As far as I remember back in the late 90's Nicky didn't hold much weight at all when Wild Bill was around.
Power Shifts however, he was referred to as the "OLD GUY" and that is going back 20+ years ago.
I cannot see him holding any sort of admin position.
He never made it to CAPO
Also, you guys have to remember, in LCN just like in the rest of the world the power comes from wealth and a lot of these old guys are wealthy.
At their advanced age they are not spear haeding major rackets however, they are getting a piece from the guys on the ground that are using their MONEY, POWER and INFLUENCE...
I don't think Nicky Rizzo ever really wanted to be a capo. He has never been in any sophisticated scams, just shylocking. With that being said, the guy is extremely good at what he does. Didn't get a single arrest in his career until the ripe old age of 84, even though he has been a made guy since 1978. Rizzo has, over the years, owned a gas station, used car lot, pizza parlor, social clubs, and a general contracting business. His general contracting business, as a favor to Bonanno soldier Johnny Faraci, employed future bigtime Bonanno Zips Baldo Amato and Cesare Bonventre.
Rizzo has been a longtime member of the Russo crew, which was formerly run by last-known street boss Andy Russo, and is currently run by Russo's son Billy. Rizzo knows Andy Mush well, given the fact that Rizzo was able to extort $15,000 from Joe Caves Competiello in 1996. Competiello was attacked by a Rizzo underling over a debt, but Competiello grabbed the bat and beat the perpetrator pretty bad. Rizzo was able to call on Andy Mush (who was then the family's acting boss) to lean on Competiello to pay the kid's medical expenses.
