I absolutely agree that Apple has always played hardball. There are, however, different kinds of hardball you can play. Back in the day it was laughing, confide

I absolutely agree that Apple has always played hardball. There are, however, different kinds of hardball you can play. Back in the day it was laughing, confident, grinding down and humiliating the competition because you were just that much better. Today... it looks more like the desperate, defensive hardball you play when you're backed into a corner. Throwing everything out there because you feel like you have to, rather than stepping back and focusing, first and foremost, on winning.