Gridiron Japan

From January 2024, Greg and BJ sat down with Boogie Knight of the Sekisui Challengers, and talk about his career in Japan and the 2023 season in which he was named rookie of the year and led the X League X1 Super 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 the Dream Japan Bowl and playing for Team Japan, and also about his life in his first year in Japan. You can find Boogie's 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. 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.

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football podcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theworldoffootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), we present to you the X League X1 Area scores for the final round of regular season play, and let you know what the college football matchup is for the Koshien Bowl this December. 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.

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football podcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theworldoffootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), we present to you the X League X1 Super quarterfinal scores, and let you know what the semi-final matchups are for December. 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.

During 2020, as the pandemic raged around the world, a new kind of podcast appeared on the scene, one that covered football history like never before- The Football Odyssey, with Aron Harris on Spotify. A ground breaking sports history podcast that Sports Illustrated gridiron guru Paul Zimmerman would have loved, and in which covered the game like few podcasters have. One of his earliest episodes was on the history of the gridiron game in Japan, which aired on September 20, 2020. As noted in the show liner notes: "American Football in Japan may sound like a novelty, but in reality, the gridiron game has been played in the Land of the Rising Sun since the 1930s. Against the backdrop of World War II, and through many international games against American opponents, the sport developed and created a niche following for itself, entering another chapter in The Football Odyssey." For this edition of Gridiron Japan, Aron, who has retired his show, has graciously given us permission to air this old episode of The Football Odyssey podcast. Hopefully someday Aron will return to the internet airwaves and continue his football odyssey. In addition to his audio work, Aron also has a companion YouTube page- https://www.youtube.com/@thefootballodyssey6849, as well as an archived website at The Internet Archive- https://web.archive.org/web/20241226010441/https://www.thefootballodyssey.com/ If you'd like to watch any Japanese games mentioned in this episode of The Football Odyssey, click this link to Aron's YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz830_gAqRZSw7ceRT_l42G3o27JNswic 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.

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football podcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theworldoffootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), we present to you this week's scores in X1 Area play as well as a repeat of the Round 6 scores from last week's X League X1 Super play (this repeat was a result of a glitch that did not allow the video/audio to be heard on TWOF podcast and YouTube channel), and also review the playoff pairings. Greg also talks about the show's plan moving forward in 2026 (in sum- more football talk and coverage.... YAY!), and what is in store for the next episode. 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.

For this episode John, Aaron and Greg review what was truly the best week of football ever in the X League. There was another major upset, and five of the six games were decided by a margin of seven points or less. The guys then look ahead toward the playoff match ups and weigh who has the best chance to face off against each other in the Rice Bowl, where for the first time in five years there will be at least one new team playing for the championship. Lastly, the crew talk about the Koshien Bowl playoffs for Japan's gridiron college championship.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.

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football podcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theworldoffootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), we present to you Round 6 scores from this past week of X League X1 Super play. 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.

In this episode, Greg sits down with Michael Lathrop of Pro Football Newsroom and host of the Player 54 Podcast, to talk about and update listeners here in Japan and around the world as to the latest happenings in the world of American minor league football, particularly the newly relaunched Continental Football League and the latest news regarding the United Football League. Continental Football League: The 2026 Blueprint Revealed, by Michael Lathrop - https://pfnewsroom.com/cofl/continental-football-league-the-2026-blueprint-revealed CoFL Making a Bold Move, by Scott Adamson- https://adamsonmedia.com/football-continental-league-summer/ 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.

As the autumn chill sets in here in Japan, the show is back live to talk about all that happened and didn't happen in X League Super play during the month of October. We also talk about the spring football in America and international player development, as well as the Dodgers win in the World Series. 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.

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football podcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theworldoffootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), we present to you Round 5 scores from this past week of X League X1 Area play. 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.

From 2022, John, B.J. and Greg sit down with Texan Colton Runyan, then a member of ⁠Club Bears of X-3 football⁠ and former player in Tokyo's Urban Football League. Colton also is a former player in the United Kingdom with Cambridge University and the ⁠Cambridgeshire Cats⁠ of the ⁠British American Football Association⁠. In addition to his football career, Colton is also a trained sumo wrestler whom our own John Gunning has come to know while reporting on his training and career for the Japan Times (⁠⁠"Sumo makes its way to Cambridge" Japan Times, by John Gunning⁠). At the time of recording, Colton was pursuing a doctorate from Cambridge University, with his research focus being that of premodern sumo wrestling. The four also review the games of Week 2 in Super X-League play, with B.J. providing the type of insight on the week that was, which only a former player and coach can provide. 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.

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football podcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theworldoffootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), we present to you Round 5 scores from this past week of X League X1 Super play. 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.

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football podcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theworldoffootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), we present to you Round 4 scores from this past week of X League X1 Area play. 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.

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football podcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theworldoffootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), we present to you our the early October scores from X League X1 Area and Super play. 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.

With Greg on vacation for the week, we reach back into the archives to episode 27, from 2023, when John, BJ and Greg sat down with Antoine Sinclair of the Blue Thunder, to talk about his life and journey to Japan. From Georgia to Japan, and from the rugby pitch to the gridiron, Antoine has had an interesting and varied journey! Gridiron Japan is available on all platforms, including YouTube (www.gridironjapantv.net) where we livestream, as well on Facebook (www.facebook.com/gridironjapan.jp) and X (www.x.com/GridironJapan). To learn more see our website www.gridironjapan.jp!

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football podcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theworldoffootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), we present to you our week 5 scoreboard that covers the third round of 2025 X League Super play (the league plays every other week). 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.

It was another week of upsets in the X League and the crew returns to break it all down as the regular season reaches the halfway point. After which we take a peak at the week four matchups taking place in mid-October. Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/⁠www.youtube.com/@GridironJapan⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on⁠⁠⁠⁠ X at ⁠www.x.com/GridironJapan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In conjunction with our good friends at The World of Football podcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theworldoffootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠), we present to you our week 4 scoreboard that covers the first two rounds of X League Area play (the league plays every other week). 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.

Coming off their upset win in week 2 of X League Super action over perennial powerhouse, the Fujitsu Frontiers, former University of Arizona Wildcat and now star wide receiver for the Nojima Sagamihara Rise, Tay Cunningham (on Instagram- www.instagram.com/tayvian.cunningham), sits down with the Gridiron Japan crew to talk about his career and life in Japan. Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/www.youtube.com/@GridironJapan, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on⁠⁠⁠⁠ X at www.x.com/GridironJapan⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Week 2 of the X League Super season witnessed the biggest upset in recent Gridiron Japan history and a complete upending of the power rankings! We break it all down in this episode and look ahead to Week 3 where we hope we see more surprises from those teams also seeking to Rise to the challenge. 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.