Look good, feel good, play good
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Finally Friday!
So happy to be here with you after a tough week. Heads up, there’ll be no newsletter on Monday as our team is off to observe Remembrance Day, but we’ll still be in your inbox with a rallying Scroll on Sunday. And with that, let’s sports.
— Golfer Nelly Korda, after winning her first career LPGA Player of the Year Award following a standout season on the green. Now that’s a hole in one.
NWSL Playoffs
⚽ Whistle while you work
The GIST: The NWSL’s newly expanded eight-team playoffs is finally here, with quarter-final action kicking off tonight from Orlando. No time to waste — here’s what to expect from each match.
No. 8 seed Chicago Red Stars vs. No. 1 seed Orlando Pride — Tonight at 8 p.m. ET: Marta’s Pride were the team to beat all season long, conceding just two games and clinching the NWSL Shield (awarded to the best regular-season squad). But recent injuries have left this top-seed vulnerable. Can the recently struggling Red Stars pull off the ultimate upset?
No. 5 seed North Carolina Courage vs. No. 4 seed Kansas City Current — Tomorrow at 12 p.m. ET: CPKC Stadium, the world’s first soccer venue built exclusively for a pro women’s team, will host their first (but not last) playoff game tomorrow, bolstering the Current’s already soaring chances for a dub.
- However, KC, who led the league in scoring this season, may be without their sharpest weapon: injured Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga. Plus, the Current’s last loss on September 1st came at the
handsfeet of the middling Courage. Spicy.
No. 7 seed Bay FC vs. No. 2 seed Washington Spirit — Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET: Expansion team Bay FC threw down a statement win last week to earn their playoff berth and are riding some serious momentum thanks to forward Racheal Kundananji’s recent form.
- Meanwhile, the Spirit suffered a tough slew of season-ending injuries, but with winger Trinity Rodman back on the pitch, golazos and viral cellys feel inevitable.
No. 6 seed Portland Thorns vs. No. 3 seed NJ/NY Gotham FC — Sunday at 3 p.m. ET: Once an underdog and now a superteam, defending champs Gotham and leading goal-scorer Esther González are riding high, making this matchup against Christine Sinclair’s Thorns the quarter-final to watch. With her retirement imminent, every game could be Sincy’s last — pass the tissues and pop the corn.
Question of the Day
Before the quarter-finals take flight tonight, we want to know who you think will win this year’s NWSL Championship. May the odds be ever in your favor.
🏀 Paige Bueckers and No. 2 UConn women’s basketball dominated Boston University 86–32 last night, with the hoops sensation tallying 13 points and five steals in the blowout dub. Buckets on buckets.
🎾 After six days of cutthroat competition, the WTA Final semis are set with No. 8 Barbora Krejčíková and No. 7 Zheng Quinwen hitting the court today at 10 a.m. ET, followed by No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 3 Coco Gauff at 11:15 a.m. ET. Winners will advance to tomorrow’s final.
✨ The PWHL unveiled fresh new jersey designs for all six teams yesterday, just in time for Tuesday’s training camp puck drop. Look good, feel good, play good.
🇨🇦 Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard inked a $33M, four-year extension yesterday, keeping the touchdown-scoring Canadian in Charlotte through 2028.
🏈 The Baltimore Ravens outlasted the Cincinnati Bengals 35–34 on Thursday Night Football, overcoming a 14-point deficit and a last-minute Bengals drive to steal a pivotal AFC North win. Down, but never out.
🏒 Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is on pace to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record before the end of the season and will continue his chase when the Caps host the also ageless Sidney Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET.
- Elsewhere, Edmonton Oiler Connor McDavid (who was originally expected to miss multiple weeks with an injury) was back on the ice on Wednesday after only a three-game absence. That didn’t help the Oilers, though, as they fell 4–2 to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Together With The GIST
👕 Wear your heart on your sleeve
Want to show off your support for women in sports? We thought so. And with The GIST’s capsule collection, you can. The pieces are sporty, bold, and playful…just like our GIST community.
Speaking of, this collection truly has something for everyone: Basketball-specific threads for hoops fans, “leveling the playing field” looks if you love making a statement, and tennis tees if you want to, ahem, serve.
But don’t just take our word for it, check it out for yourself. Happy shopping!
🇨🇦🏒 Rivalry Series: Team Canada vs. Team USA — Tonight at 9 p.m. ET — TSN
- Don’t stress about Wednesday’s lopsided 7–2 series-opening loss because the Canadians are used to thriving under pressure. In fact, the red and white have pulled a reverse sweep on the Americans in the last two editions of this seven-game series. Panic? Never heard of her.
🏈 CFL Playoffs: Toronto Argonauts vs. Montreal Alouettes — Tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET — TSN/CTV
- The defending champ Als begin their title defense with an all-too-familiar matchup before the perennial powerhouse Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 6:30 p.m. ET. Grey Cup, here two teams come.
🏒 NHL: Montréal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs — Tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET — CBC
- An Original Six matchup always gets the people going, especially when it’s between these two forever foes. Will the Leafs’ goalposts be kinder to the hometown team, or will iron (and Habs’ goalie Sam Montembeault) reign supreme once again?
⚽ MLS Cup Playoffs: No. 8 seed Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. No. 1 seed LAFC — Tomorrow at 10:30 p.m. ET — MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+
- Winner takes all (aka a semis spot) in the final match of this best-of-three Round One series. LAFC may top the Western Conference, but Vancouver pulled off an unexpected upset while on the brink of elimination last Sunday. Can the Blue-and-White defy the odds once more?
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
👀 What to watch for
Fifty-point games from NBA stars. When any player drops 50, DoorDash teamed up with the NBA and Subway to give DoorDash users $6 off their Subway order of $20+ on DoorDash the day after. When they score, you score, so keep those peepers peeled all season long.*
⚽ What to put on your TBR list
Play It Forward, a collection of stories about barrier-breaking women in sports. Add these game-changers to your bookshelf by pre-ordering today.
🏀 What to wear
Wu-Tang Nike Dunks. RZA and the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan teamed up with Nike to pair ’90s nostalgia with a fresh spin on Dunk Highs. Sneakerheads can snag the new black and yellow kicks starting tomorrow. Style’ll hit ya, wham.
*P.S. This is a sponsored post. Yum.Today’s email was brought to you by Lauren Tuiskula, Alessandra Puccio, Marga Sison, Lisa Minutillo, Megan Murray, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Laura Pastore, Emily Ohman, Emma Leishman, Rachel Fuenzalida, and Lindsay Jost. Fact-checking by Marga Sison. Ops by Briana Ekanem and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula and Alesssandra Puccio. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.
