Hawks RB Shaun Alexander "demonstrated why he is known as one of the league's more cerebral players" in the advice he offered video-game makers last week, the New York Times reports. Alexander, featured on the front of EA's latest Madden football game, lobbied for a version that would allow as many as 11 gamers to become virtual teammates. Alexander in the NYT story: "You should be able to make a team and play together with your friends. Like if you have 10 friends, you could all play different positions and be in 10 different houses and play together over the Internet. Or maybe you just have like five people, and you control the skill positions and the program controls the other guys." Not a bad idea, at least in theory. I enjoyed playing these games back when I had fewer things to keep me busy (think Madden 92). Note: The promotional picture shows Alexander breaking away from former Hawks DE Chike Okeafor while the similarly cerebral Chris Gray (62) is looking a lot like Steve Hutchinson through that facemask.

NFL draft picks are starting to sign with greater frequency. ESPN noted late Tuesday night that the Hawks have reached agreement with seventh-rounder Ryan Plackemeier, punter from Wake Forest. Usually I'd be tracking such things, but this is really the only time of year when I can get some down time. Spent the Fourth manning the BBQ and keeping kids from getting too close to the fireworks, which are still raining down outside (Pierce County is unbelievable that way). In any event, this was one of those days where it was going to take more than a seventh-round signing to make me put down the BBQ tongs. I probably won't check in here until sometime Wednesday afternoon.