April 17, 2026
NFL Reporter Fired For Celebrating Another Female NFL Reporter’s Resignation
Sports Reporter Crissy Froyd has been fired by USA Today after she put out a mean spirited post on X, celebrating the resignation of fellow reporter Dianna Russini. Russini recently resigned over a growing controversy surrounding cozy photos taken of her and the New England Patriots’ head coach Mike Vrabel at a Sedona resort. Froyd is defending her tweet, saying she regrets zero of what she said and suggested she may become a martyr for women to “be bold, and speak out.”
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey, that folks. It is Friday, April seventeenth, and somebody else has now lost the job and the whole NFL reporter NFL coach photo saga with that. Welcome to this episode of amy, and TJ wrote, somebody lost the job who ain't got nothing to do with nothing? As we say, yes, why is she in the middle of this?
00:00:22
Speaker 2: So another female, another female NFL reporter, got fired for celebrating another NFL female reporters resignation.
00:00:32
Speaker 1: You know what celebrating is the right word? Yes, that, there's no other way to look at that. Right.
00:00:37
Speaker 2: She was giddy and that's frankly mean and she was mean spirited.
00:00:41
Speaker 1: Okay, so you all kept up with this story. You've seen it everywhere by now. Coach Mike Rabel, head coach of the New England Patriots, photographed with Diana Russini, who was a reporter for The Athletic, which is the sports outlet for the New York Times. These two are married, folks. You look at the pictures, you would never think these are people who were just at a friendly outing. They look like again, I'm not going too far there, Rose, please help and look speculate it is what it is.
00:01:08
Speaker 2: Yes, and look as a journalist, and she was a sports journalist. It doesn't matter though any kind of journalists, you are not encouraged and in fact, it is frowned upon to fraternize in any way with subjects you would be covering, because it shows that you might not be credible. It it's not what.
00:01:26
Speaker 3: You're supposed to do. That is a rule, and just about every single newsroom. Yes, you need to sometimes have some sort of an interaction or maybe a lunch or a drink whatever, that's acceptable. But being at a romantic resort on the weekend where photos are circulating, if you holding hands with dancing, hugging a head coach of a team that you regularly cover, that is not.
00:01:53
Speaker 2: Just the idea of that or the look of that is problematic.
00:01:56
Speaker 1: So that brings us to Diana Rossini resigning. So she resigned. An investigation did start, I believe it is on continuing, So she decided to go ahead and resign. Neither Rabel or Russini ever acknowledged Robes that there was anything untoward going on. They said, you all have taken out of context. Anything else is laughable. Fine, but they essentially it is a non denial denial.
00:02:22
Speaker 2: It was a non denial denial.
00:02:24
Speaker 1: So yes, fine, go about your lives, knock yourselves out. But Rossini resigned. After she resigned, there's a reporter that probably most of you never heard of, Chrissy Freud, who covers the NFL.
00:02:35
Speaker 2: For USA Today Sports.
00:02:37
Speaker 1: Okay, so robes. She responds to Russini on X by essentially reposting Russini's letter resignation letter, and she wrote her own comments and these are the ones that led to her getting fired.
00:02:53
Speaker 2: Yes, So below Rassini's resignation letter, we have Chrissy Freud writing, I'm sure you would we're told to submit this or that you'd get fired instead. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. We know who you really are and what you've been up to four years. It does so much detriment to women in sports who have done things the right way.
00:03:15
Speaker 1: Okay take okay, So USA Today as Jose first took issue with that and fired her. Their statement is that they've ended their relationship with this contractor Chrissy Freud, effective immediately. Her recent statements do not reflect our commitment to professionalism or uphold our principles of ethical conduct. So that should have been it, I suppose Robes, but Chrissy Freud has now on one. She is on one online and is not letting this go. And I guess is she rallying support bro.
00:03:51
Speaker 2: She's trying to. In fact, she already posted several things internally that were sent to her, reportedly from USA Today, trying to basically make her case. And her big argument is there was and I actually just read it. It was a well written opinion piece on USA Today, written by again an opinion writer, she is not a journalist, Nancy Armore, and the titleist, Diana Russini put credibility of all women in sports at risk. And she talks about just even the suggestion that women have spent so many, many, many decades, especially in the sports arena, trying to show that they're credible, and that even just the idea or the suggestion that something untoward was going on hurts all female journalists. And so, according to our friend now who just got fired from USA Today, that inspired her or made her feel like she could also offer a comment on her own personal X account, And so she keeps reposting this opinion piece that USA Today published and said, if they will publish this, Why can I not, as a sports report or as an NFL reporter also put on X my personal feeling.
