constitution

League Dues
Each season, dues totaling $20.00 will be due following the season. Dues may increase from year to year based on
the financial outlook of the league. To date, the league dues have never increased from the inaugural season. League
Dues are non-refundable.

Team Rosters
Each team can carry 45-55 active players on their roster. If a team is short of the required minimum of 45 players by
the roster due day, the commissioner will assign him the necessary players to fill out his roster. These players will be
released without compensation after the NQFL Super Bowl.

Roster Limits
Active Players: 2010: Active Players: 45 minimum - 55 maximum. 2011: Active Players: 40 minimum - 50 maximum.

Inactive Players: 2010 and 2011: 5 maximum.
These players count toward position minimums explained below. Inactive players with a salary of $1M or less do not
count against the team's salary cap.

Injured Reserve: 2010: 6 maximum. 2011: 5 maximum.
Injured reserve players do count against the team's salary cap.

Rookies: No limit. These are the players you draft in April. Rookies are given contracts after they are drafted.
Contracts for rookies are for up to 6 years in their initial contract.

Expansion Teams: First year expansion teams are permitted to carry an additional 6 inactive players for their first
season only. First year coaches are not considered expansion teams.

Roster Cuts: Players in their initial contract are eligible to be cut by a set date. Owners have the option to release
players from their contracts due to salary cap concerns by the cut date.
Teams that opt to make cuts after the cut date will be required to apply 25% of that player's contract against their cap
for that season.
Players that play 8 games or less in the NFL, or are not 'carded' by Action! PC may be cut at any time without
penalty. Players acquired by free agency that do not meet this criteria have 50% of their remaining contract applied,
before or after the cut date.
The cut date is usually on or around July 1st.

Position Minimums
At the beginning of each season you must have the following number of players for each of the positions listed below:
QB- 2 DT- 3
RB- 4 DE- 3
WR- 4 ILB- 3
TE- 3 OLB- 3
OT- 3 CB- 4
OG- 3 S- 4
C- 2
1 Kicker with 16 attempts.
1 Punter with 40 punts.
1 Kickoff Returner with 16 returns OR 19.9 or less average with no touchdowns.
1 Punt Returner with 16 returns OR 9.9 or less average with no touchdowns.
Note: H-Backs count as either a running back or a tight end.
Your complete team, with the platoons filled out in full, is due to the commissioner by the date he specifies before the
season begins. The commissioner will combine all team files into the Master Disk for redistribution out to the league.
This disk will be used for all NQFL games. No changes are to be made to the disk unless requested by the
commissioner.

Salary Cap
The Not Quite Football League uses a modified version of the NFL's salary cap as follows:
Re-signed Players: Each year, every coach may retain up to two of his own free agents by agreeing to a new contract
from one to four years at a 15% increase from their previous salary upon that contract's expiration.
Restricted Players: Each team may also designate two 'franchise' players upon those contract's expiration. The team
will then have the option of matching the highest free agency bid on those players.
Player Retention: Each team will keep their full roster with the exception of players whose contracts have expired.
Inactive Players: Any inactive player with a salary of $1M or less is excluded from their team's cap total. If the team's
cap room permits, players may be removed from the inactive list during the season and activating their salary against
the cap.
Salary Cap: 2010 season total is set at $139,700,000.

Player Edits
By the due date given each year by the commissioner, each team may designate one player on the offensive line, and
one player on the defense to have a position edit. Players may be altered in the following ways:
A tackle or guard or center may be changed to an OL.
A tight end or fullback can be changed to an H-back.
A defensive end or defensive tackle may be changed to a DL.
An inside linebacker or an outside linebacker may be changed to a LB.
A defensive end or an outside linebacker may be changed to a DE/LB.
A cornerback or a safety may be changed to a DB.
Players are given this designation for one season, and then are returned to their Action! PC game position upon the
following year's release.

