From the archives. In summer 2024, Greg and John welcomed back quarterback and co-host Aaron Ellis , then 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 ...
Jul 08, 2025•1 hr 37 min
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/Gr...
Jul 01, 2025•1 hr 10 min
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 ...
Jun 24, 2025•57 min
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.gridironjap...
May 17, 2025•49 min
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 ....
Dec 07, 2024•37 min
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 Gr...
Nov 23, 2024•55 min
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 ....
Nov 21, 2024•41 min
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, th...
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 3 min
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 a...
Sep 30, 2024•59 min
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...
Sep 26, 2024•55 min
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 ....
Sep 02, 2024•1 hr 7 min
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 soo...
Aug 28, 2024•1 hr 10 min
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!...
Aug 10, 2024•56 min
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...
Jul 25, 2024•1 hr 37 min
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 t...
May 31, 2024•1 hr 31 min
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...
May 11, 2024•1 hr 37 min
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....
Apr 22, 2024•58 min
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...
Jan 17, 2024•45 min
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 Ja...
Jan 07, 2024•1 hr 10 min
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...
Dec 29, 2023•45 min
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.
Dec 22, 2023•49 min
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.
Dec 06, 2023•55 min
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!
Nov 26, 2023•49 min
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 p...
Nov 22, 2023•1 hr 17 min
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.
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr 9 min
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...
Nov 01, 2023•1 hr 23 min
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/...
Oct 18, 2023•55 min
In this episode, with BJ away at team practice, John and Greg sit down with Nojima Sagamihara Rise linebacker Colby Campbell to talk about his life and journey to Japan. From South Carolina to Finland to Germany and to Japan, Colby has had an interesting and varied journey during his young gridiron career! The three discuss not just his life on the field, but also his experiences off the field in Japan. Colby can be found online at his YouTube channel where he is presently publishing videos on h...
Oct 05, 2023•55 min
As the X-League teams play every two weeks, the guys are back after the season openers and subsequent games to review the power rankings of the 12 teams that make up the X-League Super, Japan's premier football league. The guys also discuss the planned return of the Ivy League in January 2024 for a rematch with Japan's gridiron all-stars.
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 32 min
John Gunning, BJ Beatty, and Greg James return for the third season of the Gridiron Japan podcast to preview the upcoming 2023 season of the X-League Super. The three discuss the probable and likely results, as well as the possible upsets, along with talk about the new and returning players from America.
Sep 08, 2023•51 min
