We could play that game all night, but that would mean every guy who ever joined the mafia wasn't too bright. Is it smart to be a hoodlum? Most people would say no, but in the mafia it makes sense to be a hoodlum. The problem is that you can't teach that. As one wiseguy put it, 'You can't teach a racketeer to be a hoodlum, but you can teach a hoodlum to be a racketeer.' That's why Tony Accardo was as successful as he was. A hoodlum with a brilliant mind has the respect of the rank and file and the tools to move the family forward. It's all about perspective.