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SANTA CLARA – 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh loves that new commercial starring quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
You know the one, where some fancy headphones help Kaepernick block out the cruel world around him. Fans – conveniently dressed in Seahawks colors -- hurl insults and projectiles alike at the team bus in a popular spot airing regularly during these playoffs, but Colin can’t hear anything except his jam.
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“You guys like that commercial with Colin? I love it. I absolutely love it,” Harbaugh said after Friday’s practice, just before his team left for Seattle and Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the Seahawks. “It’s very true. You’re with your team riding in on the bus and sometimes fans are the way they are in the video.
“And that song is such a toe-tapper. I get the chills on that one. I’m gonna get me some Beat by Dre.”
That line got a laugh from Kaepernick, waiting for his turn at the podium.
“I’ve got a pair at the house for you,” Kaepernick said with a smile.
A fun moment between player and coach speaks directly to Kapernick’s belief that he doesn’t need headphones to tune out a Seahawks fan base that specializes in distraction.
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The stats don’t support that claim. He’s 32-for-64 for 471 yards, a touchdown, four interceptions and a dismal 43.0 passer rating in two games at CenturyLink Field.
While Kaepernick has struggled in Seattle, his confidence remains high entering his second NFC Championship game in as many seasons. He is, after all, 3-0 in road playoff games.
“I think I have the attributes that make me a good quarterback in any circumstance,” he said. “I play to win regardless of where I’m at.”
Kaepernick and his teammates have answered questions all week about crowd noise and rivalries and peripheral matters they’d rather not discuss. His focus is honed, with eyes locked on the possibility of starting a second straight Super Bowl.
“I think the biggest thing is that you have to realize it’s another football game,” Kaepernick said. “There might be more people watching, more at stake, but if you go out and execute like you normally do and perform well, you’ll win the game.”
In terms of getting to and from the game, Kaepernick doesn’t expect the same type of torment dramatized to sell headphones.
“We pull in through the back,” Kaepernick said. “We really don’t see too much.”