I don't know enough about CPU archtecture to chime in on that aspect, but I can say from experience that a single person with enough weight/respect behind his/h

I don't know enough about CPU archtecture to chime in on that aspect, but I can say from experience that a single person with enough weight/respect behind his/her name can certainly get a stuck team moving in the right direction. I don't know what AMD's situation was at the time, but it's possible that no one felt they had the pull to change directions and his fame allows him come in and change the whole dynamic. Just a thought.