Few athletes in history embody long-term dominance more than Tom Brady. Across two decades in the NFL, he amassed seven Super Bowl victories, multiple MVP awards, and an unparalleled reputation as a quarterback who thrived under pressure. His career wasn’t defined by a single moment or a single game—it was the sum of years of preparation, consistency, and an ability to adapt to changing conditions. Even when doubters questioned his longevity or criticized his performance in certain seasons, Brady stayed focused on the bigger picture: sustained excellence over time.
Warren Buffett’s investment career mirrors this same philosophy. While some critics attempt to cherry-pick periods where his returns weren’t record-breaking or try to diminish his success by selective comparisons, Buffett’s true legacy is measured over decades, not medium-term snapshots. Just as Brady didn’t need to lead every quarter or win every game to be considered the greatest quarterback of all time, Buffett didn’t need to outperform gold or the S&P 500 in individual or even decade-long stretches to be one of history’s most successful investors; he was successful over a lifetime. Both built empires through patience, strategy, and an unmatched ability to deliver results over the long haul.
A curious theme has emerged within the X community lately, trying to discredit Warren Buffett’s investment performance. We saw multiple posts on this, but let’s just pick this one by Mark Moss:
This reminds us of The Pope Visits Las Vegas joke:
The Pope was making a widely publicised and controversial visit to Las Vegas. His publicity advisors warned him that the trip would be fraught with risks, but the holy man insisted that the gambling capital of the world was exactly the kind of place that the church should be trying to spread its message. After a long flight, the Pope stepped off the plane to find himself face to face with a horde of television cameras and newspaper journalists. One eager young news hound thrust a microphone at the Pope and asked, "Pope, what is your opinion of the large numbers of brothels in this city?" Mindful of the warnings he'd received from his advisors, he thought carefully for a second and replied tactfully, "Are there any brothels in this city?" The next day he was distraught to see the newspaper's headline which read "Pope's first question: 'Are there any brothels in this city?'"
If this joke is offensive to you, we apologize. The joke is too powerful not to present; it is one of most powerful narratives that shows how even literal truths can be taken out of context and result in widely misleading conclusions. The real shame is trying to discredit respectable figures by cherry picking and ignoring valuable context, the presence of which would turn the conclusion upside down.
This is exactly what has been happening with Warren Buffett and his supposed performance against gold.