How is he only getting this award now?
Metcalfe was controversial because Alohanet from university of Hawaii pioneered the idea and Metcalfe was seen as writing a nice proof in CACM of the 1/e capacity breakdown theorem and popularizing an already extant technology. He did not build it alone Chuck Thacker probably built most of it but didn't have a PhD! Oh the horror!
He should not have gotten it now - either give it sooner or not at all - and he should not be the only one getting it!