Gridiron Japan

Four years ago friendships were formed as ⁠Zach Keilman⁠, ⁠Greg St. James⁠, and John Gunning of ⁠Inside Sport Japan⁠, sat down for the first episode of our podcast, which has now expanded to a website and livestream providing original coverage of the gridiron game in Japan. Since the first episode we have grown as a team with B.J. and then Aaron joining, and through it all the six of us have enjoyed plenty of laughs, smiles and candid opinions about Japan, gridiron football, and of course, the Chicago Bears! For the reason why we do this and enjoy doing it is simply this- because of the friendship and comradery that football brings :-). Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on ⁠X (Twitter)⁠! Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapan.jp⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapan.net⁠⁠⁠.

Autumn has arrived in Japan, and the crew sits down to first talk about Aaron's six touchdown performance against the Bulls Eyes in X1 Area week two play and the state of the Caterpillars as they seek to move back up to X1 Super. The guys then talk about the week that was in the X1 Super and give their insights as to who is trending up and down, showing improvement, hanging loose, treading water and/or in need of prayers going into the second half of the season. Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on ⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠! Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠ and catch up on all the scores and Japanese gridiron news at the new Gridiron Japan News Hub ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapan.net⁠⁠⁠⁠.

When the 2021 X-League season kicked off, during our first season, the crew at Gridiron Japan wanted to get a player's perspective. Look no further than now retired Obic Seagulls LB, 10-year X-League veteran, current Fujitsu Frontier defensive coach, and our former Gridiron Japan cohost, BJ Beatty! He discussed with us the player experience in the X-League, the season ahead in what was his final season as a player, and the various issues and tidbits surrounding the game in the Land of the Rising Sun!Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on ⁠X (Twitter)⁠! Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapan.jp⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapan.net⁠⁠⁠.

On a late night in Japan, John, Greg and Aaron do a deep dive on the games played in spite of the obstacles faced by a typhoon that brought lightening storms and heavy rain. Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠, and soon over on Twitch! Learn more at ⁠www.gridironjapan.jp⁠ or ⁠www.gridironjapan.net⁠.

On the eve of week one in X-League play in Japan, Greg and John sit down with Mike Phair, the head coach of IBM Big Blue to talk about his team and the upcoming season. Coach Phair talks about his coaching philosophy and the lessons he learned from coaching in the NFL and CFL. In addition we learn how John almost was a movie star! Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠, and soon over on Twitch! Learn more at www.gridironjapan.jp or www.gridironjapan.net.

On a night where earthquakes were the topic of discussion all over the local news, Greg and John take a time out and focus on the upcoming X-League season, starting with the top three teams- Fujitsu, Obic and Panasonic. Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠, on Facebook at ⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠, and soon over on Twitch!

Summer break is over for the Gridiron Japan podcast hosts as Greg and John welcome back quarterback Aaron Ellis, of Japan's X-League's Dentsu Caterpillars, to talk about his experiences in playing in Japan, Europe, and Mexico. He compares the X-League with the European League of Football and Mexico's Liga-de Fútbol Americano, where has played, and in doing so holds the distinction of being the only professional football player to have played in all three major international leagues outside of Canada and the United States. Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at www.gridironjapantv.net, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp, and soon over on Twitch!

As we await the start of the autumn gridiron season here in Japan, Greg and his co-host of the From the 55 Yardline Podcast, Dave Cieslinski talk with Don and Heath of The Third Down Gamble Podcast⁠ to preview the upcoming 2024 CFL season. From the 55 Yardline is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY Greg and Dave are joined by Don and Heath of the Third Down Gamble podcast for the second year in a row to preview, here in the third week of the preseason, the upcoming CFL season. We start in the far east with defending Grey Cup champion Montreal and move our way west, team by team, and end with this year's Grey Cup host, the British Columbia Lions. The Third Down Gamble is going on five years and truly is "audio worth watching!" FROM THE 55 YARD LINE BACKGROUND From the 55 Yardline is anchored by former rugby player and sports executive David Cieslinski, who resides near the Canadian border, and retired naval intelligence and information warfare officer Greg St. James, who resides in Japan (he is also the co-host of the Gridiron Japan podcast). Both are avid armchair sports historians and sports simulation enthusiasts, who, despite the vastness of geography, have found a way to leverage technology to help keep the games they love truly alive, both on the screen and on the internet airwaves. In addition to Dave and Greg, From the 55 Yardline also features veteran journalist and contributor Fran Stuchbury, of https://OurSportsCentral.com, where he writes extensively on the happenings in minor league sports. The show was previously co-hosted by retired sports journalist Scott Adamson, whose continued writings. sports coverage and articles can be found at https://www.Adamsonmedia.com.  David, Greg, and Fran can be contacted directly via the podcast's Twitter account at https://www.twitter.com/Fromthe55.

John and Greg are joined by star wide receiver Devin Phelps of the OrientalBio Silver Star to talk about his life and career in football, which has stretched from his childhood in Baltimore, to the Arizona desert and to the shores of Japan. They talk about Devin, John and Greg's favorite Chicago Bears' quarterback (who makes an unscheduled appearance during the livestream), how many touchdowns Devin will score on the BJ Beatty coached Fujitsu Frontier's defense, and much much more. You can catch the livestream of this broadcast over at our YouTube page at www.gridironjapantv.net and our homepage at www.gridironjapan.jp. As for Devin, you can see more by following him on Instagram, YouTube, X (Twitter), and TikTok.

