I love Telecasters (not everyone on this forum will say that!), but I just didn't get your comments about Les Pauls and Strats. :P
And to be fair, the only things the Muddy Waters and Jim Root Teles have in common is the shape and a bolt-on neck. I'm not sure Root could get his sound from a '52 reissue with stock pickups.
I think Teles still tend to be typecast as "country" guitars, you're right that they're much more versatile than that. But lots of other guitars are equally versatile, aren't they?