The GIST - Everyone deserves a chance to fly

Defying gravity ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌
Sports News
From The GIST Team

We made it!

We’ll be defying gravity all weekend long thanks to the stacked sports slate ahead. Hitting the high notes as we head into today’s news.

Quote of The Day
Quote I've always been the hockey player. But I have a wife and I can be myself. People are coming to the rink and saying thank you for allowing me to be myself.
Marie-Philip Poulin smiles.

— Montréal Victoire superstar and women’s hockey GOAT Marie-Philip Poulin, holding back tears while sharing her love story with teammate and wife, Laura Stacey. Between this and the Takeover Tour, the PWHL truly has us in our feels this week. Pass the tissues.

The Latest
NWSL Championship

⚽ All that glitters is gold

An NWSL player lifts the NWSL Championship trophy.
Source: Katharine Lotze/Getty Images

The GIST: It all comes down to this: the No. 1 seed Orlando Pride face the No. 2 Washington Spirit for the NWSL Championship tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET, just one year after both squads missed out on the postseason entirely.

The Pride boast international firepower: Led by NWSL Coach of the Year Seb Hines, Orlando tapped overseas talent in the offseason, bringing in Zambian star forward Barbra Banda with the second-highest transfer fee in the women’s game — and that investment has certainly paid off.

  • As the other half of a dynamic partnership with the legendary Marta, Banda (one of five MVP finalists) finished the regular season as the second-leading scorer in the league and has already notched three postseason golazos.
  • An added plus for the first-time NWSL ’ship competitors? The Pride know how to beat this Spirit squad — they’re the only team to top Washington twice during the regular season, winning 3–2 in April and 2–0 in October. Can they do it thrice?

The Spirit will rely on their youth and grit: Few (including us) saw Washington coming this year, but the Spirit have played with confidence from the jump — even through a planned mid-season coaching change — thanks in large part to shining stars like MVP finalist Trinity Rodman.

  • That said, Rodman briefly found herself on the Spirit’s lengthy injury list after the squad had already lost Midfielder and Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune and veteran defensive midfielder Andi Sullivan to season-ending injuries.
  • In their place, NWSL newbies, like midfielder Hal Hershfelt, who scored the equalizer in the Spirit’s semis win, stepped up in a big way, showcasing the depth of this young but determined team. We’re in for a real treat tomorrow.
   
Fun & Games

Take Your Pick

Orlando Pride

vs

Washington Spirit

Now that you’re primed for tomorrow’s 8 p.m. ET NWSL Championship between the Pride and Spirit, who do you think will hoist the trophy when the final whistle blows?

Formula 1

🏎️ All gas, no breaks

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen maneuvers his car around a corner during the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Source: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

The GIST: The world’s fastest drivers are hitting the streets of Sin City this weekend, with only three races left on the calendar. From the championship battle to the ins and outs of the circuit itself, it’s time to go all in on Sunday’s 1 a.m. ET Grand Prix.

The setting: Yes, last year’s event was a logistical nightmare, but that hasn’t tempered expectations this time around. Between Vegas’ sights and sounds and the A-list celebs, the second edition of F1’s newest race should be truly spectacular with famed landmarks serving as the backdrop.

  • The Sphere and The Strip are iconic in their own right and offer riveting racing: The long straight of The Strip and the location of The Sphere are the perfect spots to overtake, aka pass, other cars. Drama, loading.
  • And because Vegas is a street circuit (meaning the race is on city streets instead of an actual race track), the barriers make the road extra narrow, leaving virtually no room for error.

What’s on the line: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen’s fourth straight World Drivers’ Championship is his to lose after his stunning victory in Brazil three weeks ago. Now all the Dutchman has to do to clinch the individual title is finish ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris or ensure Norris doesn’t beat him by more than three points.

   
Buzzer Beaters

🐺 No. 2 UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma is now the all-time winningest coach in NCAA hoops history after topping Fairleigh Dickinson 85–41 on Wednesday in front of a star-studded crowd of former players. 1,217 wins and counting.