Gridiron Japan returns, broadcasting live to the internet airwaves, on YouTube, Facebook and X (Twitter)! John and Greg kickoff season 4 of the podcast, and season 1 of the livestreaming videocast to talk about all that has happened since Team Japan's upset over the Ivy League in January, including the promotion by one of our cohosts to the X-League coaching ranks! You can connect to Gridiron Japan via our main pages at www.gridironjapan.jp | www.gridironjapantv.net and www.gridironjapanradio.net

Greg and BJ sit down with Boogie Knight of the Asahi Soft Drink Challengers, and talk about his career in Japan and the 2023 season in which he was named rookie of the year and led the Super X-League in receiving and won the triple crown of touchdowns made, number of receptions and yards. As highlighted by the Challengers, Boogie is an exciting and dynamic player who reminds many older fans of NFL Hall of Famers like Steve Largent and Fred Biletnikoff. They also talk about his upcoming game in the Dream Japan Bowl, in which he will be playing for Team Japan, and also about his life in his first year in Japan as he looks toward a second season, as well as his interests outside of football. You can find Boogie's 2023 season highlights on Youtube, and also find him on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Boogie also sells his own line and brand of Zeal clothing on Bonfire. To learn more about the gridiron American football game in Japan, check out our home page www.gridironjapan.jp, and also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

On a Sunday night, John, BJ and Greg are joined by Rice Bowl and X-League champion, as well as the most famous American playing football in Japan, Al-Rilwan Adeyemi of the Fujitsu Frontiers. They discuss with him the key moments of the game that led to the Frontiers' big win and also talk about his recent NFL360 spotlight on the NFL Network. Lastly, they discuss with him the upcoming Dream Japan Bowl that is taking place in Tokyo on January 21, 2024. To learn more about American football in Japan, please visit www.gridironjapan.jp

In the first part of the podcast John, BJ and Greg preview the upcoming matchup of Japan's championship game, which will be played on January 3rd, 2024 at the Tokyo Dome and feature a battle of two unbeaten teams, the Fujitsu Frontiers and Panasonic Impulse. During the second part the guys talk about the recent NFL360 episode, entitled "Ikigai", in which NFL Films puts a spotlight on the inspiring story of the Fujitsu Frontiers' Al-Rilwan Adeyemi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsO0SNgVe6w

John, BJ and Greg sit down and dissect the victories by Panasonic and Fujitsu in X-League semi-final action, including notes on attendance for the matches. They then discuss the victory by the KG Fighters over the Hosei Orange in the Koshien Bowl, Japan's collegiate gridiron championship. Lastly, they talk about what it is going to take, in their opinions, for American football to be grown at the grass roots and become more popular and widely known and followed in Japan.

On the eve of the X-League semi-finals, Greg and John sit down to talk about the weekend's matchups (Fujitsu v. Obic and Panasonic v. IBM) to see who will square off in January's Rice Bowl, as well as the league's promotion/relegation games. After which they turn their attention to the college game and talk about the postseason changes coming in 2024, as well as the decision by administrators at Nihon University to disband the school's legendary gridiron program.

John and Greg sit down and talk about the road to the Koshien Bowl and how the final team in Japan's college football semi-final playoffs was selected via a method that falls under the heading, "things that make you go...Huh??" The guys also talk about the upcoming Dream Japan Bowl, Mexican college football, and more!

With BJ and John away, Greg is joined by 2022 X-League Area MVP Aaron Ellis, starting quarterback of the Dentsu Caterpillars and Gridiron Japan alumnus, and co-host of the USFL Podcast, sports media wunderkind Zach Keilman. During a very early morning for poor Zach, the three review the week that was during the first round of the Super X-League post season tournament. After which they discuss, with apologies to former Chunichi Dragon star baseball player Tom Selleck, the dreams of many young players to continue their gridiron careers in Japan, as well as the right and wrong ways to seek out opportunities in the X-League. Finally, Zach gives an update as to where the rumored merger talks are with the XFL and USFL. He provides insight as to what the ratings comparisons between the two entities really are, and what may happen with the leagues in the short term.

It's a playoff party on the eve of the Super X-League quarterfinals as Greg, BJ and John give their predictions for the upcoming tournament. The guys are joined by Dentsu Caterpillars starting quarterback, Aaron Ellis, who gives his perspective on the 2023 season. They also talk about the Road to the Koshien Bowl in Japan's college playoff tournament.

While the rest of Japan is glued to the TV to watch baseball and the Japan Series, the guys sit down and talk gridiron. They start off with a talk about Japan's very own Hidetora Hanada, who is currently playing for the Colorado State University Rams. They then turn their attention to Japan's recent medal achievements in the Asian flag football tournaments for men and women, with a discussion about the growth of the domestic game. After which, they discuss their predictions for the final week of regular Super X-League play and the playoff scenarios.

On a cool October night, Greg and BJ review the scores from week 3, and preview week 4 of the Super X-League. After which BJ talks about his DARE Sports initiative that is designed to provide gridiron education in Japan for those players who want to excel and reach new heights both on and off the field. You can find out more about BJ and Dare Sports at the program's Instagram page and web site. https://mosh.jp/daresports/home https://www.instagram.com/d.a.r.e.sports/