I could not agree more. But on the subject of work ethic, (I'm talking players here) there are many who subsist on skill alone, and when their skills start to decline (with age), they cannot continue at a high level, because they do not have the work ethic it takes to maintain it. I will not name specific players, however I am sure that you can think of a few where this applies. Now, with managers, I would say that LaRussa, for one, has a tremendous work ethic. The guy is ALWAYS on it. Always. Others - not so much. Your example of Lou is spot on, although at that stage in his career, he can be forgiven, somewhat, but management should have acted sooner, IMO. In any event, I still believe that it is an important part of the makeup of candidates, and to ignore it is not something you would want to do. Sure, most of these guys will have a strong work ethic, but some will be better than others, and I would be willing to bet that those stronger guys in that area, are generally more successful. It is not meaningless. Not necessarily the most important factor, but a player nonetheless.