None of that matters because the Westside and the other families would not of let a family fold to non made members !!!! It's only because the Chin let it lay because he knew that Phil had him and Manna . Even back then the five families would not of let outsiders take a family because there was a sitting godfather.

For all the bullshit I like how Merlino and his young punks stepped up and took control of the outfit. I know a lot of people don't like him, but he sure had balls. Fear of Scarfo was still pretty much alive out in the streets.. I know he was in the can but still a lot of people would have been scared to touch Nicky Jr, cause his pop still had friends... but they didn't give a fuck.
I know Phil Leonetti considered Joey a punk and still does, but frankly I think he's maybe a little jealous.. Joey did what Phil never had the balls to do, step up and take control of the outfit. Phil always contemplated whacking his uncle but he never did.

Hey serp!

If Phil whacked his uncle he ultimately knew that the Commission would kill him right away. He saw it first hand with Bruno. So he might have said he wanted to at times, but Phil never would have done it he's smarter than that.

With regards to Joey and Mike, they were still scared of Scarfo and you guys are right, the streets still feared Scarfo. I remember one of Joey's guys was quoted in an article back in the mid-90s when Scarfo and Chucky and the rest were retried and later acquitted of the Frankie Flowers murder in like 1997. He said Joey was nervous about being in the same courtroom as Scarfo and was still legitimately scared of/respected him. The difference was, Nick Jr was the conduit and Joey wasn't scared of nor did he respect Nick Jr. Joey and Mike had the muscle and that was left, which ultimately was what became the "Young Turk" crew. Nick Jr was scared of them and Joey and Mike knew it. Jr was actually recorded talking to Scarfo Sr and Leonetti in prison about how Joey and Mike were moving in on south philly and starting to push people around. You always hear about the Scarfo guys in the 80s and all the shooting, but these young guys were doing beatings and helping with hits, etc, during that same time as well so it's not like they didn't have a reputation or know what they were doing...

By the mid to late 80's . Everyone knew what Scarfo was about. If Phil didnt flip. He was still done. The powers to be in South Philly wasnt going let him become boss. He was basically an outsider. He was nt hanging on the corner in south philly, like the rest of them.

Didnt matter what NY said. What were the genovese going to do, send a hit team to passyunk ave?

Blackjack you are right about what you are saying but just so you know Phil took the money from the Feds for plastic surgery but what he got was a facelift !!!

He looks the same with some gray !!

Oh you have seen him? Thought he moved to California or somewhere west?

Maybe he got his balls back after Scarfo kicked the bucket and went back to AC?

By 1991, Gigante was indicted, Gravno flipped, Amuso and Casso were busy killing everyone in their own family, the Colombos were at war and the Bonannos weren't even on the commission and were just starting to rebuild under Massino.

I think Merlino predicted that the five families weren't in a position to intervene. The Geoveses were more concerned with Leonetti and Gravano than Merlino.

Great thread,Serp.Pretty damn cool you have seen Leonetti around.Yeah,he calls Merlino a punk and Merlino is a killer with no fear at all of prison or dying or whatever.But I believe Leonetti is just as much a killer and has no fear of Merlino and truly believes him a punk.To be walking around AC like that he has to be packing.

Blackjack you are right about what you are saying but just so you know Phil took the money from the Feds for plastic surgery but what he got was a facelift !!!

He looks the same with some gray !!

He was here for weeks after Nick passed and has been before , but now he is comfortable and was in one of our old joints with his wife and a friend .

Leonetti has more kills under his belt than you and I combined Blackjack.Now,I understand your disdain for the guy.He is a rat and I agree it eats at him deep.All these guys that got out from the Scarfo era did their time and Leonetti didn't.Merlino did his time.And I think Merlino is the last of a dying breed.But rat or not that Leonetti is a killer and I promise he is ready to draw

National tv reporter John Miller, the one who used to follow John Gotti around, interviewed Phil when his book came out. John Miller said Phil Leonetti is unreconizable. Doesnt look nothing like he used too

Don't believe a word you hear I am sure in order to get the interview they had something worked out , trust me he looks the same but 30 plus older , then again that reporter did not see him five days a week his entire life but he looks the same.

Hoodlum you would be surprised at what goes on with these people knowing what Phil did , but they are not friends because Chris had the balls to walk away when it was going on not when he was facing life .