Apr 24, 2026 · 45 min
Vrabel controversy grows as damage control fuels speculation
Hour 3 - Get the Soap
The episode connects a widening NFL controversy to the risks of trying to suppress attention, then turns that same scrutiny toward Dallas’s draft decisions.
- 1Ben Maller argues that Mike Vrabel’s counseling announcement has intensified attention on reports involving Dianna Russini.
- 2Maller says Russini’s decision to delete her X account during the draft created more speculation rather than containing it.
- 3The Cowboys’ trade with the Eagles becomes another example of Jerry Jones making a divisional rival stronger.
Don't miss
Maller reveals that Ty Simpson’s Mallard riddle answer was turkey hunting, then the clue opens into a caller’s stories about hunting and Newport.
The brief
Ben Maller opens the hour by previewing a controversy involving Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini, arguing that efforts to contain the story have only widened its reach.
Maller treats Vrabel stepping away for counseling and Russini deleting her X account as failed damage control, suggesting that both moves invite more scrutiny rather than ending it.
The focus shifts to Dallas, where Jerry Jones’s draft-day trade helped the Eagles acquire a player they wanted; Maller frames the move as another sign of Cowboys dysfunction.
The Mallard riddle eventually reveals Rams draft pick Ty Simpson’s planned celebration: turkey hunting, a setup for a caller conversation about hunting, unusual food, and Newport, Kentucky.
The hour closes with promotions and listener-submitted lame jokes, including recurring material about Weed Man, Russini, and the show’s familiar characters.
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