USFFL CONSTITUTION:
OPERATION:
Commissioner: Jason Goldberg, handles the day to day operations of the league including; website hosting/updating, recruiting new/replacement GMs, constitution, end of the season team drafts, league backup files & receiving/importing game results and boxscores.
Co-Commissioner: Paul Conti, Moderator for the USFFL YUKU Board & creating league & team statistical reports after each week of play.
GAME: The USFFL Year VIII - 2007 Season will utilize the Strat-o-matic Computer Football game.
REQUIREMENTS: SOMFB Computer Version 8.00e, 2007 Rosters, Email, Yahoo Instant Messenger & a YUKU Membership. There is a $5.50 USD or CDN per year fee to participate in this league. The fee covers the costs associated with the following league items: 1) championship and coach of the year plaques, 2) Yuku Board - Gold membership, 3) Additional bandwidth to support our website & 4) shipping/insurance costs for 1).
LEAGUE STRUCTURE: The USFFL is a "STOCK" team, continuous ownership league. All 32 NFL teams participate. There are no trades allowed. There are no Annual Player Drafts. Each Head Coach operates his own NFL affiliated franchise as carded by Strat-o-matic each year with no adjustments. ALL games are to be played live using the Net Play feature.
LEAGUE FORMAT: We will be using a 16 game regular season schedule and a playoff system identical to the actual NFL set-up. The league will use all NFL rules as it pertains to any tie-breakers unless explicitly written in the constitution.
SWITCHING FRANCHISES: The USFFL uses a ranking system DURING THE REGULAR SEASON to distribute OPEN teams. An OPEN team may become available if a Coach has been removed from the league OR if a Coach has decided to drop from the league. The ranking order is shown in the Head Coach Directory link of our USFFL website. Any Coach that switches teams will be placed at the bottom of the list. In the OFF-SEASON, a head coach may switch teams by either 1) trading with another owner or 2) by entering the team draft. Each head coach at the beginning of the season will be given an opportunity to enter this team draft. The draft order for this team draft will be based on the order in which head coaches appear in the Head Coach Directory Link of our USFFL website. The higher the head coaches name appears on this table, the higher your preference has earned over time. The overall object of this rule is to allow head coaches some flexibility & choice in switching teams over time.
LEAGUE SPORTSMANSHIP: The USFFL is about having fun - WIN OR LOSE. This league will have a zero tolerance policy for any Head Coach that cannot respect their peers nor the rules of this league. All conflicts will be decided by the commissioner and his words are final.
THREE PUNTS AND YOU ARE OUT!: Any coach in the USFFL that fails to meet three deadlines during the season will be instantly removed from the league. A missed deadline is considered an act of non-communication to both the commissioner and their opponent on any given week. If you cannot participate in any given week of play you must contact your opponent and the commissioner in advance to advise of your situation so a replacement coach can be assigned. Failure to communicate will penalize that coach a PUNT. Three punts & you are out! In order to improve communication, the commissioner will distribute & update a telephone # directory for each head coach of the USFFL.
GUIDELINES/EXPECTATIONS EACH WEEK FROM EACH GM:
1) Games are to be completed by the deadline. If an extension is needed a request should be made to the commissioner at least 1 day prior to the deadline otherwise the game may be simulated. If you are having a difficult time reaching your opponent please try to use the telephone directory instead of email. If this does not work, please contact the commissioner at least 1 day prior to the deadline otherwise the game may be simulated.
2) The result POST file is to be sent via email to the commissioner by the HOST team immediately after the game is completed.
3) The NON-HOST team emails me immediately after the game has been played indicating this fact.
4) I will send back an email confirmation to the HOST & NON-HOST teams indicating that I have received the results. If you are playing your game on the deadline day, send me an email message indicating the start time and time zone.
5) The WINNING coach posts a game summary at the YUKU board no later than 1 day after the deadline.
6) Any GM that cannot meet the above guidelines will be immediately removed from the league.
LEAGUE OPTIONS TO BE VERIFIED PRIOR TO LAUNCHING THE GAME:
PENALTIES - YES,
PLAYER OVERUSAGE - YES - 150% (REGULAR SEASON) - NO (PLAYOFFS)
QB END RUN LIMITS - YES,
QB OVERUSAGE - YES - 150%
RUNNING BACK FATIGUE - YES,
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE - YES,
LINEBACKER IN RUN CONTAINMENT - YES,
USE INDIVIDUALIZED FUMBLE RATINGS - YES,
DO NOT ALLOW EXCEEDING LONGEST RUN - YES
DO NOT ALLOW EXCEEDING LONGEST RECEPTION - YES
DUMPOFF RULE - YES
UPDATED SACK RULE - YES
IN-GAME REST SYSTEM - NO
EMPHASIZE 6-RATED LBS - YES
GREAT PLAYER IMPACT RULE - NO
LOOSER SUBSTITUTION RESTRICTIONS - NO
EMPTY FLAT PASS = GUESSED WRONG - YES
USE VARIABLE FG RULE = YES
INJURIES - MULTIPLE GAME INJURIES
RULES THROUGH THE YEARS - USE CURRENT RULES
MANDATORY LEAGUE OPTIONS TO BE VERIFIED BEFORE KICKING OFF:
AUTO SAVE AFTER EACH PLAY - YES
GAME PLAY RULES (NEW IN YEAR V):
1)
Running Backs must play the position they are rated for thus, a HB rated
for HB and FB can play both. Any
formation that requires a FB/BB must use one, for example; the PRO
FORMATION requires a HB and a FB and does not allow two HBs.
2) Wide Receivers – In 3 WR & 4 WR formations, a teams 3rd and 4th WR must be the two weakest WRs on the team. The term weakest will be defined as the two WRs that have the least receptions from that teams WR Group. If you notice a problem during a game, let your opponent know so they may adjust their formations immediately before continuing game play.
3) Once your Starting QB is relieved by the back-up QB, he may not return to the game unless the substitution was due to an in game injury. Once your back-up QB is relieved by the third string QB, he may not return to the game unless the substitution was due to an in game injury. This will prevent the unrealistic use of QB specialist during the game, for example; bringing in your FP strong QB and then replacing him repeatedly for your SP and/or LP strong QB.
TIE BREAKERS: Any tie-breakers will be settled by using the real NFL rule procedures.
INJURIES: Injuries stated in the game are to based on the number of Weeks missed and not the number of games missed. Injuries do carry over into the Playoffs.
RULE & LEAGUE CHANGES: New rules and/or new league format changes require 51% approval while changes to existing rules and/or existing league format require 75% approval.
USFFL SUPERBOWL: The winner of the USFFL 2007 SUPER BOWL - Year VIII & USFFL 2007 COACH OF THE YEAR - YEAR VIII, will be presented a plaque for their outstanding accomplishment. The plaque will be issued to the Head Coach in the off-season.
USFFL COACH OF THE YEAR: This tournament will be held for Non-Playoff teams only. Entrance will be given to those teams in the USFFL that have performed better than their actual affiliated NFL teams record in the season. Tie-breakers will be settled by this ranking order: 1) Head to Head 2) Strength of Schedule and 3) Points Differential. Only current members can participate. If more than one team per conference qualifies the commissioner will create a playoff tree. The plaque will be issued to the Head Coach in the off-season.