Preface.
Unless otherwise noted, all references to seasons, teams, players, etc. refer to the FLOF league, not to their counterparts in the NFL.

1. Franchises
   1. The franchise fee for 2000 will be $25.
   2. Each franchise is allocated 18 draft choices and $25 million in cash every year.
   3. The league will consist of no more than 10 teams. Ghost Teams will be used to fill out the league to an even number if necesary. All attempts will be made to maintain the league at 10 teams.
   4. Ghost Teams may be purchased at any time after draft day and before week 7 of the season for the full franchise fee, or a reduced price as determined by consent of the rules committee.
   5. Existing franchises that fail to respond positivly to an invitation to participate in the upcoming season will be replaced. The Commissioner will be responsible for extending invitations with the consultation of the Rules Committee.
   6. The league as a whole will vote on new owners to fill expansion and/or take over old franchises as nominated by the Rules Committee. The following criteria should be considered when accepting new franchise owners.
      1. Access to email and the web,
      2. Enthusiasm,
      3. Personality/Chemistry with other owners,
      4. Football knowledge, and
      5. Availability on draft day.

2. Rosters
   1. Each team may carry no more than 20 players on their active roster. Rosters may swell during the week but must be trimed by kickoff of the first weekend game.
   2. Each team may carry any number of players on injured reserve (IR). Players on IR must be injured as officially reported by the NFL, be otherwise unable to play due to suspension or contract dispute, or not appear on a current NFL roster. Players on IR may not be named to a team's game roster.
   3. A complete starting roster includes 9 players: 1 Quarterback (QB), 1 Running Back (RB), 2 Wide Receivers (WR), 1 Place Kicker (K), 2 Defensive Front (DF), and 2 Defensive Backs (DB). Tight Ends are considered Wide Receivers in FLOF. Defensive Front includes Defensive Linemen and Linebackers. Changes to the starting roster must be sent to the commissioner 12 hours before game time of affected players. Only one player per week may be changed less than 12 hours before kickoff. No changes may be made to players involved in games that have already begun.
   4. A player named as a starter must remain on that team's active roster until kickoff of the last game that week.
   5. After conclusion of the FLOF Bowl, all rosters must be trimmed to 20 players regardless of injury status.

