TUFF Constitution

Be "On Time" With League Functions
(a well functioning league requires this, your part of it's success!)

Play Your Games Online
(hey, your gonna play them any ways, no better way then Head-to-Head with your opponent!)

Be Courteous And Reply To Trade Offer Emails
(never hurts to send by even just a quick reply to someone's trade offer message to you)

NOTE : This document is not called "The Constitution of the United States". Thus, it does not require an "Act of Congress" to edit it. It is best described as an "Evolving Document". So, when/should the need arise over time to re-word some Rule(s) in order to make it/them more clear and/or defined, or should a new Game Feature be created, or one changed, that needs to be accounted for or implemented into this document, please know that it shall be done so unilaterally with only the best interests of the League in mind.

A full email, full computer ACTION! PC Football League using the current WINDOWS edition of the game. Each member is expected to make every honest attempt to play all, or as close too all as possible, of his games via the Internet or in person. It is mandatory that all Playoff Game be played Online or Face-to-Face.

2.1) Each team must 53 players on its active roster. Up to, but no more than, 3 of your players do not have to be rated on the disk. If a team should be short of the required 53 players by the roster due date the commissioner will assign him the necessary players to fill out his roster according to the guidelines below using the following procedures :

1) Any and all of these players will be a grade #3 at all their positions with the worst stats possible if any exist.

2) Any and all of these players will be released without compensation after the Super Bowl, and

3) A fine, in the form of a Draft Pick from the following years draft, will be assessed to the team for not meeting coverage limits. The fine will fit the situation, as deemed by the Commissioner.

2.2) A team must carry at least 3, but not more then 4, QBs on it's Roster. Only 1 "uncarded/unrated" QB may be carried on your Roster. At least 3 QB's must be on the disk for your team. No team may carry more then 1500 "NFL" pass attempts by it's QB's.

Kickoff Returner with 20 Returns to avoid over usage game implemented penalties.

2.4) First year expansion teams are allowed to carry an additional list of up to six player's on a special "Inactive List" for their first season ONLY. These players must be listed in an email sent to the Commissioner.

2.5) On the date designated by the Commissioner you will be required to turn in on a Zipped Disc your completely drafted team with all team units filled out in full (the commissioner will "merge" all the teams onto one "master disk" for redistribution out to the league. This disk will be used for ALL GAMES. No changes are allowed to be made in ANY way to this disk unless so requested by the commissioner).
NOTE : Once this stuff is sent in your team is "official", no trades or changes are allowed to your roster.

HOW TO SET UP YOUR TEAM DISK :
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1) Under your Action Game Directory (whatever Dave is calling it this year) create a sub directory called something like DISK, or at least something you'll remember.

2) Put the last season's NFL Action disk into this directory.

3) Go into the game and change your Active Setup to read from this directory, and Save your changes.

4) From the main screen, choose League Tools, and then in the League Draft Tools section click on the box to "Release Players AND Erase Teams, the click on the Perform Draft Tasks button. Answer Yes to releasing all players and to confirming this request.

5) From the main screen, choose Rosters, highlight the first team slot (should read N-East), then click on the Create New Team button.

6) Now at the Modify Team screen enter the following :
    1 City : YOUR TEAM CITY NAME (Green Bay)
    2 Nickname : YOUR NICKNAME (Packers)
    3 Abbreviation : YOUR TEAM ABBREVIATION FROM THE DP OWNERSHIP LIST (GB)
    4 Base Year : 2009
    5 Team Type : Draft (THIS MUST READ "DRAFT" OR YOU WONT BE ABLE TO DRAFT YOUR TEAM)
    6 Internet Coach : YOUR FULL NAME (Dave Koch) and ALL other inforamtion
    7 Team Home & Road Colors : WHATEVER YOU PREFER
    8 Team Font : Arial
    9 Home Park : Choose your selected Stadium, any NFL current or former.

7) Your team should already be highlighted in the top left slot, so just double click on it or choose to View Team Roster now.

8) On the Player pull down menu choose Draft Player to start drafting your team.

