MX727, Otis,
Thanks for the kind words. I've been out of my last job for almost a year now and I guess I have as many uninformed opinions as anyone else

Ref. Albief15's comments: Theoretically, there is no barrier to a pilot's return to management after a hiatus on the line. I'm not aware of anyone that has done it, however. As Otis suggested, not many folks would want to.
One of the things I learned is that it is tremendously hard to make a "serious" difference. Even the smallest institutional change requires a ton of effort and after a while, guys get tired. Does that mean I am a proponent of term limits? - you bet it does! I also agree with Albief15's implication that a pilot with a balanced career (line flying, training, mg't) is a stronger player in any situation. Also, in order to be credible, a pilot/manager/instructor must be willing to fly frequently and well. I believe that if a guy won't fly the a.m. flights to the bad wx places, his lack of credibility invariably gets in the way of his other duties.