00:05:04
Speaker 1: You want to take this one because.
00:05:08
Speaker 2: Chrissy, you're a journalist, and because Chrissy, what you said wasn't asking a concept or if this does any damage to women in sports or women reporters in sports. No, you just went all mean girl on her and kicked her while she was down, basically saying, yeah, don't let the door hate you on the in the butt like that was just mean, cruel, unnecessary and didn't make a point other than to show who she is, who Chrissy Freud is, and that, yeah.
00:05:37
Speaker 1: We've made clear this was an opinion piece that she's pointing out. Chris was clearly like, you are contract. You are an opinion columnist, was contracted to write an opinion and she did about what happened, and she still was nowhere near as critical or on the offensive and attacking Russini as Freud was.
00:05:57
Speaker 2: Yes, I can actually read a couple of things from the article just to give you an idea of the tone that was taking. She said, it's not fair, but it's the reality. Rossini made it harder for every single woman in sports, regardless of what we cover to do our jobs. By risking her own credibility, she put hours in jeopardy.
00:06:15
Speaker 1: To damn good, that's well said exactly, You're right, Robes, even if nothing is going down, you're still risking the credibility of yourself and everybody else. Robes, that's a very good.
00:06:27
Speaker 2: Point, yes, she said, she said, even if they turn out to be innocent. And she's talking about Rossini and Rabel hugging and socializing at a resort in Arizona casts a cloud of suspicion on the interactions every woman reporter or broadcaster has with athletes, coaches and personnel.
00:06:44
Speaker 1: You know what she did? What a lesson for Chrissy Freud, which we don't know and I'm not condemning and I don't know. I don't know anything about her background, so I'm not going to attack this young lady personally, But what a lesson there to be learned, Robes, that that opinion piece include thought, It can included context, It didn't include emotion, it didn't include attacks. She that calmness. As you're sitting here talking to me, I'm like, oh yeah, oh yeah, like I'm engaged. That's that's a good point, like, yes, that's correct. I want to hear a woman.
00:07:18
Speaker 3: Yes.
00:07:19
Speaker 2: And in the spirit of her writing, she left open the possibility that Rossini and Rabel didn't actually do anything wrong, but just the appearance of it caused the issue that ended up having Rassini resigned. But it was a well thought out and it gave space for we don't know what happened.
00:07:36
Speaker 1: So there we go. Robes, are we supposed to now listen to Chrissy Freud when she says she knows something? Does she have? She hasn't dropped a receipt of any kind? Right, well, we had, Oh wait, where's this thing? We know who you really are and what you've been up to for Yearsbes.
00:07:58
Speaker 3: It's an unsubstantiated what a hack on her? It's vague, so you can't really fight back, but you know what she's implying. And so that's kind of the meanest form of throwing shade at someone because you don't even get specific, but you create all sorts of speculation that's unfair and unfounded.
00:08:18
Speaker 2: And that's the problem.
00:08:19
Speaker 3: She calls herself a journalist, and then it's so interesting because she posts what USA Today wrote to her in an email before they made the decision to fire her, as if this was going to bolster her case. I thought this was an excellent point that she claims she got from USA Today. I tried to call you, but you wouldn't put me through. Chrissy, reaching out to you about the issues being caused by your ex posts surrounding the Rassini situation, which is turned into its own news making cycle which directly ties USA Today to your own independent posts off platform. Much of the Russini conjecture is unbeverified, and your comments are now being linked by name to us to A Today in several articles. As you can imagine, this is a serious issue for the company.
00:09:03
Speaker 2: As we would never publish such things on our platform.
00:09:08
Speaker 1: You're making us look bad and you're still out there. You can't just be popping off at the mouth accusing somebody of something. Because you do, then do have to go back on our air and report for us. And how were we supposed to take anything out of your mouth? Seriously, how is she.
00:09:24
Speaker 2: Surprised that she got fired?
00:09:26
Speaker 1: Ah?
00:09:27
Speaker 2: How is she surprised? This is the first amendment that she can say whatever she wants. She won't be arrested. She's allowed to speak freely, but that does not mean that she can represent an organization that does not believe. And I would say any news organization would not support an employee of theirs saying things that aren't necessarily true or verifiable, and saying it in a really mean spirited way.
00:09:53
Speaker 1: I will stick with I would have left some room robes maybe if they wanted to keep her. Made a mistake in what she said, but this was such a direct, a personal, and unnecessary attack.
