On your mark, get set, slay
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
And the award goes to…
Move aside, Carmy — the sports world is serving up the best TV around with drama and highlights aplenty. Digging into today’s sports news? Yes, chef.
— Las Vegas Aces superstar and MVP frontrunner A’ja Wilson, after becoming the first-ever WNBA player to score 1,000 points in a single season during yesterday’s 84–71 win over the Connecticut Sun. Nobody does it better.
NFL
🏈 Never felt this way before
The GIST: From stunning catches to shocking upsets, they’re having the time of their lives on the NFL Week 2 gridiron.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver (WR) Marvin Harrison Jr. has arrived: The rookie shined in the Cardinals’ 41–10 rout of the LA Rams yesterday, hauling in two touchdowns (TDs) and accumulating 130 receiving yards. Bird’s gotta fly.
Kansas City Chiefs top Cincinnati Bengals in nailbiter: Despite KC quarterback (QB) Patrick Mahomes’ two uncharacteristic interceptions, the red and gold came out on top at Arrowhead, beating QB Joe Burrow and the Bengals 26–25 behind a game-winning field goal from controversial kicker Harrison Butker.
New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings record massive upsets: Saints QB Derek Carr outshined Dallas Cowboys signal caller Dak Prescott yesterday, leading his squad to a lopsided 44–19 W, while the Raiders stunned the Baltimore Ravens 26–23, pushing the Ravens to 0-2 for the first time since 2015.
- But no team turned more heads than the Vikings, as WR Justin Jefferson notched a jaw-dropping 97-yard TD in their 23–17 win over the injury-plagued San Francisco 49ers. On that note…
Week 2 injury list grows: Jefferson exited the game in the third quarter with a quad contusion, injured on the same play as 49ers defensive lineman Nick Bosa, who left the game with an apparent ankle issue, but later returned.
- Prior to kickoff, the 49ers placed running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve for at least the next four games, citing calf soreness and Achilles tendinitis — two injuries that have previously plagued the reigning Offensive Player of the Year. Not great.
- Meanwhile, Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa — who suffered his fourth diagnosed concussion in five years during Thursday’s 31–10 loss to the Buffalo Bills — says he has no intention of retiring ahead of meeting with a neurologist this week.
Take Your Pick
Week 2 of the NFL season closes out with a bird battle in the City of Brotherly Love. Who’s your pick to win tonight’s 8:15 p.m. ET Monday Night Football showdown?
Solheim Cup
⛳ All the stars aligned
The GIST: Home is definitely where the wins are for Team USA, who beat Team Europe 15.5-12.5 to claim their first Solheim Cup victory in seven years. There are plenty of standout moments from the BFD tourney, so let’s drive right into it.
Team USA built a four-point lead through the first two days: Powered by the chemistry and energy of good friends Nelly Korda and Megan Khang, the Americans started off strong in foursome and four-ball play on Friday, jumping out to a 6-2 lead, tied for the United States’ largest lead after the second session in tournament history.
- Then on Saturday, Korda and 2023 US Women’s Open winner Allisen Corpuz became the first duo to win four straight Solheim Cup foursome matches, fending off a European charge.
Team Europe mounted a final day comeback, American Lilia Vu sealed the deal: The last day of play featured 12 singles matches and the Europeans came out firing, collecting two early wins from British stars Charley Hull and Georgia Hall.
- Team USA saw their lead shrink with only four matches to go, but world No. 2 and two-time major champion Vu delivered a game-winning birdie putt that gave the red, white, and blue the 14.5 points they needed to claim the Cup.
- The victory is oh-so sweet for Team USA, who ended their three-Cup losing streak on home soil, improving their overall record vs. the Europeans to 11-7-1. Teamwork does make the dream work.
Together With Nike
👟 A superfan’s seal of approval
NY Liberty superstar Sabrina Ionescu makes draining threes look easy, but the same can’t be said for WNBA superfan Jason Sudeikis — perhaps all he needed was a custom pair of Nike Sabrina 2s.
