I assume 10 seconds is an intentional hyperbole. It's not 10 minutes either, but these things all add up.
It's not. It has never taken me more than ten seconds to get past the initial ID checker before getting on the tram. I've never had more than one or two people in front of me.
And I consistently arrive at TPA 30-35 minutes before departure, and have yet to miss a flight. Ever. And that's 100+ flights per year for the past several years.