When crazy joe kidnapped several Profaci men in 1961 colombo at 33 y was just a capo and made a deal for free the men (he was in the group) but after gallo freed them he cut the deal and the war start. He was choose because was the most powerful and smart between the Profaci men.
Joe Colombo was an enforcer, who was not the sharpest tool in the shed. Carlo Gambino was his power. There were other smarter and more capable Capos in the Colombo family who could have become boss, Simone Andolino, Cassandro Bonasera, Cosmo D'Amico, Enrico Fontana, Salvatore Lombardino, Giovanni Misuraca just to name a few.
