The GIST of It

Hello! It may be the WNBA offseason, but the W is still dominating headlines. The Golden State Valkyries, the W’s 13th team, will take part in an expansion draft tomorrow ahead of their 2025 debut, so on today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are breaking down how player selection works, the draft rules, and more.  Then in part two, it’s time to hut hut hop over to...

Hey there. Today’s episode of The GIST of It digs into a disturbing and unfortunately unrelenting issue in football: head trauma and the unmitigated risks of playing American’s favorite sport.  Two examples rocked the NCAA and NFL worlds recently: The tragic death of Alabama A&M linebacker Medrick Burnett Jr. and the late hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence that resulted in...

Ready the Zamboni! The PWHL’s sophomore season is just days away, so today’s episode is all about previewing the action before the puck drops on Season 2 on Saturday. From standout rookies to women’s hockey vets, the PWHL is dripping with talent, and co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz have everything you need to know.  Speaking of massive talent, stick around for part two, where El chats with th...

Buckle up! Today’s episode of The GIST of It is a classic two-part breakdown. First, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz dig into the Globe and Mail’s Canada Soccer culture probe, which came as a result of the drone scandal that rocked the Paris Olympics and exposed a longstanding culture of spying in the federation.  Then in part two, the gals hit the track to discuss the latest groundbreaking F...

Let’s go for a drive! Today’s episode of The GIST of It is another three-parter featuring a very special guest. First, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz preview the Las Vegas Grand Prix happening in Sin City this weekend. This marks the second year the Las Vegas Strip will play host to the F1 circuit, and El and Steph have you covered with the drivers and teams to watch this weekend.   Then, th...

Hoop, there it is! Today’s episode of The GIST of It is a hoop-tastic basketball three-parter, co-hosted by Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz. First, it’s all eyes on the WNBA, with the Seattle Storm investigating its coaching staff for alleged player mistreatment and the 2025 Draft order finally set.  Then, it’s the Unrivaled explainer you’ve been waiting for, as the brand-new women’s hoops league prep...

Welcome back! On today’s three-part episode of The GIST of It, co-host Steph Rotz and guest host Lauren Tuiskula are kicking things off with the latest news in football (and fútbol). First up, LT and Steph preview this weekend’s NWSL semifinals as NJ/NY Gotham FC faces the Washington Spirit, followed by the undefeated Orlando Pride taking on the KC Current. Thrilling.  Then, the gals tackle the la...

Sending love! On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz break down how the incoming Trump presidency and Republican Congress will impact athletes in the U.S. with Title IX and trans athletes once again at risk. The fight continues. Then in part two, the gals kick it to the pitch to preview the NWSL Playoffs before the eight-team quarter-finals kick off tomorrow.  ...

Hoop yeah! Hope you’re ready to ball because today’s episode of The GIST of It is all about hoops. Co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz tip things off by discussing the latest head coaching moves across the WNBA before zooming out to discuss why there’s been so much change. Then in part two, the gals hit the NCAA hardwood to preview the women’s and men’s college basketball seasons, which are offic...

Hoopin’ never stops. Happy Halloween, GISTers, and welcome to an extra-special episode of The GIST of It. Today, we’ve teamed up with our pals at Sportly to discuss the history of the WNBA. In this episode, you’ll hear from Sportly’s Emmy-award winning host, Kavitha A. Davidson, exploring the WNBA’s highs and lows, while highlighting the league’s efforts to expand viewership and leverage star powe...

Hey batter batter, swing! Pass the cracker jacks because co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Lauren Tuiskula are previewing the 120th World Series on today’s episode of The GIST of It. Before the LA Dodgers and NY Yankees literally step up to the plate, the gals will fill you in on the storied history between these two powerhouse teams, plus the top players to watch on both sides of the bat.  And in part tw...

Time to ball out! Even though the WNBA capped their season on Sunday, the best women’s hoopers in the world are still dominating headlines, announcing their decision to opt out of their current collective bargaining agreement yesterday. The news was expected but, damn, the WNBPA moves quickly. Then, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz will break down everything you need to know ahead of the NBA’s...

