Plus, having him be JUST a good con artist doesn't explain why he was able to shoot so very well (in the ep where the team rescues Mal and Wash from Niska) or fight so well (in the pilot, where you'll notice how very quickly and decisively he disarms and disables the Alliance agent). They're both throwaway moments, but you'll note that Book is able to make difficult shots (aiming for knees rather than vitals) without any difficulty, and is pretty casual about it. And in the pilot, that was DEFINITELY an "I'm trained and know what I'm doing" move rather than a con man's desperate leap.
Of course, I could be wrong. Joss has suckered me before.
-Tacky