9) To draft your players you simply TAKE YOUR TIME and go position by position being VERY CAREFUL to only select player you own. NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT : Take the time (and extra time) to make sure you are drafting YOUR player. This is just a matter of checking the players position and/or stats in the above box. It is NOT difficult, so there will be no excuses given (please). Just take you time and do it right the first time. Just go from the top of your player list to the bottom until you have drafted all of YOUR players (please make sure they are yours). When you are done hit the EXIT key.
Remember, if you own a player who was on two teams last year, the Action Game player disc should have a file for that players combined stats, THAT IS THE ONE YOU DRAFT ONTO YOUR TEAM.

10) When all done with #9 above begin filling out your ALL of your Lineups.

11) When all your lineups are filled out, select Coach begin programming your Offensive AND Defensive Coaches. Go through all categories. This is MANDATORY in case you are unable to play one of your games.

12) Now, use the Tab in the bottom left of the Roster Screen labeld "DEPTH" to go through and set up your Depth Charts at EVERY Postion. This is MANDATORY in case you are unable to play one of your games.

13) Now select Coach and select Player Usage to program in how your players should be used. This is MANDATORY in case you are unable to play one of your games.

14) Do a final double, and then triple, and then etc... check on you team to make sure you have all your OWN players and all your lineups are completely filled out.

15) Now ZIP this entire player disk directory up (NOT the Game directory where the updated game EXE's go, ONLY the data disc directory folder PLEASE).

The easiest way to do this is within the Game from the Utilities Pull Down Menu. Just choose the "Zip League Files" option, check he box called "Player and Team Files", the please change the name of the Zip File to your Team name (like for me I would type in LAKEWOOD.ZIP). This will create the Zip file that you need to send me in your currently active data disc directory.

16) You then send me this file via email. In that message, be sure to list for me any of the "Up To 3 Unrated Players" not on the Disc that you plan to keep per Rule 2.1 above.

Once all Teams/Discs have been received, I will merge all of the teams together to create our Master Disk which we will use for all our league games.

3.1) Trades are to be reported promptly to the trade agent. The commissioner may void any trade that does not comply with the 's rules or which, in his opinion, jeopardizes the fair balance of the . Coaches may override the veto by obtaining a two-thirds vote in their favor by the other league members within two weeks of the veto ruling.

3.2) From January 1st of each current year until the Roster Due Date (usually around August, 1st), all players, current calendar year draft picks, and the following year's draft picks (per the guidlines giving in Rule 11.5) DRAFT PICK OWNERSHIP LIMITATIONS) may be traded. No trade may ever include draft picks beyond the following year. Any report of a trade involving such a draft pick will not be enforced by the league and the participating coach will receive no further compensation beyond the original trade report. EXAMPLE: If the year is 2010, you may trade 2010 and 2011 (again, within the guidlines of Rules in 11.5) draft picks, but not 2012 or beyond.

3.3) All trade talks involving a first year member must be copied to the commissioner. This policy is to protect new members from unknowingly making a bad trade before they have a chance to get their feet wet and learn trade values. The commissioner will give his honest opinion of the pros and cons of the proposed deal each step of the way. If the trade talks with a new member involve the commissioner, another long time member will be copied on all trade talks.

3.4) No trading allowed from roster due date until the current seasons Super Bowl Results Newsletter has been posted on the leagues web site or sent out to the membership.

3.5) Should an injury leave a coach short of his 50 man active list he must remain so for the duration of the injury due.

Any player who meets the Season Usage Exemption Numbers listed below "will not be affected" by the Games Usage Penalty System :

Any Player who falls "BELOW" those numbers listed above will be subject to the Games Internal Fatigue Penalties, which are detailed below.

The Season & Special Teams Usage Penalties within the Game will be set to "On", with Penalties set at 100% for Mild, Moderate, and Major settings. In short, what that all means is as soon as a guy hits is real life usage number (say 200 rushing attempts in real life), Major Usage Penalties kicks in.

It is requested, for the sake of realism, and to avoid a silly looking record book, that all members refrain from "setting records" that are done so just for the sake of doing so.

Our Super Bowl will be played using a Neutral Stadium that has NO Home Field Advantage and is Domed.

The Month Played will be chosen as the month the game is listed to be played in on our schedule.

Only the most current versions of both Games EXE and the TUFF Master Disc are allowed to be used for league games... Only one Game will be played a week... It is "desired & preferred" that every Game on the TUFF Schedule be played head-to-head over the Internet... The simple reality though is that at times for some member their "Real Life Schedule" will not make Internet Play feasible. In those instances, it is "preferred" that the Home Coach allow the Visiting Coach to solo play the game, but not mandatory... Please always exercise good friendly sportsmanship when dealing with each other.

