Skill Or The Hardware???
Practice, determination, dedication is what makes these guys so good. Yes I am sure these TOC guys get just get everything furnshed for them. But they had to pay their own way to get there.
Do you think Tiger Woods got to be great at golf by watching it on TV all day. No he didn't. Where most of us has a couple of hours of leisure at home, he was probably hitting golf balls.
Did Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic, become some of the best NBA players by not playing. No they practiced, studied the game, learned all they could. To become the best.
I met Mike Sauls in Oct '00 at a fly in. I asked him how often he flys. He stated "I fly 3-4hours a day, 3-5 days a week" This is from a person who, at the time, was a full time Mississippi Hwy. State Trooper.
He flys more in a week then i probably do in 6 months. And it shows, why he is a better pilot than I will ever become. Because he has more dedication, and commentment than I do.