Ask your co-worker why the transmission type would cause or not cause a flood condition. Sounds like crazy talk to me.

As for diagnosing your car here is fairly impossible. But flooding is not uncommon even for fuel injected engines. If the CEL was on that long, you should have a code stored. If it was a flooded condition, your code is probably a "rich" or misfire conditon until it cleared itself.

If you suspect it again, turn key off, press gas pedel to floor, turn key on and crank. If it starts, release gas pedal. If it won't start after 10 seconds, do not let up on pedal, turn key off and try to restart without letting up on pedal. If it won't start then, chances are it is not flooded.

Holding the pedal down is telling the ECU to "clear flood" and will not allow more fuel in the cylinders until you let up on the pedal.

James