Having seen other comments you've made throughout this process, I really think you're overstating the importance of having been involved with something for 4 years. Seniority does not and never has demanded respect in all but the most draconian of organizations. On the other hand, being at the head of a failing organization usually means you need to be removed in order for proper recovery to occur.
Simply put, the quality of one's work should be judged by the quality of the outcome, not the time put in. Otherwise you end up in a situation where newcomers are never welcomed. You end up in the situation we're in now. And I've yet to come across a project that hasn't benefited by a smart, driven guy providing new insight and perspective. Marginalizing that feedback to save an ego is a major disservice to all.
You missed the point. It's not about seniority at all. It's about knowledge of a very complex system. I don't want to see that fly out the window so that we can spend another couple years learning what Eric has. Rescue projects suck, and this doesn't have to be one.
Simply put, the quality of one's work should be judged by the quality of the outcome, not the time put in. Otherwise you end up in a situation where newcomers are never welcomed. You end up in the situation we're in now. And I've yet to come across a project that hasn't benefited by a smart, driven guy providing new insight and perspective. Marginalizing that feedback to save an ego is a major disservice to all.