The GIST of It

There’s no time like The Big Dance for a little celebration. Today’s episode of The GIST of It is extra special because we’re celebrating our five-year anniversary! From teaching themselves how to edit on Garage Band to creating hundreds of episodes with a full production team, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz have seen it all — and now it’s time to shake things up. Don’t worry — The GIST of I...

Formula 1 is back, baby, with the Australian Grand Prix kicking off the new season this weekend. To celebrate, The GIST of It co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz break down the top storylines you need to know, including the lifetime legacy battle between Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.  Then the gals have an extra special treat in part two: former USWNT star Sam Mewis join...

The name of the game? College hoops. We’re officially five days away from Selection Sunday, so it’s time to assess the men’s and women’s college hoops landscape. In today’s episode of The GIST of It, guest host Lauren Tuiskula and co-host Steph Rotz first preview the players you need to know on the men’s side, before shifting gears to the gals and highlighting a few conference tourney–winning team...

Hello hello! The grass really is greener in March because the NWSL is finally back. Today’s episode of The GIST of It previews tomorrow’s Challenge Cup, the ceremonial start of the season. Co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz will walk through the changes to this year’s game before picking their winner: Will it be the defending NWSL champ Orlando Pride or the runner-up Washington Spirit? Then in p...

Hello, March! Today’s episode of The GIST of It is a classic two-parter, starting off with a WTF moment before digging into a hoop-tastic preview. First up, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz discuss an incident of homophobic chants at MLS squad San Diego FC’s first-ever home opener on Saturday. The gals dig into this pervasive and unacceptable trend in footy, including the MLS’ response to hate...

Here’s to a legend! Diana Taurasi, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, announced her retirement on Tuesday, so today’s episode of The GIST of It is a toast to the queen of confidence. As co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz discuss, Taurasi’s skill, starpower, and most of all, swagger, re-defined women’s hoops — the game is in a bigger, better, and brighter place because of her. Bo...

Ice, ice, baby. Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is chasing history, now just 13 goals away from breaking Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky’s all-time NHL scoring record. So on today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz dive into Ovi’s pursuit of greatness, from his consistency across 20 (!!!) NHL seasons, to the challenges he’s overcome this year. Then in part tw...

It’s time to do that hockey! The hottest thing in sports right now is the 4 Nations Face-Off, a replacement to the NHL’s All-Star tourney that’s drawing millions of viewers and creating new hockey fans across North America. And tonight, it’s Team USA vs. Team Canada in the highly anticipated championship game, sparking new life into a storied rivalry. In today’s episode, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and...

The business of women’s sports is booming. It’s all gals, all the time in this extra-special episode of The GIST of It. Today, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are digging into two major women’s sports business headlines, sponsored by our pals at Amazon Business. First, El and Steph are diving head first, fearless into the PWHL’s wildly successful Takeover Tour, which is making history across...

Happy Galentine’s Day! Leslie Knope’s favorite day of the year is here, and to celebrate co-hosts Steph Rotz and guest host Lauren Tuiskula are diving into all the shiny and fun happenings in the sports world this coming weekend. First, the gals discuss the 74th NBA All-Star Game, airing this Sunday from San Francisco. Much like the NHL, who upgraded their All-Star situation with the 4 Nations Fac...

Hi! Today’s episode of The GIST of It has a little bit of everything with one tournament preview and one WTF moment on deck. Co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz start things off by discussing the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, an NHL hockey tourney that’ll pit Team USA, Team Canada, Team Finland, and Team Sweden against each other for international glory. Icy and spicy. Then in part two, El and Ste...

Hut, hut, hello there! You already know what time it is. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz kick off Super Bowl weekend with a full preview of the biggest event in sports. Will quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs achieve a historic three-peat? Can running back Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles soar to a revenge victory? Will Kendr...

