Just my 2 cents about TS:
Definitely not the best in terms of the Caliber of Players as Other alliances have exceptional talent in their roster also not the best line up of enemy alliances - Dback is right. On the other hand, as small as we were during those days, we were very active and well organized and we had fun. It was a newly formed alliance at a time when strong alliances were already established but still they grew quickly to be part of the Top 12 w/o mass recruiting. That has to count for something.
Activity - that maybe our biggest edge on most alliances of the same caliber and even against some of the top 12 during that time. East and North teams run OPS on a target like they are on the same oceans - remember that GDI?
Everyone participates unlike now with big alliances, there are only 5 to 8 active players sometimes even less.
Alvinabe did a pretty good job and held the team together until RL took him away. It all boils down to activity. TS were very strict regarding that and would drop you immediately if you are found doing nothing for the alliance and then the inevitable happened, Eta grew fat and boring and so did the players.
TS is not the best if you compare it with the Top 10 alliances today but it was sure damn fun playing with them. For that TS are awesome in their own right.