If you follow the below, and refer back to it when you are not sure what to do, you will always know exactly what your responsibilities are for that week as a TUFF member...

SATURDAY's :

SUNDAY's :

TUFF Weekly Master Disc to arrive

If your are the Road Coach, and the Home Coach as declared he is playing the game solo against the Computer, you have until the end of Sunday to send him a Coaching File for the game.

If you are the Home Coach and have declared that you will play the game Solo against the Computer, you must wait until at least Monday to play the game as the Road Coach has through Sunday to send you his Coaching File for the game.

Play your game if you've scheduled to play today with your opponent... please turn in your Game Export and Game Write up (remember, the nicer the write up, the nicer the Box Score is on the Web Site... preserved for all time, something I can promise you you'll appreciate over the coming years as you look back at your games played in the past!) as soon a possible, it really helps me out a lot to have them trickle in during the week, as opposed to coming in all at the dead line. Plus, it avoids me Auto Playing a Game that actually was already played, but forgotten to be turned in!

WEDNESDAY's :

Play your game if you've scheduled to play today with your opponent... please turn in your Game Export and Game Write up as soon as possible

THURSDAY's :

Play your game if you've scheduled to play today with your opponent... please turn in your Game Export and Game Write up as soon as possible

If you are on the Road next week and want to play your game at your opponents house, send him an email requesting to play.

FRIDAY's :

Play your game if you've scheduled to play today with your opponent... please turn in your Game Export and Game Write up as soon as possible

7) SCHEDULE
The will use a balanced strength of record schedule. Everyone plays the other three teams in their division once both home & away for total of 6 games. The remaining ten games are played out of division, five home & away. Who you face depends were we are at in Yearly Divisional Rotation System we use. You will though face all the teams from two of the other divisions, accounting for 8 more games. The remaining 2 games will be played against teams from the one remaining division, who they will be again depends upon were we are at in the rotation process.

8.1) SETTING UP OUR LEAGUE RULES STRUCTURE :
First do this :
You MUST create a sub directory underneath your Action Game directory called Export. This is the directory where you are going to be storing your Exported Game Files, please so be sure to create it NOW!

8.2) AWAY GAME INSTRUCTIONS
It is HIGHLY DESIRED that all Games be played face-to-face over the Internet. Please make every effort to work with you opponent to find a mutually agreeable time to play. It is recommended that if you are at someone's house the next week, contact him the weekend BEFORE the game is scheduled to be play, and when your the Home team and receive this message, reply ASAP. This will ensure there is plenty of time to "hook up". Hey, Head-to-Head play is the most fun there is, enjoy it!

If that is just impossible for you, :( then please know that your Coaching File is due to your opponent no later than the Sunday night before the game is scheduled. If nothing is received by that Sunday evening, the home coach may proceed playing the game using his best judgment. Any decisions he makes for the visiting team (substitutions, aggression change, limits, etc...) must be made in the visiting teams best interest in order to win the game for them.

8.3) ALTERING, SENDING, & RECEIVING COACHES
Choose Utilities/Export Coaches from the main screen, choose your team, choose the DISK directory to send the files to. Then Zip the files together and send to your opponent. To Import Coaches, you Unzip them into the DISK directory, choose Utilities/Import Coaches, choose the DISK directory and click on the Begin Import button. That's it!

8.4) TO PLAY A LEAGUE GAME :
Before starting please note : Absolutely NO Exhibition and Auto Played games are allowed on the Official Disk. Please create a separate directory and play those types of practice games there. This will avoid possible conflicts with the Official League disk.

Before sending out our league playing disc, it will be set up this way described below and may NOT be altered in any way :

NOTHING ELSE BUT WHAT IS LISTED BELOW IS CHECKED OR USED IN OUR LEAGUE GAMES!!!