Transactions
Trades are to be reported to the commissioner. All trades made must wait 48 hours after being posted to the league
website before they are official. Additional trades negotiated with players or draft picks just acquired are not valid until
the 48 hour window passes.
If four or more owners challenge a trade within that 48 hour period, the trade will be reviewed by the commissioner and
his trade officer. They will make the final decision regarding a disputed trade. The commissioner may also veto any
trade or player acquisition which does not follow league rules or is in his opinion deemed harmful to the league's
welfare.

Trading:
The trading season is determined by the commissioner. Trading is not allowed between the due date of final roster
disks and the completion of the Super Bowl.
Trades are unofficial and are not posted to the website until both coaches have paid their dues in full for the current
season.
Should an injury reduce a team's roster below the 50 player minimum active roster, that team must remain short for the
duration of the injury. A team can move a player from their inactive roster to bring their roster back to 50, the player
may not be moved back to the inactive roster once activated.
Players signed as free agents may be traded without penalty, but the contracts for those players still apply with their
new team. Make sure you review a player's contract before you execute a trade.
Players that are 'commissioner assigned' cannot be traded. They were assigned to your team to fill a specific need.

Free Agency:
Owners may not exceed their salary cap while bidding during each session. Total bids added up cannot be higher than
the bidding team's cap space. The penalty for bidding more than a team's cap space allows is to void all bids for that
session for that team.
Bids will be divided up by position within each of the rounds. Coaches will note how many players at each position
they want, and will be awarded a maximum of that many players at the position based on how many they designate.

Example:
QB (2)
Drew Henson -$dollars x 4 years = $XX
Tom Brady - $dollars x 4 years = $XX
Duante Culpepper - $dollars x 4 years = $XX

Teams may bid on as many players as they want as long as they have the cap space available, even if they only want
two, in the example above, they must have space to place bids on all 3.
Team owners of restricted Free Agents have 24 hours to match the high bid or the high bidding team is awarded that
player. Owners can also decline to match anytime before the 24 hours are up, but they cannot change their mind, so
they should be sure.
If an owner declines to match a restricted free agent, he receives a draft pick as compensation from the new owner of
the player. A bid of $10 million a year or more would cost the new team a first-round pick if the former team declined to
match. A bid of $7 million to $9.99 million would be a second-round pick. A bid of $5 million to $6.99 million would be
a third-round pick. A bid of $4 million to $4.99 million would be a fourth-round pick. A bid of $3 million to $3.99 million
would be a fifth-round pick. A bid of $2 millionto $2.99 million would be a sixth-round pick. A bid of $1 million to $1.99
million would be a seventh-round pick. Any bid lower than $1 million would be an eighth-round pick. It is important to
note that all picks given would have to be in the following draft, and owners may not negotiate the compensation. A
team without an appropriate pick in the next draft would be unable to bid in that salary range. A higher pick could be
substituted, but not a lower pick or a combination of picks.
Owners may want to consider making at least a minimum bid on their own restricted free agent in the event no one
else bids on them. Restricted free agents who are not bid on at all will be offered to their original team for one season
at a 15% increase from the previous year. If declined the player goes into the general pool and the high bidding team
signs the player.
Owners who bid on a restricted free agent have the highest bid, then they are the high bidder, and it counts as one of
the players they stipulate for that position. If the original team matches that high bid, then that's the risk taken to bid
on that player.
Free agency bidding is done via a blind email bid for each session. Players must be bid on using their full names. J.
Walker would not be accepted, instead it should be Javon Walker. Bids are required to be submitted in the format of
the example above.

