6-9-08: UPDATES ARE IN RED!
ARTILCE I. GENERAL CONDUCT OF A LEAGUE PARTICIPANT

SECTION I. Each member of the Madden Players League is expected to display conduct that of an exemplary standard. Good sportsmanship, honesty, respect, pride and class is demanded from all participants. The president or league commissioners reserve the right to ban any participant from play based on any violation of the code of conduct, stated, or unstated.

SECTION II.The Madden Players League is a SIMULATION league. PLAY GAMES IN A REALISTIC AND FAIR WAY. (EXAMPLES - DO NOT EXCESSIVELY OVERMATCH ,DO NOT GO FOR IT ON FOURTH DOWN AT TIMES AND PLACES THAT DO NOT OCCUR IN THE NFL, NO CALLING OF THE SAME PLAYS OVER AND OVER, DO NOT USE GOALLINE OFFENSE OR DEFENSE WHEN IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE, NO DROPPING BACK QB TOO FAR, DO NOT CONSTANTLY RUN HURRY UP OFFENSE, ETC.) These rules are very subjective, so it is up to the players to keep our league fun. The intent of the MPL is to have fun, but SIMULATION style games.

SECTION III. You are responsible for knowing and complying with the MPL Message Board Rules.
ARTILCE II. MADDEN PLAYERS LEAGUE COMMITTEE

SECTION I. The MPLC will be voted on by all owners prior to season start. They will be representing all those in the MPL. This MPLC will act as review board. The Committee responsibilities will be to evaluate the rules currently in the league, create possible new rules, play tryout games vs future league members, investigate cheese accusations, remove owners violating league policies and uphold the MPL Training Ground.

SECTION II. The MPLC will hold thier position for only one season. Each season, the returning league members will vote for who shall hold the positions for the up and coming season.

SECTION III. If a player has to leave the committee, the next in line in number of votes will take his place provided his rating is still above .85 and he hasn't appeared before the council more than once in the current season.

SECTION IV. If a player dips to a feedback rating of .85 or lower he will go before the review board.

SECTION V. If a player is reviewed and not booted and his feedback remains at .85 or below in subsequent weeks, as long as he is given POSITIVE ratings in these subsequent weeks, he will not be required to be reviewed by the council again. But if in subsequent weeks he is given a NEGATIVE or NEUTRAL rating before his rating is again above .85, he will be requried to be again reviewed by the council.

SECTION VI. If the player who received negative feedback harasses the reportee, and the harassment is reported to the MPLC with supporting evidence (emails, AIM conversations) then the harassing party will receive another negative feedback on their record.

SECTION VII. Simmed games: Games that are simmed will be investigated by the MPLC. The MPLC will then have the right to deem a member with "at fault." If a member in the MPL, receives more than two (2) "at faults" in a season, then that member will be removed. Some EMERGENCY circumstance may be permissible.

SECTION VIII. All Players are required to cooperate with the Council if they are before review board.

SECTION IX. The President still retains the power to boot anyone at anytime for any reason he deems appropriate.
ARTILCE III. MPL SEASON FORMAT

SECTION I. Pick 1 team and play that same team all season long. Only one human player per league team.

SECTION II. All League Games are played with:
Game Type: UNRANKED
Fatigue: ON
Injuries: ON
Quarter Length: 6 MIN
Skill Level: ALL-MADDEN
Quarterback Vision Cone: Optional
*The QB vision cone is optional. You may use it at your own discretion.
Weapons:   OFF

SECTION III. The league will consist of 32 teams playing a 12 game season. There will be four teams in each division which will follow the random divisions. Every team will have 6 home and 6 away games. The schedule will go as follows: 


               Week 1- Division Game
               Week 2- Division Game
               Week 3- Division Game
               Week 4- Conference Game
               Week 5- Conference Game
               Week 6- Non-Conference Game
               Week 7- Non-Conference Game
               Week 8- Conference Game
               Week 9- Conference Game
               Week 10- Division Game
               Week 11- Division Game
               Week 12- Division Game
               PLAYOFFS [see ARTICLE V]
ARTILCE IV. MEMBERS INFORMATION

SECTION I.

MEMBERS INFORMATION:

On the league home page, you can click on "Click Here For Full Members Info" and see all MPL members: name, team, email address, madden name and AIM/YIM (if they have one) as well as their profile and feedback. To contact your opponent, you NEED TO EMAIL him at the beginning of each week with the days and times you are available that week. Both should decide on a time and play your game.

SECTION II.

CONTACTING OPPONENTS:

All league members are required to register on the league messageboard. A schedule of times available during the week must be posted by Monday 11:59 PM ET of each week. An agreed upon scheduled time must be posted and confirmed ON THE MESSAGEBOARDS by Wednesday 11:59 PM ET of each week. The MPLC will have the job of monitoring the scheduling forum and making a weekly post in the MPLC forum of who has not been posting their available times by the posting deadline. If an owner does not post by their availability for the week by Wednesday 11:59 PM ET of each week, then they will receive a strike against them. When an owner accumulates 3 strikes against them, they will be removed from the league for that season. Any extenuating circumstances for failure to post by the required day and time will be discussed by the MPLC.
This is how the messageboard contacting will work:

YOUR FIRST POST: Post the times you are available that week to play your games. This needs to be done by both owners.

YOUR NEXT POST: Choose a time that works for both you and your opponent. If your opponent already choose a time to play that is suitable for you, please just confirm the time.

