Nice rant Roy! I think you're right on the button, but what makes it so irksome for me is that all the "water passing down the stream" makes it harder for a newcomer (and we are all newcomers sometime) to see the rocks.
I agree, I see many architects that just talk the talk (and they can talk for a long time), but can't really walk the walk, when it comes down to start writing code the only thing I see them do is hit F1!!
I agree. I always preffer to write some code and try my theories out then sit there for hours and discuss our "object model" ;)
I find architectural discussions important because there is always a chance to learn something new or merely exchange ideas. I think I can tell in about two seconds whether the people involved have any idea what they're talking about and whether a practical application of the ideas discussed really exists. I agree that a purely theoretical discussion without any real world application behind it is probably not worth getting into.