You didn't, that was a generalization, an additional message or thought, on top of the reply to your post which was in the 1st paragraph.

"And my argument was not that there aren't "plenty" of people working those kinds of hours"

You said that it was a "sure recipe for burnout", implying (more than that, 'positing' even) that everybody who works those hours will at some point burn out. I disagree. Some will burn out, some (I'd even say the majority but have no numbers to back that up) won't.

"I am simply not convinced that working 80 per week = excellence."

Right, neither am I; actually I'm convinced of the opposite, that 80 hours/week != automatically excellence. I said so, in those words, in my post.

"You're equating hours put in with working harder and smarter."

I explicitly did no such thing. Putting in many hours is just part of it, in addition to working harder and smarter. If somebody wants to excel as a drummer, they'll have to have rhythm, study hard, and practice a lot. Just the first two won't cut it, because there will be somebody out there who will do anything it takes to be the best. When there is a large group of people competing, you cannot let anything slack if you want to be the best, because others will do what you won't. (not you personally, of course, I mean 'someone who wants to be the best).