There are nine free agent session each offseason:
Session One: Defensive backs rated 8 or higher, wide receivers with 80 or more receptions, and tight ends with 55 or
more receptions. Restricted players at these positions are also bid on during this session. Kickers and punters who
are restricted are bid on during this session as well.
Session Two: Offensive and defensive linemen rated 8 or higher. Restricted players at these positions are also bid on
during this session.
Session Three: Linebackers rated 8 or higher, quarterbacks with a 80.0 rating or higher and 200 or more attempts, and
running backs with 900 or more yards rushing. Restricted players at these positions are also bid on during this
session.
Session Four: Defensive backs rated 6 to 7, wide receivers with 45 or more receptions, and tight ends with 30 or more
receptions.
Session Five: Offensive linemen rated 5.5 to 7, and defensive linemen rated 6 to 7.
Session Six: Linebackers rated 6 or 7, quarterbacks with a rating of 60.0 or higher and 200 or more attempts, and
running backs with 300 or more yards rushing.
Session Seven: All remaining defensive backs, wide receivers, and tight ends.
Session Eight: All remaining offensive and defensive linemen.
Session Nine: All remaining linebackers, quarterbacks, running backs, kickers and punters.

Due dates for each session are determined annually by the commissioner.

Owners will submit bids for the amount and length of contract. The minimum bid is $125,000 per year.
Whichever owner offers the highest overall contract will be awarded the player.
For example: If one owner offers $1 million a year for 2 years and another owner offers $700,000 a year for three years,
the second owner signs the player because he offered a total contract of $2.1 million and the first owner offered a total
contract of $2 million.

When an owner signs a player, that player is contracted to his team for the duration of the contract. Up to four years.
After the end of the contract, the player again becomes a free agent. If a coach cuts a player before the contract is up,
he is immediately charged 50% of the remaining contract against the current year's cap.
For example: If a player is signed for $700,000 a year for 4 years and is cut after the first year, the team is charged
$1,050,000 against his cap for that year, or 50% of the remaining $2.1 million due over the next three years of the
contract.

Players cut due to retirement and/or an injury that causes them to miss more than eight NFL regular-season games in
one season and/or players that are not "carded" by the Action! PC game (considered to be retired) are exempt from
contract termination penalties at all times during the off season, after they have been on an NQFL team for one
season. If a player is signed in free agency and cut before the season begins, the team will be subject to the penalty.

Players signed as free agents may be traded without penalty, but the contract still applies with the new team. Make
sure you know a player's contract status before you trade for him.

Players cut who do not have a card on the Action! PC disk are not eligible to be bid upon in free agency.

Bids are sent to the commissioner and his free agency officer. The commissioner and free agency officer send their
bids to each other first, and then the bidding is opened up to the league. If bids are not submitted by the deadline, they
will not be accepted.

Results are usually sent out the same evening the bids are due, and rosters are updated accordingly. Team owners
are responsible for keeping track of their salary cap space.

The subject line of your email for bids must read the following way: NQFL Free Agent Bids for: Your full team name
(city and nickname, please). Session #
For example: NQFL Free Agent Bids for: California Cavalry. Session #2

Draft Day
This is a reverse order draft of 'draft eligible' college players, or players who've played in any other professional leagues
but have not played in the NFL at any point prior to this day.
The first three rounds of the draft are held one week before the NFL draft.
The last five rounds of the draft are held one week after the NFL draft.
Expansion teams draft first in all rounds of their inaugural draft. First year coaches are not considered expansion
teams.

Player Usage
Players usage is unlimited in the regular season (except for trick plays), but subject to the fatigue function built into
the game. Season fatigue will be turned on for the regular season with the following limits: Mild - 110%; Moderate -
120%; Major - 140%.
Game fatigue will be turned off. Special teams usage penalties will be turned on. Quarterback game usage will be
turned off.

Injuries:
Injuries are kept track of by the game. In the event that a team is depleted by injuries at a specific position, the owner
will be allowed to 'sign' the best remaining players in the free agent pool. Players signed in this case are considered
'commissioner assigned' and are released, without compensation, the following offseason.

