ENTRY

(i) The entry fee for the 2001 NPC PJTC is a one-off payment of $10.  This fee must be received by Maddog, Gazzaralli, or Errol (Australians) before the first game of the 3rd Round (Friday, 24th August 2001). 

Due to continual difficulties in collection, Maddog successfully lobbied for the "Bubbles Legislation".  This was implemented immediately and effectively into the 2000 NPC PJTC and all entry fees were collected for the first time.  These new rules provide more incentives to pay on time and more penalties for those who don't. 

The Bubbles Legislation: 
  

TIPPING

(i) All Tipping is submitted online. 
It is the Tipster's responsibility to ensure that their tips are entered on time each week.  Once the deadline has passed there are no excuses.   

(ii) Tipping Deadline is at 6.30pm Friday before each round (unless otherwise notified). 
Failure to submit tips before the deadline attracts the default tips of ALL AWAY GAMES!
This deadline gives the Manager On Duty an hour to update the Tip Site and publish the Tipsters' Tips, just in time to sit down and watch the Friday night game.  If for any reason you are having trouble with passwords, connections, etc, you may email your tips to the Board and hope they enter your tips in time... there is no guarantee of this though.      

(iii) No tips can be changed after the deadline. 
One rule for all!  After the deadline Tipsters' Tips will no longer be confidential and all tips will be available for viewing on the Tipsters' Tips page.  Please bear with us if this update is running late.  ("Real Life" often interferes).

SCORING

(i) Bonus points for Close Losses or Clean Sweeps do not apply to the Semi Finals or Finals 

(ii) Clean Sweep Bonus Points are doubled in the event of playing a Wild Card 

WILD CARDS

Every Tipster will have TWO Wild Cards. When you play your Wild Card you will DOUBLE the points that you score for that round.  Here is an example... Dogfood returns from his counselling session around midday, he is hungry.  He takes a packet of Weetbix out of the pantry and he also puts two slices of bread in the toaster.  He has set the toaster to automatically pop up after 90 seconds... this is how he likes his toast.  The fridge is right next to the pantry.  If he fails to take the butter out of the fridge at the same time as he is getting the milk for his Weetbix, he loses approximately 7 seconds and wastes valuable energy each time he opens the fridge door.  It also means that he is late adding butter to his toast and he could end up with colder than usual toast and soggier than usual Weetbix.  Does he sacrifice one of the meals in order to make the other one perfect?  He tips a draw!

(i) Wild Cards can only be played in the Home and Away Rounds, not the finals.

(ii) You can't play both Wild Cards in the same Round.

(iii) In the event of a Clean Sweep in the Round that you choose to play your Wild Card, your bonus points are also doubled.

(iv) You cannot play a Wild Card until after you have paid your entry fee.

PRIZES

The exact distribution of prize money is decided after all the entry fees are in. It is important to remember that this comp is not about money, therefore the prizes are likely to be spread amongst more awards if there is too much in the kitty.  The following estimates are based on an expected field of 70 tipsters.  Approximately 10% of the kitty is spent on administration expenses.  And don't worry, we never make any money out of this.  We're in it for the Jacket!  

NB: These are prone to change depending on numbers and afterthought, but we will finalise the exact prize makeup by the 4th Round.  

Champion:  
Most importantly, the champion wins the Right To Wear The Jacket!!  In order to develop some customs in the PJTC we encourage the champion to celebrate his victory appropriately.  We insist that the champion must attend a PJTB approved ceremony to ensure the ultimate safety of the Jacket.  The 2 free entries are only for the next 2 PJTCs, because they will be the reigning NPC champion we like to encourage them back on to the field.     

Runner Up:  
The free entry can be used either in the next Super 12 PJTC or NPC PJTC.

Also-ran (3rd):  
The free entry can be used either in the next Super 12 PJTC or NPC PJTC.

The Top Three from the comp also make up one half of the Tipping Tribunal for the duration of a year.

Top Foreigner:
We It looks like this prize will be exclusive to the NPC comps, as there's all sorts of intellectual debate yet to be had over the Top Foreigner  issue.  This year we may offer a $50 prize but only if we get 10 or more in that category.  To qualify as a Foreigner eligible for a financial prize the Tipster must reside outside New Zealand for at least 80% of the comp. 

Top Chick:
There are several dodgy agendas for awarding money for the honour of being Top Chick, and due to a "chick" finally winning the Jacket this prize may have to be waived in order to preserve dignity.  

Home Sprint:
To keep the stragglers interested we offer this comp in the latter part of the race.  The Harper Sprint is run over the last several weeks (to be confirmed) of the Home And Away Rounds, the Semi Finals, and Finals.  Wild Card points are not counted.  The Home Sprint is based on  Simon Harper's dramatic win in the 97NPC PJTC after a remarkable home sprint gained him victory. 

