neil was one of the most respected guy the family white collar and blue collar factions respected him he was in there opinion "a mans man" but i would not say he was dumb he was smart for a mobster but he was no genius. Neil was always on the streets meeting guys infact in the mid 70s for awhile the feds inaccreutly thought that neil was the boss not carlo gambino as neil was always out there on the streets. He also got busted for spending 200k gambling even though he was earning 40k a year when abroad cant remember the country now but he got time.


Neil was loved and most wanted him as boss but it was not to do with how clever he was neil loved carlo and respected the rules neil wanted the job he expected it but when carlo said he wanted paul neil accepted it and got the capos to agree. Now paul made a smart decision in that he kept neil underboss and made him in charge of the blue collar faction that in my opinion kept him alive for a few more years neil was able to keep everyone calm.

Remember people always forget it was not just gotti who had fallen out with paul he was disliked esp by 1985 by most of the family after he let the genovese family whack that capo and when he chose fucking tommy biletti and tommy gambino to run the family. Frankie DeCicco would have been a good boss or jimmy brown anyone but tommy biletti