Gridiron Japan Radio is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

For our 51st episode at our sister station Gridiron America Radio, simulcasting always on Gridiron Japan Radio, we begin a new weekly show, Gridiron America Today, where we talk about, well, all things football. In this episode, in which we are still very much trying to get our sea legs, we take a look at where the UFL is at after four weeks and see where it stands ratings and attendance wise, talk about the upcoming NFL draft, and lastly about Greg's new proposed project for the Sports History Network, the "What if?" project. Specifically, beginning with his simulation of a trade in 1978 by the Oilers and Cowboys, in which Earl Campbell is sent to Dallas in exchange for a massive amount of high first and second round picks, Greg attempts to see if he can start a butterfly effect. In this case, the hypothesis is that the addition of Earl Campbell to the Cowboy backfield will create a thunder and lightening effect with Tony Dorsett and result in Dallas winning Super Bowl XIII and thus become the Team of the '70s. For the results of this simulation check out our website at www.gridironamerica.net.

GRIDIRON AMERICA RADIO BACKGROUND

Gridiron America Radio (formerly, the From the 55 Yardline podcast), is anchored by former sports executive David Cieslinski, former international professional football player Mike Tackett, and football nerd Greg St. James, from Gridiron Japan Radio.

All three 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 or tabletop.

Gridiron America Radio is dedicated to both current and historical American football talk, including the “what if” questions that all sports fans ask and try to answer with the help of statistics, math and computer modeling provided by Sportsmaster Simulation Games www.SportsMaster-Simulation.games. In addition to the gridiron game, the team will on occasion look at other sports through the same eyes of that of grown men who still remember their childhood and the thrill of rolling the dice or picking up a joystick.

The show was previously co-hosted by retired sports journalist Scott Adamson, whose continued writings. sports coverage and articles can be found at www.Adamsonmedia.com.

David, Mike and Greg, can be contacted directly via the podcast’s website at www.GridironAmerica.net, as well as:

On X at https://x.com/GridironAMRadio

On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GridironAmerica/

On Threads at https://www.threads.com/@gridironamerica

On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gridironamerica

Simulcasting again on Gridiron Japan and Gridiron America, Greg St. James sits down with with noted Chicago football historian Joe Ziemba, author of the books- When Football Was Football: The Chicago Cardinals and the Birth of the NFL, Cadets, Cannons and Legends: The Football History of Morgan Park Military Academy, and Bears vs. Cardinals: The NFL's Oldest Rivalry. They talk about the rerelease of his first book, When Football Was Football, with new chapters and new information, and the various "what if's" of Chicago football history. In addition they talk about the inspiring World War II story of Motts Tonelli, whom he profiles in his new upcoming book, From the NFL to Bataan and Back: The Heroic Journey of Notre Dame's Motts Tonelli, and much more.

You can purchase all of Joe's books on Amazon via his author page at - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Joe-Ziemba/

His Chicago Cardinals page at- https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoCards

Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on Twitch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitch.tv/gridironjapan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

To inaugurate Gridiron Japan's new affiliation with the Sports History Network, and also to celebrate the rebirth and rebranding of SHN's From the 55 Yardline podcast to that of Gridiron America Radio, we sit down with a true witness to sports history- the legendary Upton Bell!

Upton is not only the son of Philadelphia Eagles founder and former NFL commissioner, Bert Bell, but is also a former NFL executive with the Baltimore Colts and the New England Patriots. Upton is also a pioneer in professional football, as he helped bring pro ball to the Carolinas in the 1970s with the WFL's Charlotte Hornets. Additionally to being a living link to pro football's past, he is a well known Boston area commentator. talk show host and author of the book, "Present at the Creation."

You can listen more to Upton on the podcast Unvarnished Football, and also learn more about his life and witness to pro football history at UptonBell.com and also the UMass Amherst Collection at http://exhibits.library.umass.edu/scua/s/upton-bell. As for Gridiron America, check out their new website at www.gridironamerica.net.

Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on Twitch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitch.tv/gridironjapan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

The American bureau of Gridiron Japan sits down to review the week 2 and preview week 3 of the UFL, as well as talk about the big news- UFL expansion to Oklahoma City and how the UFL seems to be trending up.

Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on Twitch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitch.tv/gridironjapan⁠⁠⁠⁠.

The American bureau of Gridiron Japan sits down to review the week 1 and preview week 2 of the UFL, as well as talk about the big coaching news in Japan with IBM Big Blue that is being overshadowed by the Sakura bloom.

Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on Twitch at ⁠⁠⁠www.twitch.tv/gridironjapan⁠⁠⁠.

The American bureau of Gridiron Japan sits down to preview the upcoming spring football season for the United Football League and take a look at the changing teams, players and media landscape of the UFL.

Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on Twitch at ⁠⁠www.twitch.tv/gridironjapan⁠⁠.

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.

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.

As American Football grows around the globe, there is in many parts of the world a desire by international students to improve their EngIish language skills. As such, gridiron historian and author, John Kowalski has teamed up with teamed up with Sports English Media (www.sportsenglish.org) to write and publish a book that can serve as a learning and skills resource for international fans, coaches, players and the media.

Gridiron Japan livestreams over at Gridiron Japan Television on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.gridironjapantv.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/GridironJapan.jp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and on Twitch at www.twitch.tv/gridironjapan.

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/

You can find Aron's written essays on Japanese football at our website at https://gridironjapan.jp/japans-football-history.

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.