Every food commercial, advertisement, and packaging in the US is currently protein obsessed. I just bought 3 burritos, and the most noticeable thing on the entire package is its protein content. TV commercials about waffles are advertising that they have X amount of protein per serving. The products in my jobsite's vending machine have protein all over every package.
I reread this and your interpretation seems pretty off the mark. Of course you're going to get more endurance performance from a higher carb diet, carbs are what give you raw energy. Anyone who's ever done an endurance sport like long distance running knows they load you up on pasta for a reason.
Endurance performance is absolutely not the same as athletic performance, which is far more general. There's no way high protein diets aren't beneficial to people who need more raw strength than endurance. This meta analysis does not back up your comment.