THE GREATER SEATTLE TABLETOP

PRO FOOTBALL LEAGUE

GSTPFL RULES AND BYLAWS UPDATED

March 2009

ADMINISTRATION

LEAGUE STRUCTURE: The Greater Seattle Tabletop Pro Football League (GSTPFL), established in 1980, is currently a 24 team head to head competitive league using the most current updated version of the “Action PC” football game. The GSTPFL operates as a continuous player ownership league.

LEAGUE OFFICERS/OFFICIALS: A league Commissioner and two Conference Presidents shall be officers elected from the membership for one-year terms serving from draft day to draft day. These officers will form the Executive Committee. The Player Personnel Director, Treasurer and League Statistician are officials in permanent positions until those individuals choose to resign.

POWERS: The Committee will decide all disputes arising during the current season. The Committee may invalidate any trade that is considered unreasonable for the competitive balance of the league. Decisions of the Committee shall be based on this document with situations not covered herein to be subject to National Football League rules.

COPYRIGHT LAW: By law, any team playing head to head must own the Action PC football game as well as the current season’s disk.

SCHEDULE AND ALIGNMENT: The league currently has two conferences each with three divisions of four teams that play a 16 game schedule. The division champions and next two top teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs.

SCHEDULING GAMES AND PLAYOFFS: Teams should make every effort by Email and at least once by telephone to contact one another to arrange a playing date by Wednesday each week. Either team may play solo vs. a “computer coach” if contact not established. Home team is ultimately responsible. Games not played in a timely manner will be played by the League Statistician on the “League Computer” using “computer coaches” for both teams by a set deadline weekly. The first game is due two weeks after the draft. (Second Sunday of September)

Teams will be re-seeded after the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.

MONETARY AWARDS AND FEES: In addition to an administrative fee, each team will post a bond that playoff teams will split. The split will pay league fees for the Super Bowl contestants and a portion of fees for the remaining playoff participants. Team dues are the cost of the upgraded disk. Teams shall receive a credit towards dues for money spent on the upgraded season disk. The basic dues will be $ 5.00 per team from all owners to pay for trophies and room rental for the annual draft.

GSTPFL RULES AND BYLAWS – PAGE 2

RULE CHANGES: All new rules and modifications must be submitted in writing or Email to the league Commissioner by the end of the regular season with the league to vote in person at the league meeting in March/April. (Date set by Commissioner) Members may vote by proxy if unable to attend the meeting. Members who intentionally abstain or refuse to vote shall be deemed to have voted against the proposed rule or modification. Rules receiving a 60% approval (15 members) shall be considered passed.

PLAYOFF TIE-BREAKING FORMULA: A revised formula is inserted as the final page (Page 6) of this document. NFL tie-breaking formula will be used to determine playoff teams and draft order with the exception of the provision based on points scored. In case of ties at this point, a one game playoff between the teams involved will be set.

RULES DEFINED: The following “Action PC” rules will be the league standard:

Rules Year (current year)

Season length (16)

Goalposts (end line) -- Miss line (kick spot) – Kickoff line (30)

Home field advantage (ON) – Set at 3 points – (except for Super Bowl)

Two point conversion (ON)

Season fatigue (ON)

Special Teams Usage Penalties (ON)

Game fatigue (ON)

Season fatigue = Mild (110%) – Moderate (120%) – Major (140%)

Game Fatigue = Mild (10%) – Moderate (20%) – Major (30%)

Injury (Normal frequency)

The GSTPFL is a “Draft” league

RULE CHANGE LIMITATIONS: No Action PC rule changes shall be made and incorporated into GSTPFL rules until approved by the vote of the owners. The vote shall be at the March/April meeting with results in effect the following season.

PROTESTS: Protests must be recorded in the play by play (or prior to filing game with League Statistician) to be given future consideration. Games will be replayed if both teams recognize a discrepancy and are unable to reach an equitable solution. If one team chooses to file a formal protest and the protest is upheld by the Executive Committee, then the game will be replayed.

GSTPFL RULES AND BYLAWS – PAGE 3

PLAYERS

DRAFT DAY SET: The annual draft will be held on the last Sunday of August every year unless it is Labor Day weekend in which case the draft will be held on the third Sunday in August.

DRAFT DAY PROCEDURES: The annual Rookie and Free Agent draft will be nine (9) rounds conducted live and in person. Any supplemental picks necessary to bring a team roster to 50 players will be conducted within the two week period following the draft and preceding the opening game.

SUPPLEMENTAL PICKS: Any team not reaching 50 players at the end of the nine (9) rounds of the draft will obtain the necessary players from the Free Agent Pool.

ROSTER/WAIVER CLAIMS/SUPPLEMENTAL PICKS – POST DRAFT/PRIOR TO WEEK 01 FILE: All teams are eligible to sign free agents upon receipt of the Post Draft file by Emailing the Commissioner and Player personnel director. All teams may submit a list of Free Agents they wish to sign and/or cut if the move would make the roster equal to or over 50 players. Each team will receive the first player available from the submitted list upon that team’s turn in the order of selection. Order of selection to be the same as original first round selection based on strength of schedule. In addition, any player selected by only one team shall be awarded to that team. Any dropped player/s must go through a 24 hour ‘claim period’ at which time they will be placed in the Free Agent Pool. Updated ‘League Files’ will be sent daily as necessary. This “cycle”, monitored by two administrators will continue on a daily basis for the two weeks between the draft and the “Week 01” file with all awarded free agents becoming part of the team’s permanent 50 man roster.

