Johnny sideburns could be in trouble

[Hired_Goonz]

Finally something interesting comes out of this "nefarious ways" deal. I read the first 4 parts and it was just a quick rundown of Sideburns' criminal career with a few catty comments from Pennisi thrown in. But this was worth the wait as it's freakin hilarious.

What's great about Pennisi is that he always plays the babyface on the podcast and even in the intro to this blog entry "look, I'm not trying to get back at anyone" lol of course he's just trying to get back at these guys. Why the hell else would he spend any time doing this? He doesn't appear to be making any dough out of it. He isn't some kind of investigative journalist or anti-mafia crusader - he's running a gossip site to make his former friends look like shit. And I say keep it coming! These guys are all scumbags anyway.

[Hired_Goonz]

The one that I found the most intriguing was the comment about Madonna. That he owes his position to getting close to Amuso in prison. Is that true? Vic went down in 1992 I believe, so he went in as Madonna was winding down his long sentence. I'm not sure what facility Amuso was initially sent to but it definitely would have been a USP. Would Matty have still been in high-security 16 or 17 years into his bid? I would be interested to know the details behind this.

Also, was Madonna on record with the Lucchese family before he got locked up? Hard to imagine that he would have been running around in the 70s pushing that H as a free agent.

[JohnnyS]

Madonna's rise in the family was quick. He was a capo soon after being made and was on the ruling panel after Daidone was indicted. Pennisi said in his testimony that Crea was viewed like the real boss by members.

[eboli]

Too quick even. In five years he went from an associate to a member of the ruling panel.

[TallGuy19]

Sounds like half the people I work with.

[Pmac2]

maybe crossed paths in mdc. i mean you meet a guy in jail for 90 days if your celles you know there whole life story.....

[Teddy Persico]

Kicking up a fortune and doing 20 years isn’t enough to get your stripes?

[newera_212]

The one that I found the most intriguing was the comment about Madonna. That he owes his position to getting close to Amuso in prison. Is that true? Vic went down in 1992 I believe, so he went in as Madonna was winding down his long sentence. I'm not sure what facility Amuso was initially sent to but it definitely would have been a USP. Would Matty have still been in high-security 16 or 17 years into his bid? I would be interested to know the details behind this.

Also, was Madonna on record with the Lucchese family before he got locked up? Hard to imagine that he would have been running around in the 70s pushing that H as a free agent.

Yeah, exactly. I asked the same thing in another thread about Madonna, East Harlem, heroin, etc. - was he always a Lucchese associate and if so, who was he on record with? What I always assumed is that he always WAS with the Luccheses and it was a case of bad timing. He was making moves when the books were closed, and then he got locked up for damn near 1/3rd of his life. I figured he'd be a guy that would have been made if it weren't for that, and when he got out and was fast tracked to Captain, it was because it was 'owed' to him almost.

I'm spitballing the dates here but you brought up a good point - Amuso would have went straight to a USP, and at that time Madonna only had two or three (??) years left on his sentence, so it would have been weird...but not impossible...for him to still be at a USP, unless he caused trouble in the can or was still thought of someone with significant influence. Also there wasn't any violence on Madonna's initial indictment/charges anyway, right? It was a drug conspiracy? So I wonder if he even had crossed paths with Amuso personally in prison. I'm guessing he was always on record with the family, kept in touch with people, and word hit Amuso that he was getting out soon, and the rest is history.

Back to Sideburns...one of the best comments is about John Baudanza "running around dressed as a fucking New York Yankee" - there's not much info or photos about Baudanza online but one of the only pictures of him around shows him dressed in a Yankees jersey and his old Wikipedia entry said he was an avid history buff and a die hard fan of the Yankees

[Wiseguy]

Back to Sideburns...one of the best comments is about John Baudanza "running around dressed as a fucking New York Yankee" - there's not much info or photos about Baudanza online but one of the only pictures of him around shows him dressed in a Yankees jersey and his old Wikipedia entry said he was an avid history buff and a die hard fan of the Yankees

Kenji said much the same thing when he was running around with Baudanza. Including one time where he was at Baudanza's place, the latter was watching old WWII documentaries and drinking. The alcohol opened Baudanza up a little bit and he started complaining about everything and everybody. Kenji basically said Baudanza had a lot of resentment about being in the life to begin with and, deep down, didn't seem to really want it.

