South Jersey thread (Vineland, Atlantic City, Asbury Park: schools, train, ferry)
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Only people from north and south jersey have this argument. People from central jersey are comfortable with being neither.
Having moved here from the shore years ago i'm comfortable saying that people all over the Philadelphia area have a terrible sense of direction. They'll drive 80 miles south to Wildwood and say they went "east". They'll drive 60 miles east to Seaside and say they went "north". They'll tell you that Toms River is in North Jersey and Burlington City is in South Jersey. Look at a map and you'll see that TR is further south than BC.
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Originally Posted by GoPhils
Toms River is definitely one of the middle ground areas. I think they may get both NYC and Philly stations, but I agree that they probably have more of an NYC influence than Philly.
Everyone from Asbury Park and south gets both New York and Philly stations. I became a Phillies fan as a little kid, watching the games at home in Brick. Even back then (before 295 and 195 were finished) it was quicker and easier to take Route 70 to get to the Vet than it was to take the Parkway/Turnpike to get to Queens or the Bronx.
The Yankees hats, Staten Island accents and Jersey Shore extras you find around there nowadays rolled down the Parkway 10 years ago.
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However, another way I try to decide if something is South or North is which section of high school sports they're in. Although I think in some sports the Toms River schools are South and sometimes they're Central.
Monmouth and Ocean County high schools (public and private) are in the Shore Conference - that includes all 3 Toms River public high schools and monsignor donovan. OTOH, when it comes to State Championships all the TR schools (and everything south) are in the South Conference while Brick, Jackson, etc and everything north are in the Central conference.
As far as asking people who live there - "is this north, central or south jersey?" those would be the dividing lines - more or less.
Well then what would you call the southern portion of Ocean County? LBI, Manahawkin etc. That to me is South Jersey.
I used to be very familiar with northern Ocean County when I was going out with my ex girlfriend and there really was no NY-influence around there back then, but I haven't been down there in a long time (we split in 2008). Like I've said the Lakewood Blue Claws are a Phillies team, not Mets or Yankees.
When I was talking about Toms River, I was trying to say that they'd be Central because they kinda have a little bit of both North Jersey and South Jersey. LBI is tough call though between South and Central. As for that second paragraph, there are definitely more Yankees/Mets fans around there now even though the BlueClaws are a Phillies farm team. It's a little bit farther north, but if you go in the Monmouth Mall you won't find much if any Phillies gear.
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Originally Posted by solibs
Only people from north and south jersey have this argument. People from central jersey are comfortable with being neither.
Having moved here from the shore years ago i'm comfortable saying that people all over the Philadelphia area have a terrible sense of direction. They'll drive 80 miles south to Wildwood and say they went "east". They'll drive 60 miles east to Seaside and say they went "north". They'll tell you that Toms River is in North Jersey and Burlington City is in South Jersey. Look at a map and you'll see that TR is further south than BC.
Everyone from Asbury Park and south gets both New York and Philly stations. I became a Phillies fan as a little kid, watching the games at home in Brick. Even back then (before 295 and 195 were finished) it was quicker and easier to take Route 70 to get to the Vet than it was to take the Parkway/Turnpike to get to Queens or the Bronx. The Yankees hats, Staten Island accents and Jersey Shore extras you find around there nowadays rolled down the Parkway 10 years ago.
Monmouth and Ocean County high schools (public and private) are in the Shore Conference - that includes all 3 Toms River public high schools and monsignor donovan. OTOH, when it comes to State Championships all the TR schools (and everything south) are in the South Conference while Brick, Jackson, etc and everything north are in the Central conference.
Of course there are also the people that think Central Jersey doesn't exist. I used to be one of them but after meeting a lot of Central Jerseyans in college they made me a believer.
From most places in NJ, you are going east to get to Wildwood Although a real South Jerseyan will say they're going the correct direction to the beach by saying "down the shore." But the terrible sense of direction kinda goes back to the Philly/NYC influence. Despite being even or farther north as many places considered Central Jersey, towns like Burlington City, Willingboro, and Mt. Holly are considered South Jersey because they're pretty close to Philly. That's what also makes it tough to categorize a lot of the shore towns, because many of them aren't particularly close to either Philadelphia or NY. However, I'm not extremely familiar with it, but I think there is better public transportation from some of these shore towns to NY, which could explain the predominance of Yankees and Mets fans, in addition to the fact that the Giants and Jets play in NJ.
