Same Game Different Turf

In this episode of Same Game Different Turf, I sit down with David Pollack, former University of Georgia player, three-time All-American, first-round NFL Draft pick, former ESPN analyst, speaker, author, and host of the See Ball Get Ball podcast.
David shares a powerful story of identity, transition, faith, resilience, and learning how to make every day count. From becoming under-recruited, to elite football player, to suffering a career-ending neck injury in the NFL, to rebuilding through broadcasting, speaking, writing, and family life. Our conversation is full of perspective for anyone navigating change.
We talk about what it really means to be great where you’re at, how to stay present instead of living in the rearview mirror, how to grow through adversity, and why some of life’s hardest moments can shape you into the strongest version of yourself. David also opens up about faith, his wife’s battle with brain cancer, parenting, personal discipline, leadership, and the mindset behind his book Every Day Counts.
This is a conversation about more than football. It’s about purpose, suffering, grit, service, and how to respond when life changes faster than you expected.
In this episode, we discuss:
* David Pollack’s journey from Georgia football to the NFL
* The mindset that helped him become great after changing positions multiple times
* What happened after his broken neck ended his NFL career
* Transitioning from pro sports to local radio and eventually ESPN
* Why feedback, accountability, and self-evaluation matter
* How faith shaped the way he handled adversity and uncertainty
* Lessons from his wife’s brain cancer journey
* The message behind his book Every Day Counts
* Parenting, youth sports, resilience, and letting kids own their journey
* What success looks like now in speaking, media, and life
 
If you’re in a season of transition, rebuilding, leadership, loss, or growth, this episode will challenge and encourage you.
Subscribe for more conversations with leaders, athletes, founders, and high performers navigating life and career transitions on Same Game Different Turf.
 
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In the latest episode of Same Game Different Turf, I sit down with Elicia Azali, Chief Marketing Officer at Beazer Homes, to talk about leadership, marketing, and building a career that aligns with who you truly are.
Elicia’s journey from Oberlin, Ohio to the C-suite is a powerful reminder that success isn’t just about where you start.
It’s about work ethic, mentorship, and the courage to be yourself in rooms where you may feel different.
In this conversation:
• The work ethic lessons that shaped her growing up in Ohio• How mentorship helped launch her career in marketing• Early career experiences at Procter & Gamble• Navigating imposter syndrome and authenticity in leadership• Why marketing is really about understanding people• How brand strategy drives business growth• Lessons from leading across multiple industries• Building alignment and vision as a C-suite executive• Balancing motherhood and executive leadership• The evolving meaning of purpose and success
This episode is a powerful conversation about leadership, resilience, motherhood, career development, and building brands that last.

In this episode, I sit down with TJ Callaway, founder and CEO of Onward Reserve, to unpack what building something real actually takes.
TJ shares his journey from investment banking to entrepreneurship and how that experience gave him confidence in rooms where big financial decisions are made. More importantly, he explains why lasting success isn’t about hype or chasing fast exits. It is about discipline, ownership, and playing the long game.
We cover
Why loving the process matters more than chasing the exit
How credibility gives you leverage in rooms most people feel intimidated in
The risk of building a business you don’t control
When to pivot from selling other brands to owning your own
Why the grind never really stops, and why that is a good thing
This conversation is grounded in patience, discipline, and building for the long term. TJ also shares how making thoughtful, deliberate decisions along the way allows you to control the variables that shape your future.
If you are building something, a company, a career, or your life, this episode will challenge how you think about control, preparation, and what success actually feels like.
 
If this episode resonated, subscribe and share it with someone navigating their own transition.

This episode features Mariangela Corales, General Counsel of Goodwill of North Georgia, and a proud Latina leader whose journey reflects ambition, resilience, and cultural pride.
As the daughter of Cuban immigrant parents, Mariangela carries a deep sense of responsibility and gratitude into her work. We discuss what it means to be a Latina executive in corporate law and nonprofit leadership, often navigating rooms where you are the first or one of the only. Her story highlights the intersection of identity, leadership, and career growth, and how cultural heritage shapes confidence, drive, and purpose.
This conversation explores career transitions, imposter syndrome, and how to design your own path without sacrificing your values. Mariangela shares how she learned to trust herself, find evidence of her wins, and redefine what “having it all” means as a woman in leadership. Rather than choosing between ambition and family, career and culture, she demonstrates how alignment across seasons creates sustainable success.
We also talk about purpose-driven work, giving back to the community, and how leadership in the nonprofit sector can create meaningful impact beyond titles. This episode is for anyone navigating leadership development, cultural identity, career advancement, or the pressure to succeed while staying true to who you are.

This episode features Melissa Proctor, Chief Marketing Officer of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena.
Our conversation centers on navigating transition without having everything figured out. Melissa shares how staying rooted in who you are, anchoring in your strengths, and saying yes to opportunities that stretch you can create momentum over time.
We talk about authenticity in leadership, creativity as a competitive advantage, and why growth often comes from unglamorous yeses long before titles or certainty appear. Melissa’s journey reminds us that clarity is rarely the starting point. Commitment, curiosity, and alignment are.
This episode is for anyone navigating change, stepping into new roles, or learning how to build a career that reflects who they actually are rather than who they think they’re supposed to be.
 
 

Former NFL Pro Bowler D’Brickashaw Ferguson shares the real story of life after football — the identity shift, the divorce, the uncertainty, and what it took to rebuild from the ground up.Brick went from open-heart surgery as a kid to a 10-year NFL career without missing a game. But after retirement, he had to face a different kind of pressure: figuring out who he is beyond the NFL. He tried multiple careers, the messy in-between, and ultimately finding purpose in nursing in oncology, where every day brings new perspective.

This episode features Steve Koonin, CEO of the Atlanta Hawks and former executive at Coca-Cola and Turner. Our conversation goes beyond sports and business. We discuss how to handle change without losing your sense of self, how to build a career that lasts, and how to stay relevant as things keep changing. We cover guiding principles, transferable skills, reputation, leadership, adaptability, and the habits that help us keep moving forward.

DESCRIPTION: This episode features Al Parker, a Morgan Stanley Managing Director and one of Barron’s Top Wealth Managers, and the most accomplished junior tennis players ever. This conversation is not about tennis or finance. It is about how we adapt when the path we trained for changes, and how we decide who we want to become next.

Mayo Sowell’s journey is one of the most powerful examples of redemption, identity, and purpose you will ever hear. After an injury ended his football career, Mayo chased instant gratification, turned to fast money, and eventually faced major prison time. But what happened in that season reshaped his entire life.
In this episode, we explore:
• The identity crisis after sports• How “quick wins” can destroy long-term purpose• The wake-up call that hit in a jail cell• Finding God in the darkest environments• Rebuilding identity through humility• Learning what truly drives you• Stepping into your calling rather than escaping it
If you're navigating transition, questioning your purpose, or trying to overcome your past, this conversation will help you take a meaningful step forward.

Nate Hybl was a standout quarterback at Oklahoma and played in the NFL. When football ended, he found himself starting over with no clear plan that forced him to confront who he really was.
That led him into restaurant kitchens to founding gusto!, a fast-casual brand built on energy, optimism, and life-giving food. We explore how identity, obsession, and a willingness to do unglamorous work can turn a hard transition into a meaningful new chapter.