Kozov -“Sam, there’s obviously a big difference between that and getting into a position he knows he is going to die from within a year.”
If the Gemora isn’t Melamed Zecus -why are you? Who says they thought they were going to die also? Maybe their Gaava told them they deserve the position? I know and learnt about a lot of Jews who are in positions of power and don’t/didn’t deserve it. This occurs in every generation.