Sports Rule Pod with Nick Elam

Season 1, Episode 9: Guest - Kristen Dozier-Williams, Innovation - NCAA Tournament Expansion to 76 Teams

Interview Segment with guest, Kristen Dozier-Williams: We’re joined by Kristen Dozier-Williams, the Regional Club Leader for League One Volleyball (LOVB), who shares her role in helping grow one of the fastest-rising women’s professional sports leagues in the world. Kristen reflects on the lessons she learned as an entrepreneur right out of college, discusses how leaning into her passion and identity within volleyball ultimately shaped her path forward when she was at a career crossroads. Innovation Segment: We scrutinize the expansion of the NCAA Basketball Tournaments from 68 to 76 teams, and whether the sport is trying to solve a problem that doesn’t actually exist. Next-to-Last Segment: We revisit the unforgettable 2019 Wimbledon men’s final between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer — the next-to-last Grand Slam final featuring two members of tennis’s “Big Three,” and one of the greatest matches in the history of one of sports’ most iconic rivalries. You can find Sports Rule Pod on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. There are many ways to engage with the podcast, and you can also submit your idea for a rule change or innovation in sports to have Nick discuss it on a future episode! Email: ⁠⁠nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com⁠⁠ [nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com] X: ⁠⁠@SportsRulePod⁠⁠ [https://x.com/SportsRulePod] Instagram: ⁠⁠@SportsRulePod⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/sportsrulepod/] YouTube: ⁠⁠@SportsRulePod⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@SportsRulePod]

Season 1, Episode 8: Guest - Seth Greenberg, Innovation - 3-2-1 Lottery

Interview Segment with guest, Seth Greenberg: We’re joined by Seth Greenberg, one of the most recognizable voices in college basketball and a longtime ESPN analyst. Coach Greenberg shares his perspective on NCAA Tournament expansion, reflects on the most important lessons from his coaching career, and speaks candidly about leadership, player relationships, and navigating the dynamics between coaches and their supervisors. Innovation Segment: We discuss the proposed “3-2-1” NBA Draft Lottery system—a highly-debated concept designed to reduce tanking while creating a more competitive environment throughout the NBA season.Next-to-Last Segment: We revisit what was arguably the greatest spectacle in baseball history—the dramatic semifinal between the United States and the Dominican Republic in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, which featured a combination of collective talent and competitive spirit greater than any other baseball game ever played.You can find Sports Rule Pod on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.There are many ways to engage with the podcast, and you can also submit your idea for a rule change or innovation in sports to have Nick discuss it on a future episode! Email: ⁠nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com⁠ [nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com] X: ⁠@SportsRulePod⁠ [https://x.com/SportsRulePod] Instagram: ⁠@SportsRulePod⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/sportsrulepod/] YouTube: ⁠@SportsRulePod⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@SportsRulePod]

Season 1, Episode 7: Guest - Jerry Coleman, Innovation - Changes to MLB All-Star Monday

Interview Segment with guest, Jerry Coleman: We're joined by Jerry Coleman, one of the preeminent voices in Baltimore sports talk for over thirty years. Jerry shares his perspective on the key differences between Baltimore and D.C. sports fans, what it’s like working alongside former athletes as co-hosts, and— as an avid tennis player—his strong opinions on the rise of pickleball. Innovation Segment: We feature another fan-submitted idea— various creative ways to enhance MLB’s All-Star Monday and elevate the overall experience for fans. Next-to-Last Segment: We revisit the next-to-last half inning of the 1960 World Series—an often overlooked moment that happened between two of the most impactful home runs in postseason history. You can find Sports Rule Pod on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. There are many ways to engage with the podcast, and you can also submit your idea for a rule change or innovation in sports to have Nick discuss it on a future episode! Email: nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com [nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com] X: @SportsRulePod [https://x.com/SportsRulePod] Instagram: @SportsRulePod [https://www.instagram.com/sportsrulepod/] YouTube: @SportsRulePod [https://www.youtube.com/@SportsRulePod]

Season 1, Episode 6: Guest: Corey Parchman, Innovation: 4-Point Field Goal in Football

Interview Segment with guest, Corey Parchman: We're joined by Corey Parchman, a former NFL wide receiver and special teams player with the Jaguars, Rams, Raiders, Packers. In Corey's post-NFL career, he has served as CEO of CorePar Holdings, founded the Mini Men Pre-K Leadership Academy in Indianapolis, and has written the book The IVF Playbook for Men. Innovation Segment: We take a look at the four-point field goal in football — a rule that's moved beyond theory and has actually been implemented in the United Football League as of 2026, awarded for any field goal made from beyond 60 yards. Next-to-Last Segment: We revisit the next-to-last play of one of the most controversial endings in the history of any sporting event — the 1972 Olympic gold medal game in men's basketball. You can find Sports Rule Pod on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. There are many ways to engage with the podcast: Email: nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com [nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com ] X: @SportsRulePod Instagram: @SportsRulePod YouTube: @SportsRulePod [https://www.youtube.com/@SportsRulePod]

Season 1, Episode 5: Guest: Scott Doyne, Innovation: C.O.L.A DRAFT MECHANISM

Welcome back to Sports Rule Pod. I'm Nick Elam. Here we explore innovations in sports and the journeys of individuals who make sports great. You can find Sports Rule Pod on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music. And there are many ways to engage with the podcast. You can do so by email, nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com [nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com] or X, Instagram, or YouTube @sportsrulepod. In the Interview segment of this episode, we're joined by bestselling author Scott Doyne, who discusses his new book, Navigating the Quarter Life Career Crisis, and how his own interest in career transitions stems from the way his long stint as an executive at Turner Sports came to an end abruptly. In the Innovation segment, we're joined by Dr. T.J. Highley from La Salle University, who shares his concept for the C.OL.A. DRAFT MECHANISM, which might just be able to strike the right balance of some fundamental principles for what many regard as an ideal draft system - being able to give preference to struggling teams without incentivizing tanking at all. And in the Next-to-Last segment, we revisit the next to last scene of a surprisingly under appreciated movie, Traffic. Let's get to it.  Additional info about the COLA Draft Mechanism can be found here: NBA Tanking Is Solvable: Four Candidates - T.J. Highley [https://highleytj.substack.com/p/nba-tanking-is-solvable-four-candidates?r=630hcs]  or here: NBA Draft: Simple COLA Ends Tanking [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Qx5X9QIquwo]