Good post, good thought. And I think this is right on the money:
It's a ridiculous phrase and helps perpetuate the myth that the alcoholic lives under a bridge drinking cheap liquor out of a brown paper bag..
Like someone said: Alcoholism is an elevator that goes down to hell, and it's up to you where you want to get off.
Just because an alcoholic is still riding past the executive floors doesn't mean he's not an alcoholic.