3. Franchising
   1. For the 2001 draft and every draft there after:
      1. Prior to the draft each team may franchise up to 5 players that appear on their off-season roster acording to the following rules:
         1. No more than 1 QB or 1 RB may be franchised.
         2. No more than 1 WR may be franchised.
         3. No more than 2 defensive players may be franchised.
         4. No more than 1 K may be franchised.
         5. Franchised players will not be available in the upcoming draft and are immediatly added to that team's roster for the upcoming season.
         6. For every player franchised, the team forfeits the same number of draft picks at the end of the upcoming draft.
         7. A team may not franchise more players than they have draft picks in the upcoming draft.
         8. Once a team has named their franchised players the team may not change their designations in any way even if franchised players are traded before the draft.
         9. Any franchised players that are traded before the draft retain their exemption from the draft for their new team.
      2. Prior to the draft each team may create a list of no more than 5 players of any position that appear on their off-season roster but are not franchised. This is called the supplimental list.
   2. For the 2000 draft:
      1. Franchising
         1. These rules will take affect for the 2000 draft.
         2. Before the draft each franchise may designate 1 franchise player and no more than 4 transitional players from their current roster. No more than 1 WR, 1 K, 1 DF, 1 DB, and 1 QB/RB may be designated.
         3. If Franchise X wishes to retain the services of one of their designated players for the upcoming season, Franchise X must select that player during the normal course of that season's draft. If another franchise drafts any of Franchise X's designated players before Franchise X does, Franchise X will not be able to retain those player's services for the upcoming season. However, Franchise X will be compensated for the loss of that player. (see 4.a. & 4.b. of this section)
         4. If Franchise Y wishes to gain the services of a player that has been designated by Franchise X, Franchise Y may select that player during the normal course of that season's draft, but Franchise Y may then be required to compensate Franchise X with money and/or future draft picks as indicated below.
            1. If Franchise Y drafts Franchise X's designated franchise player, Franchise Y must compensate Franchise X with $5 million and a draft pick in this draft no later than exactly two rounds from the current draft pick at the time of the drafting of the franchise player. (So if Franchise Y selected Franchise X's franchise player with the 3rd overall pick in a 10 team draft, Franchise Y would pay Franchise X $5 million and Franchise Y would give Franchise X any of Franchise Y's draft picks between and including the 4th and the 23rd overall picks in this draft.)
            2. If Franchise Y drafts one of Franchise X's designated transitional players, Franchise Y must compensate Franchise X with $2 million and Franchise Y's last available draft pick in this draft at the time of the drafting of the transitional player.
            3. If Franchise Y is unable to pay any part of this compensation, Franchise Y may not draft the player in question.
         5. As the draft progresses, unselected franchise and transitional players loss their designations. If Franchise X drafts one of Franchise Y's designated players after their designation has been removed, Franchise X is no longer required to compensate Franchise Y in any way.
            1. Franchise players still available after the 2nd round, will have their franchise designation removed.
            2. Transitional players still available after the 9th round, will have their transitional designation removed.
         6. The rights to a designated player may be traded during the draft.
      2. Long Term Exclusive Contracts
         1. Any time after the first game of the FLOF season and prior to the kick off of that year's FLOF Bowl, a franchise may sign one player to a long term exclusive contract. Players under contract are not available during the draft and are automatically retained by the franchise that signed them.
         2. A franchise may never have more than 1 player under contract at a time.
         3. Long term contracts must cover the next 2 years at minimum.
         4. Signing a player to a long term contract obliges the franchise to pay $8 million and forfeit their first round and their seventh round draft picks every year during the life of the contract, payable on draft day.
         5. Cutting, waiving, or otherwise releasing a contract player does not release the franchise from their contractual obligations although the franchise does lose the benefits of the contract, even if another team subsequently acquires the player.
         6. If Franchise X trades their contract player to Franchise Y, Franchise Y assumes the benefits and obligations of that player's contract and Franchise X is released from all contractual obligations with that player.
         7. If Franchise Y obtains a contract player through trade and the next draft will begin the last year of that player's contract then Franchise Y must resign that player to a new contract to cover at least the next 2 years.
         8. If Franchise Y obtains a contract player as a free agent or through waivers, the player is not considered to still be under contract. If Franchise Y wishes the benefits of a contract, Franchise Y must sign the player anew.
4. Draft
   1. Draft order:
      1. For the 2000 draft, there will be a single draft of 18 rounds with the draft order for each round being the opposite of the previous round. Initial draft order should be determined randomly at least one week before the draft at an open meeting of the league.
      2. For the 2001 draft and every draft thereafter, there will be a single draft of no more than 18 rounds with the draft order for each round being set in inverse order of the regular season records from the previous season. Apply all tie breakers for playoff qualification in reverse as needed.
   2. The draft will be scheduled any time between the weekend and Saturday before the NFL regular season begins. The draft will not be scheduled during any NFL game(s). Preferance will be given to weekends, however, maximum attendance will be the most important factor.
   3. Modifications that will take affect beginning with the 2001 draft:
      1. Players that have been franchised are not available for selection.
      2. Players that appear on a supplimental list may be selected by any team during the regular draft.
      3. After each round of the draft is completed, there will be a supplimental draft round.
         1. Each supplimental draft round will occur in the same order as a regular draft round.
         2. During a supplimental draft round each team may only select a player that appears on that team's supplimental list that has not already been selected either by themselves or by any other team.
         3. Teams do not have to make a selection in the supplimental round and may pass instead.
         4. If a team does not have any players left on their supplimental list, they must pass.
         5. If a team makes a selection in the supplimental round, they forfeit their last selection in the draft. (Real selection, not supplimental.)
         6. If a team does not have any real draft picks left, they may not use their supplimental pick and must pass.
         7. Teams may not trade suplimental round draft picks. However, teams may trade the players taken with those picks.
   4. Ghost Team Drafting
      1. Prior to the draft the rules committee will select an independant player ranking to be used for Ghost drafting.
      2. Ghost Team Franchising:
         1. In 2000, Ghost Teams will not sign LTEC players but will protect as many players as possible with franchise and transition tags using the designated rankings.
         2. Begining in 2001, using the designated rankings, Ghost Teams will always franchise as many players as possible and will always place 5 players on their supplimental list: 1 RB or QB (the opposite of what they franchised), 1 WR, 2 defensive players (filling the positions left vacant after franchising), and their next highest ranked player from any position.
      3. Ghost Teams will always draft the highest rated player available given the designated rankings and their roster needs as outlined below. A Ghost team's first draft priority will be to draft an entire starting roster, then to draft one back up at every position, then to draft a second backup WR, DF, and DB. At any time an owner may ask the commissioner what the Ghost Team's next pick will be.

