There’s a first time for everything
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Rise and shine!
There’s no case of the Mondays here, because today marks the year’s only men’s Sports Equinox, a rare day in which the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA are all in action. Celebrating the occasion, and of course bringing women’s sports to the party, in three, two…
— The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo trolling his girlfriend, A’ja Wilson, after the reigning four-time WNBA MVP called him her boyfriend (instead of her usual nickname) during Wilson’s induction into the University of South Carolina Hall of Fame. Couples that joke together stay together.
World Series
⚾ Who turned the temperature hotter?
The GIST: Heroic hitting performances, poetic pitching moments, a Jonas Brothers concert in the middle of the action — you truly never know what you’re going to see in the World Series.
- Here are the history-making highlights from this weekend’s Games 1 and 2 between the Toronto Blue Jays and LA Dodgers, plus a look ahead at tonight’s pivotal 8 p.m. ET Game 3 as the series moves to LA with teams even at one game apiece.
🐦 Jays’ Addison Barger hits first-ever World Series pinch-hit Grand Slam in 11–4 Game 1 win: No bed, no problem — Barger provided four of the Jays’ nine (!!!) sixth-inning runs on Friday, helping his squad cruise to an early series lead. Not in the starting lineup due to his weak batting average against lefty pitchers, the left-handed swinging Barger had no trouble against Dodgers southpaw Anthony Banda. Built for the moment, indeed.
💙 Dodgers hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto tosses second straight postseason complete game: Pitching all nine innings is a rarity in modern baseball — nevermind doing it twice in a row…in the playoffs. Yamamoto struck out eight Blue Jays and surrendered just four hits in Saturday’s 5–1 win, posting MLB’s first back-to-back postseason complete games since 2001. Simply masterful.
⏩ Toronto’s Max Scherzer, LA’s Tyler Glasnow to start Game 3: Either of these sharp pitchers could author a storybook outing tonight. A 41-year-old former Dodger, Scherzer turned back the clock in his most recent playoff outing. Meanwhile, Glasnow’s been fantastic this fall, boasting an astounding 0.68 ERA.
NFL
🏈 The life of a tight end
The GIST: The Week 8 NFL slate saw plenty of players put their best foot forward, including the league’s top tight ends (TEs) — it was their day, after all. To celebrate the holiday, here’s a primer on the unique position, plus the performances that defined the album occasion.
✨ The ultimate positional glow-up: TEs play a hybrid position, combining the blocking ability of linemen and the pass-catching prowess of wide receivers. Traditionally, blocking was the priority — but as offensive schemes evolved, so did the position, from the first TE to hit 1K receiving yards in 1961 to the increased specialization of LA Charger Kellen Winslow in the ’80s.
- The position’s true revolution came in the 2000s though, when NFL legends like Tony Gonzalez proved a TE could be a team’s primary offensive target.
- Gonzalez paved the way for modern-day TEs who are versatile, athletic, and skilled. Yes, they still catch passes and block, but in today’s NFL, they’re doing it everywhere on the field, sometimes lining up where wide receivers normally would. Multi-faceted kings.
🏆 With that in mind, here are our top three TE performances of Week 8:
- 🥇 NY Jet Mason Taylor, who hauled in the game-winning touchdown (TD) for the previously winless Gang Green.
- 🥈 Philadelphia Eagle Dallas Goedert, who found the end zone twice in the Birds’ lopsided 38–20 redemption dub over their divisional rival, the NY Giants.
- 🥉 San Francisco 49er George Kittle, and not just because he’s the founder of the holiday: Kittle made this tough grab for his second TD of the season.
☝️ One more thing: Well, technically two more things. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett had a record-setting five sacks in yesterday’s loss to the New England Patriots, while Buffalo Bills quarterback (QB) Josh Allen logged his NFL-record 46th game with a passing and rushing TD.
Together With The GIST
👻 Is your sports feed feeling haunted?
