I think the thinking w/ them being on top is that Cicero/26th is the only real active crew left and with Marcello and Sarno gone, they are up there.

The south side crews have always been known as more blue collar.

IMO you are not too far off in terms of nickle and dime stuff... I think that is what the Outfit has been reduced to.

Look at the evidence from Family Secrets... the takes from the poker machines were very low, and, yeah, at busted up old Chicago places... Frank Calabrese's juice operation was largely loaning a few hundred bucks at a time to Connie's Pizza delivery guys.