- Sudeikis created his own Nike Sabrina 2s with the help of his daughter, Daisy, in the Nike By You lab, designing his sneaks with inspiration from both of his kids, the sunshine they bring to his life, and their shared love of women’s hoops.
- Don’t be a goldfish — snag your own Sudeikis Sabrina 2s while supplies last.
🏀 Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark sets rookie single-season scoring record
No, you’re not experiencing déjà vu — rookie phenom Clark broke yet another record yesterday, this time claiming the all-time WNBA rookie scoring mark previously held by Hall of Famer Seimone Augustus. And CC did it in style, notching a career-high 35 points in a 110–109 victory over the Dallas Wings. Casual.
🏎️ McLaren ascends to top of Constructor Standings with Oscar Piastri win
Chaos was the name of the game at yesterday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Piastri beat Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (who started the race in first position) to claim the chequered flag.
- The win gave McLaren the Constructor Standings lead over Red Bull, who lost the top spot for the first time in two years. With only seven races to go in the season, expect more drama across the circuit.
🎓🏈 No. 1 Texas takes over top spot in rankings, Arch Manning impresses
With Heisman Trophy candidate and star QB Quinn Ewers sidelined with an abdomen injury in the second quarter, Peyton and Eli’s nephew stepped in seamlessly under center, posting five TDs in the newly named No. 1 Longhorns’ 56–7 rout of UTSA.
- Ewers’ injury reportedly isn’t too serious but could leave him out next game, giving us at least another week to see the speediest Manning lead a Texas team that’s No. 1 for the first time in 16 years.
👟 Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reigns supreme at Diamond League, Julien Alfred outduels Sha’Carri Richardson in Paris rematch
Two-time Olympic champion McLaughlin-Levrone topped more podiums at the famed Diamond League meet over the weekend, winning both the invitational 200m and invitational 400m (she could not race in the final because she did not compete in regular-season Diamond League meets).
- The first-place finishes add even more fuel to the speedster’s fire to race on flat ground next year in addition to dominating in the hurdles.
- Elsewhere, reigning 100m gold medalist Alfred finished first to defend her crown, while Paris silver medalist Richardson crossed the line in eighth.
Together With Smalls
The Taylor Swift economy has brought us so much, including the reclamation of the cat lady narrative. And what are empowered feline parents feeding their kitties? Smalls fresh cat food.
- Whether your cat is a Blue Russian, Maine Coon, or simply a kooky little guy, Smalls’ recipes are sure to satisfy because they’re packed with proper nutrition without any preservatives.
- Smalls offers first-time customers a 40% discount, by using code THEGIST20. Paws-itively purrfect.
The GIST's Bracket Challenge
Think you know the WNBA? Don’t miss out on The GIST’s Pro Women’s Basketball Bracket Challenge — the first of its kind! Flex your basketball IQ, compete with other fans, and score some amazing prizes along the way. Sign up for free today.
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
🏒 What to shop
Peace Collective x PWHL merch. Get your hands on replica jerseys, hoodies, and more. Perfect for showing love for the Original Six teams and supporting women’s hockey.
📲 Who to follow
Annie Agar on X. Annie Agar brings NFL matchups and drama to life with her hilarious weekly breakdowns. Follow along for ice-cold takes and hilarious roasts.
🎧 What to listen to
This podcast. Sports Explain the World highlights unusual and wild sports stories. It's sports storytelling like you've never heard before.
Today’s email was brought to you by Lauren Tuiskula, Alessandra Puccio, Marga Sison, Lisa Minutillo, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Laura Pastore, Emily Ohman, Emma Leishman, Rachel Fuenzalida, and Lindsay Jost. Fact-checking by Parul Kanwar. Ops by Briana Ekanem and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster and Alessandra Puccio. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.