I think you're mistaking correlation for causation.
The R/S didn't "kill any chance for Pringles era investors,"
Pringle "killed any chance for Pringles era investors"
I think Brian gave it a good shot, but the deck was pretty stacked against him. Ultimately, I think, the R/S was just the Pringle song's last note -- the inevitable end of a long, sad tale; inevitable, i mean, from the beginning. Just a matter of time.
So it's not worth dwelling on all the crap that happened pre-split. Bygones and all that...
Let's wait and see what the new CEO has to say...
"Ignore the noise!"