TOKYO (AP) — Japan has been absorbed for several weeks by a late hit during a college football game. The tackle earlier this month in a game between Japanese teams — Nihon University and Kwansei Gakuin University — has been repeatedly shown on television and social media sites and talked about by many who know almost nothing about the American sport.
In a nationally televised news conference on Tuesday, linebacker Taisuke Miyagawa bowed deeply and apologized for the late hit on the opposing quarterback in the first play of the game. He said his coach had told him to "crush the quarterback," a command he took literally but acknowledged he should have ignored.