The Giouxch Football League

League Rules 2001 (unofficial-8/17/01)

New for 2001:
The Giouxch Football League will run pretty much the same as it has in the past. There have been some small changes made to the rules, but they are so small that you probably won't even notice most of them. Most of them are clarifications or ways to fill in gaps where no rule previously existed. I've outline them below:

* Protected Players-Players that have been protected from the previous year's roster can be traded to other teams before the draft takes place.

League Format:
As usual, the season will last for 16 weeks including the playoffs; starting on Sunday, September 9, 2001 and ending with the Giouxch Bowl on Monday, December 23, 2001.

Teams will be divided into two divisions of five teams. The divisions are based on last year's team records. Teams whose league standing was an odd number will be in the Division of Bastards and the remaining teams will be in the Division of Assholes. This is how teams are assigned divisions in future years. Following are this year's division assignments:

Each team will play 13 regular season games. This gives every team 2 games against each of their divisional opponents (8 games), and 1 game against each team from the other division (5 games). The season will start on the first weekend of the NFL season, Sunday, September 9, 2001. The last day of the regular season (week 13) is Monday, December 3, 2001. Teams are assigned a schedule based on their divisional seeding.

Playoffs:
At the end of the regular season, the top 3 teams in each division make the playoffs. The two first place teams receive a bye for the first round of the playoffs. The second and third place teams in each division face off for a divisional wild-card game in the first week of the playoffs (the 14th week of the NFL season).

The winners of the wild-card games then face the two regular season division winners in the divisional finals (league semi-finals). Finally, in the third week of the playoffs the two divisional champions face off in the League Championship, The Giouxch Bowl, to determine who takes home the Stein. The two losers in the semi-finals face off for a consolation game to battle for the third place prize money.

Any ties in seeding for the playoffs will be broken using NFL tie breaking as a guide. These are as follows:

1. Best won-lost-tied percentage in head-to-head games

2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division

3. Most points scored ("points for") in division games

4. Most points scored ("points for") in all games

5. Coin toss

To break a tie in a playoff game (except in week 16), each team declares 3 extra players whose scoring counts only if the scores of both teams' game rosters are the same. The team whose extra 3 players scores the most points wins the playoff game. If the score is still tied, then the team with the best regular season record wins the game.

In the week 16 league championship and consolation games, ties are broken by playing another game during week 17. If a tie occurs in week 17, then the tiebreaker procedure described in the above paragraph will be used.

Cost & Prizes:
Each team will submit a franchise fee of 25, 3 for organizational costs and 6 for pre-paid transaction fees for a total of 34. These fees must be paid before the league draft. For ten teams, the franchise fees give us a prize pot of 250. Therefore:

the League Champion wins 125,
the 2nd place team wins 75, and
the 3rd place team wins 50.

To spread some money around and to encourage more trades but fewer free agent signings, transaction fees from free agents signings will go to finance league awards. This is how it works:1.) After the second game of the season (Tuesday, September 18, 2001), a $1 fee will be charged per free agent signing (not including the 2 extra signings that bring rosters from 18 to 20).
2.) The $6 transaction fee means that each team has prepaid for 6 free agent roster moves. If a team doesn't use all 6, it gets money back for what it didn't use; if a team has more than 6 moves, it is billed for the additional moves. Getting some of the money up front ($6) means I don't have to chase down some of you losers (i.e. Gerry) looking for three dollars.
3.) The collected transaction fees will go into a pot for end of the season awards. Sample awards are: highest score during a game; lowest score during a game; best record; highest season point total; most improved team (by record): worst improved team (by record); most points scored AGAINST for the season; most trades; longest winning streak; and longest losing streak. The more money collected the more awards and the bigger amount for the awards.

Rosters:
Each GFL team will start the season with a Team Roster made up of a maximum of 18 "players." After the second week's games (Tuesday, September 18, 2001) 2 additional roster spots will be available, raising the maximum number of players to 20. There are no position quotas on team roster and teams can be composed of any combination of "players." You can have 7 wide receivers and 7 running backs on your team, but you still have to fill your weekly game roster based on position.

