Yeah he turned out to be a rat, but the whole situation may not have even been an issue if Sammy had been Boss, because:

1) Sammy was low key. Like a lot of the best old school guys, Sammy kept himself low key and out of the limelight. Compare Gotti and Sammy's mugshots from their 1990 arrest. Gotti is all smiles, decked out in an expensive suit. Sammy is stone faced and dressed casual, like any 1990 era Bensonhurst guy. Who would guess was the Mob boss?

2) Sammy knew how to leverage both white and blue collar crime. Unlike Gotti, who was totally a blue collar guy, Sammy had interests in both worlds.

3) He wasn't a hot head. Sammy was a vicious guy, but he wasn't an impulsive hot head who made decisions without thinking, whereas Gotti was loud, in your face and very impulsive--and even was dumb enough to threaten people over the phone or talk about guys who were whacked.

4) He knew how important legitimate income was. Sammy had several legitimate lines of income to insulate himself from the Feds, and he also lived within his means. Compare that to John, who claimed to be nothing more than a Plumber who wore $2000 suits.

I just think Sammy might've been an improved, more street wise version of Castellano if he'd been Boss. Have a family with Sammy as Boss and Frank DeCiccio as Underboss, with Gotti as a Capo and things might've worked out into the '90s.

I believe he would have

only thing is , he would have probably been the first "Massino" if you know what I mean

Prior to him flipping, Gravano was one of the best assets the Gambino family had. I always found it funny how the media looked on the conviction of Gotti as a symbol of the decline of the mob. Gotti going away only helped. What hurt the Gambinos, and the other families, was Gravano flipping.

I think Sammy would have been a pretty good Boss . In addition to his lower key personality,he had the respect of the Unions that did business with the Gambinos,to the point that he was the one they would prefer to deal with. He also found fault with the spotlight that Gottti beamed on the Family. He said that "this thing" was supposed to be secret,and that instead of guys coming in every week ,the meetings should be at three in the morning ,with just the people involved who needed to be involved,and away from the City.
Sammy,like Gotti,also had an advantage as far as age. The Mob was starting to produce younger Bosses,and as the old generation was dying off,the members wanted leaders that they could identify with.
The only real hothead moment that Sammy had was the Fiala incident,and although it was not a smart move,it doesn't seem like typical Bull behavior.
I do think that the Gambinos would have prospered under Sammy,because as a ferocious earner,he would have the experience and personality to motivate those under him to produce.
Lastly,I think that a major difference between the two was that Gotti was a pompous asshole who saw the Boss spot as all about him, whereas,Sammy really believed in the old school Cosa Nostra,and would have been a more mature Boss.

Sammy seemingly wouldn't have ever had a clean look at the seat. Had DeCicco followed through with murdering Gotti after that initial year (which woulda been tough considering he got car bombed) Gravano was going to be his # 2, that much was documented. From that point on if Sammy had killed Frankie I think it could have started the 1st Gambino War. Everyone loved and respected DeCicco, he also had the ear of older Gambino's like Piney Armone and strong connections to the other families. That theory aside same goes with Sammy taking out John. Up to being boss John was running the Bergin Crew and the Ravenite Crew, the 2 biggest in the Family. Another hypothetical Gambino War would more than likely have ensued. And if you kill John, where does that end? Right off the bat you gotta kill Willie Boy Johnson Ang, Gene, Junior Gotti, not to mention both Carneglia brothers.

Sammy had faith. He only 'changed governments' after he heard Gotti giving him up on the tapes.

Yours opinion, for what its worth: low key, believer, street guy PLUS 'white collar'.... Sammy vs JG?

Gotti challenged the FBI, dared em. Coiffed hair n all. And kids, the FBI will always, ALWAYS win. The mob lives at the discretion of the government. JG forced their hand. Sammy ate his humble pie.

Got to think Sammy wouldve been a good bet.

I have to go other way on Gravano. He killed way more people than Gotti, and was as paranoid as Casso. It would have been one killing after another with him as boss, followed by him doing what he did when arrested, turning informant.

Loving the follow up of my thread. And yes I believe he may have been a better boss.

Your bang on the money, Sammy was all about the money the more he got the more he wanted he would have still been a rat once it is in a person to rat they will.

He may of never of had to rat if it wasn't for John, I believe if he was in any position to save himself though he would of so I agree. Unless he conducted business in a far more safer place than what john did. But if Sammy was boss and John was the underboss I don't think John would of ratted out Sammy. That's the only thing John had he was all about La Costra Nostra despite the mistakes he made.

I know in the Booknotes interview Peter Maas said he gave Sammy the benefit of the doubt because he didn't flip after the first murder case.

For whatever that's worth.

When Gravano had just a crew and some associates, many winded up killed at his hand, or on his orders. Gotti seemed to keep his soldiers and associates alive, and fight for them if necessary. I think Gravano was smoother talker, and obviously the better money maker of the two.

Ditto. Sammy seemed like he was a worker. No flash and all substance. He was a money making machine.

You guys forget we saw him as "boss" for his retarded x ring in Arizona. We got to see what a brilliant leader he would have been if made boss of the gambinos.

Saying having Sammy as Boss with DeCiccio as Underboss they probably would have had to whack Gotti in the end

sammy could have never been frank d ..boss never

sammy did have a must come night..tuesday's..sam did not dress in suits..but did have union guys wise guys from every family go to 18th ave and still well...people who don't know think sammy was this very low key guy..not true..he plotted and killed his own guys for zero..

No.

I agree. Sammy was greedy and would have been killing guys left and right to take over their rackets. The Gambinos would have been better off if Castellano had whacked Gotti and disbanded the crew. The next boss would have likely been Tommy Gambino or Jimmy Failla.

Sammy is a piece of shit, his daughter is too.

Vinnie,

Sammy is a rat, just like you are.

Lol. Are you fuckin serious man? Go ahead nicky, always playing that blood relation card just because your uncle is some geriactric. Who was the one who got picked up for sellin weed in high school and then had that mysterious meeting with the principal and all of a sudden Scott got picked up by the cops and you never got suspended? JUST CUZ I DID SOMETHING WITH MY LIFE now im a rat? Fuck off.

vinnie the rat,

im not going to go over this with you online. thats all bs. you know what u did.

come to my neigherhood we will have a sitdown and well see how geriactric my uncle is.

Yeah there you go tough guy. Always a chicken shit. Fuckin 6-2 150 the wind could knock your ass over. Go run and tell like a girl.

Sammy as a boss would be something like Casso reign in the Lucchese family IMO.

I don't think he would have made a good boss. He liked to clip a lot of people so he could take over their rackets. Didn't Gotti even say something about him doing that?

Yeah he brought everybody down to his restaurant to meet him. Honestly i think he would make a good underboss, but not for gotti. Decicco, yes probly the best choice for boss of that family, and if he became boss, then sammy would probly end up being his under. He was loyal in respect to the rules of the life... But he was no genious. He killed some guy right behind his restaurant, he shot that slavic coke dealer for nothing, his own ego got him into that. He wouldve been a better boss than john, but not a good boss. He did hits with probly 20 different guys. Surprised it took him as long as it did to get pinched.

no?

all good point skinny..decicco getting killed changed history in a bad direction..

Lou my friend maybe in NY that was true but Scarfo hated gravanno he'd come down to the fork and knive and talk scarfo into a frenzy he knew dis and dat he promised nicky that he was gonna send all his bricks to ac to build more casinos. in the end it was all crack pipe promises.