Damon Amendolara appeared on the first episode of Dianna Russini’s new show, The Russini Report. Notably, the Mad Dog Sports Radio host said agreeing to it took no thought at all.
What We Know: The Russini Report debuted Wednesday on BetUS TV. The weekly, one-hour live show streams on BetUS TV’s website. Additionally, Russini will write a regular column for the offshore sportsbook. During the debut, Russini offered no apology or details of her alleged relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Instead, Russini relied on a number of guest interviews and some football thoughts for the first episode. Amendolara reflected on the decision to be the first guest on Russini’s new podcast in comments he provided via his own YouTube channel.
What They Said: (All quotes via Damon Amendolara on YouTube):
Damon Amendolara says he stands by his friends at all times: “She [Dianna Russini] asked me to come on the first episode, and I didn’t bat an eye. Of course. The reason is, if any of my friends asked me to be on their show, I would do it. Especially my friends who have gone through what she has gone through”
Damon Amendolara says the decision to join Dianna Russini’s show was easy: “No matter where you stand on the matter, she [Dianna Russini] went through real stuff. I’m not going to sit here when a friend of mine has gone through real stuff and not be there when they need me or they ask me to. I would do that for any of them. So, this was a very easy thing.”
Damon Amendolara enjoyed brining up the memes of Dianna Russini: “I think we had a great conversation today. I had a lot of fun, and I enjoyed talking about what Dianna’s [Russini] favorite meme was. There’s a lot of them. I do think as insane as it all has been that a dose of self-deprecation always goes a long way.”
Damon Amendolara says Dianna Russini should have the opportunity to return to NFL media: “Mike Vrabel is still the head coach of the New England Patriots. There’s certainly a world where Dianna [Russini] should be rewarded for the sources that trust her. The publications or the platforms that have employed her. The people around the NFL that support her. There should always be an allowance for a pathway back, and I think this is a great pathway and platform for her.”
What Remains Unclear: Still, it’s unclear how widely the NFL world will embrace Russini’s return. She left The Athletic this year after Page Six published photos of her with Mike Vrabel. It also remains to be seen how many guests follow Amendolara’s lead.
What It Means: Ultimately, Amendolara framed his appearance as loyalty to a friend, regardless of where people stand on the controversy. He also noted that Vrabel remains the head coach of the New England Patriots. He added: “There should always be an allowance for a pathway back, and I think this is a great pathway and platform for her.” Consequently, the debut doubled as an early test of that argument.
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