TIEBREAKER

In the event of two or more Tipsters ending in a draw, (on equal points), there are several stages that must be followed in order to eliminate drawn tipsters down to one champion.  This is quite complicated and usually not even needed, but we are very thorough and like to be prepared so we've drawn up the... Tie Breaker Protocol

CHAMPION OBLIGATIONS

(i) Entry constitutes permission for the 2001 NPC Pink Jacket Tipmeister Comp. to use the names and photographs of participants for publicity purposes. The Jacket may be recalled for promotional purposes with a week�s notice.

(ii) The champion shall not bring the Jacket or the Comp into disrepute with their actions or words.

(iii) The Pink Jacket remains the property of the Pink Jacket Tipping Series and may not be tampered with or destroyed.  The Pink Jacket remains with the winner until the end of the 2002 Super 12 Pink Jacket Tipmeister Competition, when it is handed on to that Champion.  If the champion resides outside of Auckland they must return the Jacket a week before the final.

(iv) The Tipster Champion must be available for all royal and state visits to his or her home town.

BIG GIRL'S BLOUSE OBLIGATIONS

(i) This person is a loser and will be treated accordingly by the Pink Jacket Tipping Comp Board and others.

(ii) Due to the pathetic qualities of the Blouse Tipster, and because we like to maintain an impeccable reputation within Tipping circles, we like to make it as difficult as possible for previous Blouses to return to the field. In order to ensure that they either don't return, or they have a damn good look at themselves, a Blouse Tipster is not permitted back into any Pink Jacket Tipping arena until fulfilling the following...

• The Blouse Tipster must attend an official rugby match of Super 12, NPC, or test level, wearing the Blouse VISIBALLY for the duration of the match with at least two other Pink Jacket Tipsters in attendance.

• Photo evidence of this appearance must be supplied to the Pink Jacket Tipping Comp Board, along with a detailed submission requesting permission for re-entry, specifically explaining what significant changes have been made in order to make them a better Tipster.

THE PJTC BOARD

The Tipmeister Board has 5 members, all very talented and important individuals...

• "Don Gazzaralli" (Managing Director, Guardian of The Jacket)

• "Errol" (Foreign Affairs Minister, Preview and Rant Coordinator, Forum Hitman)

• "Funkalot" (Groundskeeper, Wizard)

• "Maddog" (Treasurer, Doctor)

• "The Pipster" (Previewer, Legal Consultant, Rugby Analogy Consultant)

Previously, all rules modifications and decisions were supposed to be discussed by the Tribunal, but due to the unstable nature of Tribunal members retaining their positions it was decided that a committed and regular Board be set up. That decision was made by the first Board... their first important (and somewhat controversial) decision.  During the 99NPC PJTC the Board was expanded to include Maddog and The Pipster.  This was in recognition of their ongoing contribution to PJTC Board debates.

 
The Board decides on rules, penalties, format, etc as they are the administrators of the comp and therefore have the most valid opinions. The Tipmeister Tribunal keeps a watchful eye on Board proceedings and when necessary makes democratic decisions if it is not in the Comp's best interests for the Board to do so.
(NB: It is not permitted for a member of the Board to win the Blouse. Should this ever happen, we will close the competition down.)

THE PJTC TRIBUNAL

The Tipmeister Tribunal is made up of the previous 3 winners of the previous 2 Tipping Competitions, (and includes if necessary the 4th place-getter in the most recent comp.

In the event of an unforseen situation where the Law does not clearly resolve it, the PJTC Tribunal will be called upon to make a decision. They have already shown their ability to make wise decisions on the field, that's why we use this system. In the event of a drawn vote in the Tribunal, the 4th place-getter of the most recent comp throws in their vote.  There are 3 conditions to them retaining these positions...

• they must be participating in the current comp

• they must be easily available for Tribunal decisions (internet access preferably)

• they cannot be the reigning Blouse

If a Tipster cannot fulfil these conditions the next place-getter takes his place.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

One day it may happen. Someone may have a genuine complaint about some terrible injustice they have suffered at the hands of the PJTC.  If you don't have access to a group of supportive pre-pubescent computer hacking anarchists, please put your complaint in writing, fully outlining the problem(s) and what you would like done about it, and submit it to

Santa Claus
North Pole

Alternatively, if you need to talk to someone about it, try

0900 LONELY
Calls cost $4.95 a minute. Kids ask your parents first.

OUR ESCAPE ROUTE

The 2001 NPC Pink Jacket Tipmeister Competition Organisers have the right to disqualify any entry or to amend or waive the rules or to cancel the competition at any time if circumstances beyond their control make it desirable to do so.