Julio Cortez | AP

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By Steve Politi | NJ Advance Media

New Jersey elected a much different kind of governor in November than the last man to occupy the big office in Trenton, so perhaps not surprisingly, Phil Murphy is a much different kind of sports fan, too.

"I will not be hugging Jerry Jones," Murphy said with a laugh during his first all-sports interview as governor. "I can't give up the allegiances I grew up with, given where I was born and where I grew up, but you won't see me at a Rutgers game rooting for somebody else. Let's put it that way."

Those are two not-so-thinly veiled jabs at Chris Christie, the man Murphy replaced when he was inaugurated last month. Christie was about as high-profile as a governor can be when it came to sports, declaring that Philadelphia Eagles fans were "angry, awful people" and famously celebrating with Jones, the controversial NFL owner, when his beloved Dallas Cowboys won a playoff game.

Christie loved the sports spotlight and used it to raise his national profile. Murphy isn't about to spend his mornings in the WFAN studio breaking down the Mets bullpen, but that doesn't mean he won't be active and interested in New Jersey sports during his first term in office.

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Alexandra Pais | AP

In a wide-ranging interview with NJ Advance Media, Murphy discussed his lifelong obsession with soccer, his belief that Rutgers is right to pursue big-time college sports in the Big Ten and his optimism that the Supreme Court will side with the state in its landmark case over sports betting.

Oh, and yes, he came clean: He's an across-the-board Boston fan -- Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins -- and no, he didn't hop on the bandwagon because of the city's recent success collecting championships. The Needham, Mass., native was born into it.

"Put your mindset of the '60s," Murphy said. "The Patriots (were) lousy, couldn't sell out. The Bruins, until Bobby Orr came along, (were) lousy but sold out every game in the Garden. The Red Sox, I believe 9,000 people were at Ted Williams last game -- for all the lyric and the poetry by John Updike and all that, only 9,000 and change were in the stands that day at Fenway (Park).

"But the biggest team was the Celtics. The Celtics were winning championship after championship, and still, the Celtics rarely sold out. It's kind of crazy when you think about that today."

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Noah Graham | AP

His most impactful sports memory as a child was also one that shaped his political career. He remembers, in the immediate aftermath of the Kennedy assassination, how angry his father was that then NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle decided not to canceled the games that weekend -- even one played in Dallas where Kennedy was killed.

He didn't get to many games, but the stars from that era in Boston sports -- especially the centerpiece of those Celtics championship teams -- were the athletes who made an impact on his growing up.

"Bill Russell is probably the guy I'd put in that unique category," he said when asked about athletic role models. "Tireless, played the games at both ends of the floor, had to put up with a lot of racism in Boston, coached the team, by the way – let's not forget he won two titles as a player-coach. I would probably put Russell in that singular pantheon."

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media

Murphy said he plans to be an active supporter of New Jersey's teams, including Sky Blue, the women's professional soccer team in the state that he and his wife co-own. He has already attended a Rutgers men's basketball game in Piscataway, and in one of his first acts as governor, he wrote a letter in support of the U.S. bid to bring the World Cup here in 2026.

"Listen: I love sports and my family loves sports," he said. "Yes, I will (attend games), and you should be happy to know that more often than not I'll be rooting for the home team."

Here is Murphy's complete sports interview with NJ Advance Media:

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Derick E. Hingle | USA Today

Q. How did your love of soccer develop?

It wasn't because of the professional soccer in Boston, I can tell you that. It started with one of my close childhood friends, who was the son of first generation Scottish immigrants. His dad had been a semi-pro player. When I went over to his house for what I would now call a playdate or an overnight, we would wake up on Sunday morning or Saturday morning and his dad would have a transistor radio on to whatever his team, the Glasgow Rangers or Celtics or somebody, and that started it.

And through that friendship we decided to try out for the junior high team. I think I played 7-8-9th grade, as I recall, so middle school and freshman year of high school. I was not any good, but I loved the sport. I worked overseas in the '90s, and one of my stops in banking was in Germany when Germany was the defending world champs, and I really started to get hooked on it. And when my kids grew up, they really got into it and they played – they all play, in fact – and so it’s probably become the prime family sport for us.

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Q. The U.S. failed to qualify for the World Cup. Can it actually win one in our lifetime?

Yes. I'm 60, and I believe the answer is yes (for me). But we've got a long way to go, and just because we're big and just because it's the most popular youth sport in America, that's the good news, but we have a heck of a hard time bring the transmission vehicle from that to having top quality -- and I assume you mean men because the women have a special place in my heart. My wife and I are majority owners of the professional women's team in New Jersey/New York. That's something we're proud about. We are proud to have the top one, two or three women's national team in the world. But for the men, the answer is yes, but it's going to require a long road and the right stewardship. Were going to need time and execution.

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Q. You mention Sky Blue. Did you have to approve the trade for former Rutgers star Carli Lloyd?

A. (Laughs). To say that I had to approve it would sound a little Steinbrenner-like. I'm blessed with a co-owner (Steven Temares) who is very hands on. Obviously, we spoke about it, but he gets all the credit for pulling it off. We gave up a star in Sam Kerr but we got great draft picks, including a real hot-shot goalie out of Rutgers who I'm excited about and Carli, who is an American icon. So we're quite happy.