Between cruel comments, clickbait content, and a lack of coverage on women’s sports, being a fan online can be downright terrifying. 😨
- That’s why we built The GIST Plus — a members-only community designed to fix fandom with healthy conversation, exclusive perks, and zero toxicity.
Because sports should bring people together, not scare them off. We promise, when you join The GIST Plus, it’s all treats and no tricks.
🇺🇸⚽ No. 2 USWNT overpowers No. 23 Portugal 3–1 in second friendly
Just three days after their first-ever loss to Portugal, the Americans regained their stride yesterday, thanks in large part to a brace from midfielder Olivia Moultrie and a late goal from her Portland Thorns teammate, Sam Coffey. Now that’s how you honor legendary goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.
- In off-pitch news, Lynn Biyendolo announced on Saturday that she’s expecting her first child, making her the third player from the gold medal–winning 2024 Olympic team to step away from soccer for family planning this year, alongside Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson. The cutest.
🎓🏈 LSU football’s Brian Kelly becomes latest high-profile head coach to receive pink slip
The 5-3 Tigers fired their fourth-year head coach after Saturday’s blowout loss to No. 3 Texas A&M dropped them from the AP Poll. LSU started the season with national championship aspirations and a No. 9 preseason ranking, but Kelly’s teams found it hard to hang in the big, bad SEC — even with two Heisman Trophy–caliber quarterbacks running his offenses. Another one bites the dust.
🏎️ McLaren’s Lando Norris wins Mexican Grand Prix, leads World Drivers’ Championship (WDC)
The Briton capitalized on Saturday’s speedy qualifying lap, using pole position to earn the chaotic lights-to-flag win by more than 30 seconds. It was a dominant performance that catapulted him to the top of the WDC standings — albeit by a single point — with just four races to go. Spicy.
- Norris’ championship rival (and McLaren teammate), Oscar Piastri, finished fifth, bumping him down to second in the WDC. Meanwhile, fellow title contender Max Verstappen of Red Bull settled for a third-place finish, crossing the line just behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
🇪🇸⚽ Real Madrid defeats FC Barcelona 2–1 in first El Clásico of the season
In a clash of giants, Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé stood the tallest yesterday, setting the tone with the opening goal in his club’s win. Teammate Jude Bellingham clinched the dub just before halftime, snapping Madrid’s four-game losing skid against their archrival and strengthening their hold atop the La Liga standings.
- 👀 On Friday, we asked you to predict the winner and 49% of GISTers correctly chose Madrid. Wonder if they read our special The GIST Plus El Clásico breakdown beforehand…
Together With Adam & Eve
👻 Costumes aren’t limited to Halloween parties this spooky season. Adam & Eve has all the accessories you need for an unforgettable night out in, from corsets and bustiers to dreamy lingerie sets.
- Dressing up shouldn’t be reserved for just one night a year. Be bold, be playful, and put your pleasure first with Adam & Eve.
Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
🥊 What to watch
"Girl Fight." The new three-part BBC One Northern Ireland series follows the journeys of three young women who step into the cage in the tough sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), seeking transformation and a sense of control over their lives.
✍️ Who to know
Hanif Abdurraqib. The celebrated American poet, essayist, and cultural critic is known for pieces like “The Face of the Devastated Sports Fan” and was the guest editor of The Year’s Best Sports Writing 2025 anthology.
🍿 What to look forward to (maybe)
A “Training Day” remake starring Anthony Edwards and Timothée Chalamet. During NBA star Edwards’ new YouTube award show, Chalamet suggested the unlikely duo could star in a reboot of the Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke classic. Yes, please.
Question of the Day
As the World Series shifts to LA for Games 3, 4, and 5, will a champion be crowned in La La Land, or will the series head back to the Six for a Game 6 and possible 7?
Today’s email was brought to you by Alessandra Puccio, Lisa Minutillo, Lauren Tuiskula, Grace DePaull, Charlotte Mackenzie, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Katie Kehoe Foster. Fact-checking by Marga Sison and Mikaela Perez. Ops by Briana Ekanem and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula and Alessandra Puccio. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.