Let’s get down to business. 

With the 2025 WNBA season fast approaching, this episode of The GIST of It takes a peek behind the curtain, as co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz explore how improving amenities are changing the look of the league from the inside out.  From the Unrivaled effect to the importance of facilities during free agency, one thing is clear: The WNBA’s pro hoopers want to be treated as such, and improved facilities are a major way to draw in the league’s top talent. 

And in part two, Karina LeBlanc, the Executive Vice President of Strategic Growth Development at RAJ Sports, joins the gals, speaking to the state-of-the-art facilities being built for the WNBA’s new Portland team and the NWSL’s Portland Thorns. Don’t miss this. 

This episode was brought to you by Amazon Business, the ultimate partner for smart business buying. Because with Amazon Business, companies of all shapes and sizes can simplify their purchasing process, with a one-stop shop for all your business needs. Learn more by checking out business.amazon.com today. 

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The odds of making a perfect bracket? 1 in 9.2 quintillion.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t tips, tricks, and tools of the trade when it comes to filling out your Big Dance predictions. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz look at the shocking men’s March Madness trends that have stood the test of time, from the seed that always seems to pull off the upset to the underrated skills that turn unknown teams into contenders. Grab your pencils: Bracketology 101 is in session.

A special shout out to Peloton for sponsoring today’s episode! No matter where you are in your fitness journey, Peloton’s easy-to-use app is here to provide you with the workout, support, and community you need. Download the app today for a free 30-day trial.

**New members only. Terms apply. See onepeloton.com for details.

Show notes:
Women’s bracket challengeMen’s bracket challengeEp #441: March Madness is coming: Here are the teams and names to know

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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 It will still be your twice-weekly go-to source for the latest on the top sports headlines, but by focusing on just one story per episode, there’ll be even more room for listener questions, fun debates, and of course, spicy hot takes.

And with that, today’s episode highlights a hero and a villain in women’s college hoops, traveling down memory lane to explore how two gamechangers took such divergent roads to become pillars — good or bad — in women’s sports. 

A special shout out to FanDuel for sponsoring today’s episode! The GIST partnered with FanDuel to create our very own March Madness brackets for both the men’s and women’s tourneys. Head to thegistsports.com to make your picks and check out the FanDuel app to bet on college basketball all month long.

Show notes:
☎️ Leave us a voicemail! Call us at 1-437-564-5579 or hold down this link
👋 Join The GIST’s College Basketball Bracket Challenge!

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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 joins the pod to discuss her first year as Editor-in-Chief of The Women’s Game, moving on from pro soccer, and which team she thinks will be the dark horse this upcoming NWSL season. It’s footy time. 

A special shout out to Peloton for sponsoring today’s episode! No matter where you are in your fitness journey, Peloton’s easy-to-use app is here to provide you with the workout, support, and community you need. Download the app today for a free 30-day trial.
**New members only. Terms apply. See onepeloton.com for details.

Show notes:
The Women's Game, a part of the Men in Blazers Media Network, is available on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

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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 teams — and the controversial TCU player who still holds a starting position.  

A special shout out to FanDuel for sponsoring today’s episode! The GIST partnered with FanDuel to create our very own March Madness brackets for both the men’s and women’s tourneys. Starting this Sunday, head to thegistsports.com to make your picks, and in the meantime, check out the FanDuel app to bet on college basketball all month long.

Show notes:
Everything you need to know about conference realignment

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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 part two, the gals shift gears to the NBA hardwood to weigh in on the fallout from one of the most shocking moves in NBA history. We’re just over one month removed from the bombshell trade that sent Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks to the LA Lakers, and while one of those teams is now on a meteoric rise, the other is down bad crying at the gym. 

A special shout out to Peloton for sponsoring today’s episode! No matter where you are in your fitness journey, Peloton’s easy-to-use app is here to provide you with the workout, support, and community you need. Download the app today for a free 30-day trial.

**New members only. Terms apply. See onepeloton.com for details.

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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 speech. There’s no place for hate in sports — full stop.

Then in part two, it’s off to the hardwood: the NCAA women’s basketball conference tournaments begin today, making this the perfect time to discuss how it works and what to watch before March Madness tips off later this month.  

Show notes: 

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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. Bowing to the best. 

Then in part two, the gals stay on the hardwood, previewing this weekend’s must-watch NCAA women’s hoops action as the regular season comes to a close. March is so close, we can taste it. 

Show notes:

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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 two, the gals zoom out to examine how record chases impact pro sports leagues and discuss the legendary athletes continuing a high level of play well into their thirties. Age is just a number, right?

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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 Steph Rotz preview the final before taking a step back to consider why this tourney has been such a success — and what it means for the upcoming 2026 Milan Olympics. 

This episode was brought to you by Amazon Business, the ultimate partner for smart business buying. Amazon Business offers a one-stop shop for all of your business needs, helping companies of all shapes and sizes simplify their purchasing process. Learn more by checking out business.amazon.com today. 

Show notes:

More on The GIST: 
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