John Gotti was undone by his own stupidity. The only "clever" thing he ever did was planning the murder of Big Paul Castellano. Think about it: Gotti was convicted because the FBI had him on tape admitting to multiple murders and other crimes. He & his brothers were heavily involved in heroin dealing, which brought an increased amount of police scrutiny. Furthermore, Gotti was a maniacal gambler who regularly lost ridiculous sums of money.

He had little foresight as to ensuring the longevity of the Gambino family. For example, his words were a key factor in Sammy The Bull deciding to testify against Gotti. Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending Sammy at all, so please don't say I'm "pro Sammy." But Gotti's ranting about Sammy's activities that the FBI caught on tape were a big factor leading to Gotti's eventual downfall.

Gotti was able to use his position & money to bribe three juries, thus earning the "Teflon Don" moniker. But once the Bruce Mouw & the FBI discovered Gotti's law enforcement "mole," Gotti was finished. This dufus Gotti only had control of the Family for 7 years before being convicted for life. And during that period, he still managed to serve jail time.

So was Gotti an historical figure? I don't think so. I believe he was more of a media figure who couldn't get enough of his press clippings. Gotti was an egomania who never could think outside of his mentality of being a small-time hijacker from Queens.