Whether throwing an elbow to the throat of an opponent on the college soccer pitch or lighting up an NFL PR staff for reneging on a star player’s interview, Dianna Russini has never been a dainty flower. Not surprisingly, the ESPN reporter eschews subtlety in his no-holds-barred conversation, touching on her early obsession with journalism, how her family’s 9/11 scare impacted her career path and why the toughest part of her transition to covering the NFL had more to do with anatomy than aptitude. The Jersey girl also has plenty to say about her close-knit family, from her dad’s velcro shoes to her husband’s “average” qualities to her mom’s dating advice.