To no one’s surprise, NY Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and LA Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani were named unanimous MVPs of the American League and National League, respectively, yesterday. Crown them.

🏀 With January’s season start looming for the new 3v3 league, Unrivaled unveiled all six team rosters during Wednesday’s draft, part of a massive week that included their schedule drop and ticket release. Ballin’.

🏒 Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who’s hunting Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record, will miss four to six weeks with a broken left leg. Sad news for hockey fans everywhere.

🎾 World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini ended the season with a huge win, leading Italy to their fifth Billie Jean King Cup with Wednesday’s win over Slovakia. It’s a fitting end to this breakout star’s remarkable year.

  • And in men’s tennis, Team USA crashed out of the Davis Cup after team captain Bob Bryan gambled and lost with his doubles pair selection yesterday.

❤️‍🩹 Both Philadelphia 76er Paul George (knee) and Dallas Maverick Luka Dončić (wrist) will miss multiple games nursing their respective injuries.

⛳ Three Americans are hovering near the top of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship leaderboard, but world No. 1 Nelly Korda is not among them after struggling in the first round yesterday. No place to go but up.

Weekend Watching
UNC Field Hockey players celebrate.
Source: UNC Field Hockey/X

🎓🏑 NCAA field hockey: National Tournament — Today through Sunday — ESPN+

  • Fockey’s national title will be handed out on Sunday following today’s epic semis. Will the winner be undefeated, two-time reigning champs No. 1 UNC, who take on No. 4 St. Joseph’s at 12 p.m. ET, or the victor of today’s 3 p.m. ET battle between No. 2 Northwestern and unranked UMass? Time to fock around and find out.

🎓🏀 NCAA women’s basketball: No. 3 USC vs. No. 6 Notre Dame — Tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET — NBC

  • This top-ten matchup is chock-full of starpower in Trojan sophomore phenom JuJu Watkins, and the Fighting Irish’s dynamic duo of junior Olivia Miles and sophomore (and friend of The GIST) Hannah Hidalgo. Calendar-clearing, indeed.

⚽ MLS Cup Playoffs: Conference semifinals — Tomorrow through Sunday — MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+

  • It’s been 84 years since the last MLS playoff action, but it’s finally time for the Lionel Messi–less MLS Cup semis. The Eastern Conference kicks things off, with the No. 7 seed NY Red Bulls taking on No. 6 seed NYCFC in a must-see 5:30 p.m. ET Big Apple showdown.

🏈 NFL: Philadelphia Eagles vs. LA Rams — Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET — NBC

  • The Birds boast a six-game win streak and one of the best run games in the biz, not to mention they’ve never lost to the Rams in LA. Is a seventh straight victory in the cards? Or will the LA offense, led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, rain on Philly’s parade?
The GIST's Picks

Here’s what has The GIST team currently hyped:

🫶 Who to thank

Aflac, who powered yesterday’s episode of The GIST of It. We couldn’t continue being the free, go-to source for women’s sports news without Aflac’s support.*

🎧 What to listen to

The latest episode of The RE—CAP Show, where co-hosts and soccer legends Tobin Heath and Christen Press share their spiciest takes ahead of tomorrow’s NWSL Championship. Feeling hot, hot, hot.

🎾 Who to know

Blind tennis star Tess Whelan, who’s breaking barriers by competing on the world stage with no usable vision. Incredible.

*P.S. This is a sponsored post. Ducks fly together.

Older messages

Sisters? Hallie, we're like twins!

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Lindsay Lohan meets NFL ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Caught a vibe

Monday, November 18, 2024

Baby, are you coming for the ride? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Sunday Scroll: Where everybody knows her name

Sunday, November 17, 2024

It's always ladies night ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Risk it for the biscuit

Friday, November 15, 2024

Music to our ears ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Working hard for the hardware

Friday, November 15, 2024

You're green ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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