The dirty litttle secret is that on an appellate level it doesn't matter at all how good of an attorney you are, it matters which judges hear your case.
Some of the worst briefs I have ever read were granted and some of the best briefs I have ever read were denied without comment.
The fact is that 99% of the time the judges have made up their minds before they even read the briefs (that is IF they even bother to read them).
Hmmmmm, what would the odds be that Greer's mind was made up beforehand? About 100%. There is truth to what you say!