By JOSEPH SAPIA
Ed Kelly is a Giants football team fan, but business is business.
“If the Giants were in it,” said the owner of Clancy’s Tavern in Neptune, speaking of this Sunday’s Super Bowl, “there would be so many house parties, it would be a slow day (at the tavern).”
Super Bowl XLVIII is being played at MetLIfe Stadium, home of the Giants and Jets, in East Rutherford, but neither of those teams is in the National Football League championship game. Instead, the Seattle Seahawks are facing the Denver Broncos.
So, what may be bad for Kelly the fan may be good for Kelly the businessman.
Clancy’s, as well as other establishments, are preparing for Super Bowl Sunday – doing things a little different, maybe expecting bigger crowds. On the other hand, some fans will be going to Super Bowl house parties.
Some may be lucky to have a hard-to-get ticket to the game here in New Jersey. And fans without a ticket, but more interested in the game than the party, may just stay home – and concentrate on the action on the field.
In Avon, Casagrande liquor store is selling Super Bowl T-shirts, but, otherwise, not really gearing up for the game.
“For the Super Bowl, we don’t really get those special orders,” said David Anderson, who was working earlier this week at Casagrande.
But Anderson said Super Bowl revelers are probably buying “Budweiser and Coors Light (beers), quantity drinks.”
Jarred Leopaldi, a Tinton Falls resident who sells wine and spirits to liquor stores for E. and J. Gallo Winery, also expected high beer sales for the Super Bowl.
But Leopaldi – whose sales area is Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex and Somerset counties – said “people are bringing wine to the (house) parties.
“Definitely, parties are a good thing,” said Leopaldi, adding Gallo is doing Super Bowl-themed displays in the area, because the game is being played in New Jersey.
Because of the poor economy, house parties are leaning toward more snack-type foods, Anderson said.
“People are going with pizza, wings and chips,” Anderson said.
At McGillicuddy’s Lakeside Taphouse and Restaurant on Deal Lake in Loch Arbour, according to bar manager Laureen Pasquarella, Super Bowl Sunday will feature specials, such as free barbeque beef from noon to game time, $5 pitchers of Miller Lite and $4 shots of Fireball Whisky.
What do Super Bowl watchers eat?
“Chicken fingers, Buffalo wings, poppers,” Pasquarella said.
McGillicuddy’s has two large projection televisions and 15 smaller TVs to view the game, Pasquarella said.
“It’s just fun,” said Pasquarella, who will be working her second Super Bowl Sunday at McGillicuddy’s. “There’s a buzz in the air. Everybody knows everybody.”
At Clancy’s, there will be free bar pies at half-time, along with food and beer specials, Kelly said. Also, Clancy’s will have gift-giveaways: shirts, hats, mugs, koozies.
Jennifer Costeira, 40, of East Brunswick, who was having dinner earlier this week at McGillicuddy’s, loves football – she is a Dallas Cowboys fan – but was still up in the air on how she would watch the Super Bowl. She had a prediction, though.
“I’m going to go with the Seattle Seahawks,” Costeira said. “I feel it.”
“I want to see Denver win,” Kelly said.
“Seattle,” said Anderson without hesitation. “I picked them from the beginning.”
“Denver,” Leopaldi said. “I think (quarterback) Peyton Manning’s on a mission, this year.”
“I don’t know who’s playing,” Pasquarella said. “I don’t pay attention to the game, I’m too busy serving people.”
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