Hoop, there she is! Amid the ongoing WNBA Finals, today’s episode of The GIST of It is extra-hooptastic — WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes joins The GIST’s Associate Managing Editor Lauren Tuiskula for a wide ranging conversation on the league’s recent growth, Swoopes’ top takeaways from this Finals series so far, and even her prediction as to who will win it all. Trust us — you don’t want to miss this....

It’s the final countdown! On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz have your full preview of the 2024 WNBA Finals, featuring the No. 1 NY Liberty vs. No. 2 Minnesota Lynx. From how both teams reached the championship series to the players to watch to the incredible attendance and viewership numbers throughout the WNBA regular season and playoffs, El and Steph have...

Hey there. Co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are donning their investigative hats for today’s episode of The GIST of It. First, the gals are looking into a reported payment dispute in the Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF) league, as players allege they have not been fully compensated for the most recent season. Unfortunately, we’ve seen these types of claims before, particularly in pro women...

Here’s to one million! Today’s episode of The GIST of It is an extra special one as we celebrate hitting the one million newsletter subscriber mark. But first, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz chat through the top NFL storylines heading into Week 5, from Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams’ trade request to injury updates on San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and mo...

Happy October! Today’s episode of The GIST of It is a special three-parter. First, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz hit it out of the park with an MLB postseason preview, discussing how the playoffs work, the top contenders, and key players to watch before the Wild Card series begin later today.  Then in part two, El and Steph head to the hardwood to catch up on the WNBA semis before digging i...

One million and counting! Today’s episode of The GIST of It is another full-court press on the WNBA as the playoffs heat up. El and Steph spend part one reminiscing about Diana Taurasi’s legendary career with the Phoenix Mercury. After 20 seasons in the W, Taurasi recently hinted that this playoff series may be her last, so it’s time to contemplate her impact on and off the court.  In part two, El...

Hello there! Today’s episode of The GIST of It is a postseason special, as co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz chat through the latest WNBA news, including major regular-season award winners and first-round playoff matchups, before setting the stage for what should be a thrilling MLB postseason. El and Steph tip off on the court, discussing the Las Vegas Aces A’ja Wilson’s unanimous MVP award, th...

Hello there! Today’s episode of The GIST of It is a full-send WNBA special, as co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz preview tonight’s thrilling regular-season finale before shifting gears to the W’s latest expansion news. First, El and Steph fly off to Oregon, digging into the details behind the latest addition to the WNBA family: Portland, now officially the 15th team in the league and set to deb...

Hello hello! We have one up and one down on today’s episode of The GIST of It as co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz discuss a record-setting stretch in the WNBA before pivoting to the latest regarding Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered his third diagnosed concussion in two years during last week’s Thursday Night Football game. El and Steph start off on the court, chatting ab...

Hi there! On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz dive into two complex NFL headlines. First, El and Steph revisit the lawsuit against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was recently accused of sexual assault after facing 26 civil suits accusing him of sexual misconduct.    El and Steph also discuss the developing story regarding the police detainme...

Puck yeah! On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz discuss the latest updates from the PWHL after the league officially dropped new names and logos for all six teams on Monday. The fresh designs are exciting, but there’s even more to be hyped about heading into the PWHL’s sophomore season.  Then in part two, El and Steph review the records and historic wins comin...

Hut hut! Hike! On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are swiping on their eye black for a full NFL season preview. From the offseason moves shaking up the league to the players and teams to watch, the gals have everything you need to know before the first Thursday Night Football whistle. A big thank you to our friends at Aflac for powering today’s episode! Just...

Hello! On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are heading back to school as they tackle the first full weekend of college football. After a quick refresher on how it all works, El and Steph chat through a few key rule changes this season and the top teams to watch. Then in part two, the gals check back in with some WNBA updates as the regular season nears its cl...