If in 1989 Scarfo sr wasn't be in jail or was on the lam, have joey merlino the balls or the force to try to kill scarfo sr ?
And what would did the 5 Fams after the third philly boss was killed in least 10 Years ?

I thinked it because joey and the young Turks (lol good name for a rock band) tried the coup because the old guard was in prison, or when scarfo sr was on the streets many wiseguys are tired of him ?

If Scarfo was still in power, and his father Chuckie was still close to the top even with his supposed demotion, I doubt Merino has the balls or backing from anyone in their right mind.

You'd also have to factor in that if Scarfo isn't in jail or UI, then neither are a substantial amount of his underlings (Narducci's, Pungitore's, Leonetti may not have flipped, and the list goes on) Those people were feared, Joey at that time was not.

IF Joey had killed Scarfo at that time, he would have went and so would anyone related to it, and maybe even his father would have went. Scarfo was very close to Bobby Manna as they did a stint in prison together and Bobby Manna was very close to Chin.

So I'm not even sure it would be considered balls if he even had the b thought to do it, just stupidity.

I don't think so because scarfo after the salvie testa murder was more hated because showed his greedy and bloody face. Maybe joey would try to kill him with a mask and see how will do the old guard, his father in primis , even Leonetti in his book say that after salvie murder was disgusted by his uncle.

Maybe. But if there was a Castellano-esque overthrow of Scarfo and you still had Scarfo guys on the street, do you really see them lining up under a kid? First off, Joey at that time isn't even a made guy. If someone was going to overthrow Scarfo, I'm not even sure who it would be, I just don't think it's Joey. And whether Phil was "dusgusted" or not, he'd never take out his uncle. Whether he was hated or not, Scarfo was still feared. Word is now in Philly that even with Joey as boss, the old Scarfo guys really aren't "lining up" under him so why would they in 1989 as made guys far more established than Joey?

When Joey went into Dante and Luigis with the mask on Halloween, most of the Scarfo regime was in prison, an aging Piccolo was a temporary boss and it was a message that Nicky nor Nicky Jr were no longer welcomed in South Philly. He seized the opportunity because it was ripe for the taking as Philly was in complete disarray. Even then, Merlino really only had support from his own group of friends, none of which were made guys.

An interesting question would be, IF there was a made guy in the Scarfo regime who had the backing, reputation and balls to take out Scarfo and assume the resigns, who would it have been? Long John Martorano, maybe. At the time, he was probably the biggest earner in the family and had strong ties all over Philly to K&A, Black Mafia, etc. But if you stay with your 1988 theory, he was IP by then for drugs and the McCullough murder. I think it was his objective when he got out in the early 2000s but his backing then was nowhere near the forces they were back in the 80s.

Now the old scarfo guys had a separate crew and joey don't say nothing because Narducci &co can easly go to Boca and whack him.
Should ask to Ivy what strongest wiseguys was on the streets in 1988-89.
But if made Stanfa boss in 1991 there was no strong guys left.

Hypothetically speaking, if Chang, Lance, Mazzone ect had a son that was in his 20's as Merlino was at that time would they have the balls to take out Merlino or Ligambi? Totally impossible scenario, Merlino wasn't even as high as 50 on the pecking order back then when Scarfo was boss.

Ligambi was respected because was low key and rebuilted the family; the scarfo era guys know that after 30 y in the can,is better make money than war and if the boss prefer to stay in boca than in philly,it's even better.

I was pointing out how absurd the notion of Merlino a young kid at the time taking out Scarfo would be in comparison to today's world.

Skinny Joey was lucky in 1989 the philly mob was the shadow of it was under bruno,any way you are right if think that Martorano would be the boss but he was in jail.
Merlino won only because the best men was dead or in jail That's all. Pure fortune.

It would be interesting if Harry Riccobene was free too by the time. In this case, do you think he would have more or less potential to become boss than Martorano?

Riccobene lost a war against the family,doubt that would be choose as boss; but maybe NY would choose him or Stanfa,depend how many ties both had with the Gambino/Genovese.

No, I don't think he's that stupid. Death sentence back in 89.

I guess it depends who is making the call. Scarfo put Tony Buck in place essentially because he was his cousin, would NY have chosen Riccobene? Possibly - he was a made guy practically 60 years by that time. Credential wise he was qualified, but if quieting things down was the objective, I doubt it. Faffy killed Bobby Riccobene in front of their mother... would have had to think that if he gets out, certain people are going.

Chickie Chang, if he doesn't go away might have been another qualified choice, same with Santo Idone who was really low-key for a long time. Would NY also be privy to letting someone like Martorano, for all accounts a very high-profiled drug dealer also takeover the family? His kid, George also sitting on a ridiculous drug empire was drawing heat at the time too. I think if its up to NY, probably not. But yeah I'd put Martorano over Riccobene if we're talking 1988-1989 and both are on the street.

U just said what i was just thinking.harry had tremendous respect among certain ppls. & other families..in a different situation,harry would have had great support 4 boss.