I got good at it because it was a rush, it was the first game I played where my ship felt more like an extension of my hand than a clunky machine, or the intricacies of controlling a whole person a la FPS. The fluidity of it was what appealed to me, mechanically.
Group brawls on the other hand really scratch the strategy/command role itch. Situational awareness is key in those and effectively coordinating them requires one to multitask and keep their eyes on everything that's happening and make snap judgements based on their observations.
From an emotional perspective, the legacy, the heritage of it, is really fascinating to me. Tracing everyone back to their roots, who trained who trained who trained who, I've always loved that. There's a certain romance to it.
Could I do it today?
Probably not. It's a time investment I was able to make as a teenager, and thankfully it's been more or less like riding a bike. I do not think I have the time nor the drive to sit down and dump 4-5 hours into conn every day anymore, especially starting from zero.