"Rules Year" is 2009.
"Season Length" is 16.
"Homefield Advantage" is checked, and "Use Actual Stadium" is selected.
"Two Point Conversions" is checked
"Play Overtime" is checked
"Audible" is set to 5 Per Half
"Replay Challenges/Team" is set to 2.
"Minutes/Quarter" is set to "15 minutes"
"Internet Play Clock - Use Play Clock" is checked and Offense & Defense are both set at "40 Seconds"
"League Type" is set to "Draft League"
"Field Goal Miss Line" is set to "Kick Spot".
"Kickoff Line" is set to "30".
"Goalpost Location" is set to "Endline"
"Injuries" that are checked ON are Realistic Multi-Game and Temporary In-Game/Fatigue.
"Penalties" is set at "Realistic"
"Season Usage Penalties are to be set at "ON" = 100% - 100% - 100%
"Game Era" is set to "Standard Off/Def Blend"
"Standard Play-by-Play" is used, no video chalkboard allowed.

NOTHING ELSE BUT WHAT IS LISTED ABOVE IS CHECKED OR USED!!!

A) Set up a time to play the game with your opponent, and clear out about 2 hours to play the game.

B) Go into SETUP-GAME PREFERENCES and make sure that the "Box Score Type" has the "Expanded" circle chosen.

C) Before playing, you'll need to choose the Internet pull down menu in the game and make sure you open your Windows Firewall Port 32019 and Forward your Routers 32019 Port.

D) To send via email or give to your opponent in the Chat Room go into the Game-Internet pull down menu and first "Get your IP Address", and send/give it to him.

E) If Hosting, choose "Host Game Session" from the Game-Internet pull down menu and wait to accept your opponents call and then set up to play the game. If you are the Visitor choose the "Join Game Session" option, enter your opponents IP Address he provided you with, and wait for your call to be accepted and for him to set up the game.

If you are playing against he Computer BE SURE TO REVERSE THEIR POSITIONS with YOUR TEAM being placed in the VISITOR'S position. Click on Play when done.

3) Make sure that these things are all set properly :
   A) The Home & Visitor teams are set properly.
   B) Game Type = League
   C) It says you are playing in your teams Home Stadium if you are playing a human opponent, or
        It says "Computer Stadium" if playing against computer opponent
        The "Super Bowl Stadium" is only used for our Super Bowl game.

D) The correct Month is chosen, whatever month the game is scheduled in.

4) Now click Play to play the game! Should an Internet Game crash during play, BOTH of you may have to completely exit your game and restart the game to be able to reconnect. The Host coach needs to make sure the then chooses Play-Resume Game and take care to select the correct game to rejoin. This should allow everything to pick up right were you left off.

5) After your game is completed a screen will appear asking you what to do. Choose the Exit when done.

7) Double Click the game you just played, an asterisk (*) will appear beside the game.

8) Now choose the Export Location by double clicking on the DISK directory I had you set up underneath your Action Game directory.

9) Click on the "Begin Export" button. A box should come up saying "Export Complete" with OK for the choice. This will create one file in that directory with a fairly descriptive name of the game (something like GB 24 MINN12.XBX). This is the file you will send to your opponent right after the game is played (so he gets his stats right away), and to the Commissioner with your Game Write Up for the Newsletter and new disk. You may now exit out of the game.

10) Write up a Game Report, attach the exported game file from #9 above to this message, and send it to BOTH your opponent AND me. You of course only have to send your opponent the Write up if you have already sent him the game export file.

8.5) REPORTING OF HOME GAMES
The home coach is obligated to report his game results in the form of a Game Write-up to the league weekly newspaper reporter by the given "due in time" the weekend the game is scheduled to be played. At the minimum he must call the Newsletter Reporter to tell him when the game will be played/reported by that day.

8.6) UPDATING YOUR LEAGUE DISK EVERY WEEK

Every week I will send you a COMPLETELY NEW DISK called :

WK (1 to 16 depending upon the week just completed) .ZIP

You MUST update your data disk every week with this new file.

To be able to View our Leaders, your team stats, play your Home Game that
week, and/or anything else, all you have to do is UnZip this file into your
directory letting it overwrite all the files and you'll be up to date.
That's it!

You can view your Box Scores by hitting "R" from the main menu, the "T",
then choosing the game you want to view the box score from.

9.1) No player may attempt more than 50 Rushing Attempts in any Regular Season Game. These may only be exceeded in Playoff Games, though a common sense of realism is expected to be maintained.

9.2) No player may attempt more than 75 Passing Attempts in any Regular Season Game. These may only be exceeded in Playoff Games, though a common sense of realism is expected to be maintained.

9.3) No player may have more than 20 Receptions in any Regular Season Game. These may only be exceeded in Playoff Games, though a common sense of realism is expected to be maintained.