00:10:08
Speaker 2: And I agree with all of that.
00:10:10
Speaker 3: And yet we hear from her doubling down and calling herself a martyr.
00:10:14
Speaker 1: She's been talking a lot, questioning whether or not she is a martyr. She's been talking a lot, folks on social media. We're not talking about one or two follow ups. She has been talking a lot. Stay here, we'll tell you what else Chrissy Freud had to say. And while you'll be shocked to how much she is not backing down.
00:10:44
Speaker 2: Welcome back everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ. This has got us talking. We have been talking all morning long. Just when you think a story doesn't have legs, boom, Chrissy Freud walks into the mix. This is or what a NFL reporter for USA today. She has been fired because she decided to comment fairly, viciously and unverifiably on the resignation of Diane Rassini, the woman who worked for the athletic the New York Times Sports Division, who was seen in photographs with the head coach, the New England Patriots coach, Mike Rabel and so she resigns her position. Yes, there have been articles written about what this does for women reporters. There have been all sorts of interesting conversations that have come up because of this kind of scandal. I guess, but Chrissy Freud decided to get in there and get mean and start throwing out all these insinuations, implying lots of really unfortunate, awful things with nothing to back it up, and saying it in just in a really mean way.
00:11:54
Speaker 1: Well, isn't it. She can say what she wants to say, right, of course she.
00:11:57
Speaker 2: Can, But it doesn't mean she can work for USA today.
00:11:59
Speaker 1: That's all. And that's okay as well. This is not a free speech the situation in the least bit and robes she's doubling and tripling and whatever down on what she said without backing it up with anything verifiable, any fact or even a detail of some kind. She hasn't even alleged something wouldn't but she keeps insinuating, didn't I see somewhere? She used the word facts like I'm standing by something. She used the word facts like she we don't know what she's talking about. But Robes this was Why would you? People have all kinds of speculation about why Chrissy Freud would do this, but robes when somebody is that down in that hurt, I don't care what you think they were up to. And if you disagree completely, why is this ever appropriate to to ship on another human being? Because the lowest.
00:12:56
Speaker 2: Because you feel morally superior and that feels good?
00:12:59
Speaker 1: Well with it? Why do you have to do that? Rhobes? You felt that strongly right? Somebody said you you falling on a sword voluntarily in a fight. You don't have a stake in. Why did this rise to the level for her?
00:13:18
Speaker 2: Well, not only did it rise to the level, but now it's the mountain. She's still climbing and she has gone even further on X. I would like to read this particular response she recently put out there. I would like to acknowledge the statements put out about me recently and that I am also no longer with USA today. I regret zero of what I said and stand beside it. If you want to talk. My messages are open, my email is operative too. I feel I've been very transparent and did nothing wrong. I also find it so interesting that a Nancy Armore column was able to be published about Diana Roussini setting women back on USA Today, but that my comments is a freelancer on my own social media about her. We're not fine, be bold and speak out. Will it make a martyr out of you? Maybe? But some things are worth it and some are not. This was why was this worth it? To call another woman basically a slut? I mean, she didn't use that word, but she was slutshaming her. That is what she was doing. And now she wants to be a martyr. Now she wants to be a beacon of truth, and she wants other people to join her in her mission to expose people that you don't like?
00:14:36
Speaker 1: What robe I'm I'm you know, I'm sitting here and it took me a beat because I'm trying to find a way to extend. I want to extend some kind of grace and understanding to this young lady, Chrissy Freud. I really really do. And I can extend grace by not just attacking her. But I am trying to find something here that Okay, she made a mistake. Does she make a mistake in what she put out? That's something I could stop and go, Okay, bad mistake? Did it? Quickly thought she was jumping on the bandwagon the people attacking this woman, and it was okay, what was the word the doja cat use the other day? Virtue signaling? Right, I jumped on this thing. I jumped on it because I thought everybody would like me because I'm dumping on the person and everybody else is dumping on it.
00:15:21
Speaker 2: Was that thing, Robes, Why, That's exactly what it was.
00:15:25
Speaker 1: Okay, So I can forgive that one, but Robes, she is going on and on and on on social media now to a way, in a way I don't understand. And if she thinks she did nothing wrong by even saying it, man, can you apologize it for how you said it?
00:15:45
Speaker 2: That would be helpful. You could start with that. But she is continuing to put out posts I knew I took a risk. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't. Truth is truth. I think that's what you were talking about. She facts truth.
