Hot diggity dog
Leveling The Playing Field
Cheers to a new week!
Start your Monday with a smile and check out the scenes from the World Series–winning Milwaukee Brewers’ championship parade on Friday. And keep that confetti coming because there are more first-ever titles to discuss…
WNBA Finals
🏀 Hot diggity dog
The GIST: ICYMI: The Golden State Valkyries are WNBA champs in just their second season after beating the Atlanta Dream 68–63 in Saturday’s Game 7. Let’s relish in this unprecedented Valks run.
📋 An expansion success story: The goal was to win a championship within five seasons, but the Valkyries only needed two, eclipsing the Milwaukee Bucks’ three-season mark to become the fastest hoops expansion squad to reach the pinnacle. Three women were the masterminds for Golden State: general manager Ohemaa Nyanin, head coach Natalie Nakase, and president Jess Smith.
- Nyanin assembled a roster that fit Nakase’s defense-driven, high-intensity vision, drafting then-role players (like floor general Veronica Burton) that fit the mold. The trio next prioritized buy-in, building a brand both players and fans adored. A playbook worth emulating.
❌ No All-WNBA selections on the roster: Golden State is the first squad to win a title without a player on the first or second All-WNBA team — but that didn’t mean the stars weren’t shining.
- 1️⃣ Finals MVP Gabby Williams dropped a WNBA–record 28 second-half points in Game 7, the most in a single half of a playoff game in league history. Doing it her way.
- 2️⃣ Four-time WNBA champ Kiah Stokes has now won back-to-back titles with two different teams, recording a history-making 19 blocks in this year’s Finals.
💪 Nakase’s no stranger to firsts: She was the first woman head coach in Japan’s top men’s pro league, the first woman to sit on an NBA bench, and the first Asian American head coach in the WNBA. Now, she’s the first Asian American head coach to win a WNBA championship. That certainly deserves a nod of approval.
- The Valkyries’ win made Canadian history, too. Laeticia Amihere became just the second Canuck to win a WNBA title, following in the footsteps of former Indiana Fever centre Tammy Sutton-Brown, who won in 2012.
❤️🩹 Baltimore Ravens quarterback (QB) Lamar Jackson is heading to Injured Reserve. The two-time MVP took just one snap in his return from an ankle sprain before exiting with a thumb injury. Say it ain’t so.
❌ And then there were none: The previously undefeated Minnesota Vikings fell 19–15 to the Detroit Lions, ensuring the Miami Dolphins’ perfect 1972 record remains untouchable for another season.
- Vikings fans can take solace in this stellar catch from wide receiver Justin Jefferson, hopefully a sign of things to come for an offense that’s struggled despite its 6-1 record.
- As for the Lions, it was a bittersweet victory after All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell was taken to the hospital with a neck injury following a scary collision.
😱 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the first team since 1974 to win a game without completing a pass, enduring a monsoon and beating the Atlanta Falcons 16–0. Yes, that means Bucs linebacker Alex Anzalone (two interceptions) had more catches than his entire offense.
💨 Las Vegas Raiders returner Dylan Laube owns the first kickoff-return touchdown of the season, running one back 95 yards in a 38–33 W over the NY Jets.
🫣 Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow gave stuffing the stat sheet a whole new meaning, recording six touchdowns (TDs) and three interceptions in Cincy’s 43–36 overtime win over the Tennessee Titans.
🛑 Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes isn’t often stifled at the goal line, but the Denver Broncos pulled it off in the final seconds to secure a stunning 28–24 win.
⏩ And Week 8’s not even over yet: Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet makes his season debut against the surging Chicago Bears tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET. Touchdowns, loading.
P.S. If you enjoyed this section, you’ll love The GIST’s Weekly Blitz, our football newsletter breaking down the latest from the gridiron.Together With Canadian Women & Sport
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🔽 Canadian Women & Sport and presenting partner Canadian Tire have the playbook on making that happen. Download the full report and see what happens when the industry matches women and girls' ambition.
⚽ NWSL Decision Day brings chaos to conclude regular season
After a doozy of a Decision Day, we finally have a clear NWSL playoff picture. Gotham clinched their first NWSL Shield and will defend their 2025 title as the No. 1 overall seed, while the San Diego Wave also secured home-field advantage through the semis thanks to their 1–0 win over Bay FC. Washington Spirit and Kansas City Current round out the top four, who’ll host this weekend’s quarter-finals.
- As for the coveted No. 8 seed, that belongs to the Seattle Reign after defender Jordyn Bugg’s 68th-minute goal led to a 1–0 dub vs. the Orlando Pride. Can’t wait for Friday’s kickoff (and our full playoff breakdown).
🏎️ Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli is Formula 1’s youngest-ever champion
The writing’s been on the wall for weeks, but the 20-year-old made it official with yesterday’s third-place Mexican Grand Prix finish. Antonelli has dominated all season long, winning nine races for 25 points apiece to open an insurmountable 119-point lead over his closest competitor — yesterday’s victor Red Bull’s Max Verstappen — with four Grands Prix remaining. Faster than fast.
- And while the World Drivers’ Champion has been crowned, the Constructors’ Championship (the team competition) is still up for grabs, where all-important prize money for next season is awarded based on finishing position.
🎓🏈 College football teams await first CFP rankings of 2026
At least one of the top-two schools fell to an unranked opponent for the fourth consecutive week after then-No. 2 Ohio State lost 38–10 to USC on Saturday. Outside of the Buckeyes, there weren’t any surprises amongst the contenders before the first College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings are released tomorrow.
- A new CFP poll will be released weekly between now and Selection Sunday on December 6th, featuring projections for the 12-team bracket that will compete for a national championship.
🏈⚽ Playoffs heat up in the CFL and NSL
Behind a monster game from QB Nathan Rourke, the BC Lions roared back from a 14-point deficit to eliminate the defending champ Saskatchewan Roughriders 33–26 on Saturday. Yesterday’s divisional semifinal came down to the wire with Winnipeg Blue Bombers backup QB Dru Brown throwing the go-ahead TD and two-point conversion to down the Toronto Argonauts 25–22.
- The first leg of the NSL playoffs also saw underdogs dominate as striker Kaylee Hunter notched a brace and an assist in AFC Toronto’s 4–2 Saturday win over Ottawa Rapid. But the top-ranked Montreal Roses said “non, merci” to an upset, downing the Vancouver Rise 3–0 yesterday.
Today’s email was brought to you by Lisa Minutillo, Rachel Fuenzalida, Lauren Tuiskula, and Grace DePaull. Fact-checking by Elisha Gunaratnam and Mikaela Perez. Ops by Elisha Gunaratnam and Briana Ekanem. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula and Lisa Minutillo. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.