The GIST of It Podcast 

Banned for accepting tuition money: Diving into the complicated NCAA sports landscape

The college sports landscape is a wonky place.
And that’s an understatement. Between NIL rules, the transfer portal, and constantly changing eligibility requirements, it’s tough to keep up with what is and isn’t allowed.
That’s why we’re taking today’s episode of The GIST of It to directly compare two college athletes: Baylor men’s basketball center James Nnaji and Augsburg University runner Mohammed Bati. Nnaji was drafted to the NBA in 2023 but is now competing as a college athlete, while Bati has been banned from competing after accepting $6K in donations to pay his tuition. Make it make sense.

Is that “Auld Lang Syne” we hear?
Must be, because it’s time for our favorite annual tradition: our Year-in-Review pod. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz share their favorite 2025 sports moments, from the Toronto Blue Jays’ World Series run to the heated rivalry before Heated Rivalry: The Four Nations tourney. Tune in and prepare to be nostalgic.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
And not just because of the holidays. Between the final few weeks of a thrilling NFL season and the College Football Playoff, there’s no shortage of gridiron action to take in. That’s why on today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are tossing the perfect spiral: a College Football Playoff special, breaking down the 12-team field and this weekend’s spiciest showdowns. Hut, hut, here we go.











