Like Richie, Feech LaManna had an extended prison term, and his revenue generators went elsewhere, notably the Executive Card Game (which at the time was Tony's). Unlike Richie, Feech went to Tony and asked for the game back.
Granted, there wasn't a store owner to lean on, but Feech showed the proper protocol in getting his earnings back. Had Richie taken the same approach, Tony would have been more amenable to giving Richie part or all of Beansie's tribute.
Beansie was screwed either way. I think Tony nailed it when he said "since when did you ever give a f--k about anyone but Richie Aprile?"
On this Feech thing, did that happen before or after Tony had Feech in for a lecture? Recall Tony said "this is the 2nd time I'm playing catch up with you."
Feech was every bit the thorn in Tony's side that Richie was in Season 2. I think the main differences were 1) Tony looked up to Feech given their age difference and 2) Probably subconsciously Tony wanted to stay in Feech's good graces considering Tony's role in the stick up of Feech's card game when Tony was younger. There was always that minute chance that Feech could decide to avenge the stick-up. Not that I think Feech would have been looking to whack Tony who was the boss when Feech got out of jail. But look at all the times Feech referred to Tony as "kid."
I'm presuming the lecture you're referring to is the one where Tony told him to shut up with the stories from the past? If memory serves me right, that lecture was immediately after he knocked off the cars at Dr. Freid's daughter's wedding. Feech saw that opportunity at the first of two Executive Card Games (the one with Lawrence Taylor and Bernie Brillstein).
Feech was much more passive-aggressive with Tony than Richie was, and it depended on what leverage Feech had - when he asked for the card game back, it was almost hat in hand begging. He had no leverage, since the client list was far different than when he had his game. But even before groveling, he was still irritating Tony and Silvio with DiMeo Story Time with Christopher and Benny. Even with Paulie's bookmaking operation, he was still respectful of who owned a particular client.
But his new enterprises - car theft and lawn care rackets - he was content to keep that from Tony as long as possible. With the car theft, he moved the cars via Johnny Sack's contacts. It only attracted Tony's attention when both situations got out of control - Paulie kicking the shit out of Feech's cousin, and Dr. Freid complaining directly to Tony.
And Tony's assessment of Richie was spot on, even though Tony was fueling the fire by high-handing Richie (he pulled the "gotta go" bit before he learned about Beansie's beating). Richie only cared about Richie, and that definitely included shaking down Beansie on his own, with zero regard where Beansie was kicking up to.
