BBK
I'm not sure that your comments regarding the ace factor reflect a typical civilian airline. Maybe on a squadron perhaps? In fact it sounds like a lot of what you are describing might be more applicable to military aviation.
Then why all the discussion of hours, hours in type, hours as a check pilot, "I can handle SFO, but a lot of pilots can't", etc.
You are either qualified to and perform to the standard or you are not. There is a task to do, there are the conditions within which the task is done, and you either do it to standards or you don't. Just as there is no such state as "almost pregnant", there is no state of "more pregnant".
If the procedure at SFO are unsafe, then the response from the pilot community would be "WE can't handle it safely". Saying "SOME can't" is Ace factor.