00:15:58
Speaker 3: But yes, she is standing by this, saying that she told the truth and that should count for all.
00:16:05
Speaker 1: Is that one again? I'm sorry you still have that one in front of it.
00:16:07
Speaker 2: Yeah, I can get it up again.
00:16:09
Speaker 1: She's at the beginning. That has sparked a thought in my mind there, But I just don't know why this was necessary and why she felt necessary. Why does she feel so strongly roll that this was the one this was the issue. It's not the Iran War. It's not Palestinians, it's not George Floyd. It's not no no, no no, it's not the shutdown, it's not TSA workers. Why is this the thing I felt so strongly about it? I would like maybe there is some reason. There's something in her background, some experience she had, maybe a job she lost because she lost it to a girl that was banging the coach or banging the news director. I don't know.
00:16:48
Speaker 2: People are talking about her sleeping with the player, and she's like, it only happened after he left the team. So now she's getting incoming so once you put yourself out there. Now I saw her on defense.
00:16:57
Speaker 3: Mode about who she's dating, she slept with, and yes, this is where these things go.
00:17:03
Speaker 2: But you asked me to look back up. I think you were wanting to maybe say something where she started off. I knew I took a risk.
00:17:11
Speaker 1: Yeah, how do we I'm trying to make to marry that with the statement about I thought it was fine after the columnist wrote her. Didn't she say that? Did she say it was the columnist? Y? I thought I was in the clear. Yes, But then she's saying she took a risk, like this was a calculated move she was making, So she wasn't speaking from the heart she was.
00:17:33
Speaker 2: Yes, but again now she's become a beacon of hope for other women who feel oppressed and suppressed. Here was her latest post. The biggest thing about all this that pains me is that other women don't feel like they can speak out because I've been reprimanded. Oh yes, you can do it. I'll stand with you. God, don't you hear under my thumb playing somewhere. So she is actually taking on a martyr status where she is now going to help other women rise up and speak the truth.
00:18:04
Speaker 1: Okay, I mean, look, I don't know this young lady. I don't know what is in her background. I don't know what has what might have caused her Robes to genuinely to sincerely be moved to insert herself into this. I don't know, and I'm trying to leave space for something I don't know and don't understand about her. But Robes, this was just mean and it was unnecessary, and to put yourself in the position now which she is a rally to my side, And this was something I didn't think about as a man. But I was reading through comments and I was surprised to see and I shared it with you one saying wait, I jumped on here to say I was supporting you for being fired because I thought you were supporting a woman, which is a rarity still in this male dominated sports coverage world. Like I, she immediately Robes. You see a cat fight, You see her attack, sicking a fellow woman in a way that you would never see a guy.
00:19:03
Speaker 2: And then hiding behind another woman, Nancy Armore, who actually had a really well thought out argument about how this does damage to an entire industry and the women in it. So I thought that There are ways to have this conversation.
00:19:18
Speaker 3: There are ways to ask questions without doing what this young woman did. She's twenty six years old, and apparently she's not old enough to admit she made a mistake.
00:19:28
Speaker 1: She just made a mistake. But I was actually laughing when you threw in the columnists, Nancy Armarmore. Yeah, Nancy, we're talking about Chrissy. We're talking about Diana. Who are we not talking about? Yeah, the coach, coach, Mike Rabel. So you know what, We're gonna step out of this and let you ladies have it. Please continue to talk amongst yourself in this. This is wild how it happens. He's very much responsible for just about everything here, of course, and he is still coaching and forth to another super Bowl possibly, And now my stomach just think just had a full conversation. We mentioned this dude's name, except from the top. All the women are going at it. Oh, it's so interesting to see you all point this out. I don't even didn't think about it until I started reading people's messages, like you're attacking a woman first. You don't get me wrong, Diana Rassini is possibly as wrong as anybody, but robes. This whole conversation now is about.
00:20:28
Speaker 2: What catfight women not supporting women, women should be allowed to take down other women. I mean, what is this?
00:20:38
Speaker 1: Yes?
00:20:39
Speaker 2: Oh my god, I actually I feel so discouraged that Mike Rabel's name wasn't even mentioned except for the first explanation of the photographs that started this whole conversation. And now let's not talk about him because you know, he's a dude and he's not going to lose his job. He's not going to lose an ounce of sleep.
00:20:58
Speaker 1: I don't think well, I mean, I don't know how to going with his wife, but uh, maybe a couple of ounces asleep. But he's said practice. It was just fascinating when you mentioned the columns.