Trick Plays:
Players are limited to their actual NFL number of any particular trick play attempts over the course of the season. Trick
plays called by the computer coach do not count against a player's limits.
Trick Plays include the following:
Endaround (rushing play by wide receiver or tight end)
Reverse (rushing play by wide receiver or tight end)
Tick Pass (passing play by any player other than a quarterback. When you choose this play you are selecting the
passer, the computer determines the intended receiver.)
Double Reverse (rushing play by wide receiver or tight end - or a running play by a running back in which a wider
receiver/tight end touches the ball during the play, not including fumbles)
Fake Punt (rushing or passing by the punter, game does not have the option to run with the blocking back)
Fake Field Goal (passing by the kicker, or running or passing by the holder.

Setting up your team disk
Fill out your platoons.
Click on Rosters from the main Action! PC screen.
Select your team.
Fill out all seven offensive and defensive platoons, and the special teams platoon. Filling the Depth tab is optional.
In your roster screen, click on Computer Coach.
Program your offensive and defensive coach.
Modify your player usage, if necessary.
Double check your roster and platoons to make sure there are no players missing, and that all platoons are filled out in
full.
Return to the main Action! PC screen.
Click on Utilities at the top and select Export Coaches.
Double click your team to mark the team (it will be marked with a *)
Choose your destination folder. (I recommend creating a 'coach' file in your C: drive)
Click on Begin Export.
Email your coach file to me. It should look like California.COA - you don't have to zip this file, but it wise to do so to
reduce file corruption.

Stadiums
All teams have customized stadiums with stadium names, wind and precipitation levels, and weather patterns. All
stadiums are set at a home field advantage of 2.

Playing your game
Only the Action! PC Football game in it's most current version is allowed for Not Quite Football League games. Only
the master disk from the download page is allowed to be used for league games.
Games may be played head-to-head against another Not Quite Football League member in person or via the internet,
solo against the default computer coach, or with the opposing team's computer coach sent to you.
Home and Away teams remain in place during solo games. At the start of any solo game, before any plays are called,
the host coach must make any requested substitutions, if any, for the opposition's starting units. During the remainder
of the game, the host coach must follow any stated instructions (limits, substitutions, etc...), if any, given by the
opposing coach. These instructions and computer coach must be sent to the commissioner to be passed on to the
host coach.

Game configuration and play:
Setting up our league rules structure
First you should create a folder on your C: drive where you are going to be exporting your completed game files. So be
sure that is ready before the season begins.
On the main Action! PC menu screen, click on Active Season and select the NQFL folder you have placed the master
disk the commissioner sent out.
Be sure to click on Expanded for the Box Score option before you click on Save Changes and exit.
Next, back on the Action! PC menu screen, click on Organize then Rules to begin setting up your Not Quite Football
League configuration as follows:
Rules Year = 2006
Season Length = 17
Goalpost Location = Endline
Field Goal Miss Line = Kick Spot
Kickoff Line = 30
League Type = Draft
The following options should be check marked:
Homefield Advantage
Use Actual Stadium should be selected in the drop down below that.
Two Point Conversions
Injuries
Normal Frequency should be selected in the drop down below that.
Season Usage Penalties (all season usage penalties should be set to 110% for mild, moderate, and major).
The remainder of the Check Boxes should be unchecked. The NQFL does not use the game's Ten Minute Ticker,
Allow Audibles, Game Usage Penalties, Special Teams Usage Penalties, Quarterback Game Usage Penalties, or
Game Fatigue.
The Minutes/Quarter drop down should always be set to 15 minutes.
Replay Challenges should be currently set to two.

To play a league game:
Review pages 31 and 32 of your User Manual for information on setting up your internet connection.
Click on the green Play button.
Make sure the Current Week is correct.
Find your game and click the 'Unplayed' word next to your game. This will change it to "Play Next."
Click on Play near the upper right hand corner to play the game.
Review the Game Preferences to sure of the following:
Team coaches are set to the appropriate Human or Computer setting.
Game Type is set to League.
Box Score Type is set to Expanded.
The correct stadium is selected.
The appropriate month is selected.
Most of the other options are user preferences, such as game speed, logo display, game display (horizontal or
vertical), and video options.
Play Clock should be unchecked.
Click on OK, make the coin toss selection and play your game.

