What I got from the article is that it's mostly aimed towards the typical local gyms. He isn't arguing cardio is unimportant. He's saying that inside a gym th

What I got from the article is that it's mostly aimed towards the typical local gyms. He isn't arguing cardio is unimportant. He's saying that inside a gym the free weights are important, everything else might just be a waste of time. The full paragraph you quoted seems to be saying cardio on a treadmill in front of a T.V. is a waste when you could be getting the same cardio from a different activity (such as real running.) But, if you are going for the sorts of benefits that free weights can bring, then there really is no better alternative except perhaps in certain extreme cases such as with elite athletes. So again, the article is aimed at the inside of your typical gym, not outside it, which is where you would be doing most of your running I assume. ;)