This makes me think of experiences, both personal and observed, in which attributing components of a product or body of work to oneself is made difficult by the

This makes me think of experiences, both personal and observed, in which attributing components of a product or body of work to oneself is made difficult by the complexity of the work, and actual contribution made. For example, explaining ones contribution to a complex research project, depending on the audience, must be carefully worded. Usually the result is simpler to explain than the components. Thus, a bad explanation might give you more credit than is deserved. I'm not sure about this particular case, but it could be a similar situation, or it could be that this guy felt his contribution was particularly significant.