The GIST of It

You’re gonna want pads for this. Okay, not really — but after the preview for this members-only episode of The GIST of It, you’ll be more excited about women’s tackle football than ever before. Today, co-host Steph Rotz chats with Odessa “OJ” Jenkins, the founder and CEO of the Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC). If you love this convo, consider joining The GIST Plus for the full episode…...

Gonna have a good day. It’s always a good day on The GIST of It when co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz chat women's hockey and WNBA free agency drama — and today’s no different as the PWHL wrapped up the regular-season over the weekend. A full playoff preview is coming your way on Thursday, but today, the girls are taking off the filter: El and Steph have thoughts about everything from the firs...

A PWHL post-mortem. High-stakes sports are happening left, right, and center — and another league is about to join the playoff party: the PWHL. Four teams will vie for the Walter Cup, but equally as intriguing is who won’t be: the league’s two expansion squads. In fact, the Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent were the first teams eliminated from playoff contention. On today’s episode of The G...

Ready to smile? Then look no further than today’s episode of The GIST of It. Today, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are sharing the story of Athletes Unlimited softball’s viral Golden Tickets, handed out to college players around the country to let them know their dreams of becoming a pro softball player are about to come true. It’ll melt your heart in the best way.  Show notes: World Series...

It’s giving icy and spicy.  It’s once again time to talk about the hardest trophy to win in professional sports, the Stanley Cup. The puck drops on the NHL postseason this Saturday, so today’s episode of The GIST of It is all about the best game you can name , from how the playoffs work to the teams co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are keeping an eye on. Let’s do that hockey. Show notes: More...

Aliyah Funschelle got her start impersonating Gossip Girl.  Just make it sporty. The content creator has been in the sports game since she was 14, and now she’s reaching new heights, hosting her very own podcast The Match-Up with Aliyah with iHeart Women’s Sports. Today, Funschelle joins The GIST of It host Steph Rotz for a fun, members-only conversation about being women in sports media. Tune in...

Batter up! LA Dodger Kike Hernández knows how to bring the fun to the baseball diamond, but would you believe this three-time World Series champ was once playing at a serious disadvantage? On today’s episode of The GIST of It, senior editor Lauren Tuiskula sits down with Hernández to discuss how a simple eye exam changed his career forever, as well as how the injured outfielder is adjusting to cha...

It’s tee time. The 90th edition of the Masters kicks off at Augusta National today. The Masters isn’t just the first of the PGA’s four major tournaments of the season — it’s also a golf competition steeped in tradition, both good and bad. On today’s episode of the GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz dive deep on the Masters’ cultural significance, from the lush greens to the tournamen...

WNBA free agency is officially underway.  With more than 100 players available to sign new contracts, potentially with new teams, all eyes are on the WNBA leading up to May 8th’s regular-season tipoff. That’s why co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are breaking down all the nuances of free agency on today’s episode of The GIST of It, from the ins and outs of the truncated schedule to the players...

Is it hot in here? Or is it just these takes? On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Steph Rotz and Lauren Tuiskula preview the women’s March Madness Final Four, a repeat of last year’s field featuring all four No. 1 seeds: UConn, South Carolina, Texas, and UCLA. Who will end up on top in this clash of queens? Steph and Lauren have a few ideas — and they might surprise you. Show notes: Mor...

It’s time to giggle. This is a true sporty spice treat, GISTers. Podcast host and comedian Hannah Berner joins our members-only podcast episode today, chatting with Senior Editor Katie Kehoe Foster about all things March Madness — after all, Berner is a recovering Division 1 athlete herself. Tune in to hear a snippet of this super fun conversation, but to get to the end, you’ll need to subscribe t...

It’s official. The historic Houston Comets are back in the WNBA — but the news came with a heaping dose of drama. Instead of awarding Houston a 2027 expansion team, the WNBA is relocating the Connecticut Sun to Houston, where they’ll be rebranded as the Comets, an original (and very successful) W franchise. Needless to say, while some folks are thrilled to see a great WNBA team rise from the dead,...

Play ball! Happy Opening Day to all who celebrate — with pitches flying, it’s time to preview the 2026 MLB season. Today's episode of The GIST of It covers it all, from the unsurprising team to beat to the new rule that’s shaking things up. And of course, co-hosts Steph Rotz and Lauren Tuiskula will chat about their respective teams: the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox. Because fandom is...

