The GIST: Just when you thought you’d seen the end of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) sign-stealing saga, they come out and hit you with more. After originally placing most of the blame on their coach A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow, it turns out the Houston Astros front office has some ’splainin to do.

Wait. Remind me how it started?: In January, the Astros were found guilty of illegal sign-stealing — using technology to record and decipher the hand and body signals of the opposing team’s catcher, pitcher and coaches to predict the next pitch — during their championship winning season in 2017.

• As a result, the MLB fined the ’Stros a measly $5 million, gave one-year bans to Jeff Luhnow and A.J. Hinch (who were subsequently fired) and revoked a few important draft picks.

So now what’s happened?: A couple of new details have emerged. First, apparently the sign-stealing scheme started with one of the MLB’s most famous players: the now-retired Carlos Beltrán. According to anonymous teammates, when Beltrán signed with the Astros for the 2017 season, he came with a plan and was the so-called “Godfather” of sign-stealing. We guess he made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. He’d previously been with the New York Yankees, who were also accused of sign-stealing in 2015. Coincidence? We think not.

• Second, it’s also come out that the Astros’ front office executives not only knew about the sign-stealing but also had an intern create an Excel algorithm they called “Codebreaker” (real subtle, guys) to help decipher signs more efficiently. This is a big deal because the MLB previously told the public that the sign-stealing scheme was not planned or directed by the front office. SMDH.

And what will the MLB do about it?: That remains to be seen. Spring training (aka preseason) starts in less than two weeks so the pressure is on for the MLB to discipline the ’Stros before then. In the meantime, some players who previously played against the Astros are taking it upon themselves to right the wrongs...

• Yankees pitching legend CC Sabathia is calling for the Astros’ World Series to be revoked, while former relief pitcher Mike Bolsinger is suing the team for $31 million, alleging the Astros interfered with and harmed his career. Following a bad game in 2017 in which he gave up four runs against the Astros, the Toronto Blue Jays terminated Bolsinger’s contract and he hasn't played in the MLB since. Not good.

What’s The GIST’s take?: We said it once and we’ll say it again: as fans, we feel cheated. Between steroid use, sign-stealing and everything in between, we have serious trust issues with baseball.

The GIST: With March Madness just around the corner, it’s that time of the college basketball season where wins matter more and feel even better than usual.

Cause this is thriller: It’s always intense when men’s longtime rivals No. 7 Duke and North Carolina (UNC) face off, but Saturday’s game took things to another level. Duke was down 13 with four minutes remaining and somehow rallied to hit a crazy shot that sent the game to overtime (OT). And when Duke was down by five with 20 seconds left in OT, they did it again, hitting a nail-biting buzzer beater to win 98–96. You can’t make this sh!t up.

• And get this: Saturday’s game came exactly eight years after current Houston Rocket Austin Rivers (aka LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers’ son) hit Duke’s classic heartbreaking game-winner over UNC. Mind-blowing, we know.

Who’s bad?: No. 3 Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu — but bad in the good-bad, bad-b!tch type of way. She notched her 24th career triple-double in Friday’s 85–52 rout over No. 12 Arizona, which she dedicated to her late mentor Kobe Bryant. Even though she followed with a quiet (for her) 19-point performance in last night’s 79–48 beat down of No. 19 Arizona State, Sabrina proved she might indeed be a witch, she’s that good.

The GIST: We’re two thirds of the way through the NHL and NBA seasons, which means it's crunch time for teams on the playoff bubble. So, here’s #thegist of where we’re at heading into April’s playoffs.

The good old hockey game: Sixteen teams qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs — eight from the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively. Current divisional leaders, the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks and reigning Stanley Cup champs St. Louis Blues all seem like shoo-ins (unless we just jinxed it). But the teams we really have to keep a close eye on are those hovering between seventh and 12th place in the conference.

• In the East, we’re keeping an eye on the battle between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Philadelphia Flyers for a final playoff spot. The real question is, will we see Gritty or Storm Surges in the playoffs?
• Over in the West, it’s a tighter race for a wild card spot, with six teams within reach. But if we were betting women, we’d put good money on the Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes making it in as wild cards.

We’re playing basketball: Over in the NBA, it’s pretty much the same. The top eight teams from each of the two conferences (East and West) qualify for the playoffs, and while the top six teams in each conference are basically set, the bubble teams will have to fight extra hard to claim those last two spots.

• In the East, the Washington Wizards will have to channel their inner Harry Potter Hermione Granger as they chase the Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic for one of the last two remaining spots.
• In the West, it’s looking like it’ll be a battle between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trail Blazers for the eighth seed. Buckle up.

The GIST: Over the weekend, our US women’s national soccer team (USWNT) became the second women’s team to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and TBH, we can’t say we’re surprised.

Explain, please!: You got it. First, our USWNT clinched a spot in the 2020 Summer Olympics by winning their semifinal match 4–0 over Mexico, in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament (reminder: the top two teams in the tournament qualify for Tokyo 2020).

• That set the stage for the CONCACAF final yesterday, and we were treated to our favorite thing ever: a Canada-USA final. We haven’t lost to Canada since 2001 (!!!) and kept our streak going, beating Canada 3–0...because of course we did. And to put the cherry on top, our star striker, Christen Press, took home the Golden Ball for the best player in the tournament.

And what other team earned a ticket?: Our women’s basketball team. Team USA clinched their Tokyo 2020 Olympics spot by winning the 2018 FIBA Basketball World Cup. That said, they still played in Serbia in one of the four FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournaments this weekend.

• Our women won all three games, but we were a little bit shaken that they had to come from behind to win 76–71 over a strong Nigerian team. Too close for comfort.

The GIST: We’re less than six months away from the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. And you know what that means? It’s Olympic qualifier season, baby!

Sweet! Tell me more: Sure thing! Our women’s national soccer team is currently competing in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament and they absolutely dominated in the group stage, winning all three matches and outscoring their opponents 18–0. Having swept their group, they’ll now face Mexico in tomorrow night’s semifinal at 10 p.m. ET.

• This is a must-win match because the winners of the semis book their trip to Tokyo. Not, not anxiety-inducing. 

You’re telling me. Do we have a good chance to win?: As reigning FIFA World Cup champions, our USWNT is, of course, expected to make it through. *knocks on wood furiously*  

• In the other semifinal, Canada is taking on Costa Rica, so we might be getting an always-fun Canada-USA final. Can’t. Wait. 

Got it! Anyone else qualifying?: To no one’s surprise, our women’s national basketball team already secured a spot in Tokyo after taking gold in the 2018 Women’s Basketball World Cup. Queens. That said, they’ll still be playing in one of the four FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournaments taking place this weekend. The tournament consists of three games for each team and as a member of Group A, we’ll be taking on Nigeria, Mozambique and host country Serbia in Belgrade.  

Although nothing’s really on the line, we’re still bringing some serious star power: four-time Olympic gold-medalist Sue Bird is being joined by Breanna Stewart who is finally making her return to Team USA after missing a full year with a torn Achilles injury. Guess who’s back, back again.