Yahoo Earnings–I'm OK, You're OK

I will be posting on my detailed reaction to the no-one-is-the-least-bit-surprised weak earnings from Yahoo a little later, as I am on my way to visit Facebook’s ad guy (show me the money!).

But it’s hard not to shed a salty tear after it has come to a quote like this from newly installed CEO and Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang:

Yahoo is too often defined by the competitive landscape.”

Actually, not nearly enough, as far as I can tell.

Yang and his team are obviously trying hard to lift the company off the emotional floor–I met with a range of Yahoo execs in recent weeks and it feels like corporate group therapy every time we talk–and to a place where they can re-establish the momentum.

But they spent too much time today on the call wallowing in the past.

I know the investing public wants it, but no more mea culpas from Yahoo execs and looking back on what went wrong–we get it, someone screwed up the Overture acquisition, but that’s a major flood under the bridge now–so it is time to put a razor-sharp focus solely on what will work and especially on what Yahoo does that Google cannot ever do well.

Which is a lot of things, despite Google’s vaguely ridiculous image of shaggy invulnerability. You saw “Star Wars,” Jerry! There is always a weak spot–find it and fire.

Signed,

A now-proven uber-geek, because of goofy Luke Skywalker reference.

Please see this disclosure related to me and Google.