Each week a separate Game Roster must be submitted before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Friday (or 4:00 p.m. Thursday if there is a NFL game that night). This roster designates the 9 "players" you want activated and eligible for your "game" that weekend. If a game roster is not submitted, the roster that was submitted the previous week will be used. The game roster is broken down below. The game roster must be filled with the exact number of "players" required at each position and GFL players can only be assigned to play a position that he plays that week in the NFL (i.e. you can only play one NFL quarter back in a GFL game; you can only play two NFL running backs in a GFL game, etc.).

Due to the shortage of quality tight ends, teams will be able to substitute a third wide receiver at the tight end position for seven games during the 2001 season (including the playoffs). Use these substitutions wisely since once you use them up, you must play a tight end.
A warning: it is your responsibility to keep track of your own players. If you play someone who is injured or has a bye week, that is your problem. Be prepared.
GAME ROSTER:

1 Quarterback

2 Running Backs

2 Wide Receivers

1 Tight End (or third wide receiver)

1 Kicker

1 NFL Team Defense

1 NFL Special Team

Scoring:

Scoring is based on the actual scoring and performance of your Game Roster players in their weekly NFL games. Scoring is broken down below:

Touchdowns:
6 points per passing touchdown
6 points per rushing touchdown
6 points per receiving touchdown

Conversions:
2 points per passing conversion
2 points per rushing conversion
2 points per conversion reception

Passing Performance Passing yardage: 200-249=2 pts; 250-299=3 pts; 300-349=4 pts; 350-399=6 pts; 400-449=8 pts; 450-499=10 pts Completions: 20-29=2 pts; 30-34=4 pts; 35-39=6 pts; 40-44=8 pts; 45-49=10 pts

Kickers (K):
3 points per field goal
1 point per point after touchdown
6 points per touchdown (passing, rushing, receiving)
2 points per conversion (passing, rushing, receiving)

Defense (D): points are awarded for defensive scoring and holding the opposing NFL team to a minimum of offensive scoring.
6 points per defensive touchdown
2 points per defensive safety
4 points for holding the opposing NFL team to zero points
2 points for holding the opposing NFL team to 1-5 point(s)
1 point for holding the opposing NFL team to 6-9 points

Special Teams (ST) can only score if your actual NFL special team scores:
6 points per special teams touchdown
2 points per special teams safety

Getting Players:
Teams can fill their rosters four ways: by protecting three players from the 2000 season, drafting, trading, and free agent signings of NFL players. Following is an explanation of the 4 ways to stock your roster.

1. Protecting Players: Each team can keep up to 3 players from the 2000 season. However, the top 42 players (the number 42 comes from 4 rounds of 10 picks and 2 extra spots in case of pre-season injures) listed in The Sporting News' Fantasy Football book cannot be protected (that way each GFL team should get four quality starters in the first four rounds of the draft).

Teams must notify the commissioner of which players (if any) they wish to protect by the protection deadline of Tuesday, August 21, 2001. After August 21, all of the remaining unprotected players enter the 2001 draft pool. Teams can trade players from the 2000 season until the protection deadline.

If teams want to protect less than three players, or no players at all, they will receive compensation draft picks. If you protect only one player you get one pick between the 7th and 8th rounds. If you protect 2 players, you get a second pick between the 6th and 7th rounds. If you don't protect any players you get a third pick between the 4th and 5th rounds. In the event of several teams receiving compensation picks, the selections will follow the same order as the 2000 draft. Protected players can be traded between the protection deadline and the league draft.

2. The Draft: The majority of a team's players will be stocked through the PRESEASON DRAFT. The draft will be done in two ways, just like the last few years. The first few rounds will be done by phone and e-mail from Monday, September 3, to Friday, September 7. I will update the Draft Page of the GFL Web site as much as possible. (Let's try to do a little better than last year.) Everyone usually knows who they want to pick in the first few rounds anyway so it shouldn't be that tough to get a few rounds done early. I will need everyone's work numbers for this.

The main sit down part of the draft is TENATIVELY scheduled for Saturday night, September 8, 2001, at Xxxxx's house in Xxxxxx. A representative from each team should be present. Since we should have gotten a few rounds done earlier in the week, the sit down portion shouldn't take much more than an hour.

The 2001 draft order is based on how teams did in the 2000 season (just like in the NFL). The winner of the Giouxch Bowl (Leafy) picks last and the Giouxch Bowl runner up (Giouxch) picks 9th. Picks 1-8 go in the order (worst selecting first) of the remaining 8 teams' regular season record.

