The GIST of It Podcast

The GIST of It is a twice-weekly podcast on what’s going on in the sports world. Hosts Ellen Hyslop and Stephanie Rotz discuss current sports topics and how they intersect with pop culture and social issues, covering everything from major league season previews to calling out the sexist BS we see in sports daily.
WNBA “fans” need a vibe checkWNBA “fans” need a vibe check

There’s no place for racism in the WNBA — full stop.

Unfortunately, a hate speech incident marred an otherwise thrilling opening weekend of WNBA action. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz discuss allegations of racist and hateful fan comments launched at the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese during a game against her longtime rival, the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark. The WNBA is growing in popularity, but fans like this do not mesh with the league, which has stood for equality and social justice since its inception.

This episode is sponsored by our friends at SharkNinja. As one of the founding partners of the PWHL, SharkNinja is committed to growing the women’s game and providing unparalleled support for women in sports, from the rink to the podcast booth and beyond. Check out their full line of incredible products, including their viral hair styling tools, at www.sharkclean.ca.

WTF: Ironman reverses their equality stanceWTF: Ironman reverses their equality stance

Well that ain’t it.

Today’s episode of The GIST of It is all about Ironman (no, not this Iron Man) after the sport’s governing body recently announced that women won’t have their own championship race starting in 2026. It’s only been three years since the sport separated the women’s and men’s events — and the ripple effects of shifting back are vast.

Co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz provide the context you need before digging into the details about the decision itself, including how it will disproportionately affect women competitors. Not cool.

Victim blaming & the Hockey Canada assault trialVictim blaming & the Hockey Canada assault trial

This one’s a toughie.

As we’ve covered extensively at The GIST, hockey culture is in desperate need of a reckoning — and the ongoing Hockey Canada trial is the perfect example of why. Today’s episode of The GIST of It takes listeners through the latest updates from the courtroom, as co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz discuss toxicity in the sport and provide key insight as to why this trial may be different from the rest. Take care.