Old School - I also read the same thing in one of the PA Crime Commission reports in the early 1990's, about Pittsburgh differing from the other families in such a way that they rely so heavily on associates.

You seem to be in the know about Pittsburgh. I've also read some of the other posts here about Pittsburgh, and I can say that I probably disagree on some of them as well - but definitely not all of them. I would agree with what you say, that the bookmaking and loan sharking is still very much existent, and even possibly organized. But, with the FBI not bringing a mob case here against anyone in nearly 20 years and basically declaring the family "extinct", I'm not sure if I believe how much of the remnants of an organization are still left here, other than Sonny.

In your opinion, do the guys that are left still function as an organized LCN family and kick up to Sonny? Is he recognized as a boss, or just the last surviving member of a now possibly defunct organization, who 'fell' into the defacto boss title? Or, is it basically just a bunch of guys doing their own thing and kicking up occasionally (or not at all), as most others have suggested here?