On The Air
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
January 13, 2006

New NBC10 sports reporter and anchor Jade McCarthy is having a blast in her first month on the job.

The 25-year-old Boston native, who made her debut co-hosting "Sports Final" last Sunday, said she's always been a big sports fan.

"Like Philadelphia, it's impossible to grow up in Boston and not pay attention to sports," said McCarthy, a Celtics, Patriots, Bruins and Red Sox fan.

A competitive horseback rider, McCarthy continued her training at a farm in Kennett Square while attending Villanova in her freshman year of college. She transferred to Mount Holyoke College in her home state of Massachusetts, so she could continue with her horseback riding.

Though she no longer rides competitively, McCarthy is quickly moving up in the television ranks. Philadelphia is only her third television job after stops in Huntsville, Ala., and Springfield, Mass. The political science major interned at Fox News Channel in New York City while at Mount Holyoke.

McCarthy will co-host a nightly Olympic special with NBC10's John Clark and Lori Wilson beginning Feb. 9. Up next is a special about the Philadelphia Soul, which opens the season on Jan. 29.

Ari Wolfe returns for his third season as play-by-play announcer for the Soul, which can be heard on Sports Talk 950-AM.

High school hoops

Nationally ranked area high school basketball teams Episcopal Academy and Neumann-Goretti will be on national television Wednesday. The game, which is being co-promoted locally by the Scholastic Play-by-Play Network, will be aired at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

Episcopal also will face No. 1 Oak Hill Academy of Virginia in a regional telecast at 1:45 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, on CN8.

Both games will take place at the Palestra.

Keeping up with Jones

Eagles' linebacker Dhani Jones will cover the Patriots-Broncos game Saturday for the NFL Network.

In reaction to last week's news that Jones found yet another television gig, reader "Quick Comet" wrote: "This guy is talented. He plays air guitar, air linebacker, and now air reporter."

Football scores

Football games composed four of the top 10 shows last week. The Rose Bowl (a k a "The Young Ones") was the top show. Jacksonville vs. New England (a k a "The Brady Bunch") was fourth, the Fiesta Bowl (a k a "Charles in Charge") was sixth, and the Orange Bowl (a k a "Joe Millionaire'') was seventh.