So, here's the order:

1-Gerry

2-Mooka

3-Selvo

4-Howie

5-Mike

6-Huestis

7-Tim

8-Tom

9-Giouxch

10-Leafy

The draft order will go from 1 through 10 for the odd numbered rounds, and 10 through 1 for the even numbered rounds. Since each team is protecting 3 players and needs to stock a roster of 18 "players," there should be around 15 rounds in the draft. Draft picks may be traded, thus a few additional rounds may be necessary. A time limit between picks will be decided on before the sit down portion of the draft.

3. Trading: Another way to get players is by making trades with other teams. To be official, both parties must notify a league official of the transfer of players. Remember, each team roster has a maximum of 18 players to start the season and 20 players after the second week's games (Tuesday, September 18, 2001).

There will be a trading deadline before the 9th week of the season on Friday, November 2, 2001. During the first 8 weeks of the season, trades can be made at anytime. However, players who have been traded after 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Friday are not eligible for that weekend's games. Lastly, in the interest of competition the commissioner reserves the right to void any trades that he deems unfair or one-sided.

4. Free Agents: A third way to get players is through FREE AGENT signings. This will allow good players that emerge during the NFL season to be added to teams, even though they were not drafted. However, remember that there is a $1 transaction fee for each free agent signing beginning on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, after the second week's games. Note: teams will not be charged for the two players they add to raise their rosters from 18 to 20.

Free agent signings take place on a weekly basis. If a team wishes to sign a free agent they must notify the commissioner before 4 p.m. each Thursday. Teams will be notified if they have received their free agents by Friday so they can play them that weekend. In the case of several teams "signing" the same player, the team with the worst win/loss record will receive the free agent. NFL tiebreaker rules will be in effect. Remember, room must be made on team rosters for the addition of the free agents.

If a team wishes to sign more than one free agent during a week, it must give the order of preference for each player in case there is a conflict. If there are multiple conflicts on a given week, the players will be assigned in order similar to a draft, based on team record (worst teams picking first) and the order of preference each team has assigned to its desired free agents.

Free agents can be signed throughout the regular season. However, during the playoffs, a team can only sign one free agent, no matter how many playoff games the team plays in.

Communication:
I will e-mail you all a sheet with the home phone, work phone, fax number and e-mail address of each franchise owner. You have two ways to submit your game rosters, notify about trades and sign free agents. You can call or e-mail Kevin Wynn at home or at work, or you can call or e-mail Michael Wynn. Kevin has time-dated voice mail at home and at work, and Mike has it at his work.

Remember, the sooner you get your game rosters in, the sooner I can fax or e-mail a weekend scoreboard. As for the mid-week scoreboard with final game results and stats, I'll try to get them out by each Wednesday. Of course, you can still call me on Monday or Tuesday to see if you've won.

The Internet Web page is still up and running (no kidding). It will have much of this information on it and other weekly information. Everyone has Internet access and e-mail now, so I won't be printing out hard copies of the weekly scoreboard from Word anymore. However, I will e-mail them as I have done with most of you over the last few years.

Here is how to reach the Commissioner: Kevin J. Wynn
E-mail address: giouxch@yahoo.com
Web page address: http://www.geocities.com/giouxch

The Stein:
The Stein is the property of the league commissioner. Each year the league champion will be awarded the Stein. If we get enough prize money from free agent fees I may buy another award to give out this year. We also have the Gardiner Rodigrass trophy (i.e. the Gerry Donovan Participation Award) for the League's team with the worst regular season record.

Problems & Conflicts:
In the event of conflict or confusion and grey areas about league rules, a number of officials will be available to settle questions or disputes. Kevin Wynn is the COMMISSIONER and will head the league since it was his idea for the league. I will probably not be noticed in this capacity beyond my duties in compiling rosters, scores and stats. However, as mentioned before the commissioner has the power to veto trades and the like that he deems a threat to the competitiveness and fairness of the league.

To solve disputes, a 3 member RULES COMMITTEE will be elected to vote on any questions and conflicts. The members of this committee will be elected during the GFL draft. If a team has a problem or conflict that is not clearly defined, they can pass the question on to the rules committee. If the team is not satisfied with the result, he or she can put the question to a vote of all the franchises. A tie breaking procedure during a franchise vote will have to be determined.