Hmm, I wasn't sure if all of the Toms River schools were in the South section, but I thought they might've been. However, if you read the Courier-Post (self-dubbed as "South Jersey's newspaper") varsity section, you won't find anything about the Shore Conference, another reason that I don't consider them as South. (Although you will in the Atlantic City Press, despite Atlantic City obviously being in South Jersey.)
It's a little bit farther north, but if you go in the Monmouth Mall you won't find much if any Phillies gear.
Yeah, up in Eatontown/Red Bank you're not going to find many Phillies fans. But then up there you don't get Philly stations either. Make your way down to Point Pleasant, Jackson, etc. you'll find a lot more. They're hardly a majority but they're still relevant. My cousins grew up in West Windsor and most people there were all about the Phillies.
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Despite being even or farther north as many places considered Central Jersey, towns like Burlington City, Willingboro, and Mt. Holly are considered South Jersey because they're pretty close to Philly.
You don't have to go much further north than Burlington City before you hear people start saying "central". Once you start seeing "The Trentonian" next to "the Courier-Post" in convenience stores you know you're in that in-between area.
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That's what also makes it tough to categorize a lot of the shore towns, because many of them aren't particularly close to either Philadelphia or NY. However, I'm not extremely familiar with it, but I think there is better public transportation from some of these shore towns to NY, which could explain the predominance of Yankees and Mets fans, in addition to the fact that the Giants and Jets play in NJ.
That's a tough call, really, because while you get a lot of people coming down on the Parkway most people on the beach in Monmouth or Ocean are from Monmouth or Ocean. You also get a lot of people from Bucks and Mercer and Burlington who hit the beaches between Belmar and Seaside. The train from NYC runs as far south as Long Branch where you can change to a diesel shuttle that will take you through Asbury, Belmar, Point Pleasant, etc. but not many people use it for getting to the beach. In Belmar the train station is a good mile walk from the beach.
Yankees fans are a dime a dozen. Mets fans are harder to explain especially south of New Brunswick. Giants and Devils fans are obvious - if you live in Monmouth or Mercer and even in Ocean it's 45 minutes or less to get to the Meadowlands.
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Hmm, I wasn't sure if all of the Toms River schools were in the South section, but I thought they might've been. However, if you read the Courier-Post (self-dubbed as "South Jersey's newspaper") varsity section, you won't find anything about the Shore Conference, another reason that I don't consider them as South. (Although you will in the Atlantic City Press, despite Atlantic City obviously being in South Jersey.)
The Shore Conference is just Monmouth and Ocean. I'm not sure what conference Atlantic and Cape May have. Some people in Toms River will insist that it's not South Jersey and other people will shrug and say "kinda sorta but not really". It's not until you get down to Lacey, Forked River, etc. that you find people volunteering the term "South Jersey".
That's a tough call, really, because while you get a lot of people coming down on the Parkway most people on the beach in Monmouth or Ocean are from Monmouth or Ocean. You also get a lot of people from Bucks and Mercer and Burlington who hit the beaches between Belmar and Seaside. The train from NYC runs as far south as Long Branch where you can change to a diesel shuttle that will take you through Asbury, Belmar, Point Pleasant, etc. but not many people use it for getting to the beach. In Belmar the train station is a good mile walk from the beach.
I was more referring to the point that due to the trains it might be easier for the people that live in those areas to get to NY than it is to get to Philly. Although driving to Philly should be easier than driving to NY so I dunno...
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The Shore Conference is just Monmouth and Ocean. I'm not sure what conference Atlantic and Cape May have. Some people in Toms River will insist that it's not South Jersey and other people will shrug and say "kinda sorta but not really". It's not until you get down to Lacey, Forked River, etc. that you find people volunteering the term "South Jersey".
The conference for schools in Cape May and Atlantic Counties is called the Cape Atlantic, but I was just saying that the Atlantic City Press covers both the Cape Atlantic and the Shore Conferences.
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especially south of New Brunswick. Giants and Devils fans are obvious - if you live in Monmouth or Mercer and even in Ocean it's 45 minutes or less to get to the Meadowlands. 
