Gene, I love you, too, like a brother, and I know how much you (and others) look up to Jay, so I can understand how difficult it is for you when you see me calling Jay out on this. It's Jay's legendary status, though, that makes him more accountable, imo, and you know I can't shut my mouth if I feel like someone's cutting a corner when it comes to proper fermentation.
Fermentation both generates heat and is accelerated by heat. Because bulk fermented dough is in a large mass, the heat generated by fermentation doesn't dissipate like it would in a ball/you get an insulating effect, which, in turn, drives faster fermentation. This accelerated fermentation period is a critical component of Neapolitan pizza, because it compensates for a relatively short balled ferment. The net effect of the acceleration during bulk and the relatively short balled gives you a sufficiently fermented dough.
Gene, I'm sure you're already aware of this, but just to make sure we're both on the same page, when I talk about fermentation, I'm not just talking about CO2 generation/yeast activity/dough rising. Fermentation is both yeast activity and enzyme activity. Enzyme activity breaks down the dough and generates flavor and digestibility. With Neapolitan pizza and it's traditional enzyme poor unmalted flour, fermentation times/rates, and the enzyme activity they generate, play a vital role. If you cut any corners, you pay- both on the tongue and in the gut.
The timing of CO2 generation as it relates to balling is important as well. Thanks to Fazzari's research on mid fermentation balling, we're aware of the oven spring benefits of capturing the CO2 of a partially fermented dough with balling. If you shortchange the bulk, you shortchange the pre-balling CO2 generation and you sacrifice some oven spring.
These are the reasons why sufficient bulk fermentation is so important. Jay's a smart guy, so I'm sure he's aware of all this. Where we most likely part ways, though, is gauging the extent of the impact and acceptability/authenticity of the concession.