Posted on 10/06/2024 7:06:02 PM PDT by Libloather
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh sparked controversy during the team's NFL game against the Minnesota Vikings in London on Sunday.
The 45-year-old was spotted on the sidelines at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium wearing a Lebanese flag below the Nike logo on the sleeve of his team hoodie.
The night before Sunday's game - the first of the NFL's international fixtures this season - Israeli bombing continued on Beirut, the Lebanese capital, amid the Israel-Hezbollah war.
The Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut was hit by more than 30 strikes overnight, which were heard across the city, with smoke still seen billowing from the site after dawn, Lebanon's official National News Agency said.
Saleh, who is of Lebanese heritage, previously wore a similar patch last October but his decision to bear the flag Sunday raised eyebrows as the anniversary of the beginning of the war in Gaza approaches.
Saleh's clothing in the wake of the attacks left NFL fans divided on social media with many furious, while others defended his right to express pride in his heritage.
'Robert saleh p***ing off a lot of the Jew York community with the Lebanon flag on his top no doubt,' one social media user shared to X, formerly known as Twitter.
'What a t**d that guy is,' another added, while a third wrote: 'I hope they leave Hezbollah Sally in London when the Jets come back to New York.'
The Jets suffered humiliation at the hands of the Vikings throughout the first half of Sunday's game, risking a blowout defeat until a last-gasp touchdown on the brink of halftime.
And some social media users claimed that Saleh's political stance would not help his job security.
'Bigger issue is the Lebanese flag on saleh’s sleeve,' one fan said, replying to another post criticizing the Jets'...
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Yep. Rabid NFL fan for more than 50 years. No more.
Not rabid but casual for many a year. Watched occasional games and the SB. The past few years I’ve watched nothing NFL along with pretty much everything else too. I thought maybe the SB but surprisingly even that isn’t must see anymore. Once you get into the habit of not watching other things displace it all.
My daughter in law, who is a wonderful person, is, like many Lebanese, a Maronite Christian. She says it is code that someone is Christian, rather than muslim, by their given name. Christians are often given saint’s names, often french, as opposed to Arabic names, even though their family name is Arabic. Of course, that doesn’t mean they don’t agree with the terrorists; that degradation is possible despite one’s upbringing. I know nothing about this coach; is he wearing a Lebanese flag as pride in his heritage, as, for example, someone with Irish heritage might, or as a sign he supports Hezbollah? I don’t know.
Lebanon was once a prosperous, peaceful country which was approximately half Muslim and half Christian. The people once lived in relative harmony. Robert Saleh is a Muslim who’s parents immigrated to Michigan where he was born and raised. His first name “Robert” is actually a Christian name of French origin. It underscores that not that long ago many Christians and Muslims in Lebanon got along quite well and many intermarried. Saleh, like most children of immigrants speaks the native language of his parents, in this case Arabic. Like most children of immigrants while culturally American, he has an identification and feelings for the land of his ancestors. Given the suffering and displacement now occurring in Lebanon affecting many innocent people perhaps including some of his relatives, it is not surprising that he would be emotionally affected and saw fit to wear a Leabonese flag. IMHO he is not a very good head football coach but he should not be cancelled for wearing this flag. Apparently he did not wear it on the sidelines nor has he made any political speeches to the fans or his team.
Nyungwe Forest Lodge
Yes, but he isn’t one of them. I know his nephew. Another fun fact, the nephew said he had relatives die on Oct 7 and they were from Gaza. The only ones from Gaza killed on Oct 7 were the terrorists. So, this guy is related to those that slaughtered babies.
A 4 hour commercial
Unneeded divisiveness. Taking a knee is finally in the rear view mirror, now this. and from one of the coaches?
There are a lot of Lebanese who want to take Lebanon back from Hezbollah. I wouldn’t necessarily prejudge him based on this alone. He wasn’t wearing a Hezbollah flag.
He’s Muslim..
It’s been going on for a number of years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_International_Series#London_Games
The NFL has been playing in London for over a decade, the main reason they play multiple games in London is the games are huge money makers for the league, the games sellout and have huge TV ratings plus it opens up a European market for NFL TV viewership
The NFL also plays games in Germany and this year played one in Brazil, in the past they’ve also played games in Mexico
Tagliabue was NFL Commissioner until 2006 , the NFL started playing in London in 2007 meaning it was under Tagliabue the game was scheduled, planned for and the owners approved it under him
Danny Thomas was Lebanese!
So was Casey Kasem, although he was born in Detroit.
“Oh crap - I was supposed to display the Lesbian flag!!??”
There was an NFL development league in Europe for a while..’bout 25 years ago. It was part of an endeavour to form an International World football league I think they were trying to drum up interest in EUROPE. It did not materialize...so it was disbanded for Europe at least.
Teams were like the Rhein Fire, Berlin Thunder, Frankfort Galaxy, Scottish Claymores. Amsterdam Admirals. Barcelona Dragons, London Monarchs...
Amazing how much football occupies the minds and lives of American males. Couldn’t displace futbol(soccer) in Europe.
100%
Casey Kasem had Lebanese Druze parents. Danny Thomas was Maronite Catholic.
Supposedly Saleh is Muslim...
is he Jihadi, Sufi, Sunni, Shiite? Did he think that wearing the flag was gonna stop Hezbollah from shooting rockets into Israel or was he mourning the loss of an ex-cosmopolitan nation? Unless he has very strong opinions on the current war it was probably not a good idea to even involve himself. His teams aren’t doing very well....so he’s probably gone after this year.
And they hate Hezbollah more than anyone - and with good reason.
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