These are LAW. Please don't think I'm gonna budge. I didn't make this league to compromise. I made this league because I was sick of compromising. I do of course want suggestions, but some of these rules have zero tolerence.   League Guidelines: " Season 2 is made up of 20 teams, playing a 16 game schedule. The league is broken up into 2 Conferences and each team plays every team in their conference, and 1/2 of the other conference. You also have a "Grudge Match" in each conference that you play twice. I try to make your "Grudge Team" personal. Your best friend, your brother - some sort of connection that will make you really pissed if you lose. If that isn't available, I try to use an age-old NFL rivalry. Either way, if it isn't a grudge match now, it will be after you play them twice.   " The top 12 teams will advance to the playoffs. The seedings and payout go as follows: The money above indicates what you're assured if you REACH that point, it doesn't keep adding up. I could've made the SuperBOL winner get a bit more - but I feel it's better to share the wealth a bit. It makes the league much more competitive especially if there's someone mid-season that looks like the obvious SuperBOL winner.   " Team Payscales. Because this league goes 20 deep, there will invariably be "Overmatched" teams. To balance things a bit, I've created a payscale so that in order to get the powerhouses, you will have to pay more. The powerhouses have a MUCH better chance at getting far into the playoffs, so basically - they'll just have to go a bit further to do so. Whereas a $10 team breaks even in the second round, a $15 team will have to go a round further. The payscale is as follows:   The Teams in red (1-10 average) are $25. The Teams in blue (10-15 average) are $20. The Teams in green (15-25 average) are $15  The Teams in black (25+ average) are $10.   Overall Rush Off. Pass Off. Rush Def. Pass Def. Jets 6 2 16 4 2 Packers 7 7 10 7 4 Raiders 7.75 10 2 11 8 Rams 8 1 1 19 11 Patriots 9 12 8 13 3 Bears 10.75 5 20 2 16 Bucs 10.75 13 14 10 6 49ers 12 4 6 18 20 Dolphins 12.25 14 21 5 9 Redskins 12.25 15 30 3 1 Steelers 12.5 21 15 1 13 Seahawks 12.75 8 24 9 10 Eagles 13.75 24 11 15 5 Titans 14.75 6 12 24 17 Bengals 15.25 3 27 12 19 Cowboys 15.5 19 23 8 12 Broncos 16.25 16 5 21 23 Chargers 16.25 18 26 14 7 Saints 17 20 18 16 14 Colts 17.5 11 4 26 29 Chiefs 17.75 9 9 29 24 Browns 18.75 29 25 6 15 Giants 19.25 23 19 17 18 Bills 20.5 28 7 22 25 Vikings 22.25 31 3 27 28 Cardinals 23 32 13 25 22 Falcons 23 22 29 20 21 Jaguars 24 17 17 32 30 Panthers 26 25 22 30 27 Ravens 26.75 26 32 23 26 Texans 28.5 27 28 28 31 Lions 31 30 31 31 32   " Emergencies. In the event of a mid-season emergency that keeps you from completing your season, you will lose your money and everyone will get wins for the entire year for the week they played you. Team Rating points acquired for the games you played will be erased. Unfortunately this means some teams will get a free win where others will not, because you don't play the whole league in the regular season. This is indeed unfair. This is actually happened in Season 1 and turned many curcial losses into wins, reshuffling the playoff picture. When the human element is involved in a league, these things will happen. However, simply quitting the last 3 weeks because your "out of it" will get you MUCH heat. Be a friggin' man and at least use those last 3 games for practice for the following season.   " Unresponsiveness. In the event that a team can't be contacted, or is blowing off their appointments, a judgement will have to be made. You can't just "skip" a week, and pick back up. You can't just say: "Well, give me 2 losses, and I'll continue in week 8". Doesnt' work that way. You're either in or out. It's not fair for some teams to get team rating points against you, and other teams not to. If you can't be contacted for more than a week - you're out. Don't join this league if you will be unreachable for that amount of time.   Game Guidelines: " There will be no set "Schedule" of when you have to play. You will need to get ahold of your oppenents and set up a time. We will work in 2 week increments, and I will update accordingly. Realize that 2 weeks is not real-time. When everyone has played their first 2 games, and I've updated - you're all free to move on to your next 2, etc. I will allow each team to move ahead one 2 week increment while waiting for the update, but no more. Anything more than that, and it's a loss of a testical. LOL. But seriously, be patient guys - have fun.   " Game Set-up. The home team hosts the game. Select "Scrimmage" and you MUST keep "Pro-setting" and "5 Minute Quarter" at the default setting. But now the fun rule: change the weather/time/precipitation however you like. That's right, got Ricky Williams coming to town and you want to make it a sloppy field? Rain it is. Oakland thinks they'll pass for 400 yards against you? Not in the FOG bowl when it's 5 degrees outside. Realize of course the home team has to play there too! You may decide to keep everything perfect. The other variables (game length/difficulty) need to stay uniform across all games for statistical reasons. If you think your opponent changed something (like game difficulty) you can check this in the pause menu within the game. Most everyone will be honest here though. Putting it on All-Star doesn't really HELP anyone. If your happen to have a "Dome" team, you may pick a neutral field, or just accept that you can only change the temperature.   " It's perfectly acceptable to use another team's playbook. You hit "Y" on the team select screen. I know a lot of you are bummed because you can't have your team, but you can certainly have your team's playbook. Uniforms can be changed too, however stadiums must stay as the home team.   " Playing Off-line. A few matches are off-line, and unfortunately NFL2K3 doesn't offer a system link. How insanely stupid is that? Anyway, select "Quick game" and again, home team can change only the weather and day/night conditions. Don't load any new rosters, or import teams - a straight up "Quick Game" and go from there.   The problem of course is the other team can see your plays. You can guard this by hitting "A" on the play you want and holding it down, while going through other plays. I however don't like this because I sometimes like to pick my plays really quick. Where the hell's the Dreamcast VMU when you need it? Anyway, the most fair method of doing this, is looking away when the other team is picking their offensive plays. I've found that holding a calendar in front of your face is the easiest and fastest way to do this, and re-assure your friend you aren't looking. "Must touch the nose" is what we always yell at each other. heh. If you happen to have an actual vinyl "album" these are perfect. Just put it in between you and have 'em pick it up while your opponent picks. Whatever works.   " Statistics will be kept in all games:   Precipitation - Time - Degrees FINAL 1 2 3 4 O F Rush Pass Total AWAY 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 HOME 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Yours/His Longest Run Yours/His Longest Pass Yours/His Longest FG Yours/His Longest Kick Return (personal bests ONLY)   Now read this very close, like 2 inches from the screen: If every these stats are not recorded after the game, the game will not count. There is no wiggle room here. Stats are intregal to this league, and must be recorded. As you can see it's pretty simple, should take an extra 45 seconds. Generally when the game ends, you and your opponent will talk about the game while looking through the stats. Winner is responsible for the stats, although I'd like it if both people did it just for "argument"'s sake. The personal records should only be written down if they're actually a personal best. Also - at halftime of EVERY GAME. Get the rushing and passing stats of each team. This way if there is a disconnect - you can start at halftime. This is CRUCIAL and has saved many people a win. To submit the form you can email me adam@4tvs.com or Instant Message me Adam4tvs.   " Excessive Lag. If lag is deemed unplayable by BOTH players, of course you can quit. Expect the guy winning to whine a bit, but sometimes it's just horrendous. Don't be a dick if you're up. Wait for a bit, but if it's unplayable, start up another game. Realize that lag is going to be part of this. You will have a play screwed up because of lag at some point in this league, that's just life. A game is bound to drop - don't freak out. This is the world we live in and it's unfair. As well the "Divergence" screen is bound to come up and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. Yes, you have to do the entire game over. It sucks. Go yell at Microsoft. Again, without the stats being recorded - the game does NOT count.   " Team Rating. Invariably at the end of the season there will be teams with identical records. The tie-breaker will not be determined by head-to-head matchups, but by your Team Rating average for all 16 games. Your Team Rating is based on how well you move the ball, and how well you KEEP the other team from moving the ball. A simple formula that is more complicated to explain than to understand. Basically:   (Points*10 + total yards) - your opponent's (Points*10 + total yards)    For example: Chicago beats Pittsburgh 31-24, and 295-250 in yards. That makes it 605-490, Chicago gets +115, and Pittsburgh gets -115 for their team rating that week.   Don't worry, I'll be doing the ratings - you don't have to think about it. What this does is make every single yard and point count. This is why stats are such a big deal in this league. Even if you lose a game, you will be rewarded for playing well. In some cases, you may have a better team rating than the winner. Take this for example:   Minnesota beats Green Bay 31-28 in a nail biter, but Favre is a badass and throws for 350 yards. Green Bay's total yards are 372 to Minnesota's 305. 