Summertime Heroes Football League (STHFL) - Founded 2003

Gridiron Masters Football League (GIMFL) - Founded 2001

1. Organization Structure:

The organization will consist of twenty-four (24) teams, organized into two Leagues. Each League will have three divisions, consisting of four (4) teams each. The League shall have a Commissioner, who is in charge of League rules, membership, League files, dispute resolution, conducting all drafts, and any other matters necessary or convenient to the operation of the League.

2. Rule Changes:

Each year proposals for change may be submitted to the Commissioner to be considered for inclusion on the League's rule ballot. Proposals, which are presented, to the League will need 75% favor of the League, to be included in the upcoming year's Constitution. Members who do not vote, will be counted as against the rule proposal. The Commissioner reserves the right to make rule changes, without a League vote, which are both necessary and in the best interests of the League, or in furtherance of the League Constitution.

3. Roster size:

Each team will have a maximum of fifty (50) players on their roster. The 50-man roster must be maintained at all times, except when cutting down prior to the annual draft. If a trade puts a team's roster over the limit, the excess player(s) must be cut prior to any games being played.

4. Player Usage:

A. All players must be used in a realistic manner. Players should not be used out of position. Players should not substantially exceed their real-life totals for passing, rushing, receiving, returns, kicking, or other attempts.

B. Player usage will be controlled by using Mild Fatigue at 100%, Moderate Fatigue at 110%, and Major Fatigue at 120%. Game Fatigue will be set at 50% of real-life usage. Quarterback game fatigue will not be used during the regular season, but it will be used in the playoffs. Special teams season fatigue will be used. The Commissioner reserves the right to adjust these settings at any time as necessary in order to promote realistic player usage.

C. No player may appear at any position not listed with his name on the data disk. If a position played during the season in question in real life is erroneously not listed for the player on the data disk, the Commissioner will add the position for the player upon notification and upon verification by the Commissioner.

D. Roster minimums and maximums at each position will not be enforced; however, all teams should have enough coverage at every position in order to use players realistically without using any player out of position and without overuse

E. Before the start of the season, coaches may submit requests to change the any facet of any player on their team, including but not limited to position(s) player or durability, only if the information on the disk is in error. The Commissioner will research the validity of each such request, and will modify the player in question to correct any disk errors.

5. Game Playing Rules:

A. Head-to-head internet play is encouraged and recommended for all STHFL League games; however it is not required during the regular season, except for the League minimum amount described below and as modified elsewhere by this Constitution.

B. Coaches must play a minimum of eight (8) games head-to-head over the internet during the regular season. Any coach not meeting this minimum requirement will be excused from the League. This number is a minimum only, and playing all possible games over the internet is encouraged. The Commissioner reserves the right to increase this minimum number in future seasons, in consultation with the League membership.

C. All playoff games must be played head-to-head via the internet.

D. All regular season and playoff games (with the exception of the Super Bowl as described below) must be played on the real life home field of the home team; however, the home field advantage factor will be set to "1".

E. All regular season games not played live on the internet will be simmed by the Commissioner.

F. The league uses the most current version of the Action!PC football game

G. The league uses the official data disk for each year played (as may be modified as described herein)

H. The league will play a 16 game regular season.

I. "Audibles" may not be used.

J. "Trick plays" are limited to one (1) per half, and one (1) in each overtime period. Trick plays do NOT include the following and are not subject to limitation, even though they are listed as Trick plays in the game: Corner Fade, Over the Top, QB Sneak, QB Kneel, Hail Mary, Delay Draw, Shovel Pass, Quick Kick or Take Safety.

K. Coaches should not run up the score, and coaches must not "tank" any game for any reason whatsoever. Coaches must play to win.

L. Coaches must not "sim" games themselves. Games may only be simmed by the Commissioner.

M. The play clock may not be turned on and used unless agreed to by both coaches, in advance of the opening kickoff.

N. Plays which apply only to colleges, including but not limited to QB Option, may not be used. Formations which are not used in the modern era NFL, including but not limited to Single Wing, may not be used.

6. Substitute Coaches

A. INITIAL CONTACT. Please contact your opponent promptly each week and do your best to agree on a mutually convenient playing time. On or before Thursday at 7:00 pm PT / 10:00 pm ET each week, contact the Commissioner and tell him whether you have a confirmed playing time and when it is, whether you have heard from your opponent but have not scheduled a time yet, or whether you have not heard from your opponent.

B. KEEPING YOUR CONFIRMED PLAYING TIME. If you have a confirmed time, you need do nothing more unless your opponent does not show up for your game at the confirmed time and did not contact you in advance to reschedule. If you have waited at least 20 minutes past your confirmed start time, you may obtain a substitute coach for your opponent, or you may continue to wait, or you may attempt to reschedule at your option.

