While the article tries it really only manages to scratch the surface of the iceberg when it comes to the, generally epic, failure of company structures to provide a meaningful environment in which human beings can thrive as whole beings.
The idea of the "sports team" is not functional - the limited human interactions necessary within an artificially established playing field will NEVER mirror the real world challenges a company, and the people within it, faces. Sure that artificial playing field allows an easy "team" mentality but this "team" will never work against real-life challenges.
Team sports primarily consists of human interaction. You practice with your team, have meetings with the coaching staff, film sessions, team meals, travel together, team training sessions, and that's before you even set foot on the field or court.
And the leadership and communication skills are directly transferable and valuable to a business setting. The business unit as a sports team idea is a bit tired and cliche at this point because it's been a comparison made for at least 50 years.
But that speaks to the cliche's validity. David Foster Wallace wrote in Infinite Jest "cliches earned their status as cliches because they were so obviously true."
A sports team faces many real challenges besides the artificial challenges on the field: many months of training before a big playoff, which involves individual player discipline, extensive interaction with the coach and the other players, interaction with the press etc.
Where the comparison breaks down, I think, is that the activity of individual employees in a company (especially a big one) isn't nearly as visible as the activity of an athlete. Therefore, there's less incentive to be a "team player", since it won't necessarily help you get a better job at a different company.
The idea of the "sports team" is not functional - the limited human interactions necessary within an artificially established playing field will NEVER mirror the real world challenges a company, and the people within it, faces. Sure that artificial playing field allows an easy "team" mentality but this "team" will never work against real-life challenges.