[Tonyd621]

Too quick even. In five years he went from an associate to a member of the ruling panel.

And yet hes one of the the familys most respected, principled, and toughest no nonsensed members.

[SonnyBlackstein]

I think Peninsi's a cunt.

This sort of post could, even in this day and age get Cerrella hurt. Shitting on the boss's now dead wife? Whats the purpose of that except to get the guy hurt?

I had THOUGHT Pennisi was as close to an example of calling the shots objectively as possible, this last post calls into question his previous 'contributions' as he clearly harbours a serious vindictive streak. He's not only trying to destroy Cerrella, but he could legitimately get him hurt.

Why do that unless youve a serious axe to grind. All he's done is make people question the legitimacy of his word, imo.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Back to Sideburns...one of the best comments is about John Baudanza "running around dressed as a fucking New York Yankee" - there's not much info or photos about Baudanza online but one of the only pictures of him around shows him dressed in a Yankees jersey and his old Wikipedia entry said he was an avid history buff and a die hard fan of the Yankees

Kenji said much the same thing when he was running around with Baudanza. Including one time where he was at Baudanza's place, the latter was watching old WWII documentaries and drinking. The alcohol opened Baudanza up a little bit and he started complaining about everything and everybody. Kenji basically said Baudanza had a lot of resentment about being in the life to begin with and, deep down, didn't seem to really want it.

Again we can shit on Baudanza all we want but this IS the situation: A vindictive rat is mocking a standup who did ALOT of years in the can about his dedication to the life?

Its Gene Borello vs Nicky Festa again. Give me a break.

[eboli]

Too quick even. In five years he went from an associate to a member of the ruling panel.

And yet hes one of the the familys most respected, principled, and toughest no nonsensed members.

Both he and his brother Frank had a reputation as stand up guys way back in the 70s before Matthew's 20 year prison stretch. If he wasn't incarcerated, he most likely would've been made earlier. Still, such a quick rise in the family no doubt created some resentment like it always does.

[Wiseguy]

Why do that unless youve a serious axe to grind. All he's done is make people question the legitimacy of his word, imo.

Maybe his real intentions, and the possible fallout, can be questioned. But I don't see any reason to doubt Cerrella said those things.

Back to Sideburns...one of the best comments is about John Baudanza "running around dressed as a fucking New York Yankee" - there's not much info or photos about Baudanza online but one of the only pictures of him around shows him dressed in a Yankees jersey and his old Wikipedia entry said he was an avid history buff and a die hard fan of the Yankees

Kenji said much the same thing when he was running around with Baudanza. Including one time where he was at Baudanza's place, the latter was watching old WWII documentaries and drinking. The alcohol opened Baudanza up a little bit and he started complaining about everything and everybody. Kenji basically said Baudanza had a lot of resentment about being in the life to begin with and, deep down, didn't seem to really want it.

Again we can shit on Baudanza all we want but this IS the situation: A vindictive rat is mocking a standup who did ALOT of years in the can about his dedication to the life?

Its Gene Borello vs Nicky Festa again. Give me a break.

I'm not shitting on Baudanza at all. In fact, ever since I read that anecdote from Kenji, one could almost feel some sympathy for what Baudanza was born into. And I don't think Pennisi is shitting on him either. If he's shitting on anyone, it's Cerrella.

[Ivan]

What he said about DeSantis rolling up on a bicycle is fuckin hilarious.

I spit out my drunk laughing at the bike thing.