C. NO RESPONSE FROM OPPONENT TO CONTACT ATTEMPTS. If you have attempted to make contact but have not heard from your opponent by the Thursday deadline, the Commissioner will attempt to contact him. If the Commissioner does not receive a reply prior to 7:00 pm PT / 10:00 pm ET on Friday, you may obtain a substitute.

D. WHEN UNABLE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT If you have heard from your opponent but have not reached an agreement on a game time, prior to Thursday at 7:00 pm PT / 10:00 pm ET, contact the Commissioner. Within 24 hours, but prior to 7:00 pm PT / 10:00 pm ET on Friday, the Commissioner, in his sole discretion, will either attempt to settle the game time, will grant one of the coaches permission to get a substitute, or will state that he is simming the game.

E. WHO MAY SUBSTITUTE. Only coaches with membership in STHFL/GIMFL or on the STHFL/GIMFL wait list may serve as substitute coaches. Substitute coaches may not be from the same division as the team for which they are substituting. Substitute coaches may only be from the same conference as the team for which they are substituting is a coach from the other conference is not available, or if the coach of the team being substituted has specifically requested that they coach their team.

F. GRANTING PERMISSION AND GIVING INSTRUCTIONS. A coach may grant permission for his opponent to get a substitute at any time. A coach granting permission may also provide game playing and/or usage instructions for the substitute coach, who should use his best efforts to follow them.

G. RULES FOR GAME PLAY. Substitute coaches should not coach in an overly risky or unsportsmanlike manner. Treat the team as if it is your own. The following rules are in effect for substitutes: 1. no onsides kicks unless in the final 10 minutes of the 4th quarter and you are behind. 2. no going for it on 4th down unless you are at or inside the opponent's 45 yard line, or anywhere on the field if there are 10 or fewer minutes left in the game and you are behind. 3. no goal line defense unless at or inside your own 10 yard line 4. no blitzing of 5 or more players any more than four times in the game. 5. no other grossly unsportsmanlike strategies, as determined in the Commissioner's sole discretion.

H. NUMBER OF TIMES YOU MAY HAVE A SUB COACH YOUR TEAM. You may have a substitute coach your team up to eight times per year. You must coach your team yourself in at least eight games to retain league membership.

I. BENEFITS TO PLAYING LIVE GAMES AND SERVING AS A SUB. You may obtain extra roster spots for your team by playing more that 8 live games each year. For every three games you play in excess of eight (counting games in which you serve as a substitute coach), you will get one extra roster spot for your team in the following year. For example, if you play twelve live games with your own team, and serve as a substitute coach five times, you would have played nine extra games. (12+5=17 games total played, less 8 minimum = 9 extra). You would then get three extra roster spots (9 divided by 3 = 3), and get to carry 53 players instead of 50 in the following season. The maximum number of extra roster spots which may be obtained through this rule is three, and the maximum roster size shall be 53 players.

J. SIMMING BY COMMISSIONER All games not played live either by the primary coaches or by a substitute coach will be simmed by the Commissioner. Games played live, but in violation of these rules, may be simmed by the Commissioner in his discretion. Solo vs. computer play is not allowed.

K. SUBMITTING RESULTS AND NAMES OF COACHES. When sending your results file to the Commissior and to the league, please also give the names of both coaches and whether or not they were substituting.

7. Submission of Results and Coach Files:

A. All results files are due on or before the deadline announced by the Commissioner. If game results are not received by the Commissioner by the deadline, the Commissioner shall sim that game.

B. If results are received after the deadline, but before the Commissioner has simmed the game, the Commissioner shall accept the results. Results received after the deadline and after the Commissioner has simmed the game shall be rejected.

C. If a results file has a problem, such as it cannot be loaded or other problem, the Commissioner shall allow the coach a reasonable time, not exceeding 24 hours, to resubmit the results file. If a results file which properly loads cannot be sent to the Commissioner within the additional time granted, the Commissioner shall sim the game.

D. The Commissioner will send a confirming e-mail to each coach after the receipt of all results files. If no confirmation is received within 24 hours, the coach should resubmit the file.

8. Roster Protection:

A. The League will be continuous ownership, with the exception of free agents discussed below in the "Free Agent Signings" section.

B. Teams may protect any number of eligible players from their roster, prior to the next year's annual draft.

C. The total of protected players and newly drafted players may not exceed fifty (50).

D. "Ghost players" (up to 3 per team at any one time) are allowed, and they will not count against your 50 man protected roster. "Ghost players," are defined as players which played and were on a team's roster in a prior season, but they do not appear of the following season's disk, due to injury, suspension, or other reason. "Ghost Players" may be protected in this manner for an unlimited time. If a protected "Ghost Player" appears on the disk in a subsequent year, the player must be protected and will count against the team's 50-man roster, or else the player will considered to be a free agent and will be eligible for the annual draft.

