The GIST of It

The GIST of It

The GIST of It is a twice-weekly podcast on what’s going on in the sports world. Hosts Ellen Hyslop and Stephanie Rotz discuss current sports topics and how they intersect with pop culture and social issues, covering everything from major league season previews to calling out the sexist BS we see in sports daily. Expect a hilarious yet informative conversation with a refreshing female perspective on the world of sports.

Episodes

December 18, 2025 38 mins
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

And not just because of the holidays. Between the final few weeks of a thrilling NFL season and the College Football Playoff, there’s no shortage of gridiron action to take in. That’s why on today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are tossing the perfect spiral: a College Football Playoff special, breaking down the 12-team field and this weekend’s spiciest sho...
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’Twas a dark NFL Sunday.

Two major injuries rattled the league in Week 15. First, superstar Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in the final two minutes of his team’s loss to the LA Chargers. But that wasn’t all: hours later, Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Micah Parsons went down with a non-contact knee injury that was later confirmed to be an ACL tear. Today’s episode of The GIST of It takes a look at ho...
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Batter up!

Welcome to our exciting new series, She’s Not Next She’s Now. We’ll dig into eight different new and emerging women’s sports, discussing the history of how we got here, the current state of the game, and what comes next. And it’s not just co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Lauren Tuiskula driving the conversation; we’ll also be chatting with the executives, players, and fans who make these leagues and sports what they are today.

Fo...
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Is it hot in here?

Or is it just “Heated Rivalry,” the steamy gay romance hockey drama sweeping North America? On Tuesday, the NHL showed a trailer of the popular show at the Montreal Canadiens Pride Night, a viral moment that has everyone talking. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz contextualize the moment in the grand scheme of hockey culture, which is notoriously homophobic, and discuss if ...
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Pass the thermometer.

It’s time for a temperature check. Today’s episode of The GIST of It is a tale of three AFC teams — the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, and Kansas City Chiefs — who have traveled very different paths this season. With just four weeks left in the regular season, the playoff picture is starting to come into focus, and who’s in and who’s on the brink just might shock you.

Show notes:
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Let’s kick it!

Welcome to our exciting new series, She’s Not Next She’s Now. We’ll dig into eight different new and emerging women’s sports, discussing the history of how we got here, the current state of the game, and what comes next. And it’s not just co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Lauren Tuiskula driving the conversation; we’ll also be chatting with the executives, players, and fans who make these leagues and sports what they are toda...
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Vroom, vroom.

The 2025 Formula 1 season is coming down to the wire: After an uncharacteristically slow start, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has stormed back and is threatening to derail McLaren’s World Drivers’ Championship dreams. Is Verstappen’s stunning season the best comeback in F1 history — and would a fifth straight title make him the racing world’s GOAT? Co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz debate on today’s episode of The GIST ...
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A moment for the champions.

Gotham FC star Jaedyn Shaw is in the house, and she has stories to share. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, Shaw sits down with The GIST’s Associate Managing Editor Lauren Tuiskula to spill the tea on Gotham’s NWSL Championship celebrations, plus tell us what it’s really like to score a game-winning goal. She shoots, she literally scores.

Thanks to Fan Duel for supporting today’s podcast. From the rink...
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Serve’s up!

Welcome to our exciting new series, She’s Not Next She’s Now. We’ll dig into eight different new and emerging women’s sports, discussing the history of how we got here, the current state of the game, and what comes next.

And it’s not just co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Lauren Tuiskula driving the conversation; we’ll also be chatting with the executives, players, and fans who make these leagues and sports what they are today.

Fo...
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Gobble, gobble. 

It’s Turkey Day in the U-S of A, and that means one thing: It’s time for some football. Ahead of today’s three-g+ame feast, we invited football analyst Kay Adams to The GIST of It to share her predictions and tease her appearance in the EA Sports Madden NFL Cast during tonight’s primetime game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens. Hut hut, here comes the pigskin. 

Show notes:
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How to st...
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The future of the WNBA? 
It’s coming fast and furious. On Sunday, the Dallas Wings won the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft for the second straight year. Today, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz trade predictions on who they think is heading to Dallas, before taking a look at the larger WNBA landscape, from the NY Liberty’s new head coach to the ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

Thanks to Fan Duel for supporti...
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Hello!

Welcome to our exciting new series, She’s Not Next She’s Now. Over the next eight weeks, we’ll dig into eight different new and emerging women’s sports, discussing the history of how we got here, the current state of the game, and what comes next. 

And it’s not just co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Lauren Tuiskula driving the conversation; we’ll also be chatting with the executives, players, and fans who make these leagues and sports...
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November 20, 2025 31 mins
You already know A’ja Wilson is that girl. 

And now, she’s chatting with us on The GIST of It. Co-host Ellen Hyslop sat down with the four-time WNBA MVP and forever Las Vegas Ace to discuss fashion, love and basketball, and of course, the ongoing collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players union. Don’t miss this one. 

Show notes:
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More on The GIST: 
☎️ Lea...
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The 2025 NWSL Championship is almost here. 

Saturday’s match will pit the No. 8 seed Gotham FC against No. 2 Washington Spirit, aka, the only club team Trinity Rodman has ever played for. The Spirit took a major chance on Rodman in 2022, signing her to a four-year, $1.1M contract and making her the then–highest-paid player in the league. But the women’s soccer landscape has changed dramatically since then — and Rodman may be setting...
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An early holiday present, no wrapping required.

Struggling to find a gift for the women’s soccer fan in your life? Send ’em this podcast because today’s episode of The GIST of It features Canadian soccer royalty. Diana Matheson is a CanWNT team legend, a two-time Olympic medalist, and founder and Chief Growth Officer of the Northern Super League (NSL). Tune in to listen to Matheson and co-host Ellen Hyslop yap about everything from ...
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Uh oh. 

ICYMI: Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were charged with fraud, conspiracy, and bribery on Sunday, related to a scheme in which both hurlers rigged individual pitches so that bettors could win big.

On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz break down the latest scandal involving sports gambling and professional athletes, part of a disturbing trend that’s been on the ...
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An icy, spicy rivalry.

Team Canada vs. Team USA women’s hockey is one of the best rivalries in sports — it never disappoints. That’s why today’s episode of The GIST of It is a full-send women’s hockey masterpiece about the iconic Rivalry Series. Tune in to listen to co-hosts Steph Rotz and Lauren Tuiskula give their hottest takes on the spiciest series in women’s sports. Milk not included.

Show notes:
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The GIST NWSL P...
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Misery and magic go hand in hand. 

And never has that been more true than on Saturday, when Canada’s Toronto Blue Jays lost Game 7 of the World Series to the dynastic LA Dodgers. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, resident Canadians and co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz share what it was like to experience a deep Jays playoff run, explaining how MLB’s lone international team captured the heart and soul of a nation. Pass the ti...
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Buyouts, buyouts, buyouts. 

The NCAA football landscape looks a bit different than it did when the season kicked off in August, especially after three head coaches of AP Preseason Top 25 teams were fired for underperformance. But they aren’t walking away empty-handed: All three are owed tens of millions of dollars from their respective schools.

On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz set the scene f...
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October 28, 2025 33 mins
Remember the name.

The NBA is back in full swing, and one men’s hoops story is rising above them all: San Antonio Spur Victor Wembanyama’s breakout season. Even before he arrived to the league in 2023, Wemby was touted as the NBA’s next generational star. Now in his third season, the French big man is exploding on the court. There’s never been an athlete like the 7-foot-4 Wemby, and today’s episode of The GIST of It will break down ...
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