Stay in your lane
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Finally Friday!
Let’s start the weekend with some good news, shall we? Trailblazer Jessica Campbell — the NHL’s first full-time female assistant coach — will return to the league, joining the New Jersey Devils as Manager of Player Development. Nothing better than women winning.
WNBA
🏀 Every smile they fake, every claim they stake
The GIST: The WNBA’s most-viewed season returned to the hardwood with last night’s five-game slate. The on-court action is thrilling as ever, but scoreboard watching is what’s en vogue as the postseason looms. Let’s discuss.
📋 Playoff teams vie for postseason positioning: Only 25 total regular-season games remain before the playoffs tip off on September 27th — and seeding is clear as mud. The league-best Minnesota Lynx are just two games ahead of the No. 2 Golden State Valkyries, while a mere two-and-a-half games separate seeds four through eight.
- Only six of those 25 remaining games feature playoff teams battling each other, so everyone will be watching the league-wide scoreboard to keep tabs on the competition.
👀 Here are a few storylines we’ll be following:
- 🏠 Which team will earn coveted homecourt advantage, especially since the first round is still (sadly) a three-game series. The Lynx, Valkyries, Las Vegas Aces, and Atlanta Dream would host if the regular season ended today.
- 🪽 How the Dallas Wings respond to their mounting injuries. The Wings were without Alanna Smith in last night’s 97–77 win over the LA Sparks, while Paige Bueckers dropped 19 points despite nursing some pesky patellar tendonitis.
- 🌎 The impact of the three-week international break. Every playoff team sent at least two players to the FIBA World Cup and the NY Liberty sent eight. As for those who didn’t go — like Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu and Lynx maestro Olivia Miles — will they be rusty? TBD.
☝️ One more thing: The Toronto Tempo (who will be without the sharpshooting Marina Mabrey for the rest of the season) host Kelsey Mitchell and the Indiana Fever tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET. The penultimate home game of the Tempo’s debut season is also “Her Health, Her Night” in support of Women’s College Hospital Foundation. Women supporting women is our love language.
NCAA football
🎓🏈 Stay in your lane
The GIST: College football coaches aren’t just rude to women journalists, sometimes they beef with each other — and tomorrow’s 7:30 p.m. ET matchup between No. 7 LSU and No. 8 Ole Miss has Shakespearian levels of drama related to one man: Lane Kiffin.
- With nearly two decades of head coach experience across the NCAA and the NFL, Kiffin has been fired or left programs in the dust every single time. And his exit from Ole Miss to LSU might be his worst departure yet.
👋 Kiffin leads Ole Miss to 11-1 record in 2025, then leaves three weeks before the playoffs: After six years in Oxford and in the midst of the most successful season in program history, Kiffin accepted a $90M offer to coach at LSU. That’s right, he deserted the Rebels right before their postseason run. Truly stunning.
👀 Two powerhouses clash in primetime: As if the backstory wasn’t enough, this is poised to be an epic showdown between two undefeated top-10 squads who put up 41+ points in their openers. But senior Ole Miss quarterback (QB) Trinidad Chambliss may have the offensive edge, especially after his former coach’s failed attempt at signing former pro players earlier this year.
🏈 Buffalo Bills dismantle Detroit Lions in primetime
Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen may be scared of spiders, but the entire NFL should be scared of his Bills, who opened their brand-new stadium with a convincing 41–31 win over the Detroit Lions last night. Allen’s signature offensive flair led to five total touchdowns, but the defense helped anchor the dub, stifling the Lions’ high-powered attack in the first half.
- As for the rest of Week 2, Sunday’s 14-game slate promises even more offensive firepower. Only have one screen to work with? Tune in to Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET divisional tilt between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears. History has its eyes on Bears QB Caleb Williams.
⚾ LA Queens one win away from inaugural Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL) title
Scoring 18 runs across two games is certainly a recipe for success. The Queens beat the San Francisco Firebells 7–6 in Wednesday’s Game 1, then followed it up with an 11–7 win last night, meaning they need just one more dub to secure the first-ever WPBL ’ship. Yes, LA’s offense was explosive, but San Francisco has also been error prone, making eight in the last two games.
- The trophy could be dished out as soon as tomorrow with Game 3 set for 7 p.m. ET and an if-necessary Game 4 at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.
🏒 Winnipeg Jets suspend goalie Connor Hellebuyck
The three-time Vezina Trophy winner — who publicly requested a trade from the Jets in August after months of speculation — failed to report to training camp this week, resulting in an indefinite suspension that will cost him $39K a day. Drafted by Winnipeg in 2012, Hellebuyck’s just two seasons into his seven-year contract extension.
- The 33-year-old’s “no-movement clause” means he must approve any trade, but interest in Hellebuyck (who’s struggled in the playoffs despite regular-season success) is “minimal.” General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff won’t deal the face of the franchise for pennies.
🏃♀️ Track & field: Athlos LDN 26 — Today at 2 p.m. ET — Athlos YouTube or CBC
- The groundbreaking all women professional track and field event heads across the pond for its international debut. Keep an eye on hometown Olympic champ Keely Hodgkinson as she races to defend her gold and 2025 Athlos crown in a competitive 800M race.
- As for contenders from the Great White North, Canadian Sade McCreath will make her Althos debut in the 100M.
⚾ MLB: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Texas Rangers — Tonight at 8:05 p.m. ET — Sportsnet
- Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the stakes. Both teams are just outside the Wild Card, looking to fend each other off and leap frog into that third spot. Lucky for Toronto, ace Dylan Cease has the ball tonight. Time to giddy on up.
⚽ NSL: Montreal Roses FC vs. Vancouver Rise FC — Tomorrow at 5 p.m. ET — TSN
- Gear up for some Saturday night footy featuring the top two scorers in the league. The Roses sit atop the NSL standings while the defending champion Rise need a win to hold onto the final playoff spot with just five regular-season games remaining.
Today’s email was brought to you by Lisa Minutillo, Rachel Fuenzalida, Lauren Tuiskula, Grace DePaull, and Charlotte Mackenzie. Fact-checking by Elisha Gunaratnam and Molly Potter. Ops by Elisha Gunaratnam and Briana Ekanem. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula and Lisa Minutillo. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.