00:21:10
Speaker 2: I'm glad you pointed that out and that should be noted. Yes, okay, we'll do better, No we won't. All right, Thank you everyone for listening to us. We appreciate you as always. I maybe Robock alongside TJ.
00:21:21
Speaker 3: Holmes.
00:21:21
Speaker 2: We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 1: Hey, that folks. It is Friday, April seventeenth, and somebody else has now lost the job and the whole NFL reporter NFL coach photo saga with that. Welcome to this episode of amy, and TJ wrote, somebody lost the job who ain't got nothing to do with nothing? As we say, yes, why is she in the middle of this?
00:00:22
Speaker 2: So another female, another female NFL reporter, got fired for celebrating another NFL female reporters resignation.
00:00:32
Speaker 1: You know what celebrating is the right word? Yes, that, there's no other way to look at that. Right.
00:00:37
Speaker 2: She was giddy and that's frankly mean and she was mean spirited.
00:00:41
Speaker 1: Okay, so you all kept up with this story. You've seen it everywhere by now. Coach Mike Rabel, head coach of the New England Patriots, photographed with Diana Russini, who was a reporter for The Athletic, which is the sports outlet for the New York Times. These two are married, folks. You look at the pictures, you would never think these are people who were just at a friendly outing. They look like again, I'm not going too far there, Rose, please help and look speculate it is what it is.
00:01:08
Speaker 2: Yes, and look as a journalist, and she was a sports journalist. It doesn't matter though any kind of journalists, you are not encouraged and in fact, it is frowned upon to fraternize in any way with subjects you would be covering, because it shows that you might not be credible. It it's not what.
00:01:26
Speaker 3: You're supposed to do. That is a rule, and just about every single newsroom. Yes, you need to sometimes have some sort of an interaction or maybe a lunch or a drink whatever, that's acceptable. But being at a romantic resort on the weekend where photos are circulating, if you holding hands with dancing, hugging a head coach of a team that you regularly cover, that is not.
00:01:53
Speaker 2: Just the idea of that or the look of that is problematic.
00:01:56
Speaker 1: So that brings us to Diana Rossini resigning. So she resigned. An investigation did start, I believe it is on continuing, So she decided to go ahead and resign. Neither Rabel or Russini ever acknowledged Robes that there was anything untoward going on. They said, you all have taken out of context. Anything else is laughable. Fine, but they essentially it is a non denial denial.
00:02:22
Speaker 2: It was a non denial denial.
00:02:24
Speaker 1: So yes, fine, go about your lives, knock yourselves out. But Rossini resigned. After she resigned, there's a reporter that probably most of you never heard of, Chrissy Freud, who covers the NFL.
00:02:35
Speaker 2: For USA Today Sports.
00:02:37
Speaker 1: Okay, so robes. She responds to Russini on X by essentially reposting Russini's letter resignation letter, and she wrote her own comments and these are the ones that led to her getting fired.
00:02:53
Speaker 2: Yes, So below Rassini's resignation letter, we have Chrissy Freud writing, I'm sure you would we're told to submit this or that you'd get fired instead. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. We know who you really are and what you've been up to four years. It does so much detriment to women in sports who have done things the right way.
00:03:15
Speaker 1: Okay take okay, So USA Today as Jose first took issue with that and fired her. Their statement is that they've ended their relationship with this contractor Chrissy Freud, effective immediately. Her recent statements do not reflect our commitment to professionalism or uphold our principles of ethical conduct. So that should have been it, I suppose Robes, but Chrissy Freud has now on one. She is on one online and is not letting this go. And I guess is she rallying support bro.
00:03:51
Speaker 2: She's trying to. In fact, she already posted several things internally that were sent to her, reportedly from USA Today, trying to basically make her case. And her big argument is there was and I actually just read it. It was a well written opinion piece on USA Today, written by again an opinion writer, she is not a journalist, Nancy Armore, and the titleist, Diana Russini put credibility of all women in sports at risk. And she talks about just even the suggestion that women have spent so many, many, many decades, especially in the sports arena, trying to show that they're credible, and that even just the idea or the suggestion that something untoward was going on hurts all female journalists. And so, according to our friend now who just got fired from USA Today, that inspired her or made her feel like she could also offer a comment on her own personal X account, And so she keeps reposting this opinion piece that USA Today published and said, if they will publish this, Why can I not, as a sports report or as an NFL reporter also put on X my personal feeling.
00:05:04
Speaker 1: You want to take this one because.
