I still think the journalism in the New York Times is one of the best in this country. 
I agree the New York Times from where i'm at in Corpus Christi, TX we call it the NYT
I think its probably just whatever people think is easier to say, I call it the Times and I'm from Dallas, TX.
I think it's cool that it was created in 1851 and has won 122 Pulitzer Prizes.