SNARL 1970 Rules and Options

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Option Settings

Penalties - Yes
Player Overusage - No
Use QB Starter File - No
QB Overusage - No
Running Back Fatigue - Yes
Home Field Advantage - No
Linebacker Run Containment - Yes
Use Individualized Fumble Ratings - No
Do not allow exceeding longest run - Yes
Do not allow exceeding longest reception - No
Exhausted RBs Will Get Injured - No
Dumpoff Rule - Yes
Updated Sack Rule - Yes
In-Game Rest System - No
Emphasize 6-rated LBs - No
Great Player Impact Rule - No
Looser Substitution Restrictions - No
Empty Flat Pass=Guessed Wrong – Yes
Use Variable FG Rule - Yes
QB End Run Limits - Yes
Use Actual Team Interception Returns - Yes
Injuries - None
Use Home Team Rules

Game Options

Auto Save After Each Play: Required
Show "Other Highlites" on Box Score: Required

Prohibited Offensive Moves

No 4 WR sets
No Blocking Back sets
No 2 TE, 2 WR, 1 RB set
No shotgun

The QB who starts a drive must finish it. No shuttling QBs on the same drive.

No flanker or split end may be slotted as the third or fourth wide receiver unless he is rated at both positions.
The starting TE must be on the right side in any multiple-TE formation.

No altering the #1 and #2 kick and punt returners in any way

Prohibited Defensive Moves

3-4
3-2-6
4-1-6
5-6

The starting FS (and other starting DBs) may not play as extra defensive backs. This is to prevent cherry-picking the matchups (as are the restrictions on moving starting receivers).

Safety Blitzes

The safety blitz is now unlimited.

3-3-5 and 4-2-5 Limitations

3-3-5 and 4-2-5 can only be used when the offense is in a formation with three or more WRs, or on any 3rd or 4th down, or during the last five minutes of each half. They can also be used at any time on 1^st or 2^nd down with 16 or more yards to go. There is no restriction in overtime.

Squib Kick Limitations

Squib kicks can only be used during the last two minutes of the half or the game. There is no restriction in overtime.

Overusage Provisions

The QB and RB with the most attempts will have no limits. The others will be limited to 133% of their actual attempts or carries. This is a seasonal limit, not weekly or game-by-game. For example, a running back who is permitted 32 carries could use them all in one game - he is not limited to 2 carries per game. Backup QBs with less than 50 attempts will be limited to 50 attempts, or 133% of their total attempts, whichever is greater. In the playoffs, backup QBs with over 100 passes in real life can play no more than either the first half or the second half of the game. Other backup QBs may not play at all. The Commissioner may also impose additional playoff limits on certain backup running backs, in his discretion.

Backup QB Usage Rule

Any backup QB with 120 or more passes must start at least two games. Any backup QB with 75 or more passes must start at least one game. The coach can pick which games. No other QBs can play in these special games.

Playoffs

Both conferences will have three division winners and three Wild Card teams, with first-round byes to the two division winners with the best records.

Click here to see the tiebreakers

Overdue Games

It is up to you coaches to get your games in on time. Any game not handed in by the posted deadline is overdue. With the way I now do the schedule and the stats, I can let overdue games slide for a while as long as you are playing other games, but you might want to post on the forum or ask someone to sub for you. Sometimes there are good reasons for absences and delays, but if you demonstrate that you are not committed to playing, I will replace you.

Important Rules

• I want everyone to email his opponents as soon as possible. Don't wait to start talking about scheduling. I expect everyone to try hard to get the games in on time. Answer your emails and other communications promptly, and don't leave anyone hanging.
• If you make an appointment to play and can't keep it, e-mail your opponent with as much advance notice as you can. If you miss a game without giving notice, send an explanation and apology as soon as you can. We are all busy, and have many other responsibilities. Treat your fellow coaches with respect, because everyone's time is valuable.
• Do not quit on your opponent or ask for autoplay in the middle of a game. I consider this a very serious offense. Make an honest effort on both offense and defense, even when you are getting blown out.
• Do not air your grievances against another coach on the forum. If you can't resolve the problem between yourselves, bring it to me, and I will resolve it. I don't want any griping on the forum about other coaches, even if you don't name names.
• If you have repeated problems with no-shows, or any other persistent problems with another coach, please tell me about it privately.
• If you have a connection or computer problem, or are facing an extended absence from communicating or playing, get word to me somehow and keep me posted regularly regarding your expected return.

Box Scores & File Handling

• All games will be played locally, without pregame or postgame files. Both coaches should make sure the options are set correctly before kickoff.
• The home coach must email the box score unzipped) as soon as he exits the game. Please send the boxscore to the "Post Box Score" link on the web page. The email links are also in the forum. I don't need possession charts or any other files. The subject line of the email message MUST say “1970 – Week # - Teams – Score”. That way I don't have to cross-reference each boxscore to lists of games for different seasons and weeks.
• You must make sure that the option settings in your email program do not imbed the html boxscore file as part of the message body. This is because I need the boxscores as separate files for my statkeeping system. If I have ever asked you to zip before sending, please zip the files every time - the box score will come in the body of the message otherwise and we will have to exchange more emails until it's right.
• Each coach must keep copies of all of his box scores until the end of the season
• The box scores are located in the "leagues/local/Week0/reports" folder in the SOM or Strat directory on your hard drive

Playing Ahead

• You are always welcome to play ahead - anything that helps us stay up to date is a good thing. I am posting the entire league schedule at the start of the season, and you can play any of these games whenever you like. If you do play ahead, you should still email the boxscore to me. If your upcoming real-life schedule looks like it will keep you from playing, try hard to play ahead.

Other suggestions

• PLEASE do not complain about your bad luck (or your opponent's good luck) during a game. This is extremely annoying to most coaches, and often leads to hard feelings because it's the equivalent of not giving the other coach any credit for beating you. Suck it up, don’t whine, and be gracious - or just keep quiet. If you’re not careful with your comments during games, you will end up with an unwanted reputation for being a jerk.
• Be careful about piling on points late in the 4th quarter. This is always a judgment call, but be aware that point differential is NOT a tie-breaker element in this league.
• Make an effort to do a writeup after the game, even if it's delayed a day or two, especially when it was a close or exciting game. This will make the league come alive for all of us. The score and a few words is fine for a blowout. Unless otherwise agreed, the winning coach should do the writeup. If anyone wants the box score reporting program that I made, let me know.
• Please remember that we are doing this for fun, not for glory. No one should feel like they have to prove anything here. Winning should take a back seat to having a good time and being a good league member. No matter how much you win, you’re not going to get hired by the NFL. This is primarily a group effort to replay a season - something like a play where each of us is playing a certain part. If you demonstrate a cut-throat attitude and you alienate other coaches, you might be asked to leave.

Team assignments

In the SNARL current season league, most coaches keep the same team every year. In the retro league, however, the goal is a system where we all take turns running teams that are good, bad, mediocre, and occasionally great or terrible. It has to be that way because I have more than 25 people to try to keep happy. This is not a league where everyone gets to grab the best team he can get every season, because running bad teams is something we all have to take turns doing – it can't always be someone else. That's the reality if you want to use all the teams and play the full actual schedule. A replay league like SNARL is not possible unless there are guys willing to run the bad teams.

I truly appreciate the coaches who volunteer to run bad teams and also the coaches who have a regular assigned team and are willing to stick with it when it stinks. Some teams, like the 1980's 49ers, the 1970's Cowboys, Steelers, Rams, Raiders and Vikings for example, are too good year in and year out to give to any one coach every year. Teams like that will often be found in the lottery, especially if there are multiple fans of that team in our group. Those of you who do get the same team every season are encouraged to lend someone else your team so that everyone gets a chance to play his favorite.

I handle team assignments through a combination of different methods. I ask for volunteers to take the awful teams, and for someone who helps me cover those rotten teams, I might promise him a team he really wants in another season. I approach people privately and let them choose certain teams based on what they've had previously. I keep a spreadsheet with weighted values for the teams each person has had in the past. Sometimes I will ask people to take bad teams to even things out more, and sometimes I will offer you a better team if you have been playing bad ones.

I use a lottery for most of the best teams each year, which helps give everyone a chance at getting a really good team. The ping pong balls you get are based on a combination of past team quality and to a lesser extent on seniority. Of course, if too many people opt for the lottery, the last few choices might not be particularly good teams. If you get a top team, you can expect to be excluded from the next lottery, and to be asked to take a lesser team for the next season.

It’s a unique system for assigning teams and it has worked well in the past because we have the right kind of people in the league. I always try to be fair and I want to keep everyone happy. If you're one of those people that think you’re entitled to a playoff team every year and don't want to play unless you do, then this is not the league for you. The three main things I want our league members to do are: play your games on time, don’t whine or be a jerk during games and accept the way that I assign teams.