5. Trades
   1. Franchises may engage in any mutually agreed trade involving players, cash, and/or future draft picks. The rights to supplimental players may not be traded. Some trade conditions may be made contingent on performance or any other agreed factor. All trades are official only after they have been communicated to the commissioner and only if both parties agree to the conditions of the trade. If a dispute arises regarding any trade, the commissioner will adjudicate the dispute. (See adjudication)
   2. For the 2000 Draft franchise ownership changes subsequent to trading away future draft picks, the new owner is reimbursed any lost picks. However, the new owner of the traded picks does retain their additional pick(s), drafting immediatly after the new franchise owner. These picks are forfeit if the commissioner feels that the new owner of the pick(s) was aware that the departed owner made the trade with the intention of not remaining an owner.
   3. For future drafts new franchise owners will not be compensated for any future draft picks that were traded away prior to their taking over the franchise. If the commissioner feels that the departed owner made the trade with the intention of not remaining an owner, then the draft picks may revert back to the new owner's franchise.
   4. Ghost teams will only trade when the deal will improve their projected starting roster's points per game production. Ghost teams will not involve cash in any trade, will not trade before the forth week of the season, and will not trade draft picks.

6. Free Agency
   1. Any player not currently on a FLOF roster is considered a free agent.
   2. Free agents may be acquired by making an offer of at least $2 million (or $3 million if a QB or RB) to the free agent and bettering any other offers.
   3. Free agency bids will be processed in a weekly cycle.
      1. Tuesday, 11:00 p.m.: all new free agent bids must be submitted to the commissioner.
      2. Thursday, 11:00 p.m.: if no counter offers are received by this time free agents may be acquired by the original bidder or the player's status is held over until Friday. Bids for players involved in a Thursday night game will be resolved before game time if possible.
      3. Friday, 11:00 p.m.: countered bids are resolved and players awarded. players are assigned to new teams.
   4. Ghost Teams will not engage in free agency except as required to fill out their game roster. Ghost teams will not pay more than twice their initial minimum bid for any free agent.
   5. Free agency ends after the FLOF Bowl has been decided. Free agency does not resume untill after the FLOF draft.

