1. The League is advanced to the next week after 1) All games for the week have been played and I do not know of any further trades or FA signings for that week or 2) It has been one full week since the last advancement. League is advanced as close to 10 PM EST as possible. All players who played that week must have logged onto the league prior to the week advance and all trades must be final by this time or else the games will be simulated and all incomplete trades cancelled. Remember, both players of a game must log onto the league before the results are official.

2. I plan to have the league online Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9:30 PM to 10:30 PM EST. I will have my ICQ on at all times. Always check the main page of this site for my online status or add me to your contact list. If I am on at the above mentioned times then the league will generally be up.  You will need my IP address every time you want to log into the league. I DO NOT Use the EA server to host the league. Therefore the easiest thing to do is add me to your ICQ list and when I am online during league times view the "User Details" for me and find out my IP address at that time. It WILL change every time I am online.

   NOTE: I do make overnight business trips on occasion for multiple days at a time. This may require for the league to be suspended for up to a week. I will notify everyone in advance by e-mail and post it on the Stats & Info page. If you have a problem with being flexible then this isn't the league for you!

    

3. No offensive behavior will be tolerated. If complaints are made by three different members about another's actions I will send (1) warning to the member in question. Any complaints about that member following the warning will result in subsequent eviction from the league.

4. If you cannot play during a particular week let your opponent know. Send a CC to me in case they do not get the original message. I am currently considering the idea of a backup player to play for anybody that cannot make it online during a particular week.

5. Members will not be penalized for missing games. However, if any member fails to play one week and does not contact their opponent or me for a period not to exceed 8 days then I will attempt to contact them. If an additional three days pass without a response that person will be removed from the league.

6. Every member is responsible for contacting their opponent each week. Don't wait for the other player to find you because they might be busy. 

7. As a rule of thumb the player with the fastest connection should host the game and therefore must provide the other player with the correct IP address. Each game is between the two players and does not involve the league. The game can be played any time as long as it is finished and the results posted prior to league advancement. 

        NOTE: If you wish to make trades or sign FA's then you need to play your game as soon as possible in order to
        get your trades through before week advancement.

8. Playoff games will be played on the same schedule as the regular season unless all players involved are in agreement for a faster schedule. There are no prizes for the Super Bowl champion. The winners reward is the self gratification that they beat everybody else.

9. If at any point in the season you wish to leave, please let me know! That way I can remove you and make your team available to others.

10. For a comprehensive understanding of online league play check out the Madden 2001 PC Online Franchise Manual by the Assistant Producer for Madden 2001.

11. Review the league settings.

12. Bump-n-Run: No rules on the Bump, but don't use it every play. If you drop back and look for your receivers and one is tangled up, throw to another. That's the way its supposed to be.
    

13. 4th down: No going for it if your 4th and long (usually over 10) if your ahead by a couple of TDs. If you are winning give it up unless its under 2 yds or you are closer then the 40 yd line to the goal.  If you do go for it, be considerate and pause and tell them in chat. Because as its been said, in real life you'd see the kicking team coming on the field. You can run a fake if you go for it, and you don't have to warn them that your faking.
    

14. Extra point blocking formations: No restrictions.

15. Onside Kick: No onside kicks before the 4th quarter unless down by 2 or more TDs. In the 4th quarter you may do so if behind by any amount.

16. Free Agents: If you did not bid or win the bid for 5 FAs for week 1 you will be allowed 2 FAs in a first come first serve session to be announced after the players that won during bidding sign ONLY the players they bid for. After that your allowed 2 FAs a week on a first come first serve basis after ALL games have been played. You can attempt as many trades as you want with other players, none with CPU controlled teams. As of now we have 18 teams and 18 players. 
    

17. No Offense players on Defense, and no Defense players on Offense

18. No childish antics like pressing buttons during kicks to interfere with the other player.

19. Do not pause the game and select all new audibles or rearrange your entire starting line-up. Do all of this before you connect. Just tell the other guy you'll be a couple of minutes. If you make all the changes while offline they will be communicated to the opponent when you play and to the league the next time you login.
    

20. And last but not least....These rules are subject to change and are not written in stone. I have a job, a house, a wife, 2 kids, and a dog. So if you think the only thing I do is take care of this league you are sadly mistaken. So do NOT give me a load of crap if something doesn't happen the way the rules say it will. I definitely ain't perfect or there'd be no use in having this league cause I'd always win!!