Hey there! The sports headlines came fast and furious this weekend, so co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are here to break it all down on today’s episode of The GIST of It. First, the gals dig into the disturbing sexual misconduct allegations against Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who has been accused of inappropriate behavior dating back to 2012 by nine massage therapists. Then in part...

Happy Friday Jr.! Grab some boxes because today’s episode of The GIST of It is all about major moves. From the WNBA to the NWSL, there’ve been a plethora of massive trades and signings in the last few weeks. Co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz begin in the WNBA, where two perennial All-Stars — Alyssa Thomas and Brittney Griner — will be donning different jerseys next season. Then it’s over to the...

Happy Tuesday! Or should we say hoopy Tuesday because today’s episode of The GIST of It is all about the WNBA. A blockbuster three-team trade sent shockwaves through the league over the weekend, so co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are breaking down which players are on the move (hint: it’s two All-Stars) and the potential impact of this massive deal. Then in part two, the gals keep the focus o...

Hello hello! We’re talking gridiron and Grand Slams on today’s episode of The GIST of It, previewing this weekend’s NFL Conference Championships along with the finals of the first tennis major of the season, the Australian Open. Co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz begin by previewing this weekend’s AFC title game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs and the NFC clash between the Washi...

Go long! On today’s three-part episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz go long as they preview three major sporting events this weekend. First up, the gals continue their deep dive into new pro women’s basketball 3v3 league Unrivaled ahead of its inaugural tipoff on Friday, previewing the teams, players, and coaches that will make this league a thrilling watch.  Then in par...

Who run the world? Girls, of course — and that’s especially fitting for today’s all women’s sports episode of The GIST of It. Co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz begin with a look at the PWHL’s nine-game Takeover Tour, which is already off to a rousing start as the league tests new markets for its two expansion teams, set to debut next season. Then in part two, El and Steph go all in on Unrivaled...

Hut hut! On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz preview a wild weekend on the gridiron. First, the gals check in with the College Football Playoff as the remaining four teams head into the semifinals, with star-studded games on deck tomorrow and Friday. Score. Then in part two, El and Steph look ahead toward the NFL’s Wild Card weekend kicking off on Saturday. W...

Hello, 2025! New year, same sports drama. In this episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz dive headfirst into Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler’s team-issued seven-game suspension, detailing the timeline behind this shocking breakup before sharing their takes on where Butler could land before the February 6th trade deadline. Then in part two, the gals set up the ultimate pr...

It’s time to reflect. This year was truly one for the books, so today’s episode of The GIST of It is a classic year in review. From the women’s sports movement to the standout moments at the Paris Olympics, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are taking a trip down memory lane, diving headfirst, fearless into a phenomenal year full of championship moments, tear-inducing retirements, and so much m...

Hello, hello! Forget the holidays — it’s playoff season for a few fall college sports: women’s volleyball and football. On this episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz first preview tonight’s national volleyball tournament semifinals, where all four No. 1 seeds will be duking it out for a spot in Sunday’s championship. And volleyball is just getting started in the U.S., wit...

It’s hoopin’ time! Today’s episode of The GIST of It is all about the hardwood. First, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz preview today’s NBA Cup final between the in-season tournament’s two No. 1 seeds: The Milwaukee Bucks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Trust us — you won’t want to miss this star-powered showdown featuring a pair of perennial MVP candidates in Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo...

Hey there! End-of-year awards season chatter is growing by the minute, and the football world is no exception. The fun begins on Saturday, when the Heisman Trophy, aka, the MVP award of college football, will be handed out. Before the winner is named, today’s episode of The GIST of It begins with an explainer on one of the most important trophies in college sports and the four players in contentio...

Hi there! Turns out there’s no hibernating in baseball — especially when it’s Winter Meetings season. On the heels of heavy hitter Juan Soto’s historic NY Mets contract, The GIST of It co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz dive into what the most expensive deal in sports history means for the Mets and their opponents. Batter up. Then in part two, the gals look back at the 2024 F1 season following S...