Last time around the backdeal was with OEMs, not with end users, that's his point.
For large-scale buyers, sales channels are different now than back in 2005 and earlier. The really big ones (Amazon, Google, MS, etc) are buying through ODMs, and in some cases they may be buying directly. Intel has already started customizing chips for their larger clients. Those customizations may even be baked into Xeons sold to smaller parties without anyone being the wiser.
Don't think Intel is unaware of a large firm's interest in AMD processors. It isn't an absolute certainty that an OEM rep will be on the phone with the procurement department, grooming the client for another sale of Intel-based hardware. Intel has a big sales team, and they will do what it takes to make the sale.
AMD's desktop CPU prices are already disruptive. Who knows what they're planning for the server parts?