00:05:08
Speaker 2: Chrissy, you're a journalist, and because Chrissy, what you said wasn't asking a concept or if this does any damage to women in sports or women reporters in sports. No, you just went all mean girl on her and kicked her while she was down, basically saying, yeah, don't let the door hate you on the in the butt like that was just mean, cruel, unnecessary and didn't make a point other than to show who she is, who Chrissy Freud is, and that, yeah.
00:05:37
Speaker 1: We've made clear this was an opinion piece that she's pointing out. Chris was clearly like, you are contract. You are an opinion columnist, was contracted to write an opinion and she did about what happened, and she still was nowhere near as critical or on the offensive and attacking Russini as Freud was.
00:05:57
Speaker 2: Yes, I can actually read a couple of things from the article just to give you an idea of the tone that was taking. She said, it's not fair, but it's the reality. Rossini made it harder for every single woman in sports, regardless of what we cover to do our jobs. By risking her own credibility, she put hours in jeopardy.
00:06:15
Speaker 1: To damn good, that's well said exactly, You're right, Robes, even if nothing is going down, you're still risking the credibility of yourself and everybody else. Robes, that's a very good.
00:06:27
Speaker 2: Point, yes, she said, she said, even if they turn out to be innocent. And she's talking about Rossini and Rabel hugging and socializing at a resort in Arizona casts a cloud of suspicion on the interactions every woman reporter or broadcaster has with athletes, coaches and personnel.
00:06:44
Speaker 1: You know what she did? What a lesson for Chrissy Freud, which we don't know and I'm not condemning and I don't know. I don't know anything about her background, so I'm not going to attack this young lady personally, But what a lesson there to be learned, Robes, that that opinion piece include thought, It can included context, It didn't include emotion, it didn't include attacks. She that calmness. As you're sitting here talking to me, I'm like, oh yeah, oh yeah, like I'm engaged. That's that's a good point, like, yes, that's correct. I want to hear a woman.
00:07:18
Speaker 3: Yes.
00:07:19
Speaker 2: And in the spirit of her writing, she left open the possibility that Rossini and Rabel didn't actually do anything wrong, but just the appearance of it caused the issue that ended up having Rassini resigned. But it was a well thought out and it gave space for we don't know what happened.
00:07:36
Speaker 1: So there we go. Robes, are we supposed to now listen to Chrissy Freud when she says she knows something? Does she have? She hasn't dropped a receipt of any kind? Right, well, we had, Oh wait, where's this thing? We know who you really are and what you've been up to for Yearsbes.
00:07:58
Speaker 3: It's an unsubstantiated what a hack on her? It's vague, so you can't really fight back, but you know what she's implying. And so that's kind of the meanest form of throwing shade at someone because you don't even get specific, but you create all sorts of speculation that's unfair and unfounded.
00:08:18
Speaker 2: And that's the problem.
00:08:19
Speaker 3: She calls herself a journalist, and then it's so interesting because she posts what USA Today wrote to her in an email before they made the decision to fire her, as if this was going to bolster her case. I thought this was an excellent point that she claims she got from USA Today. I tried to call you, but you wouldn't put me through. Chrissy, reaching out to you about the issues being caused by your ex posts surrounding the Rassini situation, which is turned into its own news making cycle which directly ties USA Today to your own independent posts off platform. Much of the Russini conjecture is unbeverified, and your comments are now being linked by name to us to A Today in several articles. As you can imagine, this is a serious issue for the company.
00:09:03
Speaker 2: As we would never publish such things on our platform.
00:09:08
Speaker 1: You're making us look bad and you're still out there. You can't just be popping off at the mouth accusing somebody of something. Because you do, then do have to go back on our air and report for us. And how were we supposed to take anything out of your mouth? Seriously, how is she.
00:09:24
Speaker 2: Surprised that she got fired?
00:09:26
Speaker 1: Ah?
00:09:27
Speaker 2: How is she surprised? This is the first amendment that she can say whatever she wants. She won't be arrested. She's allowed to speak freely, but that does not mean that she can represent an organization that does not believe. And I would say any news organization would not support an employee of theirs saying things that aren't necessarily true or verifiable, and saying it in a really mean spirited way.
00:09:53
Speaker 1: I will stick with I would have left some room robes maybe if they wanted to keep her. Made a mistake in what she said, but this was such a direct, a personal, and unnecessary attack.
00:10:08
Speaker 2: And I agree with all of that.
00:10:10
Speaker 3: And yet we hear from her doubling down and calling herself a martyr.