LOTTERY ABOLISHED: The GSTPFL will eliminate the basketball type lottery returning to the NFL draft system. The team with the worst won-loss record during the regular season will draft in the first position and the Super bowl participants drafting in the final two positions with the champion drafting last.

DRAFT/TIME LIMIT: A team will have five minutes to make its first round pick and two minutes for each round thereafter. Failure to make a timely selection will result in a pass with the team being given another chance at the conclusion of the round.

ROSTERS/LIMIT: A team is limited to 50 carded players. A carded player is defined by appearing on the current “Action PC” season disk.

ROSTER/WAIVER CLAIMS Any player may be claimed from the free agent pool. A claim is made by Emailing the Commissioner and Player personnel director stating the player to be claimed and the player to be dropped. Claims must be made before midnight Saturday of each week to be activated the following week.

AFTER OPENING DAY: Players claimed after the season starts will be eligible for the playoffs but must be released after the season. No players may be claimed after the trade deadline except to replace an injured player.

GSTPFL RULES AND BYLAWS – PAGE 4

ROSTER SUGGESTED MINIMUMS: It is suggested that each team maintain a minimum number of players by position. A 50 man roster should include at a minimum:

Skill players

QB = 2 – RB = 3 – WR = 3 – TE = 2 (No limit on skill players)

Offensive line

OT = 3 – OG = 3 – C = 2

Defensive line

DE = 3 – DT = 3

Linebackers

ILB = 2 – OLB = 3

Secondary

CB = 4 – S = 3

Special teams

PK = 1 – P = 1

KR =1 – PR =1

In addition, teams should draft or trade for skill players (QBs and RBs) with a minimum 975 passing and rushing attempts. This would cover the historical league average.

Teams should be advised that the NFL has averaged 70 kickoffs to return and an average of 65 punt return-fair catches to cover on their team.

ROSTERS/ SEASON INJURY: In the event of a multiple (more than one) game injury, a team may pick a replacement player from the free agent pool (undrafted players) for the duration of the injury. Upon request, an injured player may be elevated to a “durability 5” upon return to active status after being injured for the amount of games he actually was out the preceding NFL season. The “replacement” player must be released to the free agent pool upon the injured players return to active status.

ROSTER/CUTDOWN: Before the draft, all teams must reduce their active rosters to a maximum of 41 players, fewer if desired. The date for active roster reduction will be August 1. Cut players go into the free agent pool. Any team failing to meet deadline will be penalized a ninth round pick for the first violation and a one round higher pick each succeeding year; appealable to the Executive Committee.

ROSTER/INJURED RESERVE/IR DEADLINE: All teams are allowed a maximum six (6) players on a single IR (Injured Reserve list). Player qualifications for a teams IR list:

A) On a team roster, but not carded. (Not appearing in the current Action PC Database.)

B) Carded on a team roster (in the current Action PC database) but having a durability rating of one (1) or two (2) or a QB with fewer than 10 NFL pass attempts the prior season, regardless of durability rating.

B) Once placed on IR, a player is frozen until the following season.

C) Players in the current draft are not eligible for IR.

D) IR players may be traded but only to another team’s IR list.

E) IR lists are to be submitted by August 1, along with a list of released players.

ROSTER/SKILLED PLAYER LIMIT RESCINDED: Of the 50 players on a roster, there is no limit on offensive skill players. A skill player is defined as QB, RB, WR or TE, excluding punter and Kicker.

GSTPFL RULES AND BYLAWS – PAGE 5

TRADES REGISTERED: Trades will become official when registered in writing (Email) or by phone by both parties with the league personnel director. Trades will be updated and reflected weekly by the league statistician in the “Action PC” weekly file. Once the weekly file goes out, trades will not be enforced until the next week'

TRADES/DRAFT PICKS: Trades involving future draft picks (one ahead of upcoming draft) can be made as of the date the “Action PC” disk is received. (Usually March 15)

TRADES/RESTRICTED: A traded player may never appear in more than 16 regular season games. Example: If a player has appeared in four games and is traded to a team that has played only two games, that player must sit out two games for his new team.

TRADES/COLLUSION: No player can be traded from one team to another and back to his original team without being traded to a third team in the course of a season. No player can be rented or loaned to another team. In addition, any owner that is coaching two teams is prohibited from trading among or between their own teams.

TRADES/EMBARGO: No trades will be allowed after week 10, till the end of the regular season for all teams. In addition, playoff teams are restricted until eliminated or after the super bowl.

GSTPFL revision of the NFL Tiebreaking Procedures

The five postseason participants from each conference will now be seeded as follows:
1. The division champion with the best record.
2. The division champion with the second-best record.
3. The division champion with the third-best record.
4. The Wild Card club with the best record.
5. The Wild Card club with the second-best record.

TO BREAK A TIE WITHIN A DIVISION
Two Clubs
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.

5. Strength of schedule.
6. A playoff game. (Played in “December” at Neutral Field as Exhibition)

Three or More Clubs
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated during any step, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format).
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.

3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.

4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.

5. Strength of schedule.
6. Strength of victory. (Defined as best point differential – PF-PA)

TO BREAK A TIE FOR THE WILD-CARD TEAM
If the tied clubs are from different divisions, apply the following steps.

GSTPFL RULES AND BYLAWS – PAGE 6

Two Clubs
1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
4. Strength of schedule.
5. A playoff game. (Played in “December” at Neutral Field as Exhibition)

Three or More Clubs
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of applicable two-club format.)
1. Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. 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 two Wild-Card participants.
2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
5. Strength of schedule.
6. Strength of victory. (Defined as best point differential – PF-PA)