Michael Strahan Responds to Anthem ‘Controversy’ & Explains What Really …

Michael Strahan is speaking up aft days of backlash.

Earlier this week, we reported connected the bizarre Michael Strahan “controversy” surrounding his information successful a Veteran’s Day tribute for Fox Sports.

It was a small hard to recognize the vitriol that the TV quality anchor and retired jock received.

Unfortunately, Michael has had to straight code the incidental (if 1 tin adjacent telephone it that). He’s handling this with much tact and grace than his detractors needfully deserve.

Michael Strahan talks anterior to the crippled betwixt the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys astatine MetLife Stadium connected September 26, 2024. (Photo Credit: Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

What did Michael Strahan do, exactly?

On Sunday, November 10, Michael Strahan was 1 of the participants of a Fox Sports special.

At Naval Base San Diego, portion of the peculiar included listening to The Star Spangled Banner, the US National Anthem.

While Michael Strahan and his colleagues stood respectfully for the song, Michael Strahan’s hands were positioned astatine his waist, alternatively than posing with 1 manus supra his heart.

We reason our amusement astatine the Naval Base San Diego with the nationalist anthem ???????? pic.twitter.com/lDb2g6oF0f

The video circulated connected Twitter and beyond. Whether invited by outrage-bait grifters oregon for their ain mysterious reasons, a fig of troll comments emerged successful the replies.

Commenters condemned Strahan, accusing him of insulting some the subject and America itself. Some called for Strahan to adjacent beryllium fired for his “disrespectful” and “disgraceful” actions.

Perhaps radical were simply looking for reasons to lash out, and settled connected Strahan. As recent events person made clear, the satellite seems to person gone huffy implicit the past decade. Part of that seems to beryllium an outrage culture wherever radical surviving their lives — oregon lasting solemnly during a opus — are treated arsenic idiosyncratic attacks.

What does Michael Strahan to accidental astir each of this?

With bonzer patience that galore successful his presumption mightiness not exercise, Michael took to Instagram precocious Tuesday nighttime to code fans and critics alike.

Strahan explained that the sum had “spilled over” to specified a grade that helium wanted to sermon it.

As for lasting respectfully with his hands not reenacting a ritual of patriotism, helium was not staging immoderate benignant of protest. Michael explained that helium felt “caught up successful the moment” and did not initially recognize that his manus was retired of place.

Michael Strahan attends Town & Country’s Philanthropy Summit astatine Hearst Tower connected October 29, 2024. (Photo Credit: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Town & Country)

“I person thing to protest, I person nary connection to beryllium made,” Michael emphasized during the video.

“The lone connection that should beryllium made that I privation to marque is I emotion the military. I’ve ever loved the military, and I volition ever emotion the military,” helium noted. He made arsenic overmuch wide successful a Veteran’s Day Instagram station earlier successful the week.

“I bash truthful galore programs to assistance veterans and soldiers,” Strahan added. “I grew up connected a subject basal with a begetter who was a large successful the army. My brother, my sister, my cousins, they each served successful the subject — I’m a subject brat.”

‘I somewhat panic’

“And truthful the information of idiosyncratic saying that, you know, I’m unpatriotic, couldn’t beryllium immoderate further from the truth,” helium affirmed. As it turned out, he’d gotten caught up successful the infinitesimal arsenic the anthem began.

Michael Strahan explained his reasoning successful the moment: “I somewhat panic and I’m like, ‘Do I beryllium the fool that puts his manus implicit his bosom aft oregon bash I conscionable basal present with my manus successful beforehand of maine respectfully?’”

He past acknowledged: “Which, that’s what I did, that’s what happened.” In different words, helium has a precise relatable level of anxiousness and overthinking.