Sports Rule Pod with Nick Elam

Nick Elam
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Sports
  • Updated Biweekly

Sports Rule Pod welcomes guests from the world of sports to discuss their career journeys and lessons learned along the way. Hosted by Nick Elam, the originator of basketball's Elam Ending, Sports Rule Pod also explores innovations of all types in sports. If you have an idea for a rule change or innovation in sports, and you are ready to share it with the world, submit your idea to nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com. You can also engage with the podcast on X or Instagram @sportsrulepod Subscribe and catch Season 1 episodes every two weeks on Friday mornings!

Episodes

  1. May 29

    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 X: ⁠⁠@SportsRulePod⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠@SportsRulePod⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠@SportsRulePod⁠

    56 min

  2. May 15

    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 X: ⁠@SportsRulePod⁠ Instagram: ⁠@SportsRulePod⁠ YouTube: ⁠@SportsRulePod⁠

    1h 19m

  3. May 1

    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 X: @SportsRulePod Instagram: @SportsRulePod YouTube: @SportsRulePod

    37 min

  4. Apr 17

    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 X: @SportsRulePod Instagram: @SportsRulePod YouTube: @SportsRulePod

    37 min

  5. Apr 3

    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 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  or here: NBA Draft: Simple COLA Ends Tanking

    1h 1m

  6. Mar 20

    Season 1, Episode 4: Guest: Marvin Prince, Innovation: 4-Point Shot | Primary Jerseys in Postseason

    Interview Segment with guest, Marvin Prince: We are joined by Marvin Prince, an Associate Producer on The Dan Patrick Show, one of the most highly-regarded sports talk shows around. We get Marvin’s takes on various innovations in sports, Marvin – who is a diehard UConn fan – shares exactly where he was for each of UConn’s national championship game victories – everywhere from having the craziest night of his life, to trying not to wake up his newborn son, and Marvin hints at what’s next for him after The Dan Patrick Show closes up shop in 2028 Innovation Segment: It's exciting that we've already received our first audience-submitted ideas, as this captures the fundamental spirit of the podcast. I'll scrutinize two of these submissions—one that I really like, and one that I really don’t like. Next to Last Segment: We revisit the next-to-last drive in a classic football game between Stanford and Cal—a game whose final play ended with the band on the field. 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 X: @SportsRulePod Instagram: @SportsRulePod Youtube: @SportsRulePod

    59 min

  7. Mar 6

    Season 1, Episode 3: Guest - Dan Bonner, Innovation - ABS Challenge System

    Interview Segment with guest, Dan Bonner: We're joined by Dan Bonner, one of the most prolific voices in the history of the NCAA tournament. He shares the best career advice he ever received, his thoughts on expanding the NCAA tournament, and why he says it was a brilliant move by a university athletic director to end his stint as head coach of the basketball team. Innovation Segment: We explore the automated ball-strike challenge system, yet another major innovation in Major League Baseball. Next to Last Segment: We step outside the world of sports to revisit the next-to-last episode of one of the most revolutionary television series of all time, The Sopranos.

    52 min

  8. Mar 6

    Season 1, Episode 2: Guest - Liz Wanless, Innovation - MLB Day

    Interview Segment with guest, Dr. Liz Wanless: We're joined by Dr. Liz Wanless, Associate Professor of Sport Management at Indiana University Indianapolis and Director of their Sports Innovation Institute. Dr. Wanless shares some of the exciting AI innovations happening in the sports world, and what it's like to be a national champion in shot put. Innovation Segment: We explore a concept that could allow Major League Baseball to draw over one million fans through the turnstiles in a single day. Next to Last Segment: We revisit the next-to-last game of the 2025 World Series.

    48 min

  9. Mar 6

    Season 1, Episode 1: Guest - Eric Collins, Innovation - Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Playoffs

    Interview Segment with guest, Eric Collins: We're joined by Eric Collins, the play-by-play voice of the Charlotte Hornets and NBA on Prime. Innovation Segment: We explore choose-your-own-adventure playoffs in various sports, where top teams would be able to choose their playoff matchups rather than being locked into a position in the bracket based on seed. Next to Last Segment: We revisit the next-to-last at-bat of the 2014 World Series.

    58 min
  • 9 Episodes

About

Sports Rule Pod welcomes guests from the world of sports to discuss their career journeys and lessons learned along the way. Hosted by Nick Elam, the originator of basketball's Elam Ending, Sports Rule Pod also explores innovations of all types in sports. If you have an idea for a rule change or innovation in sports, and you are ready to share it with the world, submit your idea to nick.elam@sportsrulepod.com. You can also engage with the podcast on X or Instagram @sportsrulepod Subscribe and catch Season 1 episodes every two weeks on Friday mornings!

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