A. Organization

> Commissioner – Brandon Rose

> The commissioner is in charge of the day-to-day league business.

Commissioner's Message: This document is not the Constitution of the United States. Thus, it does not require an Act of Congress to edit it. The league rules are best described as an evolving document. So, when/should the need arise over time to reword some rule(s) in order to make it/them more clear and/or defined, or should a new game feature be created, or one changed, that needs to be accounted for or implemented into this document, please know that it shall be done so with only the best interests of the league in mind.

> All league business and/or league issues are to be handled directly with the commissioner and not in an open forum.

> There are no league dues.

> The Odyssey Football League plays the latest version of Action! PC Football. 

> Each member is required to own the game and purchase the season disk being played. 

> The league was formed with the intention of providing fun, fellowship, sportsmanship and competition.

> Web Maintenance– Brandon Rose  Web Design– Kory Bailey



B. League Set Up

> The Odyssey Football League is a twenty-two team league divided into one twelve team conference and one ten-team conference divided into three four-team and two five-team divisions.

Conference/Division set up:

Pete Rozelle Conference
Eastern Division
Central Division
Western Division

Al Davis Conference
Atlantic Division
Pacific Division


> Odyssey Football League team names can be derived from any city, county, state, province or region and nickname from any professional football league team or college football team from any era. Nothing vulgar/offensive or repetitive [same nickname] will be allowed.

> A teams stadium has to be the real-life stadium OR be a stadium in the same city, county, state, province or similar weather clime region. 

> The Odyssey Football League plays two seasons a calendar year.

Season one will start in February and season two starts in August.


> League information will be available on the web site or via e-mail from the commissioner.

> The official league file will be provided by the commissioner during the regular season, playoffs and off-season.

> Vacant teams can be an issue from time to time. Therefore the Odyssey Football League will always try to maintain a Coaches Waiting List.  In the event that a team doesn’t have a coach, their regular season and/or playoff games will be played by the commissioner or a member designated by the commissioner until the vacant position is filled. The same rules apply if a team doesn’t have a coach during the rookie/free agent draft.



C. Regular Season Schedule and Playing Your Games

> The 1972 regular season schedule will be 14 games.

7 home and 7 away

Future seasons note: Starting with the 1978 season the Odyssey Football League will play 16 regular season games.


> You will play one game per week during the regular season.
 
> Coaches are expected to accommodate internet or face-to-face play.

> If the coaches can’t agree on a day and time to play their game by Friday of game week the coach unable to play needs to try to find a substitute coach among the league membership.  If those attempts fail, the coach unable to play must let the commissioner know ASAP so other arrangements can be made to get the game played on time.

> Game results must be sent to the commissioner and opponent after the game.

> Games not reported by the deadline, with no excuse, will be played by sub-coaches or auto-played by the commissioner.



D. Game Settings

> The following league rules and game preferences will be checked ON:

League Type - Draft League

Two-Point Conversions

Minutes/Quarter - 15

Play Clock: 40 Seconds

Injuries - Realistic Multi-Game/Temporary In-Game Fatigue/Postgame

Field Goal Miss Line - 20-yard line

Kickoff Line - 40-yard Line

Goal Post Location - Goal Line

Home Field Advantage - Set at 3

Penalties - Set at Realistic

Audibles - 2 Per Half

Weather Conditions - Correct Home Field/Month of Play

Season Usage Penalties - Yes

Game Usage Penalties - Yes

Special Teams Usage Penalties - Yes

Quarterback Usage Penalties - Yes

Game Fatigue - Yes

Game Fatigue Settings - 110% Mild/115% Moderate/120% Major

Season Fatigue Settings - 10% Mild/15% Moderate/20% Major
  
              
> These game options are NOT used:

Overtime/Sudden Death [usage starts in 1974]

QB Kneel [usage starts in 1978]

Spiking the Ball [usage starts in 1987]

Play Challenges [usage starts in 1999]

> The use of trick plays will be limited to a maximum of four per game. 

Trick plays include: Non-QB passes, WR/TE reverses, fake punts, and fake field goals.

The rule will be the same for the playoffs, except, players are limited to the real-life number of trick plays they attempted.

Trick Play Disclaimer – If a player is rated RB/WR – and he is a viable RB option for you – he needs to be lined him up in the backfield and not run reverses all season.  Abuse of this rule will result in the loss of the player and/or a second round draft pick depending on the severety of the abuse.



