That the people here on the boards know more about Cosa Nostra than the people that are actually in it? Not trying to start shit but I would bet there's probably a MADE guy in let's say the Colombos who doesn't even know who the fuk Joe profaci even is. Probably couldnt even name all the five families. Like guys who couldn't find Italy on a map let alone Sicily. Has the bar been lowered that far? Or am I wrong?

You're probably onto something....

God,this is too funny.I think you may be onto something here.We do tend to really get into the minutiae of the OC world,and it wouldn't surprise me if some of us couldn't take on a whole room full of Wiseguys,and kick their butts in Mob trivia. Maybe we could call it Trivial Prosciutt.
Great post,you made my night.

I agree

Most wiseguys have never been outside of NYC.

Lefty Ruggerio thought Lake Eyrie was the Atlantic.
And that wasn't that long ago.

I reckon I know more than Barney bellomo ha ha

And I'm not trying to be condescending. I've read so many mob books, watched so many documentaries, looked at so many charts, etc. I just thought it humorous to think that there are probably a lot of guys actually members of the mob who know less about its history and rituals than people who have nothing to do with it.

Were there any well-known gangsters that were very intelligent?

I know Roy De Meo was; he could have been a doctor. Anyone else?

I think anyone who is a member knows more than us. We may know a lot of trivia, but what does it really matter what happened with Joe Profaci in the 1950s? Most of those guys are dead now. What matters is what's happening now. And that stuff is known only to members. (and some of it to the FBI or DEA)

Not sure if the same but Det. Joe Coffey talks about a guy from NY who went to Chicago and says "you wouldn't believe it they got an ocean out here just like NY"

That's because they're mobsters, not mob groupies like those of us on this board. They're interested in making money, not which mobster killed the most people or was the meanest.

In fairness, even members of Mob families are capable of being Mob groupies. Look at the Mob Wives and Tony Testa.

If my father or brother was a mafioso and killed people and ruined people's lives, I wouldn't disown them but I would frankly be a little ashamed of them and I certainly wouldn't f***ing glorify what they do and try to compensate monetarily out of it.

What is wrong with these people? They are just as culpable as the guys breaking legs with baseball bats!

Hey Joey welcome to the boards. I agree to a certain degree but as was previously mentioned, some of these guys are fan boys as well. A great example is Bonanno soldier Mike Virtuoso who had a rolodex full of the names and ranks of guys from all the five families as well as newspaper articles about the mafia lol. There was even information in his rolodex that apparently even the Feds did not know.

I wouldn't say that's being a fanboy, that's more like having a directory so he knows who to contact if he needs to have a sitdown about an issue with another family. And knowing who's who so he doesn't step on the wrong toes. That's the kind of knowledge we don't have until something like that gets published. Mob buffs like me wouldn't have that information, I wouldn't know who to call to set up a meeting with someone in a mob family.

That's the OP's point. They're not out researching the history of the Mafia like we do. They're too busy living it. Except for some of the old timers still around (Quiet Dom, Maddona, etc) I'm sure a lot of us could take wiseguys to school on the Mafia's history (25+ years ago).

This is a good topic. I once went into a certain Philadelphia area er… bar, and the other patrons were watching a Bio channel Mobsters. I didn't ask why the Phillies game was on (even though I wanted to watch it more than the life stories of Frank and Nick Calibrese). It was pretty funny though to watch life imitating art.

OP is not saying that the mafia should or should not know it's roots. He is saying it is funny some of us could possibly think we are somewhat connected due to our fascination and knowledge when in a realsitic comparison, real mobsters could care less.

Not quite Jacob. And this is all my opinion I don't know how correct I am about all this. I was just thinking about it one night while reading the threads on this board. I think everyone can agree that Cosa Nostra ain't what it used to be. Do these guys adhere to that ancient code of the Mafia anymore? Or is it now just a bunch of thugs who happen to have Italian last names? Is it about "honor" and "family", secrecy, and silence? Or does none of that matter, just the dollars and the power? Aside from the Zips I really cant see it. So many rats, informants, flippers, etc.
It reminds me of the Sopranos "Commendatori" episode where Paulie just walked around Naples saying that to everyone. So detached and so clueless.

Great thread topic. And I agree.

I doubt mobsters are debating endlessly how many made men are in each family.