I know Trey. He's one of the most honest and forthright people I've ever met.
To a fault, probably.
And as the former comp.mail.sendmail FAQ maintainer, I can confirm all sorts of weirdness can and will happen if you mix versions of the binary versus the config file.
He certainly was honest and forthright about how much he embellished and... "took license" to spin this yarn. After reading the FAQ, I wondered if there was even a kernel of truth to be found in the story, because he successfully poked holes in practically every detail that made it interesting.
To a fault, probably.
And as the former comp.mail.sendmail FAQ maintainer, I can confirm all sorts of weirdness can and will happen if you mix versions of the binary versus the config file.