This is from one of our members (StonePark) who is very well-informed on the Outfit. The post was submitted to this forum in 2013.

StonePark Offline

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Registered: 07/30/13
Posts: 64
Accardo was deferential to Paul Ricca, certainly. Before Paul began to decompensate, Accardo was his #2. Don’t get me wrong, Giancana was a boss in his own right, too, but only ever second fiddle to Paul, and that was only during Accardo’s hiatus. After Giancana was out of it, every boss thereafter was more or less bearding for Accardo while he was alive. (Or at least until he was nearing death.) Aiuppa was extremely powerful, and both he and Cerone were national mafia figures. But they were only wearing the boss’ uniform. They were both leaders, but the orthodox history regarding Accardo is true. He was the power. By the way, does anyone here know Nick (last name witheld)—a close relative of the late Joey O? He will corroborate what I just said with regard to Aiuppa.

Another thing that was overstated by Fosco (and Chicago and Black Angelo) was the supposed "rivalry" between the Taylor Street and Grand Avenue Italians. There were beefs between individuals within the organization, but the fact that they might have been from different neighborhoods was irrelevant. Accardo was close with Teets and Phil who were from Taylor Street. Ricca is not accurately described as a “Taylor Street mobster” either—another distortion perpetuated by idiots.