Whether it's superstition or just damn good Italian food, Vincent's Clam Bar has become the unofficial fuel station for New York's March Madness run. Four teams, four tournaments, one red sauce joint. Sometimes the secret weapon isn't on the court — it's in the kitchen.
St. John's hosted their Selection Sunday watch party at Vincent's last year and are running it back in Queens this year as Big East regular season champs. Hofstra's getting Sunday dinner catered on campus again. Pepi's pumped: "If it's anything like last year, this is going to be electric."
The coaches are creatures of habit. Rick Pitino, Speedy Claxton, Rod Strickland (LIU), and Dave Duke (Adelphi) all order the same thing: chicken parm. Pitino likes his sauce sweet and mild, Claxton's been going spicier lately. Each coach has their own name plate at the restaurant, just like Don Mattingly, Joe Namath, and Tom Seaver.
This isn't new territory for Vincent's. NHL teams used to stop there before playing the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum for good luck. Manager Danny Pepi says they have a weird track record: "People come in, and then the next night they end up winning." The athletes go through food "like thoroughbreds" — 50 portions for 30 players.
The timing is wild. Hofstra and LIU both started catering with Vincent's in the fall term — right before their breakthrough seasons. Hofstra coach Speedy Claxton told The Post there's "something magical" about the place. They ate there the whole week before conquering the CAA championship in Washington.
Vincent's Clam Bar in Carle Place just became the ultimate lucky charm — four New York college basketball teams started catering from them this season, and all four made their tournaments. St. John's, Hofstra, LIU, and even Division II Adelphi. Hofstra ended a 25-year March Madness drought. Coincidence? Their coach doesn't think so.
6/6 🧵
Whether it's superstition or just damn good Italian food, Vincent's Clam Bar has become the unofficial fuel station for New York's March Madness run. Four teams, four tournaments, one red sauce joint. Sometimes the secret weapon isn't on the court — it's in the kitchen.
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5/6 🧵
St. John's hosted their Selection Sunday watch party at Vincent's last year and are running it back in Queens this year as Big East regular season champs. Hofstra's getting Sunday dinner catered on campus again. Pepi's pumped: "If it's anything like last year, this is going to be electric."
4/6 🧵
The coaches are creatures of habit. Rick Pitino, Speedy Claxton, Rod Strickland (LIU), and Dave Duke (Adelphi) all order the same thing: chicken parm. Pitino likes his sauce sweet and mild, Claxton's been going spicier lately. Each coach has their own name plate at the restaurant, just like Don Mattingly, Joe Namath, and Tom Seaver.
3/6 🧵
This isn't new territory for Vincent's. NHL teams used to stop there before playing the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum for good luck. Manager Danny Pepi says they have a weird track record: "People come in, and then the next night they end up winning." The athletes go through food "like thoroughbreds" — 50 portions for 30 players.
2/6 🧵
The timing is wild. Hofstra and LIU both started catering with Vincent's in the fall term — right before their breakthrough seasons. Hofstra coach Speedy Claxton told The Post there's "something magical" about the place. They ate there the whole week before conquering the CAA championship in Washington.
1/6 🧵
Vincent's Clam Bar in Carle Place just became the ultimate lucky charm — four New York college basketball teams started catering from them this season, and all four made their tournaments. St. John's, Hofstra, LIU, and even Division II Adelphi. Hofstra ended a 25-year March Madness drought. Coincidence? Their coach doesn't think so.