Last modified: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 12:34 AM EDT FARINELLA: Sounding off during some quiet moments BY MARK FARINELLA SUN CHRONICLE STAFF Because you asked for it, and because I'd otherwise have nothing to do for the next hour or so while waiting for the Patriots to announce their first five cuts, it's time for another installment of "Ask Fearless," the recurring feature of your Blue Ribbon Daily in which astute readers get to ask insightful questions of your humble scribe, and hopefully receive equally insightful responses in return. All of the following queries are 100-percent guaranteed to be figments of my overactive imagination, with a thin veneer of authenticity as derived from nearly 30 years of actual observations, letters, phone calls, e-mails, chat-room postings and insults hurled my way from passing motorists. Only the names have been changed to protect the ignorant. Without further ado: Dear Fearless: Mark, I know I'm being a little tough to deal with these days, but the fact of the matter is that I just don't want to talk about my personal life in every press conference I hold especially about my newborn baby. The other Brady in the locker room had a baby last week, too, and nobody's bugging him about it. I really wish you'd understand. -Tom B., Fatherhood O.K, Tom. I fully understand. I don't want to talk about your baby, either - except to wish you and yours all the best, and to move on from there. Frankly, right now, I just want to talk about football - and while I can't speak for all other reporters on the beat, both broadcast and print, I really believe that most of them only want to talk about football as well. However, I can't control what everyone else does in the industry. Because of your celebrity status, you're going to draw the attention of the gossip columnists and the tabloid-TV shows as well as the sports media until everyone gets what they want, or they lose interest. I suppose you could wait them out until everything blows over, but maybe we could try a compromise. With the help of the Patriots' PR department, maybe you could lay down the law in advance and establish that for the time being, you'll only respond if the questions remain football-related. I can think of about 20 people who come to work every day at Gillette Stadium who'd have no problem with that, and I'm sure you can be charming and polite enough to dismiss those who might push the edge of the envelope with a friendly, "No comment." Then once the initial buzz dies down in a few weeks, we can all get back to business as usual. Just a thought Dear Fearless: You are a despicable (series of unprintable expletives deleted) for having questioned the integrity of Our Tom. How dare you sit there on your high horse and call him names when you couldn't get out of your own (expletive deleted) way on a football field. Scum reporters like you should all be taken outside and have your (body parts deleted) ripped off and (anatomically impossible suggestion deleted). Go (deleted) yourself! -Angry Patriots' fans You know, sometimes I sit and wonder about whether I'd feel the same way these rabid fans feel if I weren't doing what I'm doing for a living. But to be honest, I doubt it. I like to think that as a fan, which I really don't have the luxury of being, I'd be able to appreciate and enjoy what Tom Brady or any other professional athlete does for a living without worshipping them blindly. To each his own, I suppose but for the life of me, I don't think I could ever have wanted to squeeze my girth into a replica jersey, paint my face in the team colors and parade around espousing my love for a professional sports franchise at any time after the age of 12 Dear Fearless: OK, what did you think of my apology? Sincere, huh? -Mike V., Atlanta Three words: Just shut up, do your time and pray to God that Roger Goodell develops a more compassionate side by the time you're out. OK, that was more than three words, but you really need to hear them. Dear Fearless: How come you don't have a blog? A lot of newspapers have their writers posting things on the Internet almost all of the time nowadays. Don't you think it would be fun? -"Pieces" Fun, yes. Dangerous? You bet. You see, one of the things about writing a column in print is that you learn to self-edit and to show restraint about some of the things you write. I did exactly that just a few minutes before I started writing this paragraph, and I'm glad I did. Sure, I take a few unpopular stands from time to time and infuriate some of you while entertaining others, but at least you can be assured that I've taken the opportunity first to make sure I'm not going too far off the deep end (although some of you might disagree) before committing these thoughts to print. Some people seem to think that being "edgy" makes for a good blog, but you have to consider just how appropriate "edgy" would be for your particular audience. I'm not sure if "Unfiltered Farinella" is the wisest course for me to follow here at the Blue Ribbon Daily. But you never know what the future might hold. Dear Fearless: How do you really feel about the length of the preseason? Should there be more regular-season games? I really want to get cracking on this now that I've whipped the conduct code into shape. -Roger G., NYC I came in just at the tail end of the six-game preseason schedule, and no one was happier than I to see it dropped to four when the regular season was upped to 16 games. Now, there's talk about going to 17 games (to accommodate several games played overseas without robbing owners of their home gates) and maybe three preseason games, but I'm certainly not keen about the overseas travel - especially since Americans can have targets figuratively painted on them at any moment in this volatile world of ours. I wouldn't mind seeing the preseason dropped to two exhibition games and one practice-site scrimmage, but I'm sure the coaches have their own feelings about it. My concern is more for the fans who have to pay full freight for these phony games, and that really has to change. I believe they should catch a break on having to buy preseason-game tickets. Either make them optional as a part of season-ticket packages, or drop the price, or both. That the NFL has gotten away with this scam for so long is absolutely amazing. Dear Fearless: Who's going to be the next member of the Patriots' Hall of Fame? -"Steamer" That's a very good question and a tough one. But I'll defer to the latest player to be so enshrined. When I asked Stanley Morgan exactly that, his instantaneous response was that the cornerback who faced him in practice for so many years, Raymond Clayborn, should be considered. This question will be partially answered in March, so stay tuned. MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com