7. Season Schedule and Playoffs
   1. Each week in the regular season will match teams against each other in head-to-head competition, with wins, loses, and ties recorded to determine season standings.
   2. The regular season will be 13 games long from NFL week 2 to NFL week 14. Intradivision opponents play twice, interdivision opponents play once, one interdivision game per team will be held on a nuetral field.
   3. Five teams will qualify for the playoffs: the top 2 teams from each division (the Divisional Winner and Divisional Runner-Up) plus one Wild Card from either division (not both). Tie breakers for playoff qualifications are as follows in order of use:
      1. head-to-head record between tied team(s)
      2. record against intradivison opponents (not for wild cards)
      3. record against other playoff team(s)
      4. total wins
      5. overall power ranking
      6. coin flip
   4. Playoffs will start during NFL week 16 with a game between the Wild Card and the lowest ranked Divisional Runner-Up in a nuetral site game. The Divisional Runner-Up wins a tie.
   5. Second Round games will take place on nuetral site fields during the NFL Wild Card Weekend. Divisional Winners win any tie.
      1. If the Divisional Runner-Up wins the first round game, each Divisional Winner will play the opposite Division's Runner-Up.
      2. If the Wild Card beats a Divisional Runner-Up from the same Division in the first round game, each Divisional Winner will play the opposite Division's Runner-Up or Wild Card.
      3. If the Wild Card beats a Divisional Runner-Up from the opposite Division in the first round game, the highest ranked Divisional Winner will play the Wild Card and the opposite Division's Divisional Winner will play the remaining Divisional Runner-Up.
   6. The FLOF Bowl will be played during division play off games, also at a neutral site.
   7. If the FLOF Bowl ends in a tie, an overtime will be played using the stats from the entire next weekend of playoffs. This process is continued each week until the tie is broken or until the NFL Super Bowl. Rosters may be changed and free agency and trades engaged in during this period. If the FLOF Bowl is still tied going into the NFL Super Bowl, each team in the FLOF Bowl will secretly predict the total points they think will be scored by the NFL Super Bowl teams. If the point spread between the two score predictions is even, the team having qualified lower for the playoffs must change their prediction plus or minus 1 without knowing their opponent's prediction. If, and only if, the FLOF Bowl is still tied after the end of the NFL Super Bowl, are these predictions used to break the tie and decide the FLOF Bowl Champion.
   8. The 1999 FLOF Bowl champion receives $55 in prize money. The runner-up receives $40. The third and forth place teams receive $20. The fifth place team receives $15. The 2000 FLOF Bowl champion receives $100 in prize money. The runner-up receives $65. The third and forth place teams receive $30. The fifth place team receives $25.

8. Scoring
   1. Teams score points through offensive production as measured in yardage, TDs, and FGs minus INTs thrown, and Fumbles. Teams reduce their opponent's scores through interceptions, tackles, sacks, pass defenses, forced and recovered fumbles, and safeties. Every player on a team's starting roster may contribute yardage to any of the three offensive categories. Yards gained only accrue for offensive plays, not defensive returns or special teams returns. Only defensive players get credit for tackles.
   2. No team may finish a game with a negative score.
   3. Offensive Points (points that count toward your score)
      1. Every passing touchdown is worth 5 points.
      2. Every Interception thrown reduces your score by 5 pts.
      3. Every rushing, receiving, defensive, or special teams TD scored at any time by any player on the game roster is worth 6 pts.
      4. Every fumble reduces your score by 2 points.
      5. Every 14 yards rushing is worth 1 point.
      6. Every 20 yards receiving is worth 1 point.
      7. Every 30 yards passing is worth 1 point.
      8. Every FG is worth 3 pts or 4 pts if kicked from 40 yards or more.
      9. Home team gets 2 offensive points.
   4. Defensive Points (Points that count against your opponent's score)
      1. Every Interception made reduces your opponent's score by 8 pts.
      2. Every Sack reduces your opponent's score by 4 pts. A half sack is worth 2 pts.
      3. Every 3 combined tackles and assists reduces your opponent's score by 1 pt.
      4. Every pass defense reduces your opponent's score by 2 pts.
      5. Every tackle or assist for a safety reduces your opponent's score by 8 pts.
      6. Every forced or recovered fumble reduces your opponent's score by 4 pts.
      7. Home team tackles round up to the nearest multiple of 3.

9. Administration and Adjudication
   1. All disputes regarding FLOF will be adjudicated by the commissioner. The commissioner should make every effort to consult with the affected parties and/or rules committee as necessary. Adjudication may be appealed with the support of two members of the rules committee. Appealed decisions are voted on by the league as a whole, with each franchise receiving 1 vote, majority rules (not plurality). Any decision that is appealed in this way must be resolved by a league rule during the off-season by the unanimous consent of the rules committee.
   2. The commissioner shall be responsible for all administrative functions. The commissioner may appoint an acting commissioner from the rules committee as needed, with the consent of the appointed party and consultation with the rules committee.
   3. The rules committee must approve all league rules before each season by unanimous consent. The rules committee should contain no fewer than two members in addition to the commissioner and no more than half the league. The commissioner is a member of the rules committee.
   4. Rules Committee Members: Steve, Roger
   5. Commissioner: Doug