Originally posted on 04/16/2021:

Quote Originally Posted by dlowilly View Post
I think AJ was always supposed to be a disappointment to Tony. Disappointing children was part of Tony's struggle in the series. I don't think it was any accident that all the important characters who were supposed to be Italian were played by actual Italians except Meadow played by Cuban/Jewish girl and AJ played by a chubby Irish kid.

If we are strictly staying within the fictitious series though, yes I think he was a disappointment. I think if AJ was a tough guy Italian who could handle things Tony would have welcomed him into the business. He only told AJ he was a nice guy and never wanted that life for him to make AJ feel better.
Though he showed promise in pop-warner, AJ never had the makings of a varsity athlete, and he certainly wasn't a Gary Cooper type.