652-615 in favor of Green Bay giving them a +37, and Minnesota a -37 for their team rating. Now realize, that Minnesota got the most important stat: the win...but it wasn't a total loss for Green Bay.   In the end, winning is still everything - but this will keep people from quitting at the end of the game. I friggin' HATE that. Even in a blowout - you'll need to keep trying until the last second. As well, you may opt for the field goal at the end of agame when you're down by 21, just because it's a sure 30 Team Rating points. You have to think of where you are in the standings, and what your team rating is.   Cheating: " I know all of you, this will not be a problem. But if something comes up here's the company line: If you cheat, you're kicked out of the league and lose your money. An alternate for the following season may take your place, or every team gets a win for your entire 16 week schedule. Period. Here are the examples of cheating that are known so far. These will be added to over time:   -Having someone play as you or with you. You have to play the exact same set-up each time. You can't have your friends jump on in the middle of the season, or have someone else play your games. You must also always play with the Xbox Gamertag you give at the beginning of the league, unless approved by me. There's just too much suspicion otherwise. As far as passing the controller to a friend, there's nothing anyone can do to stop that or catch you - but just don't. Play your own game, it's your money - so win it or lose it on your own merits.   -Quitting a game. Each team is allowed 2 emergencies for the season. Shit happens, and you don't deserve to be kicked out of the league because your cat's dying and you have to take him to the vet. But do not use this because you're late for a date or something. Allow a full hour to play a game. You may quit a game if both players agree to, but if you quit without telling the person, or for a non-emergency you will no longer be in the league. Period. Of course I assume you could bribe your opponent so he doesn't tell me...   -Pulling the plug. This is a judgement call, as sometimes there are bad connections, but there are some tell-tale signs on whether it's connection related or on purpose. Don't even think about it. You will be kicked out instantly.   -Trigger-Pulling. Holding the trigger to make the screen zoom in and out, is fine for pulling people offsides, but it is completely illegal for field goals. Now my friends and I will jokingly screw with each other on point-after attempts - but it's not something you pull with someone you don't know. This will be taken very seriously.   -Onside Punters. For some teams, if you put your punter in for an onside kick, you can get it every time. It's a glitch in the game, and is absolutely forbidden. Under no circumstances can you EVER substitute your kicker. If he gets injured, consider yourself lucky - 'cause then you may be able to pull this off - but otherwise - NO, NO, NO.   -Offsides/Delay of Game abusers. This one will get you one big boot in the ass immediatley. In order to make the other guy quit when losing, many assholes prefer the "put the controller down" method on offense, or the "jam the controller into the couch cushions so my defense goes offsides" method to make the game go on infinitely, and make the other player quit. If any of you do this, you will not only be out of the league - I will personally fly to your city and punch you in the face. This bullshit is why I started the league in the first place.   -The Asshole Rule. Also known as the Season 1 Miami Rule. LOL. Constant trash talking, and overall "Dick-headedness" is perfectly legal...but you will not be asked back for the following season. And no, I won't only listen to a sore loser say you're a dick, but if the majority of your 16 games result in some sort of complaint on your attitude - I will make that judgement. I won't kick you out for the current season as you'll have already paid - but I simply won't accept your money for next season. We don't need you.   Finally, I reserve the right to change these rules even in the middle of the season if there is some form of abuse through a loophole. Just as I'm trusting you guys, you'll have to trust me that what I'm doing is in the best interest of the league. So in weeks 12-16, when the "All teams playing Chicago get automatic losses Rule" kicks in - no bitching.   Heh.   -League Meltdowns. If for any reason the majority of you become non-responsive to emails, and refuse to play games - you forfeit your money. Many times in leagues, people start to become inactive and then figure they'll just get all their money back. Not here. Once you're in - you're in. No refunds. Enough already - let's play ball...