Xbox Live: Getting Paid To Game

I'm sure that we all know about the nonsense that goes on with random matches on Live (rude people, team killing etc.) One interesting thing that I seem to run into quite often is people talking trash and saying "Oh yeah well I get paid 50k/year to play games". I'm not saying anything bad about Halo 3 players but this usually happens when I'm in a Halo 3 party. I then start to think to myself how it is possible for someone to be a paid professional yet still have the same skill level (21) and rank as me? Is my skill level really that close to that of a paid professional? LOL Yeah right I think not. I'm an average to slightly above average gamer. I know there are some exceptional gamers out there who do make a living off playing games. I just find it hard to believe they are the same skill level as me and meet up with random people on live to boast about it.