Tony wasn’t very “Boss like”

Obviously the Vito Corleone model isn’t realistic but…

As a Boss, Tony doesn’t have the dignity or aloofness that a Boss would command. A Boss should be like a King - have a certain mystique to him (with a common touch).

Tony in sit downs will squabble with the guys having a sit down, bringing himself down to their level. His outbursts of temper, breaking things, etc lessen him.

I get Jersey in the show is small time, but to hammer it home, Tony comes off more like the leader of an overgrown gang than a Mafia Boss. Like…I can’t imagine even Gotti smashing shit up having a temper tantrum. Or any modern Boss.

And reporting to a fuckin Pork Store as Boss? Not dignified.

agree
but as you can see the are really nothing but a glorified crew, and if not tony as boss who would that be ?
you can see in the sitdown in season 1, no one wanted the big seat... not larry, not jimmy, not raymond.
the dimeo family had huge leadership problem.
they choose junior as a puppet boss and tony as the one who really make things going.

I used to think that was a gaping plot hole in the series, but after many viewings have come to the conclusion that Tony being weak and ineffectual was the entire point of the series. He was a horrible boss and would have never survived in real life.

And having sit downs in front of the pork store for all the feds to see. What does he do right when Richie Aprile gets out of prison? Invite him to the pork store for a meeting with Christopher and do they sit inside? No. They plant themselves out front on the street!

Doesn't make too much sense when you think about it does it?

Tony was an extreme sociopath who had no fear of being caught or busted. He liked to be an asshole to everyone and anyone, which included the FEDS. Do you really think he gave a fuck if they saw him having a sit down ? Nope.

One of the main points of the show is to portray how society has changed, or fallen (depending on how you see it) by using the mob as an example. The first episode when Tony is in Melfi's office and says he knows he got in too late, and that he wishes he was like his dad or uncle who got in at the ground level. I think that's the writers using symbolism of the times (late 90's turn of the century). The writers felt that things used to be better. Not necessarily true on the whole, but definitely true for LCN.