10.1) QUALIFICATION
The four division winners qualify. The four teams with the best non-division winning records also qualify. Any ties for playoff spots will be broken according to section 10.3. All eight teams will be seeded in descending order with division winners being placed 1 through 4 by record and non-division winning qualifiers being placed 5 through 8 according to record.

NOTE : Internet Play or In Person Play is mandatory for all Playoff games!!!

Quarter Final Round :
                                        8 at 1
                                        7 at 2
                                        6 at 3
                                        5 at 4

Semi Final Round :
Lowest remaining seed at Highest remaining
2nd Lowest remaining seed at 2nd Highest

Super Bowl :
Lower seed at Higher seed
Played at " Neutral Stadium", monthly setting at August, with the Home Field advantage turned OFF. One weeks rest given to each team before the game is played.

1 - In comparing records against common opponents among tied teams, the best won-lost-tied percentage is the deciding factor since teams may have played an unequal number of games.

2 - To determine seeding/home-field priority among division titlists, apply Wild-Card tie breakers.

3 - To determine seeding/home-field priority for Wild-Card qualifiers, apply division tie breakers (if teams are from the same division) or Wild-Card tie breakers (if teams are from different divisions).

3 -Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games if applicable. 4 common opponents minimum.

4 -Best Final Regular Season Strength of Victory Rating given within the Action Game.

Note : If two clubs remain tied after other clubs are eliminated during any step, tie-breaker reverts to step #1 of two-club format.

3 -Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games if applicable. 4 common opponents minimum.

4 -Best Final Regular Season Strength of Victory Rating given within the Action Game.

If necessary to break ties to determine the six wild-card teams, the following steps will be taken.

3 -When the first wild-card team has been identified, the procedure is repeated each time as necessary to name the six wild-card teams. In situations where three teams from the same division are involved in the procedure, the original seeding of the teams remains the same for subsequent applications of the tie-breaker if the top-ranked team in that division qualifies for a wild-card berth.

3 -Best Final Regular Season Strength of Victory Rating given within the Action Game.

1 -Apply division tie-breaker to eliminate all but highest-ranked club in each division prior to step #1. The original seeding within a division upon application of the Division tie-breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the four wild-card teams.

2 -Head-to-Head sweep (only if one club has either defeated or lost to each of the others).

3 -Best Final Regular Season Strength of Victory Rating given within the Action Game.

A new league disc will be sent out at the start of the Playoffs with all statistics reset to Zero.

Season Usage Penalties will be OFF
Special Teams Usage Penalties will be OFF
Game Usage Penalties will be ON and set at 10% for all three, Mild, Moderate, and Major, settings. Translated this means that unless a player meets the Game Usage Exemptions Numbers outlined below, a QB with 200 Real Life Pass Attempts will be able to throw 20 passes in any one Playoff Game before usage penalties set in. A RB with 100 Real Life Rushing Attempts, gets 10 carries before usage penalties set it, while a player with say 50 Receptions could catch 5 passes before usage penalties set it.

Passing Attempts = 15 Passes/Game   (a player with at least 240 NFL Pass Attempts is unlimited in a Playoff Game)
Rushing Attempts = 12 Attempts/Game   (a player with at least 192 NFL Rushing Attempts is unlimited in a Playoff Game)
Receptions = 4 Catches/Game   (a player with at least 64 NFL Pass Receptions is unlimited in a Playoff Game)

Should Overtime occur, the Game will ask you at the start of OT if this is a Regular Season or Playoff Game, be sure to tell it that this is a Playoff Game, meaning unlimited Overtimes!

11.2) TYPE
Held in the Chat Room in early to mid August on a Saturday (announced well in advance, usually in January, to allow everyone to clear their schedule to be able to participate in the entire event), usually requiring up to 6 hours participation with ALL SELECTIONS BEING MADE ON THIS ONE DAY, no email drafting allowed prior to OR after this announced "Drat Day".

TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURE FOR THE DRAFT
If two or more clubs are tied in the selection order, the strength-of-schedule tie breaker is applied, with the team facing the weakest schedule receiving the better selection, subject to the following exceptions for playoff clubs:

2 - Any non-Super Bowl playoff club involved in a tie shall be assigned priority within its segment below that of non-playoff clubs and in the order that the playoff clubs exited from the playoffs. Thus, within a tied segment a playoff club that loses in the Wild Card round game will have priority over a playoff club that loses in the QuarterFinal round game, which in turn will have priority over a club that loses in the SemiFinal round game. If two tied clubs exited the playoffs in the same round, the tie is broken by strength of schedule.

