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Apple's Beats is on Tom Brady's side

Commentary: In an ad to coincide with the AFC Championship game, Beats features the New England Patriots quarterback being deaf to criticism.

Chris Matyszczyk
2 min read

Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives.


bradybeats

He can't hear you. 

Beats/YouTube screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET

I fancy that many who aren't New England Patriots fans will be rooting against Tom Brady and his cohorts during Sunday's AFC championship game.

Somehow, the quarterback's slight smugness and aloofness -- and his infernal penchant for good fortune (disclosure: Los Angeles Chargers fan) -- move fans to root for his opponents.

Apple's Beats is not among those.

To coincide with the big game, it's just released a little homage to Brady's focus and Beats' role in it.

Brady sits. Brady wears his headphones. Brady shuts out your whining. He's Tom Brady, you're not.

"Doubt me. Distract me. Give me noise. Coz all I hear is, 'it's payback time,'" intones the dramatic voice-over.

It's not entirely clear what Brady needs to offer payback for. After all, his Patriots won the Super Bowl last year.

They're favored to do it again.

Sadly, though, one thing the ad doesn't show is his right hand. 

He may be adept at shutting out the world with his Beats relaying 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up" -- apparently Brady's favorite song to, um, get in his zone -- but can he grip the ball?

His throwing hand is said to have been cut open during practice. He wore gloves to a press conference and refused to answer questions about the hand.

Could it be that he's seriously hurt? Or could it be that it's all a ruse to infuse complacency into his upstart opponents, the Jacksonville Jaguars?

Me, I'll be sitting on the sofa, the game on mute, cheering the Jaguars and quietly singing, "I feel the change comin,' I feel the wind blow, I feel brave and daring."

Surely you're familiar with Barry Manilow's "Weekend in New England."

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