00:10:14
Speaker 1: She's been talking a lot, questioning whether or not she is a martyr. She's been talking a lot, folks on social media. We're not talking about one or two follow ups. She has been talking a lot. Stay here, we'll tell you what else Chrissy Freud had to say. And while you'll be shocked to how much she is not backing down.
00:10:44
Speaker 2: Welcome back everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ. This has got us talking. We have been talking all morning long. Just when you think a story doesn't have legs, boom, Chrissy Freud walks into the mix. This is or what a NFL reporter for USA today. She has been fired because she decided to comment fairly, viciously and unverifiably on the resignation of Diane Rassini, the woman who worked for the athletic the New York Times Sports Division, who was seen in photographs with the head coach, the New England Patriots coach, Mike Rabel and so she resigns her position. Yes, there have been articles written about what this does for women reporters. There have been all sorts of interesting conversations that have come up because of this kind of scandal. I guess, but Chrissy Freud decided to get in there and get mean and start throwing out all these insinuations, implying lots of really unfortunate, awful things with nothing to back it up, and saying it in just in a really mean way.
00:11:54
Speaker 1: Well, isn't it. She can say what she wants to say, right, of course she.
00:11:57
Speaker 2: Can, But it doesn't mean she can work for USA today.
00:11:59
Speaker 1: That's all. And that's okay as well. This is not a free speech the situation in the least bit and robes she's doubling and tripling and whatever down on what she said without backing it up with anything verifiable, any fact or even a detail of some kind. She hasn't even alleged something wouldn't but she keeps insinuating, didn't I see somewhere? She used the word facts like I'm standing by something. She used the word facts like she we don't know what she's talking about. But Robes this was Why would you? People have all kinds of speculation about why Chrissy Freud would do this, but robes when somebody is that down in that hurt, I don't care what you think they were up to. And if you disagree completely, why is this ever appropriate to to ship on another human being? Because the lowest.
00:12:56
Speaker 2: Because you feel morally superior and that feels good?
00:12:59
Speaker 1: Well with it? Why do you have to do that? Rhobes? You felt that strongly right? Somebody said you you falling on a sword voluntarily in a fight. You don't have a stake in. Why did this rise to the level for her?
00:13:18
Speaker 2: Well, not only did it rise to the level, but now it's the mountain. She's still climbing and she has gone even further on X. I would like to read this particular response she recently put out there. I would like to acknowledge the statements put out about me recently and that I am also no longer with USA today. I regret zero of what I said and stand beside it. If you want to talk. My messages are open, my email is operative too. I feel I've been very transparent and did nothing wrong. I also find it so interesting that a Nancy Armore column was able to be published about Diana Roussini setting women back on USA Today, but that my comments is a freelancer on my own social media about her. We're not fine, be bold and speak out. Will it make a martyr out of you? Maybe? But some things are worth it and some are not. This was why was this worth it? To call another woman basically a slut? I mean, she didn't use that word, but she was slutshaming her. That is what she was doing. And now she wants to be a martyr. Now she wants to be a beacon of truth, and she wants other people to join her in her mission to expose people that you don't like?
00:14:36
Speaker 1: What robe I'm I'm you know, I'm sitting here and it took me a beat because I'm trying to find a way to extend. I want to extend some kind of grace and understanding to this young lady, Chrissy Freud. I really really do. And I can extend grace by not just attacking her. But I am trying to find something here that Okay, she made a mistake. Does she make a mistake in what she put out? That's something I could stop and go, Okay, bad mistake? Did it? Quickly thought she was jumping on the bandwagon the people attacking this woman, and it was okay, what was the word the doja cat use the other day? Virtue signaling? Right, I jumped on this thing. I jumped on it because I thought everybody would like me because I'm dumping on the person and everybody else is dumping on it.
00:15:21
Speaker 2: Was that thing, Robes, Why, That's exactly what it was.
00:15:25
Speaker 1: Okay, So I can forgive that one, but Robes, she is going on and on and on on social media now to a way, in a way I don't understand. And if she thinks she did nothing wrong by even saying it, man, can you apologize it for how you said it?
00:15:45
Speaker 2: That would be helpful. You could start with that. But she is continuing to put out posts I knew I took a risk. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't. Truth is truth. I think that's what you were talking about. She facts truth.
00:15:58
Speaker 3: But yes, she is standing by this, saying that she told the truth and that should count for all.
00:16:05
Speaker 1: Is that one again? I'm sorry you still have that one in front of it.
00:16:07
Speaker 2: Yeah, I can get it up again.
