LEONARD GREENE: Unnecessary roughness over Michael Strahan’s national anthem flap

Michael Strahan is probably glad November is over.

For much of the month, the football player-turned-broadcaster was attacked by critics who treated him like an enemy of the state because he didn’t place his hand over his heart during a nationally-televised rendition of the national anthem.

What a crock.

The fallout followed a special Fox Sports broadcast from Naval Base San Diego honoring U.S, soldiers ahead of Veterans Day.

As his post-game partners stood with their hands over their hearts, Strahan held his hands near his waist as a military band played “The Star Spangled Banner.”

With all the controversy that followed, you would think that Strahan had dropped his pants and mooned the flag after setting it on fire.

Hardly.

The Giants legend says he simply got “caught up in the moment” of watching “all these young sailors” who had made the commitment to serving the nation and securing our freedoms.

But Strahan’s attackers did not see it that way, pursuing him with the same intensity he once used to sack quarterbacks.

“What’s wrong with Strahan @NFLonFOX? one user wrote on Twitter. “Blatant disrespect for the men and women he is surrounded by protecting his rights and freedoms.”

Another added: “Strahan couldn’t put his hand over his heart? HAPPY VETERANS DAY TO EVERYONE EXCEPT MICHAEL STRAHAN!! NO CLASS!!”

“’Fire Michael Strahan!” another wrote. “This is unacceptable!’

Strahan, a Hall of Famer, had tough battles on the field. But this was unnecessary roughness.

Strahan, whose father served in the U.S. Army for more than two decades, said he wasn’t protesting anything.

“I have nothing to protest, I have no statement to be made,” Strahan said on Instagram. “The only statement that should be made that I want to make is I love the military, I’ve always loved the military and I will always love the military. I do so many programs to help veterans and soldiers. I grew up on a military base with a father who was a major in the army. My brother, my sister, my cousins, they all served in the military — I’m a military brat.

“And so the fact of somebody saying that, you know, I’m unpatriotic, couldn’t be any further from the truth.”

Strahan made a noble defense of his actions, but I would have been more impressed if he had told his critics to kick rocks.

Why? Because this is America, where songs inspire, flags are symbols and patriotism speaks for itself.

Strahan is no more obligated to cover his heart with his hand during the national anthem than politicians are to wear flag pins in their lapels.

“I decided I won’t wear that pin on my chest,” Barack Obama said in 2007 when he first ran for president.

“Instead, I’m going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great, and hopefully that will be a testament to my patriotism.”

It was a strong statement at the time. It was also short-lived. Obama soon went back to wearing the pin.

If Strahan was guilty of anything it was for losing his head when the contrived controversy got out of hand.

When Strahan was confronted about the anthem by a reporter outside his home, Strahan became the villain, snatching the reporter’s phone and tossing it in a nearby bush.

“Don’t come to my house, man!’ he yelled before grabbing the phone.

Strahan later admitted that he went too far.

“I’m not proud of the way I handled that whole situation,” he said. “You gotta protect your family, and you gotta protect your home, which is what I felt like I needed to do in that moment.”

Even if Strahan had been making a statement during the anthem, he would have been doing it quietly and respectfully.

But this was no Colin Kaepernick moment. It wasn’t even close.