If any ties cannot be broken by strength of schedule, the divisional or wild card tie breakers, whichever are applicable, are applied. Any ties that still exist are broken by a coin flip.

Note that these tiebreakers are to determine the draft order for the first round. All teams with the same record will rotate the selection order each round thereafter.

11.3) LOTTERY
Weighted. First two positions of the first round to be drawn from a hat. The 4 LOWEST seeded Non-Playoff teams only from the previous year will be seeded 1 through 4, with the team with worst regular season record receiving 4 chips, second worst receiving 3 chips, and so forth. Any ties by record will be broken by strength of record faced for seeding purposes. The team with the weakest schedule faced will be seeded better. If teams are still tied at this point, total net points will be used, with the team with the worst overall net point total being seeded better. If teams are still tied at this point a coin flip will determine who is seeded better. Teams that required these tie breaker's will rotate positions every round. After the first two draft positions of the first round are drawn, all remaining teams will fill out the remaining positions in reverse order by record. The lottery affects draft positions for the first round only. It's affects on teams that are tied and need to rotate every round WILL BE accounted for though.

11.4) THE DRAFT LIST
The Official Draft List will be sent out to the league membership soon after it's compilation (usually soon after the new data disk is released). You need to perform two very important functions that are covered below once you receive the List :

1 - It is each members responsibility to check the list for accuracy, ensuring that none of your players are accidentally on the List. If you do find any of your players on the List you must contact the Commissioner immediately so that he may remove the player(s) and inform the league membership to do the same. If you do not and one of your players is left on the List and is drafted by another team, that team will either keep that player or be awarded your draft pick from the next year that is two rounds higher then the pick they used to select this player, the choice being left to the member who selected the player.

2 - If you find that any un-owned players, rookies or veterans who don't belong to any other member, that are not on the List and should be, you must notify the Commissioner immediately so that he may add the player(s) and inform the league membership to do the same. Any player who should be on the List but is not added in this way by the time the Draft begins will not be eligible to be selected.

11.5a) No team is allowed to own more that 3 Selections in either the 1st Round OR 2nd Round.

During the actual Draft itself, no team may break this Rule for any amount of time. Only a multi team trade announced at the same time that nets you back within compliance of this Rule could be allowed "during the Draft itself".

Before or After the Draft itself, should a team acquire via trade pick(s) in either of these two rounds that give them four or more selections in EITHER round, they have 72 hours to trade selections in either/both of the rounds they have more then three in to get back to the maximum of three in either round limit. If this time expires without the necessary actions being taken to correct the numbers, the trade(s) made involved that caused this situation will be declared null and void and be immediately reversed.

Should trades made with less that 72 hours before the Draft begins that puts a team over the limit for either round, that team must trade their extra picks BEFORE the Draft begins, regardless of how little time they have. If this time expires without the necessary actions being taken to correct the numbers, the trade(s) made involved that caused this situation will be declared null and void and be immediately reversed. Once the Draft begins, no trades may be made that push a team over three picks owned in either the 1st or 2nd Round.

The above Rule is in place to help ensure no one team monopolizes the Rookie Draft, and thus unrealistically shifts the fair power structure of the league as this is a time proven tactic exercised by many in many leagues over many years of these type leagues.

11.5b) No team is allowed to own less than two picks in the next years drafts first four rounds. They do not need to own their own selections necessarily, but they must own at all times at least two picks in the first four rounds of the following years draft.

Before or After that Draft, should a team make trades that take them below this minimum limit, they have 72 hours to acquire enough picks to met this requirement. If this time expires without the necessary actions being taken to correct the numbers, the trade(s) made involved that caused this situation will be declared null and void and be immediately reversed.

Should trades made with less that 72 hours before the current years Draft Begins take place that puts a team under this limit on next years selections, that team must acquire the necessary picks BEFORE the Draft begins, regardless of how little time they have. Should the Draft begin and they are still under the required limit of next years selections, the trade(s) made involved that caused this situation will be declared null and void and be immediately reversed.

