Didn’t have that on our Bingo card
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Morning, friend.
In the wake of a heartbreaking weekend around the world, we’re feeling especially grateful for our one-of-a-kind community here at The GIST. Thanks for being here with us — sending Monday morning hugs as we get into today’s sports news together.
— No. 1 seed Indiana quarterback (QB) Fernando Mendoza, thanking his mother, who is battling multiple sclerosis, while accepting the Heisman Trophy, college football’s MVP award, on Saturday.
- Mendoza is the first Hoosier to win the Heisman — but can he lead Indiana to their first championship? Let us know your prediction by playing The GIST’s College Football Bracket Challenge.
NFL
🏈 Always walked a very thin line
The GIST: It was a big weekend for dads in the NFL — just ask Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, who paired a baby announcement with a comeback win, and Indianapolis Colts QB Philip Rivers, who became just the second grandfather in NFL history to toss a touchdown.
- All to say, family matters — and so do football Sundays. Let’s dig into the headlines that shaped Week 15. Hut, hut, here we go.
❌ Kansas City Chiefs eliminated from playoff contention: For the first time since 2014, KC will watch the postseason from the couch after yesterday’s 16–13 loss to the LA Chargers. The nailbiting L is a film we’ve seen before: The three-point defeat was KC’s seventh one-score loss this season, a far cry from last year when they won an NFL–record 11 close games.
- And KC lost more than their AFC Championship streak: Superstar QB Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL, an injury that typically takes between six months and a year to rehab, with just two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Talk about a heartbreaking double whammy.
🎟️ Denver Broncos and LA Rams punch postseason tickets: Broncos QB Bo Nix grated a gritty Green Bay Packers defense yesterday, tossing four touchdowns to lead “the overdogs” to a playoff-clinching 34–26 dub. Elsewhere, the Rams topped the equally impressive Detroit Lions 41–34 in a high-powered offensive battle that lived up to its hype.
- Sadly, these thrilling showdowns were marred by high-profile injuries, too: The Packers lost linebacker Micah Parsons to a torn ACL and wide receiver (WR) Christian Watson to a chest injury, while Rams WR Davante Adams reaggravated a hamstring strain. Not great.
❤️🩹 Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt sidelined for Monday Night Football: The four-time All-Pro was released from the hospital on Friday after undergoing surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung. As expected, Watt is inactive for tonight’s 8:15 p.m. ET primetime tilt against the Miami Dolphins. Health isn’t just wealth; it’s a priority.
Rivalry Series
🏒 That’s one busy broom
The GIST: For the first time ever, Team USA women’s hockey swept the Rivalry Series, defeating Team Canada 4–1 on Saturday to dominate the four-game showdown. Here’s how it all played out, plus what to look out for between now and the Milano Cortina Olympics.
💪 American captain Hilary Knight scores twice in final series appearance: Just like in the very first Rivalry Series game in 2019, Knight found the net on Saturday, a testament to her unparalleled longevity as she reaches the twilight of her international career. Knight will once again represent Team USA at the Olympics, her fifth and final Winter Games.
- But despite the sweep, Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin isn’t stressed about Canada’s chances in Italy. She admits there’s work to be done, but said her squad will not “get down on ourselves” about demoralizing losses to the archrival Americans.
👀 Looking ahead: The Olympics are just 52 days away, and now, both teams’ head coaches must trim their 30-woman Rivalry Series rosters down to 23. The U.S. will announce their squad on January 2nd, while Canada’s roster drop date is still unconfirmed.
- Regardless of country, it’s now imperative for bubble players to impress in either club or NCAA play — good thing the PWHL is back tomorrow with a 10 p.m. ET showdown between the Ottawa Charge and Vancouver Goldeneyes. Ice ice, baby.
Together With Wine Awesomeness
Winter blues got you down? Sunshine is the perfect remedy, and we know just the place to visit: San Juan, Puerto Rico. We’re giving away a winter escape that includes:
🏨 Accommodations for two for three nights at the Don Charlie Building, plus a $500 AMEX gift card for travel,
🍽️ $100 for an authentic Puerto Rican dinner at Casita Miramar, in addition to $100 for brunch and coffee at Ochocielos,
⛪ And finally, a culinary walking tour of Old San Juan for two.
The sun is calling your name — enter now and get your Vitamin D on.
🎓🏐 No. 3 seed Texas A&M stuns previously undefeated No. 1 Nebraska in NCAA national quarter-finals
The women’s volleyball Final Four is set — and for the first time since 2021, there will be a new national champ. In the first of two upsets yesterday, A&M defeated Nebraska in a five-set thriller led by outside hitter Kyndal Stowers, who had a stunning 25 kills. Then last night, No. 3 Wisconsin topped No. 1 Texas to join No. 1s Pitt and Kentucky in the semis, which begin on Thursday. Bumpin’.
🏒 Vancouver Canucks trade captain Quinn Hughes to Minnesota Wild
There were a flurry of trades this weekend, but the biggest was the blockbuster deal that sent Hughes to the Wild for a trio of young players and a first-round pick. The impetus? Hughes reportedly told the Canucks he wouldn’t resign when his contract expired at the end of next season, and who could blame him: Vancouver sits dead last in the NHL. Woof.
🏆🏀 San Antonio Spurs stun NBA–best Oklahoma City Thunder in NBA Cup semifinal
Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama made his highly-anticipated return in Saturday’s 111–109 win, but this victory was a true team effort: Four Spurs players, including the inimitable Wemby, netted more than 20 points. Their opponent in tomorrow’s 8:30 p.m. ET final is the NY Knicks, who beat the Orlando Magic 132–120 behind a whopping 40 points from Jalen Brunson. Money on the mind.
🎓🏀 Grad student Azzi Fudd scores 17 points as No. 1 UConn defeats No. 17 USC
Four Huskies scored 10 or more points in Saturday’s 79–51 victory over the JuJu Watkins–less Trojans, helping the defending champs stay perfect as conference play nears. But they’re not the only undefeated women’s hoops squad making noise: No. 2 Texas is also 12-0 after yesterday’s 89–54 drumming of No. 13 Baylor, featuring a double-double from grad student Rori Harmon.
Take Your Pick
No. 15 NC State
Washington
The NCAA men’s soccer College Cup Championship is tonight, with No. 15 seed NC State facing off against unseeded underdog Washington at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU. Before the opening whistle, who’s your pick to win it all?
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