Interesting WaPo article on 49ers DC Robert Saleh's journey from Dearborn Fordson to the Super Bowl
I didn't really know anything about Saleh until I read this, other than he's fun to watch on the sidelines as he gets every bit as pumped as the players. His journey basically goes:
Fordson Class of '97--> tight end at Northern Michigan --> banking analyst at Comerica --> MSU --> CMU --> Georgia --> Texans --> Seahawks --> Jacksonville --> SF
The article goes into some of the football culture at Fordson and how Saleh's dad was a star football players before him, followed by several Saleh brothers. There's also an obvious cultural side to the story as it describes how 9/11 impacted his career path, and now Saleh might very well end up as the NFL's first Muslim head coach, and probably would have been had Cleveland not passed on him --much to the delight of Kyle Shanahan in this other article (LINK).
Best part of that second article was this tidbit on how hard Shanahan worked to get out of Cleveland:
Shanahan is good friends with Saleh, whom he has known since their days in Houston (2006-09). And some of his excitement over Saleh being rejected by the Browns is sure to come from Shanahan’s bitter experience in Cleveland.
After a year as the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2014, Shanahan asked to be released from his contract. Not only asked but gave a 32-point presentation to convince the team to let him go. That’s how bad the Cleveland dysfunction was.
LOL Browns.
Good luck to Saleh. He'll have his hands full trying to slow down Pat Mahomes today.
February 2nd, 2020 at 1:34 PM ^
Fordson High School’s enrollment is more than 90 percent Muslim. In 2011, when Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, fell during the late summer, Fordson held its pre-season football workouts in the middle of the night so the Muslim players could practice without dehydrating. There was also a story about Saleh in the Detroit Free Press. Great story.
February 2nd, 2020 at 3:59 PM ^
Makes 'em sound like a bunch of compassionate geniuses.
Hey, I've got a great idea! Drink some water!
February 2nd, 2020 at 1:55 PM ^
Well, you've made a long journey from Milan to Minsk.
Rochelle, Rochelle!
February 2nd, 2020 at 2:51 PM ^
Saleh seems like a great candidate to replace the defensive “genius” Patricia when he is fired next year.
It makes sense to hire someone who actually helmed a great defense rather than a guy who helped lose a game in which Tom Brady threw for over 500 yards, the Pats did not punt, and still got outscored.
February 2nd, 2020 at 4:11 PM ^
They got lucky the Browns didn't sign him but I wouldn't be surprised if they messed it up next year when Patricia is out.
February 2nd, 2020 at 6:17 PM ^
Played peewee football with Saleh. Wish him the best and that means no Lions or Browns. Don't wish him the best today though, Andy Reid and the Chiefs are due.. my money is on them.
February 2nd, 2020 at 10:13 PM ^
He lost
February 2nd, 2020 at 11:10 PM ^
He gave Mahomes a hell of a game.
February 4th, 2020 at 12:38 AM ^
I played Football and Baseball for Fordson 1997-2001 . Ramadan was in the winter most of those years so my Muslim friends didn’t have to worry as much. Though I will say it’s one of the hardest 30 days they can experience I actually feel horrible eating around them during Ramadan because it’s like torture. The summer is very hard because of how long the days are.
I thought the 49ers D played very good and put them in great position to win. I wanted to see Saleh get a ring. Too bad Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy G lost them the game.
February 10th, 2021 at 7:21 AM ^
Education in other countries is an opportunity to gain cultural and practical convergence. We exchange experience and information and this allows us to create a unique product. I recently read an essay https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/what-is-cultural-convergence/ on this topic and it confirms current trends. I expect global cultural convergence in 2021.