I can believe Eberhard was the a car enthusiast. But you have to bridge how being a bigger gearhead translates into being responsible for what Tesla Inc is today. Eberhard 'consulting' with ACP actually was him discovering when they were already converting their battery to li-ion (per ACP President Tom Gage). He had no prior experience attesting to any involvement in auto manufacturing or motor design or such. He last worked making book readers. The technical chops overseeing most of Tesla engineering history was Straubel (#5) and Baglino, both Musk hires.
Let me know if I sum your arguments correctly:
1. Eberhard and Tarp are more responsible for Teslas success than Musk
2.Because contribution of their Plan during 4 year tenure supercedes whatever musk contributed in his 21 year tenure
3.The Plan being.. put li-ion in a car, and then make progressively cheaper cars... ?
Is that plan particularly unique or groundbreaking? Is that the key to making the #1 selling car in the world, and why havent anybody else successfully followed it? Why arent those 2 being sought after for any other gigs today given the enormity of their idea? Finally, if we're making this argument of genesis, wouldn't you say it's actually AC Propulsion that is responsible for everything Tesla is today?
Rolling double-sixes multiple time in a rows gets exponentially harder. Name some of these children of wealth who have done this.
Eli is top 10 in career yards and touchdowns. The only 2 guys above him who dont have championships are Marino and Rivers. Without the championships, he would still end up in HOF, just like Rivers will, and like the rest of the T10 are. Are you seriously suggesting his career achievement is luck over competence?