"Pop Pop" Mike Murphy, Class of 1995

"Pop Pop" Mike Murphy, Class of 1995

Author: WJPZ September 11, 2023 Duration: 38:28

(Thanks to alum and Newhouse professor Tina Perkins for editing this week's episode.)

Mike Murphy, from the WJPZ Class of 1995, has gone from Z89 sports to the face of sports in the state of New Hampshire, having called multiple sports for the University of New Hampshire, minor league baseball, and more.

Like many of us, when Mike found out he wasn't good at playing sports, he wanted to work in sports. So Syracuse was the obvious choice.  Soon he was auditioning for WJPZ's sports department, landing a coveted on-air gig.  He eventually worked his way up to sports director.

He got married only weeks after graduation, and he tells the story of informing his bride-to-be what his first job salary would be when they moved to New Hampshire.  And yes, they are still together.

Mike takes us through his journey in the Granite State, working in radio, minor league baseball, and eventually joining the staff of UNH Athletics, where he still does play by play today.

And while our guest has some hilarious stories to share, we touch on some of the mistakes he made at the "world's greatest media classrom."   Mike honestly reflects on some of the things he did at the station that he still feels badly about.

The big lessons, however, are network and say yes to anything.  The latter led to a couple hilarious things that happened to Mike inside the costumes of various mascots.

Finally, if you're Facebook friends with Mike, you've no doubt seen the heartwarming posts with his grandson.  We had to ask "Pop Pop" about that.

The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.

Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50

Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag:  jag@jagindetroit.com.

Want to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events?  Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/

Want to be on the show? Email JAG at jag@jagpodcastproductions.com

Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.


For fifty years, the student-run airwaves of Syracuse University's WJPZ at 50 have been more than a radio station; they've been a launchpad. This oral history project captures that legacy not through dry facts, but through the voices that built it. Each episode is a conversation with a different alumnus, from the pioneers of the 1970s to recent graduates, tracing how their hands-on experience in what's called the "world's greatest media classroom" shaped careers in broadcasting and far beyond. You'll hear personal stories of late-night broadcasts, technical mishaps turned into triumphs, and the forging of lifelong bonds that created a unique professional family spanning generations. This podcast digs into the real, often messy, work of learning by doing, revealing how a campus station became an enduring institution. Tune in for a collection of fifty interviews that together form a living archive, celebrating the people, not just the programming, behind five decades of student-led radio.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

WJPZ at 50
Podcast Episodes
Christy (Ogonis) Vincent, Class of 2005 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:57
Today's guest is an all-star in the worlds of business, digital, and all things WJPZ. Christy Vincent (nee Ogonis), from the Class of 2005 arrived on campus with a passion for music, but it was at an activity fair that B…
Katz Media's Scott Taylor, Class of 1993 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:46
Today's episode is a great listen if you've ever been interested in sales or the ad rep side of things. Scott Taylor, Class of 1993, has been at Katz Media for his entire 30 year career, since graduation. We start with h…
Dr. David Crider, Pulse Summer Staffer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:23
For our first post-Banquet podcast, we get a fresh perspective today. Dr. David Crider, now a professor at SUNY-Oswego, was a high-school summer staffer at WJPZ during The Pulse years. It was the foundational knowledge h…
Interviewing our Host: Jon "JAG" Gay, Class of 2002 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:35
Today, we turn the tables on our host and put Jon "JAG" Gay, from the Class of 2002, in the hot seat. Doing the honors is his classmate and one of this year's Hall of Fame inductees, Matt DelSignore. Matt starts by askin…
Lauren (Levine) Corriher, Class of 2010 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:49
Lauren (Levine) Corriher grew up in Syracuse and in radio. Her father Ed owns radio stations in Syracuse and Utica, and Lauren was listening to WJPZ on the bus to and from middle school. In fact, 13 year old Lauren was r…
Chris Velardi - WJPZ Class of 1995 turned SU Employee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:10
Chris Velardi, Class of 1995, is the Director of Digital Engagement and Communications of SU's Office of Alumni Engagement. He joins us today to walk us through his time from Connecticut to Syracuse to Connecticut to Syr…
Hall of Famer Carl Weinstein ('88) and son Cole ('21) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:57
As we count down to Banquet, we've got a special episode of the podcast today. WJPZ Hall of Famer Carl Weinstein, Class of 1988 joins us along with his sole Cole, who followed in his WJPZ footsteps and just graduated in…
Stephen "Tex" Kurtz, Class of 2005 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:14
There are a number of people, on the technical side, that have worked tirelessly to keep our radio station going for half a century. Over the last 20 years though, Stephen "Tex" Kurtz is at the top of that list.Born in r…
A Short Message from Jag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52
Email Jag: jag@jagindetroit.comHey everyone, it’s Jag with a couple of quick announcements about the podcast.First and foremost, I can’t thank you enough for your incredible support of this project. Thank you to those wh…
WCCO's Steve Simpson, Class of 1985 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:26
Today's guest is Steve Simpson, morning news anchor and editor at the legendary WCCO in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He's WJPZ Class of 1985, and he tells us some great stories from Syracuse, as well as a lengthy radio career…