by jmack » Wed Apr 09, 2025 8:41 am
JakeTheSnake630 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 09, 2025 5:39 am
TommyGambino wrote: ↑Tue Apr 08, 2025 11:17 am
Embarrassing all round, wtf is Merlino doing
Yea it's definitely weird for Merlino to be so involved in this. I really wonder what guys in South Philly think. Do they really just have so much respect from him that they look past it and don't judge?
Merlino is loved in South Philly. It’s hard to explain, but I’ll try. Everybody in the Philly family who’s at the top now came up with Joe. I’m not talking just in the mob, but in general. These guys go back to elementary school. That creates a lot of loyalty. Plus, if Merlino doesn’t make his move against Stanfa in the 90’s most of these guys wouldn’t be at the top of the family today. Chang and Ligambi, maybe, since they were already plugged in (and in federal prison before merlino’s rise), but guys like George, Marty, and Steve? Not likely. Those guys probably have a dozen bodies between them and not a single one has ratted. They know that Joe will stand tall if charges are filed. He’s done it many times.
That said, do I think if you gave them truth serum and asked if they were concerned he may slip up and say something on a podcast that he shouldn’t the answer would be yes. But that could happen shooting the shit with your friends just the same as on a podcast. I think they view the risk as low. Now, if the Scarfo guys were more involved day to day I think they would have a problem with it, but by all indications, they aren’t involved. Most of them do their own thing (see Narducci as the prime example). They don’t give a shit what merlino does and he can’t hurt them anyway. He has no first hand knowledge of the Scarfo years, at least not enough to convict someone after 35 years.
Lastly, merlino is extremely charismatic. He’s a guy that just gets it. He reads people well. I think he understands human nature and how to play people, how to flatter them, etc. People also like being around him because he’s a fun time. He’s always the life of the party and people like being around that. It’s no different than a professional athlete where people like being in the inner circle.
[quote=JakeTheSnake630 post_id=291867 time=1744202345 user_id=6036]
[quote=TommyGambino post_id=291841 time=1744136261 user_id=726]
Embarrassing all round, wtf is Merlino doing
[/quote]
Yea it's definitely weird for Merlino to be so involved in this. I really wonder what guys in South Philly think. Do they really just have so much respect from him that they look past it and don't judge?
[/quote]
Merlino is loved in South Philly. It’s hard to explain, but I’ll try. Everybody in the Philly family who’s at the top now came up with Joe. I’m not talking just in the mob, but in general. These guys go back to elementary school. That creates a lot of loyalty. Plus, if Merlino doesn’t make his move against Stanfa in the 90’s most of these guys wouldn’t be at the top of the family today. Chang and Ligambi, maybe, since they were already plugged in (and in federal prison before merlino’s rise), but guys like George, Marty, and Steve? Not likely. Those guys probably have a dozen bodies between them and not a single one has ratted. They know that Joe will stand tall if charges are filed. He’s done it many times.
That said, do I think if you gave them truth serum and asked if they were concerned he may slip up and say something on a podcast that he shouldn’t the answer would be yes. But that could happen shooting the shit with your friends just the same as on a podcast. I think they view the risk as low. Now, if the Scarfo guys were more involved day to day I think they would have a problem with it, but by all indications, they aren’t involved. Most of them do their own thing (see Narducci as the prime example). They don’t give a shit what merlino does and he can’t hurt them anyway. He has no first hand knowledge of the Scarfo years, at least not enough to convict someone after 35 years.
Lastly, merlino is extremely charismatic. He’s a guy that just gets it. He reads people well. I think he understands human nature and how to play people, how to flatter them, etc. People also like being around him because he’s a fun time. He’s always the life of the party and people like being around that. It’s no different than a professional athlete where people like being in the inner circle.