Apples and oranges. They had completely personalities and were from very different eras. Obviously, Big Paulie was better at handling money than John was. I don't know who made more money overall but its safe to say Paulie was more prosperous, long term. John may very well have brought more in a short period of time with the dope and all the people he was taxing, but remember he blew a lot of money gambling and other dumb stuff. Plus, he wasn't on top as long as PC.

Paul was schooled in a different style of LCN. Carlo was like that too. The bosses aren't supposed to get their hands dirty. The way they saw it, the higher up in the family you are, the more legit your business. These guys were supposed to be semi-retired and act more as the supreme court on major family issues and to resolve disputes no one else could. They didn't like to be bothered with small time stuff going on in the streets. This is the way they ran things for a long time. You have to realize guys like Big Paul, Carlo, Bruno from Philly and others, were pretty hands off bosses, compared to guys like Gotti, Gaspipe, and Scafo (who would tax the hell out and kill them if they refused). Guys could get away with doing pretty much whatever they wanted as long as they didn't make too many waves. Earners were taxed very little, if at all for some.

Paul was a recluse who liked to stay in his mansion. He didn't even let guys come and see him. He mostly liked to deal with guys with the same mindset (except Bilotti). Didn't guys in the family call the meetings he had at his house the "Jew Club?" This is way different than how Gotti did business. He liked to be out partying and hanging out on the street corner. He actually made guys see him and "show respect" to him on the street . That being said, Paul was definitely a tough old bird. He was a gangsters through and through. He might not have been the toughest street fighter or shooter, but he knew how to run the streets. I don't think he would have flipped had been convicted. Had he not been not been killed, I think he would be more respected and romanticized like Carlo is today.

Gotti, on the hand, was a bum who was more brawn than brains (not to say PC was that smart of a guy, but at least he made some rational decisions). That being said, I think he was one of the toughest guys that ever came out of the New York LCN. People don't like to admit it, but the only reason he took out Castellano was because he could. It was an irrational, impulsive and extreme ignorant move, but it gave him tons of respect on the street even from other gangs. He became a legend. People don't like to admit, but he ran the hardest Italian crew at the time. The only other group that could come close was Gaspipe and his boys, but they still didn't get him. Gaspipe almost lost his life over it, too. But this whole notion that Big Paul was somehow a threat to the Gotti crew is just laughable. He was sitting duck. The Gotti's ran the Gambinoss. They were the power at the time, PC was just a the figurehead. By '85, he had no real power on the streets. The only thing he dealt was his own stuff with the bosses. Yeah, the old cigar chomper bosses were pissed because they had big business with him, but its not like the were gonna take care of it themselves. I think that is why they gave the job to Casso, he was the only other real muscle on the street that could handle it.

As much as people like to say Gotti ruined the mob, I disagree. I would actually argue he breathed new life into LCN for better of for worse. He gave the Mob a new, tougher face that appealed to new generation. When the most of the old guard went away in '86, a new breed of mobsters were taking over. Not to say it was all because of the Commission case, but it did create a power vacuum for younger and more violent member to move up. John personified this image and the media (and the streets) ate it up. He very respected in his old neighborhood. They even wrote rap songs and rioted in the street when he was sentenced.