No glass slippers here.  For the second straight year, there aren’t any true Cinderella squads in the men’s March Madness Sweet 16, as every team remaining hails from an NCAA power conference. What gives? On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Steph Rotz and Lauren Tuiskula explore the 2024 rule change that changed March Madness forever — and maybe not for the better.  Show notes: More on...

Lace up those dancing shoes. It’s time to boogie. Men’s March Madness officially begins today, with the 64-team first round tipping off at 12:15 p.m. ET. Before the guys and gals hit the hardwood, co-hosts Steph Rotz and Lauren Tuiskula are going all in with a Big Dance primer, spending this episode of The GIST of It talking about the top storylines in the men’s and women’s tourneys. Gimme gimme,...

There’s legends, and then there’s Alex Morgan.  The two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champ is now a certified friend of The GIST after chatting with podcast producer Alessandra Puccio before the start of the biggest-ever NWSL season. Morgan is using her platform to make youth soccer safer across the country and spilling tea along the way, from her future as a youth soccer coach to her favorite play...

A Heise hat trick? Say less. All Team USA and Minnesota Frost forward Taylor Heise does is win, whether she’s donning a gold medal or hoisting the PWHL’s Walter Cup. And today, she’s on The GIST of It. Heise sat down with co-host Lauren Tuiskula to yap about three of our favorite things: Olympic hockey, the PWHL playoffs, and…March Madness? Talk about the perfect sports trifecta. Show notes: WNBA...

Azzi Fudd is that girl. We don’t want to toot our own horn, but today’s episode is a good one: The Azzi Fudd is on the podcast. A college basketball superstar, fashion icon, and one-half of our fave sports couple, Azzi sat down with The GIST of It co-host Lauren Tuiskula to chat about leading UConn to an undefeated season, making her small-screen debut, and throwing absolute ’fits. A multi-hyphena...

Going for gold: The sequel The Paralympics Opening Ceremony isn’t until tomorrow, but the action? It’s already heating up. In today’s One Big Story, The GIST of It co-hosts Steph Rotz and Lauren Tuiskula chat about the Games’ unique sports, the athletes to watch, and the incredible stories of resilience that make the Paralympics so unforgettable. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or tuning in for the...

Let the Madness begin.    Now that it’s officially March, we’re kicking off the month with one of the best head coaches in the NCAA women’s basketball game: UCLA’s Cori Close. Tune in for a stellar conversation between Coach Close and co-host Alessandra Puccio, who discuss everything from the Bruins’ chances this season to their 2025 Final Four run, which was captured in the new documentary YOU SE...

And exhale.  Still catching your breath post-Milano Cortina Olympics? Us too — that’s why today’s episode of The GIST of It is a sporty catch-up on two of our favorite leagues: Unrivaled and the PWHL. Tune in to see what’s happening in the hottest 3v3 hoops league in the game ahead of the playoffs, before hearing all the storylines you need to know for the second half of the PWHL season. Show note...

It’s time to take it to the hardwood.  Today’s episode is the absolute perfect way to segue into the next major sports moment: March Madness. The Milano Cortina Olympics are done and dusted, but while some of the greatest athletes in the world were duking it out in Italy, there were major college hoops moments happening in the U.S. Who better to join the pod today to discuss March Madness, plus em...

Celebrate good times, c’mon! On today’s pod, co-hosts Lauren Tuiskula and Alessandra Puccio honor a true Olympic icon: Mikaela Shiffrin, the most decorated Alpine skier of all-time and now a three-time Olympic gold medalist after winning yesterday’s slalom. Every Olympian’s journey is unique and Shiffrin’s return to the podium is no exception. Today, we’re going back to the beginning: from her Oly...

Norway has the secret sauce for Olympic success. We’re more than halfway through the Milano Cortina Olympics, and Norway is once again leading the medal count with just 80 athletes competing — an astonishing success rate. What makes the Norwegians so darn good at the Winter Olympics? Today’s episode of The GIST of It aims to find out as co-hosts Lauren Tuiskula and Alessandra Puccio dig into why t...

We’re heading back to the rink.  The men’s ice hockey Olympic tourney officially began yesterday in Milan. And today, both Team Canada and Team USA will hit the ice for their respective opening group stage games. So today, we’re discussing the NHL’s return to the Games, how last year’s Four Nations Face-Off has only enhanced the hype, and of course, shouting out the stars on both teams. Drop that...