Gridiron Japan

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football, we present to you a new weekly (and sometimes bi-weekly or monthly depending upon the sports calendar) segment that gives a run down of all the scores we can track down for the gridiron games played here in Japan, from the top level to the college ranks, and hopefully even lower as Greg improves his sports research skills. 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 at Gridiron Japan.

The Gridiron Japan crew sits down with the new IBM Big Blue TE Tommy Auger. Tommy is an LFA and FCF (Fan Controlled Football) All-Pro, as well as an AFCA All-American. While playing in the LFA he set league records for single season reception, yards and touchdowns. A feat we hope he repeats here in Japan. 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, IBM Big Blue coach Mike Phair returns to the show to talk to the crew about the upcoming season and how his team is shaping up going into his second season as head coach. 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.

With Aaron back in Japan, Greg finds out how he is settling in and how things are going with the savior of his new team, the Ibaraki Saviors. Greg and Aaron give a quick fan and player look and thoughts of the upcoming week 1 games in 2025 X League Super competition. After which they give their thoughts about the topic we covered in last week's show, the 2026 X League restructuring. Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠https://⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠, As well as on X, at ⁠https://⁠⁠www.x.com/GridironJapan⁠⁠⁠.

Gridiron football is back in Japan as we look ahead to the 2025 autumn season. In this episode we look ahead to X League 2026 which has asking all of us here at the show, WTF? We then are joined by Fujitsu Frontier's defense line coach and former Gridiron Japan cohost and take a look at the new players on the roster on Fujitsu. After which we talk about the former and current players of the X League who made big impacts and led to their teams to indoor and outdoor league championship runs in America and Mexico. Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at https://⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠, As well as on X, at https://⁠⁠www.x.com/GridironJapan⁠⁠.

From August 2024, on the eve of week one in 2024 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. Learn more at ⁠www.gridironjapan.jp⁠ or ⁠www.gridironjapan.net⁠.

With the release yesterday of the 2025 X League Super schedule, John and Greg take a look at the games for the six week autumn schedule for the top 12 teams of Japan's top tier gridiron division. The also talk about some of the new names coming to Japan and also not returning to Japan, and also talk a little about why vuvuzelas are frowned upon in sports. 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.

The boys are back and live from Japan and Austria (where Aaron is presently playing for the Vienna Vikings of the AFC). In this episode, Aaron reveals his plans for the upcoming fall season, and we review the Rice Bowl upset of the Panasonic Impulse over the Fujitsu Frontiers. We also look at some of the moves being made by teams in the X League and the current state of the gridiron game in Japan. 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.

The crew takes a look at look back at all the games played during the X League Super quarterfinals on the road to the Rice Bowl! 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.

John and Greg are joined by Obic Seagulls starting QB, Tyler Kulka, to talk about his team's win over the Nojima Rise today in the opening game of the X League Super quarterfinals. We talk about his the season and his journey to Japan, and also talk about the differences of playing football in Japan versus playing the game in America. You can follow Tyler on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/tylerkulka17/, as well as on X(Twitter)- https://x.com/tkulk17. 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.

With our good friend John on assignment covering sumo, Greg and Aaron look at the upcoming first round of the X League Super playoffs, and try to answer the age old question, just who can stop the Fujitsu Frontiers? 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.

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!

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