Or maybe Phil is so angry because the thought of homosexuality had crossed his mind but he still went without for the duration of sentence.Thus if he can resist temptation for such an act whilst being so desperate, theres no way he'd be able to understand Vito.I didn't get any feeling that Phil had felt sexually confused in this way.As for clutching the bedsheet, it's just suggesting how in a rage he really is.He wants to be beating the life from Vito.It's he's family dis-graced.