His new pilot looks great. I hope its more akin to Rocko than Lazlo, 'nuff said. Maybe I'm obsessed, but nowadays every time I hear that an animator is working on a new pilot, my first thought is "it could be for the Cartoonstitute!". I don't care if it's for Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon (or even Disney); I'd be happy if it went to Cartoon Network (that is, if it's more like Rocko than Lazlo), and if it goes to Nick, I'll be glad because I'll know Nick still cares about quality animation.
As for what Cartoon Network is now compared to what it was then, it's no matter of opinion that Cartoon Network was better in every way then compard to how it is now. That's a fact that's universally excepted even by people in the industry themselves, as is evident. But even back then, Cartoon Network had second-party originals too. Courage the Cowardly Dog, Ed Edd n' Eddy, Mike Lu & Og, Sheep in the Big City, and Codename: Kids Next Door were all produced out of house. Though at the same time CNS was producing a mass of originals too. If I'm correct, now they supposedly have 6 or 7 shows in production in-house (Flapjack, Adventure Time, Alien Force/Generations, Generator Rex, another adventure show in production at the Glensdale building (according to the TAG blog, though I keep thinking this could be misinformation and that Generator Rex and this show are one and the same), and 2/3 series from the Cartoonstitute), and two out-house original productions; Sym-Bionic Titan from Orphanage Animation and The Secret Saturdays from Porchlight Entertainment. In terms of producing cartoons, Cartoon Network isn't producing any less than it was back then (though it did hit a bump up until recently), but the way the studio is run now might pale in comparison to years when Linda Simensky headed the place. In terms of business direction, Cartoon Network has lost it's path, though.