That does blow a hole in my argument... but what lead NYT to observe that Google was 'flouting dotcom tradition', if stocking up with (and being lead by) CS PhD's was the norm?
NYT writing about normal things does not help NYT sell more papers. This applies to any newspaper. Most articles are overhyped.
Many tech companies were lead by non-tech guys, but most were so flash-in-the-pan you don't even remember them. My father consulted for several would-be tech companies during that time, all led by business types, that didn't last.