Plays from scrimmage:
Hurry Up/Slow Down Offense may be used any time.
Onside Kickoffs have no limits.

After your game:
At the completion of the game, the Game Done box will appear.
Make sure the Expanded option is selected under Box Score Type.
Box Score and Play By Play are automatically saved for League Games. Saving 'Game Film' is options.
Click on Exit.
Cancel the schedule screen that is still up with the other games left to play.
Click on Utilities on the toolbar menu.
Double click on the game you have just completed, it should be the last one on the list. This will mark the game with a
*.
Browse for and double click the folder you created for game exports.
Then click on the Begin Export button, and then OK when the Export Complete box appears.
On the main Action! PC menu screen click on Team Stats button to pull up the Team Reports box.
Highlights your team and double click your latest game.
In the Boxscore click up on file and select Disk and save it in the same folder as the stat file you exported.
Zip the exported game file (XBX file) and the box test file (TXT file) together from the folder you saved them to.
If you are sending a write up, include that in the body of the email and attach the zipped file and send them to me.
Game files are due to the commissioner no later than 11 PM Eastern time / 8 PM Pacific time on Sunday at the end of
the league week.
Extensions requests are reviewed case by case.

Write-ups:
Regular Season: Optional, but recommended.
Postseason: Required

Updating your league disk:
Every week I will send out a notice that the new disk has been posted to the website.
You must update your NQFL folder each week with the new disk.

Altering, sending, & receiving coach files:
You can adjust your coach file, or your lineups each week after you have completed your game and send that to me to
update for the following week. These are due by 11 PM Eastern deadline set for game files.
You may not just send an updated file to your opponent.

Away game instructions:
If an owner is unable to play head to head for that week, they can send a set of instructions and an updated coach file
to the commissioner which would then be passed on to the host owner.
The coach file and instructions would be due no later than Wednesday of the week that game is scheduled. For two
week durations (such as Christmas) those would be due by the second Wednesday.
If no files are received, the host owner my proceed to play the game using his best judgment. Any decisions made for
the computer coach (substitutions, aggression change, limits, etc..) must be made in the best interest of the computer
coach in order to win the game.
If the home team does not show at an agreed time and day set, the visiting team, with the exception of playoff games,
can contact the commissioner for permission to coach the game one day later, if all reasonable attempts to reach the
home owner fail, against the computer coach.

Post-Season Play
The league is divided into two conferences. Two division winners, and the two teams with the best records from each
conference qualify for the playoffs.
First Round: Each conference: #4 seed at #1 seed & #3 seed at #2 seed.
Second Round: Conference championships.
Super Bowl: Conference champions at a neutral site, with homefield advantage turned off.

Player Limits in Postseason Play:
For the postseason, season fatigue will be turned off, but game fatigue will be turned on.

Championship Trophy:
A trophy will be designed, purchased and mailed to the new champion by the commissioner each year.

Rule Proposals
All Not Quite Football League owners may submit rule proposals to the commissioner by the due date determined
upon the completion of the championship game. All proposals must be placed on the ballot.
The voting on the rules will take place before off-season activity such as trades, the draft, and free agency begin.
A total of three-fourths confirming votes of the league members are required to amend or remove an existing rule, or
introduce a new rule to the league constitution.

Fine Table
If a player is over used by more than 5% of their Not Quite Football League limits, that player will become a free agent
the following off-season.
Late games without an extension: Game is autoplayed, and both owners are fined $250,000 from their salary cap
space for each occurrence.
Late roster/team disks: $750,000 the first day and $250,000 from team's salary cap space each day thereafter.
These fines are in place as an incentive for you to complete your commitments to the league and other owners on time
and to not overuse your players.

Powers of the Commissioner
Resolution of Conflicts: The commissioner will resolve any conflict that arise that he determines are not practical for
a league vote. Any ruling by the commissioner may be overturned by a league wide veto of at least 14 votes within two
weeks of the commissioners decision. Protests are excluded from this however.

