I grabbed the tool today on my lunch. The trouble was that I could get the two bolts loose, but after loosening a bit the backing would just spin so I couldn't loosen or tighten them any further. On the ride in this morning it looks like the popping is solved at least. When I was loosening the bolts last night the chainring popped and shifted when one of the bolts loosened so it looks like it somehow got torqued and then held that way by the bolts (or so I can deduce from my totally uneducated guessing).

Either way, another tool in the toolbox is always useful


EDIT: ARG!@#!@ Neither end of the chainring bolt tool fits my chainring bolts!