Thank you for your prompt reply but maybe I wasn't really clear enough in my post. I realize that if the board is screwed, it's screwed. I am just wondering if there is anything (like a diagnostic report, error log, etc) that I can provide whoever is willing to help which would verify that these problems are being caused by a hardware fault on the board or if the issues are coming from something software related. For example this post over at the apple forums:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/24965987#24965987
The OP provides a bunch of diagnostic/info reports and a helpful user (Linc Davis) is able to determine his issue may be related to a few different things, not just a shot motherboard component.
As he states:
"The kernel is using excessive processor cycles. Below are some possible causes for the condition.
Throttling
When it gets high temperature readings from the hardware, or a low-voltage reading from the battery, the kernel may try to compensate by interrupting the processor(s) to slow them down and reduce power consumption. This condition can be due to
a buildup of dust on the logic board
high ambient temperature
a worn-out or faulty battery in a portable
the malfunction of a cooling fan or sensor
Note that if the problem is caused by a sensor, there may be no actual overheating or undervoltage.
If the computer is portable, test with and without the AC adapter connected. If kernel_task hogs the processor only on battery power, the fault is in the battery or the logic board. If it happens only on AC power, charging is causing the machine to heat up. That may be normal on some models. CPU usage should drop when charging is complete.
Apple Diagnostics or the Apple Hardware Test, though not very reliable, is sometimes able to detect a bad fan or sensor.
If nothing is wrong with the hardware, then whatever you can do to improve cooling may help.
Installed software
User-installed software that includes a device driver or other kernel code may thrash the kernel. That category includes virtualization software, such as Parallels and VMware, as well as most commercial "anti-virus" products. Some system-monitoring applications, such as "iStat," can also contribute to the problem. You can test for this possibility by completely disabling or removing the software according to the developer's instructions, or booting in safe mode. Note, however, that disabling a system modification without removing it or booting in safe mode may not be as easy as you think it is.
Corrupt NVRAM or SMC data
Sometimes the problem is cleared up by resetting the NVRAM or the SMC.
External display
Connecting an external LCD display to some MacBook Pro models may cause this issue. If applicable, test by disconnecting the display. You might get better results with a newer LED display." This is the type of information I am looking for.
And for the record, just because an Apple "Genius" (lol... that oxymoron always makes me giggle aloud) tells you it "Needs a new motherboard" aka "You should probably just buy a new one from us now", don't EVER just take their word for it. Those people are NOT techs. I have been professionally servicing iPhones, iPads and iPods daily for over 6 years now and have a mile long list of horror stories involving the dipshits, oops- I mean "Geniuses" that they employ at those stores... You might as well take the thing to Geek Squad.
So as I stated originally - Is there anyone here that is willing to look at the diagnostic reports/error logs and see if they can determine the exact issue and what is causing it? If I have to replace the board, I have to replace the board, no big deal. But if I do I want to understand why I am replacing the board and what exactly the cause of that issue is.