Veto of Trades: All trades are subject to the approval of the commissioner. The commissioner may veto any trade or
player acquisition which does not follow league rules or is in his opinion deemed harmful to the leagues welfare.

League Management: The commissioner shall manage league affairs such as finances & dues, the draft, schedules,
newsletters & stat reports, backup coaches, expansion, administration of rules and the general operation of the NQFL.
The commissioner may delegate any of these duties to league members who volunteer as he sees fit.

Dismissal of Members: The commissioner may dismiss any league member for not following league rules, non
payment of dues, excessive lateness or for operating in a manner not in the leagues best interest in his opinion. No
refunds are given to a coach who is removed or quits.

Protests: Coaches may protest any game that resulted in a loss that may have been reasonably due to the home
coaches failure to follow written instructions or line-ups for that game. Failure to follow league rules or use of an illegal
player are admissible grounds also. A written report must be sent to both the accused coach and commissioner (who
will serve as arbiter) within two weeks of receiving game results. He must list his reasons supporting his protest. The
accused coach then as one week to respond. He must do so in writing to both the commissioner and opposing coach.
The arbiter will then render his decision which is final. The arbiter will uphold the protest only if in his opinion the
decisions made by the defendant might have reasonably affected the outcome of the game. Any upheld protested
games must be made up before the playoffs begin. Any protests involving the commissioner will be arbitrated by a
mutually agreed upon league member. Autoplayed games are not subject to protests.

League Realignment: The commissioner may, at his discretion, realign up to four (4) teams per year to geographic
standards. The goal is to move the owners within the same time zone, or to the nearest time zone, together so that
league owners will be able to schedule their games easier. A Realignment move may be protested by any of the moved
teams. Protested moves will initiate a league vote, and a 75% vote against the move is needed to over turn.
Alignments involving more than 4 teams would require a league wide vote during the annual voting to approve the move.

Miscellaneous rulings: The commissioner shall rule on anything not specifically covered in this constitution as the
need arises.

Owner's responsibility
Payment of dues constitutes an agreement that the owner has read and accepts the constitution as the rule of this
league. Dues are non-refundable.

NQFL Playoff Tie breaking Procedures
Division Ties- Two Clubs
1 -Head-to-Head (best won-lost 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 Conference if applicable.
4 -Best net points in division games.
5 -Best net points in all games.
6 -Best net TD's in all games.
7 -Last team not to make the playoffs.
8 -Coin toss.

Three or More Clubs
Note : If two clubs remain tied after other clubs are eliminated during any step, tie-breaker reverts to step #1 of
two-club format.
1 -Head-to-Head (best won-lost 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 Conference if applicable.
4 -Best net points in division games.
5 -Best net points in all games.
6 -Best net TD's in all games.
7 -Last team not to make the playoffs.
8 -Coin toss.

Wild-card Ties
If necessary to break ties to determine the four wild-card teams, the following steps will be taken.
1 -If all tied clubs are from the same division, apply division tie-breaker
2 -If the tied clubs are from different divisions apply the steps below.
3 -When the first wild-card team has been identified, the procedure is repeated each time as necessary to name the
four wild-card teams. In situations where three teams from the same division are involved in the procedure, the original
seeding of the teams remains the same for subsequent applications of the tie-breaker if the top-ranked team in that
division qualifies for a wild-card berth.
Two Clubs
1 -Head-to-Head, if applicable.
2 -Best W-L-T % in Conference games.
3 -Best net points, all games.
4 -Best net TD's all games.
5 -Last team not to make the playoffs.
6-Coin toss.
Three or More Clubs
Note : Once two teams remain, revert to step #1 in Two Club tie-breaker.
1 -Apply division tie-breaker to eliminate all but highest-ranked club in each division prior to step #1. 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 four wild-card teams.
2 -Head-to-Head sweep (only if one club has either defeated or lost to each of the others).
3 -Best net points, all games.
4 -Best net TD's all games.
5 -Last team not to make the playoffs.
6-Coin toss.