I know, I know. It’s been a week. My apologies. I felt like I needed a quick break just to regather my thoughts. Also, a lot has been happening personally. My son Judah turned 1, which was a fun time, and some other things in my family regarding health, plus some upcoming major life decisions. With all that being said, I have to say thank you to all who have been checking out the newsletter. We’ve grown to 128 subscribers, so I appreciate eveyone that finds this intersection interesting.

The Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel situation has hit the sporting world like a ton of bricks. At first, people tried to ignore it, but as more and more information came to light, mainstream outlets could no longer avoid it. A top NFL Insider and a current NFL Head Coach caught on camera together, seemingly alone at a multi-thousand-dollar-a-night resort, while both are currently married. Even with the best intentions and grace given, the optics look damning.

One thing I don’t want this newsletter to be is the moral police; the ever-watchful eye for all wrongdoing in the sporting world. This ain’t it. What I do want to do is to provide a Christian perspective to situations you may not have considered, and in this case, it’s Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots. So far in the news cycle, the only person to receive backlash, questions, and calls for one’s job is Dianna Russini. While her employers were initially supportive, they have now launched an investigation into the situation. However, before it was complete, she put out a statement on her X/Twitter account announcing her resignation. But when you look around, little to nothing on the Vrabel front.

We currently have no idea what exactly happened between the two, but the internet has spoken and made its verdict on Russini. The silence remains on Vrabel and the Patriots. Why is that? He is just as culpable. He looks like a willing participant, just as she was, but all the heat resides on one side. Why do we bring out the woman who was “caught in adultery” but not the man?

 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst^, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.  Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”  This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.  And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”  And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.  But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.  Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more. (John 8:3-11)

In this biblical example, Jesus points out the hypocrisy of the accusers. The woman is brought out to be publicly shamed and held accountable, but the accusers fail to bring out the man. Jesus does not dismiss the wrongdoing; he acknowledges it and offers forgiveness. My point isn’t to continue highlighting what was done or not done between them; the point is why there is no equal concern about Vrabel’s part in this. His lack of professionalism, his lack of integrity, his dismissal of ethics. No word from his employer about any of this. The only thing we got was a statement saying Mike will not be available to do his job in the pre-draft festivities, most likely to avoid questions about this. The establishment is choosing to protect him and not recognizing what he’s losing in regard to his job, thinking his recourse is merely “personal”.

So what is Mike Vrabel losing in this situation that’s not being talked about? What does this expose about sports? What is the quiet part that’s being said out loud by Vrabel, the Patriots, and all those who choose to harp on Russini exclusively?

It would seem that to the Patriots, integrity is more of a moral concept than a principle to practice. These coaches at the pro and college level often talk about commitment, unity, respect- all the things they demand from the players- but never for themselves. Always “we” and never “me”. How will Vrable ever discuss a player’s actions that are causing a distraction in the locker room when he, in fact, was a distraction? How is he supposed to demand integrity with his team when he didn’t have it for his family and himself? That stuff matters, and to see it dismissed and worse, put solely on Dianna, speaks to the inauthentic qualities of Vrabel and the Patriots.

Not a lot of people have said it, but I want to be one of the ones who will. There must be consequences for Vrabel. A suspension at minimum, and a firing at maximum. He displayed conduct detrimental to a team environment, and not enough people are calling him to task as they should.