E. Roster & Player Usage

> Roster Size – 40 active players.

Players designated Not Available [N/A] for the season do not count against the 40 active player roster size limit.

> Player usage will be dictated by injuries, game and season fatigue.  There will be no artificial limitations imposed. 

> Skill position players will be required to use 1/3 of their real-life usage in the following categories:

QB – Pass Attempts
RB – Carries
WR/TE – Receptions

Failure to meet the 1/3 minimum usage requirement will result in the player becoming a free agent at the end of the regular season and eligible to be drafted in the next free agent/rookie draft.  This rule is to guard against teams hoarding skill position players.

Regular Season QB Rule: A team can not carry more than three active QB's on their regular season roster.


> A player missing a season because of an injury, suspension or military service who is obviously not game rated can be kept by his team for that season.  Players kept, who fit that description, and who are listed as Not Available [N/A] will NOT count against the 40-active player roster limit.  There will be a three-player maximum limit regarding keeping players with Not Available [N/A] status.

> Teams are required to carry a backup at every position except kicker and punter.  A single player can be the backup at more than one position if he is rated to play those positions. You must also have a minimum of 600 combined rushing and passing attempts for a 14-game season on your roster.  Maximums may be flagged if the Commissioner sees fit.

> You may have to play a player or players out of position due to injury and/or fatigue - forced to sit by the game’s design. 

Here are the playing out of position guidelines:

C, OG & OT can play any offensive line position
DE & DT can play any defensive line position
ILB & OLB can play any linebacker position
CB & S can play any defensive backfield position


> Keep in mind, players who play out of position are reduced in effectiveness by the game.

> Once the injured or fatigued player is eligible to return, you must put him back in the game.

> Playing a player out of position for no apparent reason will result first in a warning and second, if repeated, some sort of penalty. You will lose either the player that you are playing out of position, a draft pick, or both. If the offenses continue you will be relieved of your OdysseyFootball League team

> Special QB Rule: Any QB with a Passing Rating of 59.9 or less will be given a Durability Rating of 10.

> Special teams guidelines for the Holder, Long Snapper and Gunner:

Holder – Any Quarterback, Punter or real-life Holder [coach must verify]
Long-Snapper – Any Center or real-life Long-Snapper
Gunner – Anyone except Quarterback, Offensive and Defensive Linemen



F. Trading Ground Rules

> Trading is year-round.

> The OFL trading deadline once the regular season starts is through Week Eight play.

> Any trade made after the trading deadline for that season does not become official until the completion of that season.

> Trades can include players and draft picks.  You can trade your draft picks at the start of any upcoming rookie draft plus two seasons in the future.

Example: With the next rookie draft being the 1972 rookie draft you can trade your 1973, 1974 & 1975 draft picks.


> All trades are to be reported to the commissioner and confirmed by the non-trade reporting coach.

> Once a trade is official – one coach reports it and one coach confirms – it will be announced to the entire league via e-mail.

> The commissioner will review and have final approval of all trades.



G. Injuries & Waiver Transactions

> It is in your teams best interests that you select a player or players from the free agent list when you lose a player or players to injury. 

> Waiver claims should be made to the commissioner.  When the injured player is eligible to return the waiver wire pick up or another player on your roster has to be released.  This transaction is also sent to the commissioner.

> During the regular season you can claim players off of the waiver wire and release players. 

> All waiver claims are handled on a first come-first served basis.  The claim/release requests are to be sent to the commissioner.



H. Playoffs

> Ten teams will qualify for the playoffs.

Pete Rozelle Conference [6 teams] and Al Davis Conference [4 teams].

Regular season statistics are zeroed out so everyone starts the playoffs fresh.

Regular season injuries carry over into the playoffs.  

Pete Rozelle Conference: 3 Division Winners and 3 Wild-Card teams
Al Davis Conference : 2 Division Winners and 2 Wild-Card teams

Wild-Card Note: The wild-card teams will be decided on best record not order of finish in the division they compete in.


> Ties in the final standings will be broken using the OFL Tie-Breaker system:

1. Best Head to Head Record
2. Best Division Record
3. Best Conference Record
4. Best Strength of Victory Percentage
5. Best Opponents Winning Percentage
6. Most Points Scored
7. Fewest Points Allowed
8. Most Offensive Yards Gained
9. Fewest Offensive Yards Allowed
10. Coin Toss


> Playoff teams will compete for an opportunity to play in the Odyssey Bowl for the league championship.

