If I remember correctly, the main problem with Mr. Drepper was that he was resistant to accepting changes to glibc... even (subjectively) good ones.
Torvalds, like Drepper, is often criticized for a less-than-friendly attitude, but it is generally acknowledged that he lets the Linux kernel progress.
To add to this: Torvalds has definitely let changes into the kernel which he was initially against (particularly when changes moved away from the "UNIX way" of doing things to more complex, but more efficient, solutions). However he can be talked into things with reason (and data!), he can snap at people, but then the conversation continues and progress is made.
Torvalds, like Drepper, is often criticized for a less-than-friendly attitude, but it is generally acknowledged that he lets the Linux kernel progress.