Yes, I understand you now.
Tommy's personality and intelligence is a huge part of this. He really is very good. He's amazing now, but he was pretty good even right back at the start. He had the right instincts without training and over the years he's only gotten better at it.
I honestly think it was hubris from the media, they're so used to building someone up and then destroying them. The classic was the original Paxman Newsnight interview. They thought that would destroy him and ever since then new journalists arise to slay the dragon because they just think they are the one to bring him down.