the logistical and emotional realities of what had previously been constructed as a pejorative: "Fair-weather" fandom.

I laid out five windows of opportunity in ANY fan's life when they might jump, swap, drop, embrace or reject previous allegiances, without fear of being labeled "bandwagon" by other fans.

Of the nearly 1,000 columns I filed for ESPN.com over the past six years, no column ever triggered a response as emotional as this one.

Fans wrote in to joyfully thank me for finally releasing them from a self-imposed exile or for legitimizing their previously criticized sports loyalties. Others emailed to curse me as undercutting fandom or, worse, corrupting the next generation of fans.

The response fascinated me. When it comes to creating, developing and honing sports "fan-ness," everyone has an opinion. But could I really define some sort of fan ideal? Could I lay out rules or theories or a game plan to reach the highest level of fandom?

New fatherhood – plotting the lessons I would teach my own kid about being a sports fan – offered me the opportunity to re-examine the rules, roles, assumptions and choices at the heart of fandom.

Given an undefined personality -- a blank slate – what kind of fan will I encourage my child to be?

As a result, I began to develop a re-interpretation of what makes the "ultimate fan": A fan philosophy I would feel good about imparting to my own kid, yet flexible enough for any fan – parent or not – to adapt for their own life – or at least contemplate.

And so with the backdrop of plotting out my own kid's fan development, this blog will lay out my foundation of raising a great sports fan, drawing on stories in the news, first-hand experiences, other bloggers' commentary and the "Aha!" moments that come from re-examining my own assumptions about being a fan, simply from the combination of the process of following sports on an obsessive basis and the uncharted path of fatherhood and how those lessons might affect my kid's experience or future as a fan.

In this way, the appeal of the blog is far broader than simply for sports fans with kids or sports fans with kids on the way. The blog will be for any fan interested in a self-proclaimed "expert" take on a constantly evolving definition of being a "great fan." (But just know going in: It's about raising a sports fan.)

This blog will cover all sorts of topics and subjects I think are important to raising an all-star sports fan: Archetypes, Allegiances, Appreciation, Participation, Behavior, Appearances, Competitiveness, Consumption, Community, Individualism, the Future of Fandom and more. (I'll explain more about what those topic headings mean to me as the blog progresses.)

I think there's an authenticity to the blog subject that elevates it beyond my personal argument about what makes "great" or "lame" fans:

As a template for how I'll raise my OWN kid as a fan, the values – the stakes – emerge as implicitly real and relatable. What's on the line: My own kid's fandom, and my own sense of fan self in being the main person to influence that.

(And, reading this over, it is here my wife slaps me in the head and demands to know why her influence isn't reflected or represented, especially considering the kid, at 8 months, already owns more Florida Gators-themed crap than anyone rightfully should... a direct result of his mother's influence and quite possibly the only fan allegiance he will truly have no say over. This, of course, has massive implications for the future, and the inevitability of this blog getting to that is as guaranteed as my son's future need for "fan therapy" because of the impact of his mother on his life. Hey, when can ANY kind of therapy – sports or otherwise -- not be essentially reduced to mom issues?)

There is a challenge embedded in all of this, which makes laying it out in real-time, through this blog, so appealing: On my other, original Dan Shanoff blog (http://danshanoff.blogspot.com), one of the things that makes it so much fun to write (and, hopefully, to read) is the participation of readers through the Comment area below each post.

Because what I'm writing isn't necessarily right. It may be wildly wrong: I could turn into the equivalent of Todd Marinovich's father, creating a "Robo-Fan" who leads a thoroughly joyless life (though perhaps not ultimately ending up as some drugged-out freak, like Papa Marinovich's poor son). Worse, my son-as-fan could end up a misinformed blowhard, writing a sports column for some online sports site.

And so I welcome and look forward to reading your reactions to what I write here. I welcome the challenges to my "How-to-Raise-a-Fan" belief system. My defense might make it stronger; my tacking to new models, thanks to your opinions, will make it stronger, too.

As a final thought, I have no illusions about my kid making millions as a pro athlete to financially support me when I'm old and he has grown up.

But he just might care enough about sports to give me a call after the big game to share the moment – or even gloat over how I called it wrong. Could anything be more rewarding between parent and child than that?

-- Dan

Advertise with Varsity Dad

Advertising on Varsity Dad can help you reach an active, engaged group of readers -- mostly parents -- who love sports and love their kids. Not necessarily in that order. (Check that: *Hopefully* not in that order.) And if they're anything like me, they shock themselves at the inordinate amount of money the spend on those kids -- but still don't hesitate to do it.

Contact me at varsitydad-at-gmail-dot-com to talk about ways to communicate your message and to become part of the community. I am actively creating partnerships with companies for title sponsorship, banner and text ads, sponsored posts, reader contests, product reviews and more.

(OK, why is this technically the first post? I didn't want to sit this post on top of the "Welcome" post, but I wanted it to be an active post for the blog's launch.)

Welcome to Varsity Dad: First Post

I'm thrilled to announce the launch of Varsity Dad, a new blog dedicated to the intersection of parenting and sports. If you're checking in from my other blog, welcome!

But this blog won't cover your typical "How do I raise my kid to be a star athlete" bunk, which I argue is, at best, a myth and, at worst, a delusion.

Varsity Dad is all about the underrated (but infinitely more fun) process of raising our kids to be great athletes SPORTS FANS.

Coming shortly: A more detailed explanation of the blog, its back-story and its future. I hope you'll enjoy it, interact with it and pass it along to people who might like it.

-- Dan Shanoff