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Q. I know you were at a Rutgers game the other night. What is your feeling on Rutgers' commitment to the Big Ten and spending $100 million on college sports? Do you see that as a worthy investment?

A. I'm not sure about the spending part because I'm not as familiar with that. But in terms of the notion that you can have, alongside a great research university, you can have high-quality, broadly participative intercollegiate athletics at a very high level sports department, I don't think you have to be one or the other. I think you can find a good, happy balance between being a great research university as Rutgers is and being a high-quality sports program.

I've gotten to know Pat Hobbs over the years. My wife and I were there the other night. We really enjoyed it. You're not asking me to critique the team, but I think they could use some more offense. They played Brad Stevens-like defense. The defense was impressive. They need to put a few more shots in. But we had a very good time.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media

Q. Your name will now be on the sports betting case that's before the Supreme Court. Is this a wise path for the state to go down?

A. It is. I agree with Gov. Christie. He and I spoke about it in transition. I'm not a lawyer, so forgive me for not having a legal answer, but the (sports betting ban) make no sense. It just makes no sense. And listen, I've spoken to Sen. (Bill) Bradley about it, and it made sense back in the day. But you can say that about a lot of things. I really believe with all my heart that we're in a different time and a different place, and I'm really hopeful we can get the right decision because I believe it can be a game changer for us in New Jersey.

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Q. Should betting be allowed beyond racetracks and casinos?

A. I'm not sure I've got a good answer for you there. That would probably be in the walk-before-you-run camp. I've lived in Europe a bunch, most recently as the U.S. ambassador (to Germany). Betting is a much more natural -- you can go to a soccer game in England and most teams will send the betting sheet around to your tables. I'm not sure we're there yet. I would walk before you run.

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Q. What is your stance on public subsidies for sports arenas? Is that a good investment?

A. I think you have to take them as they come. I think you have to analyze each situation. I don't have a good stock answer for you. It's like public subsidies or tax incentives for any -- you're using that as an attraction for a business, big or small. I guess my guiding principle is, it's important that it works for all sides. Not just one side, but it works for everybody, and everybody includes the residents of this state.

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Q. Were you at the N.J. Super Bowl and would you like to see another event like that, a Super Bowl, in this state?

I was not at it but I would love to be a part of that. I've said this to folks, not in a sports context, but it would certainly extend to that or other events. I view my job as the head of sales. I think it would be a great honor to get another Super Bowl, but not just limited to that. Other events, sporting or otherwise, I think New Jersey has an enormous opportunity given our location and our natural resources, our passion generally and specifically for sports, I think we're a natural.

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AP Photo

Q. Do you golf? Do you play tennis? Is there anything you do athletically now other than soccer?

I do not play golf. I will carry your bags if you like me to. My sons and I play golf, we started a routine a year ago and we'll see whether or not 2018 will be the second anniversary of if we go out, the four of us, typically when we're on a family vacation and tear up a course, literlaly, for a few hours.

But that's not a sport I spend a lot of time on. I hack around a little with tennis, but not really. Family soccer is a big passion, and my wife and I run. I try to run 3-5 times a week. We've run a marathon and three (half marathons). I don’t know if we'll be doing that much, but we've got a 5K in December at Rutgers in New Brunswick, and we like running.

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Q. So if Trump invites you to his golf course in New Jersey, you've got a legitimate excuse to say no.

A. I would say without any regard to whether we have a particular policy difference, here or there, that I don't golf. That is a fact.

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Q. Is there anything we missed, sports-related, that you wanted to discuss?

A. Yes. I would say one thing prospectively: I signed a letter with (New York) Mayor (Bill) de Blasio, and I really, really hope that we'll win the right to host the soccer World Cup in 2026. I want to make sure that a lot of really important games are held at MetLife (Stadium) and we have a really successful partnership in New York City in doing so.

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Q. Do you like our chances?

A. One of the first letters I signed officially last Friday was to submit that bid to the US. Soccer Federation and ultimately to FIFA. I think the New York area including Northern Jersey is largest market in the world. MetLife is a new stadium and has a huge capacity. My family and I watched the Copa-American Final there last year. We've hosted, successfully, World Cup games in 1994. I would think that MetLife has a real shot to be considered for one or more of the key games, whether that's the final or semis or opening game, I think there's going to be real potential for that.

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Ashley Allen | Getty Images

Q. Do you think the U.S. will win that bid overall?

A. Oh, it's a complete travesty that we didn't get 2018 or 2022, and the level of corruption in these bids, who's kidding who? Qatar, in particular, but I have no love lost for the Russian bid, either. Ridiculous. And you leave England and the U.S. on the doorstep, two countries with all the infrastructure built.

Russia is a real soccer culture, so I don't begrudge that, but given what we've seen that's gone on with their athletes and the Sochi Olympics, it's extraordinary that we're going to be in Russia – well, I say we're going to be, the U.S. won't be there. But the fact that Russia is host and Qatar, it's a ridiculous decision. We should have had one of those. But in absence of that, getting 2026, which is still competitive by the way, I'm optimistic, but we've still got to earn it. We thought we were going to get '18 or '22 and we didn't. We have to get '26.

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Steve Politi may be reached at spoliti@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevePoliti. Find NJ.com on Facebook.