What Team’s Backyard Do You Hail from? Back Then…The Unofficial History Of NJ 101.5

You know that oft-repeated phrase of ours?  Not New York, not Philadelphia, proud to be New Jersey 101.5? It has defined us over the years as New Jersey's station.

New York and Philly, you can go your separate ways.

But here at the station, everyone who has ever worked here, for the most part, lives somewhere in New Jersey. And that means they are a loyal fan of their local sports teams.

As we all know the unofficial line of demarcation in Jersey between Flyers and Devils fans, between Giants/Jets and Eagles fans, between Yankees/Mets and Phillies fans is more or less I-195. Below it, your loyalties generally fall to the Philadelphia franchises.

Above 195? You are probably a Giants/Jets/Mets/Yankees/Devils/Nets fan.

And here at New Jersey 101.5, that sort of sports geography has also generally held true as well.

But the interesting thing is, we all get together here in one place to work together and orchestrate this radio station. That means Mets and Yankees and Phillies fans work side by side. Giants fans and Jets fans are routinely forced to rub elbows with Eagles fans, who come from South Jersey to toil here daily.

We talk a lot of trash to each other about our team or YOUR team, especially when it is a Giants/Eagles showdown or The Mets and the Phillies. And a lot of it depends on the fortunes of anyone's particular team at the moment.

If your guys suck, you just don't carry much bragging rights. But we still post our little banners or logos around the station, generally where we work, to let everyone know who we are rooting for.

And as I said before, it never gets tense or ugly. We may be fanatical about our team, but here at the station, our first team is always New Jersey 101.5.

So this orchestra has always stayed in tune by setting aside those sports loyalties to harmonize this symphony.

What are some of those sports loyalties?

Well, let's start with yours truly. I am a hybrid. Born and raised in Philly, I am loyal to The Eagles and the Flyers...and the Yankees. I know. South Jersey people are saying, "What's wrong with you, Cutter?" But I am a lifelong Yankees fan who gets along just fine with those in the building who root for New York teams.

Alan Kasper is a true blue Mets and Giants fan, who is also true to his Alma Mater, Iowa. In our newsroom, Matt White roots big-time for the Giants and the Mets. Dino Flammia is a Jets fan. Our Statehouse correspondent, Kevin McArdle, backs the Giants and the Yankees.

Jim Gearhart has worked and lived in both New York and Philly, so I am not quite sure who he roots for. Dennis Malloy is a Phillies and Flyers fan. I am not sure about Deminski and Doyle's sports loyalties, but I know their screener, Joe Votruba is a BIG Yankees fan.

Ray Rossi is a Giants' man. Our Program Director, Eric Johnson, is a Philadelphia fan all the way.

And so it goes. We root for all the teams around us here in this great Garden State....

Check out past editions of "Back Then..." anytime online.