9. Free Agent Signings:

A. If a trade puts a team under the roster limit, free agents must be added prior to playing any games. Free agents added in this manner will be released from the team's roster at the conclusion of the season, becoming free agents, and they may not be protected prior to the next annual draft. If a trade puts a team over the roster limit, players must be cut so that the roster limit is not exceeded.

B. A team may go over the roster limit and claim free agents if it is desired. Any free agents claimed will cost the claiming team a tenth (10th) round draft choice for the first player so claimed, a ninth (9th) round choice for the next player, and so on. These claimed free agents will be released from the team's roster at the conclusion of the season and will not be eligible to be protected prior to the beginning of the next year's annual draft.

10. Drafts:

A. An annual draft will be held each year, at a time to be determined, following the release of the official season disk by Dave Koch Sports.

B. All players who are not protected will be eligible to be drafted.

C. Each year's draft order will be determined by the same method as is used at the time by the NFL.

D. Teams may cut any number of players, or cut no players. If teams are cutting no players, they must notify the Commissioner that this is their intention.

E. Teams must enter the annual draft with a roster of 50 players or fewer.

F. Teams may keep drafting until their roster reaches 50 players. Once the teams roster reaches 50 players they must stop drafting and they have no remaining draft picks.

G. A team may not trade any draft pick that would occur after that team reaches the 50 player roster limit.

H. At the conclusion of the annual draft, there will be three (3) rounds of "drop/add." In each round, teams may indicate which players they wish to drop and which free agents they wish to add. In the event that more than one team wants to add the same player, the player will be awarded to the team with the earlier draft pick. All players added during drop/add are considered "keepers" and may be protected in subsequent years.

I. If a team fails to select a player during their allotted draft time, the pick will be skipped and the next team in the draft order will be on the clock. The coach owning the skipped pick may then select from all unchosen players at his leisure for the rest of the day; however all skipped picks will be made by the Commissioner at the conclusion of each draft day. All picks made by the Commissioner are final, and a coach may not change any pick made by the Commissioner as a result of a skipped draft pick.

11. Trades:

A. Both coaches must notify the Commissioner (or his designee) within 24 hours of each other, or the trade will be voided.

B. Trades do not become official until approved by the Commissioner and until the next Play Game File is sent out by the Commissioner.

C. Trading of draft picks up to one year in advance will be allowed, but will only be allowed after the conclusion of the prior year's annual draft. Trading of draft picks more than one year in advance is prohibited.

D. The deadline is after the fourth (4th) game of the season, and prior to the fifth (5th) game of the season.

E. In general, the Commissioner will approve all trades unless they are 1) so grossly unfair as to be unconscionable on their face; 2) the result of deception; 3) will result in a rule violation, such as leaving a team critically short of players, 4) a result of a material mistake. If the Commissioner does not approve a trade, the Commissioner may void the trade, ask that the trade be re-worked or take any other necessary action.

12. Playoffs:

A. Five (5) teams in each League will make the playoffs.

B. The first place team from each division will qualify for the playoffs, and the two teams in each League with the next best won-loss percentage will also qualify for the playoffs as "wild cards".

C. All ties will be broken by applying the same tie-breaker rules as are in use in real-life in the NFL at the time.

D. The three division winners will receive a bye in the first round, while two wild card teams in each League will play each other. For subsequent rounds, the highest seeded team shall play the lowest seeded team, etc.

E. The higher seeded team will have the home field advantage in each playoff game.

F. All playoff games must be played head-to-head via the internet.

G. The league's Super Bowl will be played on the same field as the preceding year's real life NFL Super Bowl, with no home field advantage even if the field is the home field of one of the participating teams.

H. All of the rules in the previous "Game Playing Rules" section also apply for all playoff games, including the Super Bowl.

13. Expansion:

Any future expansion shall be voted and approved by the League. A 75% vote in favor of expansion shall be required in order for the League to expand. If the League recommends expansion, an Expansion Committee will be selected by the Commissioner. This Committee will make a proposal or proposals to the STHFL membership for approval. Expansion plans will be approved by a simple majority vote of the membership.

14. Violations:

A. Any coach suspected of unethical conduct will be put under review by the Commissioner's office. The Commissioner is empowered to take any action or no action regarding any league member, in the Commissioner's sole and absolute discretion.

B. Situations that could result for a Commissioner's reviews include, but are not limited to:

1. Grossly excessive attempts, above their real-life totals, by any player.

2. Using players at incorrect positions, when other players were available.

3. Tampering with or suspected tampering with game or player files.

4. Intentionally losing games to better draft position.

5. Making harassing statements to the League or causing disruption or difficulties in interactions with other League members.

6. Scheduling a time to play an internet game, and then not being available during the scheduled time without an adequate excuse.

7. Use of intentional deception in making trades.

8. Use of any competitive tactic which is outside of the actual game play.

9.Any other unethical act in the opinion of the Commissioner or the League.