I think in some cases people are talking past each other. In my mind there is nothing wrong with competing, and there are benefits to doing so. Yes, it's not realistic. Neither is dry firing. Yet most people believe there is a benefit to dry firing.
It is my opinion that that competition shooting ALONE is insufficient. Most of the guys quoted here are saying it supplements or bolsters tactical training, not that it replaces it. That's where I'm at.
You wouldn't expect to make a basketball team if all you did was practice a 3 point shot. You could be the world's best 3 point shooter, but if you can't run up and down the court, can't hit a free throw, can't guard your opponent, can't catch a rebound, etc. etc. you ain't making the team no matter how good at that one component you are. We all realize that while you may be a standout in one category of the game, you must be well rounded to be a truly good player. Competition shooting is practicing one aspect of real world encounters. The shooting part. Being good at the shooting part is important, no doubt. But there's a lot more to it, such as decision making, interrupting your opponent's OODA loop, etc. that you simply can't practice in competition.