Gridiron Japan

In football some of the individuals who make the biggest impact are not just on the field, but just as much on the sidelines and in the boardroom. For the X-League, one of the most impactful individuals to the league has been Tim Goins, whose influence upon the game of Japanese gridiron football has been significant, be it as recruiter of talent, as a coach, and most importantly, as a mentor and humble icon...

With John on assignment, BJ and Greg mute Al Michaels and sit down for long conversation that covers his new English language show that is soon to debut this month over on X-League TV (and hopefully their Youtube channel). BJ's new show will focus on the stories of players and their journeys to Japan, and we hope will make the league more accessible to fans outside of the country...

In this episode, John, B.J. and Greg sit down with Texan Colton Runyan, 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...

A perfect football conversation to kick off the official start of autumn! Aaron Ellis, the starting quarterback of the Dentsu Caterpillars joins John Gunning (of Inside Sport Japan and The Japan Times), X-League legend B.J. Beatty, and football historian Greg James in a freewheeling conversation about his college career at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois; and in the Austrian Football League and European League of Football...

For the new season of the Gridiron Japan podcast, Greg James and John Gunning are joined by former Obic Seagull linebacker B.J. Beatty to talk about last year's Rice Bowl championship and review the off season moves of the X-League. We review the first week of the Super X-League and talk about the top players making waves on the field...

The Rice Bowl is upon us, and only one can walk away the victor! Zach, John, and Greg come together to break down the 75th Rice Bowl between the Panasonic Impulse and the Fujitsu Frontier. The trio previews key players, strategies, and more to what is going into determining who will be crowned champion. 

The Semi-finals are here, and only two teams can advance to the 2021 Rice Bowl. Zach and Greg recap last week's end of regular season action, talk keys to semi-final matchups, discuss the upcoming X1 Area/X2 Promotion contests, and more including our predictions for who will be in the Rice Bowl!

Playoff seedings will be locked after this week as the 4th seed in X1 Super is up for grabs between the Rise, Big Blue, and the Creators. Who will make it out on top to face the Impulse in the Semi-Finals? Zach, John, and Greg break down this playoff race and how it will sort itself out. They also discuss the 4 teams that will be promoted to X1 Super come 2022! 

It is do or die time in X1 sections of the XLeague as the pivotal playoff and promotion races are coming down to the wires. Deers Football Club lineman Ian Park joined the show to discuss his team's road ahead to the possibility of being promoted to X1 Super. He and the crew also talk about the bond between players, the neglect of finding quality offensive lineman, and much more. All 4 of the guys also make their X1 Super picks too!

It all comes down to this! With two final X1 Super Promotion positions left, the crew is wondering who between the Suns, Deers, Caterpillars, and Eagles will claim the final spot. Zach and Greg discuss this, recap X1 Super Week 4 and X1 Area Week 5, and how outside football influences have helped the game grow in Japan!