Aaron Carricato plays both sides of the Plant Panthers versus Robinson Knights rivalry.

Owner of both South MacDill Avenue and South Dale Mabry Highway Beef O'Brady's sports restaurants, he now provides a home for Robinson High School post football game celebrations after years of doing the same for Plant High School.

The difference for the Knights fans is that Beef's is their only option.

"There are a lot of places that offer Plant and their fans a place to go after games, but Robinson really had nowhere to go," Carricato said. "After the football games, it feels like small town Texas in here. It's the first time I've ever had people thank me for being in business."

At both restaurants, Carricato has lined the walls with memorabilia from the two school teams, but at the 4516 S Dale Mabry Hwy. location, the Robinson fanfare is more than just a jersey here or a hat there.

"I threw it out to the football team and a few of the other programs," Carricato said. "Now I have something representing every Robinson sport on the walls. The wrestling team and cheerleaders donated uniforms and all the pictures are of current players. The way they've rallied around this store has been tremendous."

He said that the involvement of the schools is essential to the concept of Beef O'Brady's.

"What Beef O'Brady's is really about is neighborhoods, families and getting in with the community," said Carricato. "It's not like a Chili's or Outback. When you come here, you get to know the owner, the manager or your waitress and you feel at home. With the relationship we've cultivated with these schools, we're able to get that neighborhood feeling."

Jennifer Minahan helps coordinate the field team affairs for coach Robert Wiener at Plant High School and has worked with Carricato for years. She said that Carricato makes the Beef O'Brady's at 2819 S MacDill Ave. special for Plant.

"Aaron (Carricato) is such a sweet guy and because of everything he does, it makes you never want to leave him," Minahan said. "Every single Friday, he delivers food to the team and the press box. It makes us feel special to have a relationship with a business in the community the way we do."

On the Robinson High School side, fans are happy just to have a place for the athletes to see their accomplishments celebrated and receive the attention they crave and deserve.

"It's nice for the kids to have a place where they can go and see themselves celebrated on the walls," said Robinson teacher Jill Burns. "It makes the kids feel like celebrities practically and it's good for the community to come together around them. You don't always see business owners recognize local athletes like that."

Carricato can expect to have a frantic night when the Panthers host the Knights in the regular season finale at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10.