NOTES:
- If a owner misses a time to play, please post that on the message board and try to set up a new time.
- If you are unable to play at the set up time, please post on the message board, email your opponent and schedule a new time .
- The MPLC will contact those who have not posted on the league messageboard by Wednesday of each week. Failure to respond the MPLC and/or your opponent can result in removal from the MPL.

ARTILCE V. GAME REPORTS

SECTION I. REPORT YOUR GAME RESULTS via email to president each week. *EMAIL YOUR GAME REPORT TO: madden_players_league@yahoo.com.*YOU MUST INCLUDE THE SCORE, WHO WON, and FEEDBACK. THE DEADLINE EACH WEEK FOR REPORTING that week's game is SATURDAY AT 11:00 PM ET. BOTH PLAYERS, LOSER AND WINNER, MUST REPORT. You must report even if you are the loser. If you are unable to play your game, you must report that too. Games can be played ahead of time, and can be reported as soon as they are played. PLAYERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTACTING EACH OTHER TO SCHEDULE THEIR GAME FOR THE WEEK.

SECTION II. FEEDBACK ONLY applies to your opinion of how STRAIGHT a player is, NOT HIS SKILL.

Feedback is reported as either:

POSITIVE (cheese free)
NEUTRAL (questionable), or
NEGATIVE (cheesing/glitches/breaking rules even after you told them)

This MUST be reported each week. All NEGATIVE FEEDBACK, will be investigated. It is a good idea to make sure that you have supporting evidence such as pictures, videos and stats of your game.

SECTION III. IF YOU DO NOT REPORT BY THE DEADLINE YOU ARE A NO SHOW and are BOOTED OUT OF THE MPL. If both players agree (AND REPORT) that the game cannot be played, the prez will simulate the game, and neither player is given a no show. Both players MUST EMAIL THE PREZ to notify me that the game couldn't be played. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE HONEST. If you cannot schedule your game and your opponent could, take the loss BY REPORTING THAT YOU COULD NOT PLAY. THIS WILL NOT RESULT IN A NO SHOW. Remember, simply not playing a game DOES NOT result in a NO SHOW, BUT NOT REPORTING DOES. If you can't play your game, just email me and let me know and take the loss. If you cannot report once a week, then you are obviously not responsible enough to play in the Madden Players League.
ARTILCE V. MPL PLAYOFFS

SECTION I. The top team in each division will receive a playoff spot. The next top two teams in each Conference with the best record will also make playoffs. The playoff format for BOTH Conferences will be:


               Seed #1 and Seed #2 will receive a first round buy.

               WILD CARD GAMES:    #6 @ #3
                                                         #5 @ #4

               DIVISION ROUND:     Lowest seed  @ #2
                                                     Highest seed @ #1

               CONFERENCE GAME:    Highest seed @ Lowest seed

               CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:  Winner of Pacific V.S. Winner of Atlantic
                                                            (Home team will be decided by record OR coin toss)


SECTION II. Playoff Tiebreakers will follow the NFL. Click here for tiebreakers
ARTILCE V. GAME PLAY RULES

AMENDMENT I.


1.1.   No "Asking Madden" at playcalling screen.

1.2.   Only 1 (ONE) controller plugged in when playing.

1.3   Be a CLASSY PLAYER. That, in part, means do not run the score up or taunt/trash talk when you are winning.

AMENDMENT II.

2.1   If you are disconnected, start over at as close to the same point in the game as possible and with the same score that existed when the game disconnected. NO starting over at 0-0.

AMENDMENT III.


3.1   NO MANUALLY (taking control of player and moving him) moving ANY defensive players before snap (moving the defense with playmaker and preset moves are ok).

3.2   No bump and run on EVERY play.

3.3   Only ONE (1) man in motion on offense per play, and NO back and forth over and over to confuse AI.

3.4   NO audibles/Formation Shifts called on EVERY play.

3.5   Only one formation shift on offense per down.

3.6   After a Formation shift or in any package, TEs and Running backs CAN be out as wide recievers but Wide Receivers CAN NOT be lined up as Tight ends or Running backs.

3.7   NO hurry up offense after an incomplete pass or play that goes out-of-bounds and stops the clock.

3.8   Glitching WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

3.9   You are not allowed to have 9 in the box every play. Once every four downs is recommended.

3.10   Running the Clock: An offensive play must be picked and called hike before :15 seconds left on the play calling clock in the forth quarter. Within the last two minutes of the game, the play clock can be run.

3.11   At least two defensive players must rush the quarterback every down. QB spys do not count as rushers.

3.12   You may use the commit feature but you are not allowed to use it on every down. You must adhere to realistic gameplay; it is suggested that you limit your use of run commit to situations such as 3rd or 4th and short or in goalline situations and the pass commit to 3rd or 4th and long situations (i.e. 3rd and 9).

3.13   There is no playaction allowed on 3rd downs when there is more than 5 yards to go to get a first down.

3.14   You may go for it on 4th down when down by 24 points at any time in the game and/or; when you have the ball at or beyond your opponents 45 yard line with 1 yard or less to go for a first down: You must also adhere to previously stated rules regarding realistic gameplay and sportsmanship when considering going for it on 4th down.

3.15   The Double WR pass is not permitted.

3.16   The Defensive line MAY NOT be pinched unless your opponent only needs 3 yards to earn a First down or if the offense is at/inside of the opponent's 5 yard line.

AMENDMENT IV.

4.1   The punt returner is not allowed to make contact with any member of the punt team PERIOD regardless of whether the punt returner is manually or computer controlled.

4.2   There is no line drive punting allowed.

The MPL Rules are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the MPLC and/or MPL President.