Sorry guys, I don't see your point about Rocco trying to make up for things that went wrong valid. Rocco had been given a high position in the family and Michael never would have kept him around if he thought he was a weak link. He learned that when his father was shot. Weak links could not be trusted or allowed. Rocco would not have been around at the time of the Roth shooting if Michael thought negative about him.

Then the stuff about Rocco trying to get up to or over Neri is always short of the mark. Neri is a league away from Rocco thoughout the story.

If you read the novel, which I know everyone has. It becomes very clear in a number of spots that Neri is Michael's golden boy.

Michael himself worked to get Neri into the family. He was put into Clemenza regime and tested carefully. He worked hard and proved to all that he was the new Luca Brasi.
Yes, Michael's Luca Brasi. His loyalty clear to all, and to all that he was Michael's.

Rocco on the other hand came up thru the ranks, making his first move by killing Paullie. Rocco Lampone's power rise may be seen by many being at the point of the planning of the killings after Don Vito death. Yes, every one hears Hagen talk about the "secret regime" of Rocco Lampone. So he must be more powerful then Neri, him having his own regime and all. But what most people miss in that part is this.
That Michael is dealing directly with Nerri now, rather than through Hagen or a Caporegime as a buffer. That my friends make him a lot closer to Michael then Rocco and almost as close as Hagen is. As Hagen has been kept out by Michael during this time.


Later Hagen asks Michael "how do you think they'll come at you?
Michael- "Through someone close, supposedly, somebody I wouldn't suspect."
Hagen - "Someone like me."
Michael- "You're Irish, they won't trust you."
"They won't go to you and they won't go to Neri. Both of you are too close to me".

"Roco Lampone isn't close enough . No, it will be Clemenza, Tessio or Carlo Rizz

Now near the end of the novel, Chapter 32, Now the Corlene Family was unchangeable, and Clemenza had his own family. Rocco Lampone was the Corlene Caporegime. In Nevada, Albert Neri was head of all security for the family-controlled hotels. Hagen too, was part of Michael's Western Family.

So as you can tell Hagen and Neri, the closer of the men are working in the legit world while Rocco is still on the dark side with the muscle. To Michael, Roth was a very important part of the puzzle. And Rooco was the head of the muscle side of the old world. This is why Rocco went.

Rocco could never have passed over Neri, he could only hope to keep his position by doing the hit.. That is the way I see it anyway.
Karl