00:16:09
Speaker 1: She's at the beginning. That has sparked a thought in my mind there, But I just don't know why this was necessary and why she felt necessary. Why does she feel so strongly roll that this was the one this was the issue. It's not the Iran War. It's not Palestinians, it's not George Floyd. It's not no no, no no, it's not the shutdown, it's not TSA workers. Why is this the thing I felt so strongly about it? I would like maybe there is some reason. There's something in her background, some experience she had, maybe a job she lost because she lost it to a girl that was banging the coach or banging the news director. I don't know.
00:16:48
Speaker 2: People are talking about her sleeping with the player, and she's like, it only happened after he left the team. So now she's getting incoming so once you put yourself out there. Now I saw her on defense.
00:16:57
Speaker 3: Mode about who she's dating, she slept with, and yes, this is where these things go.
00:17:03
Speaker 2: But you asked me to look back up. I think you were wanting to maybe say something where she started off. I knew I took a risk.
00:17:11
Speaker 1: Yeah, how do we I'm trying to make to marry that with the statement about I thought it was fine after the columnist wrote her. Didn't she say that? Did she say it was the columnist? Y? I thought I was in the clear. Yes, But then she's saying she took a risk, like this was a calculated move she was making, So she wasn't speaking from the heart she was.
00:17:33
Speaker 2: Yes, but again now she's become a beacon of hope for other women who feel oppressed and suppressed. Here was her latest post. The biggest thing about all this that pains me is that other women don't feel like they can speak out because I've been reprimanded. Oh yes, you can do it. I'll stand with you. God, don't you hear under my thumb playing somewhere. So she is actually taking on a martyr status where she is now going to help other women rise up and speak the truth.
00:18:04
Speaker 1: Okay, I mean, look, I don't know this young lady. I don't know what is in her background. I don't know what has what might have caused her Robes to genuinely to sincerely be moved to insert herself into this. I don't know, and I'm trying to leave space for something I don't know and don't understand about her. But Robes, this was just mean and it was unnecessary, and to put yourself in the position now which she is a rally to my side, And this was something I didn't think about as a man. But I was reading through comments and I was surprised to see and I shared it with you one saying wait, I jumped on here to say I was supporting you for being fired because I thought you were supporting a woman, which is a rarity still in this male dominated sports coverage world. Like I, she immediately Robes. You see a cat fight, You see her attack, sicking a fellow woman in a way that you would never see a guy.
00:19:03
Speaker 2: And then hiding behind another woman, Nancy Armore, who actually had a really well thought out argument about how this does damage to an entire industry and the women in it. So I thought that There are ways to have this conversation.
00:19:18
Speaker 3: There are ways to ask questions without doing what this young woman did. She's twenty six years old, and apparently she's not old enough to admit she made a mistake.
00:19:28
Speaker 1: She just made a mistake. But I was actually laughing when you threw in the columnists, Nancy Armarmore. Yeah, Nancy, we're talking about Chrissy. We're talking about Diana. Who are we not talking about? Yeah, the coach, coach, Mike Rabel. So you know what, We're gonna step out of this and let you ladies have it. Please continue to talk amongst yourself in this. This is wild how it happens. He's very much responsible for just about everything here, of course, and he is still coaching and forth to another super Bowl possibly, And now my stomach just think just had a full conversation. We mentioned this dude's name, except from the top. All the women are going at it. Oh, it's so interesting to see you all point this out. I don't even didn't think about it until I started reading people's messages, like you're attacking a woman first. You don't get me wrong, Diana Rassini is possibly as wrong as anybody, but robes. This whole conversation now is about.
00:20:28
Speaker 2: What catfight women not supporting women, women should be allowed to take down other women. I mean, what is this?
00:20:38
Speaker 1: Yes?
00:20:39
Speaker 2: Oh my god, I actually I feel so discouraged that Mike Rabel's name wasn't even mentioned except for the first explanation of the photographs that started this whole conversation. And now let's not talk about him because you know, he's a dude and he's not going to lose his job. He's not going to lose an ounce of sleep.
00:20:58
Speaker 1: I don't think well, I mean, I don't know how to going with his wife, but uh, maybe a couple of ounces asleep. But he's said practice. It was just fascinating when you mentioned the columns.
00:21:10
Speaker 2: I'm glad you pointed that out and that should be noted. Yes, okay, we'll do better, No we won't. All right, Thank you everyone for listening to us. We appreciate you as always. I maybe Robock alongside TJ.
00:21:21
Speaker 3: Holmes.
00:21:21
Speaker 2: We'll talk to you soon.
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