I saw the statement that 'Google is lame' over on A VC. The post praises Google for it search tool but criticizes pretty much everything else (Google Base, Google Analytics, etc.) the company offers. I found the link at Business Pundit, where Rob characterizes the company as a 'one trick pony.'

I think that both posts make some interesting points, but I think there is an important concept being missed here. Let me digress for a second to explain.

I once played a round of golf at Disney with a Disney executive working in the Wide World of Sports group in Orlando. This Disney division brings athletic tournaments, cheerleading showcases, and AAU festivals to Orlando. Seems a far cry from Walt Disney's original vision for a theme park, huh? This exec explained to me that all Disney initiatives are implemented for one thing and one thing alone--increasing park attendance. Whether it's throwing a 'Mickey's not-so-scary Halloween party' or releasing a 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie to promote the ride, it's easy to see this logic in all that Disney does.

From my perspective, I see Google following suit. It take a core product (search engine w/ AdWords) and makes it the best possible. They've succeeded at establishing the 'one trick pony.' Most everything else--from Gmail to Blogger to Froogle--feeds the pony through keyword volume. These ancillary products may be loss leaders on their own, but the one trick pony becomes a Clydsdale in the process!