Interesting take on the topic.  I don't agree with some of his points but I agree with some others.  I think relationship building is crucial for establishing a site in a niche.  Should the SEO firm be doing that on behalf of the client?  Ideally, no.  But it may fall to the SEO to build the relationship and hand it off.  Many clients are intimidated by the process, either because they think it takes too much time or because they haven't seen the proof of the value in building online relationships.

Ross' criticism about "building 5 links a week consistently" is valid to me, at least in that I think people who are learning the ropes should raise the bar for themselves, challenge themselves to do better.

Ideally you want to reach a point where you don't feel compelled to "build links this week".  You want your SEO strategy to just include the process of acquiring links.

Surprised we have this one at Sphinn. I found this article to be a rambling diatribe that never seemed to get to a point.

Sorry to hear that, Jill. Perhaps this article just isn't good for you.