Which is obviously silly. Apple is a huge corporation with tens of thousands of employees. It's not just Steve Jobs and a bunch of lackeys. And yet, I do think that's the perception most people have about Apple.

Jobs is, as , the straw that stirs the drink. And to beat the baseball metaphors into the ground, Jobs is undoubtedly Apple's most valuable player, because he has skill in so many different disciplines. But as we San Franciscans know, having suffered through losing seasons as Barry Bonds concluded his march on the home run record, a single franchise player isn't enough to make a winning team.

That's why, in the decade-plus Jobs has been back at Apple, he's remade the company in his own image, bringing in people who fit his vision and working style. If and when Jobs steps away from Apple permanently, he won't be replaced by any single person. He will instead be replaced by a bunch of different people, each with strengths in particular areas. Apple's bench is deep.

This idea--that Apple's got a strong team and a core philosophy that's far beyond any single player--was brought home by a to a question about Steve Jobs' health during . Here's what Cook said, word for word:

There is an extraordinary breadth and depth and tenure among the Apple executive team. And these executives lead over 35,000 employees that I would call all "wicked smart." And that's in all areas of the company, from engineering, to marketing, to operations, sales, and all the rest.