Rules for the 2004 Madden Online League

Official Rules of the 2004 Madden Online League.

*Getting Started *

1. You must have Madden 2004 for PC. You must have the latest EA Sports patch to enter the league. If you don't the game will automatically reject you.

3. You must register in the League Forum. Somewhere on your profile let it be known what team you are the General Manager of.

4. We will monitor what some players refer to as "cheese" plays........if we hear of someone doing a "cheesy" type of play we reserve the right to give them a warning if they continue to use it.

5. New owners entering the MOL are considered to be on probation for their first two league games. During that time they can be removed from the league for any reasons without due process. After that probationary period is up, they become a full-fledged owner in the MOL.

6. Every owner must have MSN Instant Messenger.

*Warnings*

1. A warning will be issued to you if you break one of the MOL Rules. If you receive two warnings you will be Removed from the league. You may receive a warning for breaking our game play rules.

2. A warning will be sent to your email address and if you do not fix the rule you broke you may be sent another warning which would Remove you from the MOL.

3.The MOL reserves the right to Remove anyone out of the league at anytime if we choose there is good reasoning.

*Scheduling to Play Games*

1. Games will be played as 1 season week ever real week. This means every actual week will be 1 week in the franchise. Games that are not played by the deadline will be either subbed or simulated. This will be decided by the commish.

2. It is the responsibility that both owners schedule a time to play their games. Please make contact to play early in the week so you can both find a time that works. Make sure you know what time zone the owners are in. It is best to communicate with your opponent at the beginning of the gaming week and set up a general time to play and then maybe a more specific time the day you are supposed to play.

3. If an opponent does not answer your requests to play inform the commissioners and express the situation. The commissioners will contact the owner and threaten to issue a warning if they don't reply.

4. If you forfeit 2 games you are REMOVED from the league. This avoids dead beat owners that don't take the league serious.

5. Use MSN Instant Messenger to contact your opponent.

*Roster Management*

1. Trades MUST be confirmed by both coaches and the League Commish's. Multiple players and draft picks are allowed. Trades can be denied by League Commish's if determined they are strictly done to undermine a team. This is to stop team killing trades, but most trades will be accepted. Any trade causing a team to go beyond the salary cap will be rejected. Teams MUST stay within roster minimum/maximum settings.

2. No limit on trades but trades will be monitored for abuse.

3. When the year ends you will be allowed a certain amount of time to re-sign players. The league will still be advanced if you don't re-sign in time which would result in you losing all your un-signed players.

4. All free agent bids must be made by emailing me the offer. The FA Deadline will be every Saturday at Midnight EST. At the end of that time the team with the highest bid wins the player. All bids must keep you under your cap at all times. You may not have a total amount of bids out that are going to put you over the cap. EX: you have 4 bids out for 2 mil a piece, but only have 4 mil in cap" that would be unacceptable and all your bids will be null and void. In your post on the forum you must put the players name, position, offer amount, and contract length. Any email that don't have all this info will not be accepted. You also may not go over you max roster limit.

5. Teams that do not meet the minimum roster requirement at the end of the week will be signed the lowest available player at the position needed.

6. No new bids for free agents can be started after midnight Saturday. That way the rosters are set for that week.


7. No defense players to offense spots and no offensive players to defense.

QB - Quarterbacks may not play any other position. Quarterbacks may not be subbed in as a punter in special team situation. Using a QB as a holder for a FG or PAT is ok.
HB - Halfbacks can play HB or FB.
FB - Fullbacks can play FB, HB, or TE.
TE - Tight Ends can play TE or FB.
WR - Wide Receivers can play WR, PR, or KR.
OL - Offensive Linemen may also play FB or TE, and are interchangeable at all OL positions.
DL - Defensive Linemen are interchangeable at all DL positions.
LB - Linebackers are interchangeable at all LB positions and may also be substituted as nickel and dime backs.
DB - Defensive Backs can play DB, FS, SS, KR, or PR.
*** WR may not play TE at all. Even in the allowed packages. IT IS NOT ALLOWED

8. Injuries will occur from now on. Injuries are done in the franchise file and I have no control over them. Every week I will simulate the the franchise to have the correct winner. Then will make the list of players who were injured in the franchise file. This will make for a more realistic league.  It is your responsibility to make sure you do not play with a injured player.  First time will result in game being replayed if you won.  Second will result in suspension of your best offensive and defensive player.  A 3rd will likely result in dismissal from the league. 
 