> Playoff System for the Pete Rozelle Conference:

Division winners will be seeded 1, 2 & 3 with the Wild Card teams seeded 4, 5 & 6 based on best record.

Division winners with the two best records have a bye.

Wild Cards: 6th Seed at 3rd Seed & 5th Seed at 4th Seed

Semi-Finals: Lowest Seed Wild Card Winner at 1st Seed & Second Lowest Seed Wild Card Winner at 2nd Seed.

Conference Championship Game: Lowest Seed Semi-Final Winner at Highest Seed Semi-Final Winner.

> Playoff System for the Al Davis Conference:

Division Winners will be seeded 1 and 2 with the Wild-Card teams seeded 3 & 4 based on best record.

Semi-Finals: 4th Seed at 1st Seed & 3rd Seed at 2nd Seed.

Conference Championship Game: 4/1 Semi-Final game winner vs. 3/2 Semi-Final game winner. The team with the best record is the home team.

Odyssey Bowl: Pete Rozelle Conference Champion vs. Al Davis Conference Champion. The home team will be on an alternating conference basis.


> Sudden death overtime will be used in playoff games ending in a tie.

> The Odyssey Bowl will be played in the historic Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida.

> The league champion will be awarded the Lamar Hunt Trophy by the commissioner.



I. Rookie/Free Agent & Garbage Pile Drafts

> The overall Rookie/Free Agent Draft selection order will be determined by worst-to-best winning percentage.

Ties will be broken using the OFL Tie-Breaker System:

1. Best Head to Head Record
2. Best Division Record
3. Best Conference Record
4. Best Strength of Victory Percentage
5. Best Opponents Winning Percentage
6. Most Points Scored
7. Fewest Points Allowed
8. Most Offensive Yards Gained
9. Fewest Offensive Yards Allowed
10. Coin Toss

The four lottery teams selection order will be determined by assigning each team a number one through four and then using a random number generator.

The only playoff teams whose selection order changes are the Odyssey Bowl participants who will pick 19th and 20th.


> What players are eligible to be drafted in the free agent/rookie draft?

Any player not on a roster who is game rated - played in the NFL/AFL that season - is draft eligible.


> Sometime after the end of the regular season each coach will be asked to submit a 30-player protected list with the remainder of their team’s roster going into the rookie/free agent player pool. 

> 30-Player Protected List QB Rule: When teams are cutting their roster down to the 30-player protected list limit you can't keep two QB's with 250+ pass attmepts.

> The Rookie/Free Agent Draft will be ten rounds – worst to best in order - with a lottery held to determine the pecking order for the first four draft positions in the First Round.

The Garbage Pile Draft will following the Tenth Round. This is a draft handled via e-mail on a first come-first served basis for those teams that still need to fill open roster spots and/or position holes.

 
> Teams who reach the 40-active player roster limit can continue participating in the free agent/rookie draft but must cut a player before making a pick.

> A team with less than the 40-active player roster limit at the end of Tenth Round of the rookie/free agent draft can continue to draft until they reach the 40-active player roster limit.

> The rookie/free agent and garbage pile drafts will be conducted via e-mail, IM or telephone [emergency situations only].



J. Rule Changes, Expansion & the Miscellaneous

> Proposals for rule changes can be made to the commissioner after the Odyssey Bowl.  The commissioner will review the proposal and decide whether or not the recommendation merits league wide discussion.  Any proposal making the cut will then be introduced to the league for a short [one week] e-mail discussion.  At that time the commissioner will decide whether or not the proposed rule change has enough interest to be put to a league vote.  If the rule change proposal is put to a vote every member has one vote.  Not voting will be considered a no vote.  A proposed rule change must carry a ¾ majority vote in order to be put into the Odyssey Football League Rules.

> Expansion will be addressed at the time the NFL/AFL added more teams in real-life.

> It will always be the goal of the Odyssey Football League to have no more than 2 or 3 less teams than professional football in an effort to keep player’s values as realistic as possible.

> Any topics not covered by the league rules will be addressed by the commissioner as needed.  It should not be assumed that the lack of a rule against a certain practice permits its usage.