It's funny hearing the old wiretaps of gotti talking about how he would rather spend his whole life in jail rather than living like Chin was with his fake mental illness. Welp, he got his wish. Now he is a joke among people who know the mob, but at least a bunch of 14 year old suburban punks have a gotti poster on their wall. I guess that counts for something....

And like I said, he had a livable release date, unlike Gotti. That he died in prison is irelevant.

I don't know about irrelevant. Both died in prison. Not like Gigante died in his own bed or anything.

Not that I am comparing the guys, obviously there is a big gap in leadership ability and smarts.

Fair enough, but you obviously get my point because of the way you phrased the last sentence of your post.

Guy did what he had to do(kill or be killed), made the best out of his situation that he could, did what he wanted to do, knew one day he was probably getting life and was willing to accept it. Did his time. Never apologized or cried in court like some guys. Or flip.

The guy died for what he believed in, and whether you liked him or not, no one can take that away from him. Ever. But too many of his problems were of his own making. I guess that's as close to a compromise as we'll come on Gotti (and Merlino, too ).

You know me. I'm older and cranky, and being so out front the way that brand of street guy is/was (Gotti, Merlino, et al.), just isn't my cup of tea. I grew up in a neighborhood and in an era where there were Skippers who went to their graves completely unrecognized by the Feds and by LE in general. And to me, THAT'S Cosa Nostra.

But you and I are on the same page 90 percent of the time, and you're one of the guys at RD that I can always count on to speak the truth when the occasional bullshit pops up. You're a good guy (but keep in mind that I just drank a bottle and a half of Ruffino Riserva Ducale with dinner ).

Beats the hell out of being around Baltimore.

I can't even imagine what it's like for the poor working guy (just an expression, by "poor" I certainly don't mean financially) trying to get around that town in light of recent events. It's a fucked up situation all the way around.

These riots are going to get worse and more widespread. Murder is up in New York City for the first time in years. There was a Black woman on television yesterday who just lost her son to gun violence BEGGING the Mayor to bring back "stop and frisk." And she was no shill, either. She was hysterical and shaking like a leaf.

What's hysterical is, the very Lily-White hipsters, living here on Mommy and Daddy's dime, who protested recent events with the mock outrage that only the young and naive can muster, will be the first to run away when the crime rate hits the roof again. It will be back to Ohio in a heartbeat. And it's just a matter of time as long as de Blasio is in office.

Nooo, please no politics lol.

You and PB are smart people.

And it's just a matter of time as long as de Blasio is in office.

They just disagree with you. Just like 90% of the comments here are conservative and they'd surely think you guys are nuts.

People believe certain things and then surround themselves with information that reinforces those beliefs.

What do you mean? He was the real target when Frankie DeCicco got blown up. And if he wasn't tipped by the Feds, the Manna plot probably would have worked.

They plotted to kill him at least twice. The idea that he agreed to be the lightning rod--with his ego, and after at least two attempts on his life--isn't remotely possible.

And that's no offense to you, Lefty. I think you're a quality poster who never makes any trouble here .

There are clearly more conservatives here lately, but five or ten years ago it was the exact opposite. But 90 percent? That's ridiculous. It's more like 65/35. But like most suburban reared liberals, you see conservative boogeymen everywhere.


That works both ways, and you know it.

All I know is the conservatives on this site call me a liberal and the liberals on this site call me a conservative. And that suits me just fine. It means that I fall somewhere in the middle. Slightly left here, slightly right there. Because in my opinion, the craziest political position you can take in this world is towing the party line straight across the board.

I was a registered Democrat for over thirty years--longer than you've been alive. But I never in my life voted for a candidate just because he or she had a (D) next to their name. I always voted for the person who I thought was the better candidate. And today I'm obviously a very jaded Independent.

And you know I like you a lot, so don't get your panties in a twist .

I was a registered Democrat for over thirty years--longer than you've been alive. But I never in my life voted for a candidate just because he or she had a (D) next to their name. I always voted for the person who I thought was the better candidate. And today I'm obviously a very jaded Independent.

Pizza let me know what you think or am i overthinking this shit.

Don't lie, all union workers are told who to vote for. Just kidding. Don't get your thong in a bunch you sexy bitch.

Were the details of the planned hit on Gotti (by Manna) ever revealed? Like who was going to do it, where, etc....