Pool 2025 Rules
0.0/1 The "Not Covered in the Rules" Rule (aka, The "The Rules aren't Perfect, But this is Not a Democracy Either, Dammit" Clause)
Sometimes a situation occurs that is not covered by the rules. In these cases, the administrator(s) have to make what they consider to be a fair ruling. They may or may not solicit input from the participants, and are under no obligation to do so. In any case, the ruling, once made, is final for the current season. The rules for the next season will be amended or modified in order to cover the situation. In addition, a message will be sent to all participants informing them of the situation and the ruling.
1.1/1 The Team Usage Rule
Only one team from each game can be used and a team can only be used once. If a team is accidentally used twice or if both teams from the same game are used, the entry with the lower number of points will be thrown out.
1.2/1 The Tied Game Rule
If a game ends in a tie, no one receives points for that game.
1.3/1 The Cancelled Game Rule (aka. The Opal Rule)
If a scheduled game that has been included in the pool is not played, for any reason, all participants' picks shall be modified as follows:
- the cancelled game will automatically become the game worth one (1) point, and will be counted as a correct choice for all players
- all other games previously below the cancelled game shall move up one position in the list (this includes other cancelled games)
1.4/5 The College Game Pick Rule (aka. The Dienstbier Loves to Complain Rule)
The weekly college games will be chosen using the following guidelines, in order:
- using the AP poll, starting at the #1 ranked team and progressing down the list to the #25 ranked team, each ranked team that is playing another ranked team will be included in that week's games (if the game is of interest and has a reasonable spread), up to the number of games that are needed to complete the 20 game schedule,
- if there are still slots to fill, the schedule preparer will make a best attempt effort to choose games of interest,
- the schedule preparer will avoid NCAA games before Friday night if at all possible. This includes the avoidance of ranked teams playing before Friday night.
2.0/1 The Pick Deadline Rule
Effort will be made to ensure that the deadline for pick submission is stated prominently in the weekly message. If present, this deadline is the official and overriding deadline for the week. Read it, memorize it, and heed it. Typically, the deadline will not change except in situations dictated by game schedule oddities, administrator scheduling conflicts, reasonable participant requests, etc.
2.1/4 The Standard Week Pick (Default) Deadline Rule
If, for some reason, no deadline is stated in the weekly message, the pick deadline for a weekend where all the games are scheduled for Saturday thru Monday is 11:59 p.m. on Thursday.
2.2/4 The Non-Standard Week Pick (Default) Deadline Rule
If no deadline is stated in the weekly message, and if there are games earlier in the week than Saturday, then the picks are due by 11:59 p.m. the night before the first game (e.g., Wednesday night if the first game is on Thursday).
2.3/3 The Missed Pick Deadline Rule
If the deadline for picks is missed, picks may still be submitted up until the kickoff of the first game. However, a 2 point per hour that the picks are late penalty shall be levied against the player's final score for that week with the penalty not to exceed 10 points.
2.4/3 The "One-time Grant" Rule
Each pool participant is given one "free pass" against the late penalty. That is, the first incident where a player submits picks late will not result in a penalty for that week. The player's lateness will be noted in the results message for the week, in order that other players are aware when this happens. This exception does NOT get a player a pass on picks that are completely missed.
2.5/2 The Acceptable Pick Submission Method Rule
The preferred method of pick submission is via the on-line system. The on-line system will time-stamp the entry. That is the time used to determine if picks are late or not.
You may phone in your picks to an administrator. Send an email if you want to get the phone numbers. Talking in person prior to the deadline is acceptable proof of pick submission, as is the timestamp recorded on the administrator's voicemail/ answering machine.
You may fax in your picks to an administrator. Send an email if you want to get the fax number. Your fax machine MUST confirm delivery, including a timestamp and image of the fax, and you MUST retain this if you want to be able to dispute a late penalty where the fax was not received. If the fax IS received, then the timestamp at the receiving machine is used for deadline purposes.
You may send your picks via USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc. The postmark or shipping receipt on the package MUST indicate that it was sent prior to the deadline. Send an email if you want to get the delivery address.
2.6/6 Rule 2.6 has been removed - late picks will not be accepted.
2.7/2 The Designated Picker/Payer Rule (aka. the Peterson Phoenix Ploy)
If a player is not able to submit picks, s/he may designate someone to submit the picks for them.
2.8/2 The Pick Responsibility Rule (aka. the I sent my picks to that e- mail account you had a year ago but don't use anymore Rule)
It is the player's responsibility to get his or her picks to the person running the pool. The on-line system should be used for picks, or alternatively picks can be called in or e-mailed. Picks sent any other way without prior arrangements will not be accepted. Verification of receipt of picks will be provided on request.
2.9/1 The "No Excuses" Rule
There is NO valid excuse for picks being missed or late that will be allowed. If your picks are late or do not make it, the applicable rule WILL be enforced without exception. This is the only way to be fair in all cases. Designate a proxy (see rule 2.7) if need be.
2.10/1 The I Want to Turn In My Picks on Friday Rule (aka. The How a Poll Can Change the Game Rule)
Picks will be accepted until the first college game starts. If picks are turned in after any game or games have started or have been played, but before the first college game, the participant will automatically receive a pick of the favored team or teams in the game or games and the pick or picks will automatically be positioned according to spreadhead. If the game the player has chosen as his upset has already started, then the player will receive no upset that week.
3.1/4 The Buy-In Rule (aka. the Peterson Gambit with the Denison Corollary)
NOTE: This rule was made obsolete by rule 3.4 below.
3.2/2 The Low Net Score Rule (aka. "Fletcher's Folly")
NOTE: This rule was made obsolete by rule 3.4 below.
3.3/2 The Upset Rule
Each week a player may designate an upset winner. The team picked as the upset winner must be the underdog for the game as specified in the list of games provided for the week. Also, the upset pick must have been picked in the player's list of 20 games. If the picked underdog wins, the player will receive bonus points equal to the number of points the player selected for the team in the list of 20 multiplied by the provided spread for the game divided by 10.
3.4/5 The Default Pick/Spreadhead Rule (aka. making Boyd's life easier rule with the Dienstbier 'Fer cryin' out loud' Corollary)
Any player can register a set of default picks for the season. The default picks can be changed at any time. But, if changed after picks are due for a given week, the change does not take affect until the next week. Any player that does not submit picks for a week will be assigned "spreadhead" for that week. A player assigned "spreadhead" cannot win the week. A player that has been assigned "spreadhead" due to not submitting picks 7 or more times in a season is not eligible for an end of year payout.
4.1/5 The Tribute Rule
Weekly tribute is 3 units, and must be submitted by the third week of the season.
4.2/1 The Weekly Payout Rule
The person with the most points each week shall receive 75% of the tribute collected for that week. The other 25% of the collected tribute shall be placed in a pot for payout at the end of the regular season. Fines and tribute collected from The Buy-In Rule shall be placed in the end-of-season pot.
4.3/1 The Weekly Tie Rule
In case of a tie between two participants, the tie-breaker shall be the number of games properly predicted. If still tied, then the one who most closely predicted the number of points scored in the Monday night game will win. If still tied, then those tied will split the weekly payout as evenly as possible.
4.4/1 The End-of-Season Payout Rule
The end-of-season payout will be distributed according to the following table: