Dianna Russini On Saquon Drama, Leaving ESPN & Athlete-Reporter Relationships

Dianna Russini joins Diggin' Deep!

Dianna opens up about the major career decision she recently made, leaving her long time position at ESPN for The Athletic. In the midst of this huge change, Dianna also had her 2nd child. She talks about the work-life balance of being a mom and one of the top NFL reporters in the country.

One of the athletes Dianna has become close with in recent years is Saquon Barkley, who just went through a dramatic breakup with the New York Giants to join their divisional rivals in Philadelphia. Dianna expands on what it was like interviewing him in his first on-air appearance since the move, and why Saquon trusted her so much to help him tell his side of the story.

Dianna also takes us on a trip down memory lane, from walking onto her college soccer team to climbing the ranks in news to get where she's at in sports.

#DigginDeep #NFL #SaquonBarkley

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Diana Russini joins the show!
01:14 - Reporters vs. Player-Driven Media
04:07 - Confidence to Leave ESPN
07:56 - Work-life balance and supporting your spouse
13:42 - The mechanics of breaking a story first & establishing trust with athletes
20:40 - Then Saquon Barkley-New York Giants breakup
25:10 - Media training for players back in the day
28:10 - Role of Analytics in Football
29:10 - Belichick and Brady in Media
30:30 - Deciding what goes public & addressing Misinformation
34:30 - The fans don't want to know their team is dynfuctional
37:53 - Getting into Sports Journalism
43:52 - Covering the tragic Sandy Hook Shooting
48:11 - Scoop City podcast
51:15 - Advice for Aspiring Reporters
55:35 - Challenging herself
57:20 - Importance of Mentorship