The above Rule is in place to help ensure that no one team total destroys it's future ability to rebuild. It is especially designed to protect against a member selling out it's future for "this year", and then leaving, thus sticking the league with a team that is often old, devoid of talent, and few if any worthwhile picks in place to begin rebuilding. these teams are incredibly hard to fill with competent new members.

12.1) A total of 11 confirming votes (out of 16 members) are required to amend the rules as stated in this constitution. First-year members will not vote. If the full 16 member complement will not be voting in a given year, a propotional percentage of the voting members will be required to amend the constitution. All results, including how each team voted, will be emailed to the league promptly after the voting deadline.

12.3) All members may submit rule proposals to the commissioner by his given date. All proposals must be placed on the ballot. If two or more overlap or conflict each other then a run off of these will be required.

Before Drafting begins, all current teams will send in a list of 20 Players they own to protect, though no more than 2 from any of these positions may be protected :

NOTE #1 : Players Listed as OL, DL, LB, and/or DB, must have their main position declared by you on your list and they then count towards that Position's 2 Player Protected Max.

NOTE #2 : A players position is determined by what he was listed as on the NFL Disc used during the most recent season. These players will considered "protected", and not be exposed in the upcoming Expansion Drafts.

1st DRAFT PHASE : Expansion Teams will use the Current League Disc to select 33 players from the un-owned player pool. The Draft Order will be determined by a random "pull from the hat", and the draft itself will be serpentine in nature (the team selecting first in the 1st Round will select last in the 2nd, first in the 3rd, and so on...).

2nd DRAFT PHASE : Each Expansion Team will then make 20 Selections from the remaining owned players who are not protected. Only 1 Quarterback can be selected off any existing teams list of unprotected players, and once an existing team loses 5 Players from it's unprotected list, it's remaining players become protected and are no longer available. The Draft Order will be the opposite of what it was in the 1st Phase Draft.

At this point, each Expansion Team will be fully stocked with 53 Players and may participate in Off Season Trading.

3d DRAFT PHASE : During the Regular Draft held every August, Expansion Teams will draft immediately after the Lottery Teams (usually starting in the 5th Overall Position) IF Lottery Teams hold those first four positions. Any team that owns a Lottery Draft Selection, but is not one of those actual teams (in other words, should say the Super Bowl Winner via trade own the team with the 4th Overall Selections pick) will be slotted AFTER the Expansion Teams in every round. The Expansion Teams Draft Order will be the opposite of what it was in the 2nd Phase Draft.

The above is in place in order to ensure those teams that endured a difficult season the year before are not "punished" by the Expansion Process, while at the same time teams that enjoyed success are not "rewarded" at the expense of the incoming Expansion Teams.

14.1) RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS
The commissioner will resolve any conflicts that arise that he determines are not practical for a league vote. Any ruling by the commissioner may be overturned by a league wide veto of at least 11 votes within two weeks of the commissioners decision. Protests are excluded from this however.

14.2) VETO OF TRADES
The commissioner may veto any trade or player acquisition which does not follow league rules or is in his opinion deemed harmful to the leagues welfare.

14.3) LEAGUE MANAGEMENT
The commissioner shall manage league affairs such as finances & dues, the draft, schedules, newsletters & stat reports, backup coaches, expansion, administration of rules and the general operation of the . The commissioner may delegate any of these duties to league members who volunteer as he sees fit.

14.4) DISMISSAL OF MEMBERS
The commissioner may dismiss any league member for not following league rules, non payment of dues, excessive lateness or for operating in a manner not in the leagues best interest in his opinion.

14.5) PROTESTS
Coaches may protest any game that resulted in a loss that may have been reasonably due to the home coaches failure to follow written instructions or line-ups for that game. Failure to follow league rules or use of an illegal player are admissible grounds also. A written report must be sent to both the accused coach and commissioner (who will serve as arbiter) within two weeks of receiving game results. He must list his reasons supporting his protest. The accused coach then as one week to respond. He must do so in writing to both the commissioner and opposing coach. The arbiter will then render his decision which is final. The arbiter will uphold the protest only if in his opinion the decisions made by the defendant might have reasonably affected the outcome of the game. Any upheld protested games must be made up before the playoffs begin. Any protests involving the commissioner and weekly news reporter will be arbitrated by a mutually agreed upon league member.

14.6) MISCELLANEOUS RULINGS
The commissioner shall rule as he sees proper and fair to the situation on anything not specifically covered in this constitution as the need arises.