Tom vs Time Episode 2: Tom Brady’s Unparalleled Preparation
Tom vs Time Episode 2 officially premiered on Sunday via Facebook Watch. You can watch the full Gotham Chopra-directed “Chapter 2: The Mental Game” in the above video.
The episode starts off with some workouts featuring Brady working with Julian Edelman in July 2017. The exercises appear to focus on Brady’s muscle memory. He works with former major league pitcher-turned-quarterback coach Tom House to “rewire his nervous system” to be physically able to make the throws he wants to make.
After one apparently successful drill, Brady said he “just [expletive] had a mild orgasm.”
Chess vs. Checkers
Most of episode 2 centers on the more cerebral aspects of Tom Brady’s game. Although he’s worked himself into great physical shape for a 40-year-old, Brady always has an advantage over his competition in terms of his preparation and mental aptitude on the football field.
One of the major focuses of the second episode is Tom Brady’s intense game prep during the week. The Patriots quarterback pores over game film, which he says he watches all day on Monday and Tuesday (and basically throughout the week) to get ready for his next opponent. He often looks for “tells” in his opponents to pick up on tendencies.
“The game now for me is very calculated, it’s very strategic,” says Brady in the doc. “It’s much more like chess than checkers. … I think I process a lot of information really quickly. And the more you give me, the better I usually perform.”
Tom Brady confers with Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick during a game with the Washington Redskins on Nov. 8, 2015. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
Fear of Failure
Brady pulls up old footage of his past Super Bowl wins – and also of Super Bowl XLII against the Giants. Hopefully for the Patriots, Brady doesn’t jinx himself with his comments about losing in the Super Bowl.
“When you lose on the biggest stage, and you know everyone’s watching, and you’ve committed so much of your life to what you’re doing, you’re becoming a failure in front of everybody else,” said Brady. “It’s a talent show that you did when you were a kid. And you were the failure.”
When asked why he subjects himself to footage like that Super Bowl loss to the Giants, Brady said “Still a lot to learn” without even looking away from the screen.
The episode concludes with a look at the Patriots’ Week 4 loss to the Carolina Panthers. After the game, while Brady is driving home, he’s venting on the phone about the Patriots presumably having a bad attitude as a team at the time.
“‘You know, we’re the [expletive] Patriots, let’s just roll our helmets out there and we’re gonna win,” said Brady, mocking his team for apparently overlooking the Panthers. “‘And we’ll score and they’ll quit and don’t worry, we’ll win.”
Their attitude must have improved greatly, considering they’ve lost just once since that game.
Tom vs Time Episode 2: What’s Next:
Chapter 1 grabbed over 8.2 million views in just three days. Here’s the remaining schedule for Tom vs Time:
— Chapter 3: Tuesday, Jan. 30
— Chapter 4: Thursday, Feb. 1
— Chapter 5: Sunday, Feb. 4
— Chapter 6: TBA
Overall, another well-crafted chapter for Chopra and Brady. There seems to be a bit more TB12 product placement in this one, which is a tad off-putting. But the inside looks continue to be a pleasant surprise.
He’s right about one thing. The Patriots can’t just roll their helmets out there and expect to beat the Eagles in Super Bowl LII.
— By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
