Is there a double standard for Mike Vrabel, Dianna Russini?
The NFL's biggest story of the week has sparked plenty of debates and discussions, for those in the media who have bothered to mention it. Here's one question that has emerged, given that the New York Times has now essentially suspended Dianna Russini in the aftermath of the publication by the New York Post of photos including Russini and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel: Is there a double standard for the two of them? The obvious answer is yes.
That's because different standards apply to different jobs. The Athletic , which is owned and operated by the Times , presumably has a long list of policies and procedures. One of them possibly covers fraternization with sources.
If so, there's a line that can't be crossed. The photos allow for a reasonable person to conclude that, at a minimum, she may have been getting too close to that line. Then there's the obligation that most companies have to provide accurate and truthful information when internal questions emerge.
If (and obviously no one knows the truth at this point) the Times suspects that anything she said to her employer when first asked about the photos may not have been the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, that creates a separate basis for scrutiny and, potentially, discipline. For Vrabel, there's possibly no policy regarding fraternization with reporters. While his employment contract or the Patriots' internal policies possibly include something that could be characterized as barring a too-cozy relationship with someone covering the team or the league, it's far more common for a news outlet to create clear standards regarding the behavior of a reporter in relation to a source than it is for a sports team to create clear standards regarding the behavior of a coach in relation to a reporter.
There could be other issues for Vrabel, based on the facts. If (and this is only an example, not an accusation) Vrabel was affirmatively using Russini to agitate for an A. J.
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