*Off Season Draft*

1. The draft will be a live draft held in a yet to be determined location. If you know you can't make the date, please send in a list of players you would like taken in a order of importance. If I receive no list I will let the CPU make all your picks.

*Game Play Rules*

GENERAL RULES:

1. If you pause the game in the middle of a play you must call a timeout. There is no changing audibles in the middle of a play. Please set your audibles before the opening kickoff and at halftime. Same with subs unless there is an injury obviously.

2. Use the correct INI file. If your game was not completed using the correct file it will not count. The INI file can be downloaded form the league site.

3. Quitting!! This will absolutely not be tolerated. I know disconnects happen. The first time will be a warning and will throw up a red flag for us. A second time will result in being booted from the league. Lets take our wins and losses like adults. We want this league to be fun and competitive, and hopefully via trades, the teams will even out.

4. Playmaker There is no rule against playmaker. But using it every play will not be tolerated. There is no problem using it every once in a while. But using it every play will be reason for a warning then dismissal.

OFFENSE RULES:

1. Punting!! Punting is now a rule. Only time you may go for it on 4th down is when it is 4th and inches inside your own 10 yard line or if you are trailing anytime in the 4th quarter. Any other 4th down situation will require you to punt. Now if on Defense you use the punt block formation over and over your opponent may fake. Please only use the punt block formation in key situations. You may use a punt fake any time in the game that you are trailing.  But you may not run a regular play unless its on one of the situations listed above.

2. No huddle offense may be used only during 2 situations. You may use a no huddle regardless of the score any time under the 2 minute warning in the 1st half. You may also use a no huddle any time in the 4th quarter if you are the losing team.

3. Multiple motions are not permitted. You CAN pass to a HB or FB who motions out of the backfield but the back must come to a stop before snapping the ball. Any WR or TE can be in motion during a snap but must be outside the tight end or tackle.  There is no bringing the guy across the field in motion and then bringing him back. 

4. Multiple audible plays are permitted. But if any audible is called by the offense, they must allow the defense to get set.

5. You cannot audible "into or out of" any special team play from a offensive formation.

6. The quarterback may drop a maximum of 15 yards prior to passing.

7. You may not run the same play 3 times in a row.

8. If you drop the passing cursor to scramble your quarterback, then do exactly that and SCRAMBLE.  There is no dropping and bringing back up of the passing cursor.

9. Placing your best wide receiver as the #3 on the depth chart is not permitted.  You may package them there.  But you are not allowed to put them as the #3 WR on the depth chart.

10. YOU CAN ONLY WIN BY A 35 POINT MARGIN. If you are up by 35 you can not score. You can only score if the margin is less then 35 pts margin. If you are up by 35 you can still play offense, just drive down to the goal line and punt it through the uprights. If the other team scores then you can score back. You may not pass the ball if you are up 35 points at all. This also counts on returns of all kinds, punt, kick, defensive. You may return the ball to the 1 yard line but cannot score. As a good sport, a lead like this would be a great time to put in your backups. Who knows you might find a backup worth playing a little more. Why not make the league more competitive by letting your opponent work on his game when the game is in the bag.

11. PLAYER SUBSTITUTIONS.  If you are winning by 28 points entering the 4th quarter, or by 21 with 4 minutes remaining, substitutions are to be made.  Bring in your backups. This is to get away from teh padding of stats.  This will also help you as injuries are part of the game this season and you might have to play with that player eventually.  So if you have one of them leads, please bring in your backup QB, HB, and WR.  You may leave your defensive players in. 

DEFENSE RULES:

1. Defensive line: You may move your Defensive Line any way you want with the exception of the Defensive Ends only being able to be out as wide as a shift allows. You may move your Defensive Tackles anywhere you want but cant be outside their Defensive End.

SPECIAL TEAM RULES:

1. Kickoffs: No short kicks. Kickoffs must travel at least to the 20-yard line, weather permitting. If you are going for the turnover, you may use the on-side kick option, only when you are losing in the 4th quarter. Please cover your own kickoffs and punts.  Don't stay on your kicker and let the computer play the coverage.  It brings a little more excitement to returning.

2. Punt Returns: You may only move 1 player. You may move him as much as you want of moving towards going after the punter. If you move him back towards the return guy as an extra blocker you must wait until the ball is snapped.

3. Formation Subs: You may not change the formation subs on special teams. This means putting WR's or TE's in. Your special teams should be the ones assembled with the exception of the return guys. These are to be changed in the depth charts.