Gotti was boss from December 1985 to December 2002. He was arrested in December 1990 and got life in 1992. How much command and control did he have when he was arrested for the final time? Not much. He basically had a 5 year run as Boss and most of his 5 years he was in jail or on trial.

As Joe Massino said about Rusty Rastelli, "How smart can he be if he spent half his life in jail?"

Couldn't the same be said for how successful Gotti was as Boss?

His legacy is undeniable. He's an icon. Which is really what he wanted. So he did what he wanted to accomplish. Be a legendary icon and famous mob boss. The cost was life in prison.