Information Rules Tradition Rules and General Expectations

TSO is the largest online community dedicated to sports video game leagues based around some of the industry’s hottest titles. Madden NFL Football, NCAA Football, FIFA Soccer, NBA 2K Basketball, Tiger Woods Golf… we support them all. At Tradition Sports Online we add that layer of connectivity and accountability that online leagues need in order to thrive. Our goal is to put the best tools into the best hands, our members, and let them build their communities, rivalries and ultimately their own online coaching experience.

We want to create an environment of friends first who take the game back to the way it is suppose to be played, like your on the couch with a buddy battling it out. The only way to do that is to take an active role in your community. You will be a lot less tempted to abuse any aspect of gameplay if you feel like you might be disrespecting someone you have gotten to know. That's just a fact.

***** Keep in mind that the following are general rules for our leagues. Not every league follows these EXACT rules. All rules for the different leagues are located in their stickied, individual description threads in their respective forums.

THESE RULES ARE A WORK IN PROGRESS... THE MOST RECENT VERSIONS ARE BELOW


GENERAL RULES
NCAA FOOTBALL RULES
MADDEN RULES
FIFA SOCCER RULES
NBA BASKETBALL RULES
MLB BASEBALL RULES
FORZA RULES
TIGER WOODS GOLF RULES

FORUM RULES

F.1.0 Conduct: We ask that you act like the mature adult you are on the forums. Taking part in a debate is acceptable and encouraged, but any type of slander or personal attacks will not be tolerated.

F.1.A Posting adult explicit content or NSFW material is not allowed, period. If you think it's borderline, it is probably not appropriate for this websites.

F.1.B Putting down a team or college institution, beyond general banter, is not allowed . We are a community full of alumni and hardcore fans. We encourage camaraderie, but please be respectful of others.

F.1.C Public flaming of another member will not be tolerated. Take it to PMs if you need to. Treat other players, both gameplay and attitude, how you would want to be treated. This is a friends first league. If your taking these game "seriously" you need to re-evaluate your priorities. We are here to have fun and play a video game, it's a mythical national championship not a real one. Respect your opponent and have fun with it.

F.2.0 Banning: Any misconduct on the forums or while participating in a league is punishable. Banning is completely and solely at the discretion of the management team. In general, your first offense will land you a warning, the second will give you a couple days off to think about it and the third will be your last here at TF.

F.3.0 Sportsmanship:: We are all grown adults here. There will be a zero tolerance policy for any public slander on the boards. If you have a problem, take it up via PM and settle it. The management team here are not your parents. Quitting games is frowned upon, no matter how badly you are getting beat or disagree with what has transpired. Remember that you are just playing a game and if you are going to be taking it too serious, you need to reevaluate your priorities.

F.3.A Absolutely under no circumstances are you to quit or otherwise purposefully disconnect from a User vs User game (League game, ranked game, tournament game, etc). This is the epitome of poor sportsmanship and is punishable by removing you from said league/tournament or from this site altogether. This is a serious offense and against this community's mature mentality towards online sim-style gaming.

F.3.B If in the unlikely event you have a problem with someone's gameplay, DO NOT QUIT. Finish the game, save some highlight videos and present it to your commissioner. The commissioner and you can present it to the management team if a problem still exists or a resolution can't be agreed upon. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to give yourself some time to digest what just happened. Sometimes games can be frustrating, but that does not mean that what your opponent is doing is necessarily cheese. You should always give your opponent the benefit of the doubt.

F.3.C If you are here because you like to win, just leave now. Submitting to unsportsmanlike activities will not be tolerated. Finish the game, tell your opponent good game and walk away. Being a sore loser or gloating about a win is not appropriate behavior here.

F.4.0 Spamming: We ask that you do not post with intentions to sell or advertise anything. We also politely ask that you do not post openings or opportunities for leagues from outside websites. Multiple irrelevant posts is also considered spam. Failure to comply with these rules will result in immediate termination of your account.

GENERAL NCAA FOOTBALL RULES

G.1.0 Depth chart changes are not permitted before the opening kickoff. Each owner is responsible for setting their depth charts weekly in the franchise. You are allowed to make a depth move during the game

• If a player is struggling.
• If you are trying to prevent an injury.
• If the game is a blow out.

G.2.0 Controlling Players: You cannot pick plays and let the computer run them. Nor can you utilize the "Ask Corso" feature. You must control your QB throws and ballcarrier movement at all times.

G.3.0 Audibles: When calling an audible, you must allow the defense to adjust and be set for at least one second before snapping the ball.

G.4.0 Mixing up the Playcalling: Varying your playcalling on both offense and defense is a requirement of sim play. On offense, be sure to show your opponent different formations and different plays out of each. Of course, exceptions on offense come from your playbook. If you are using Florida or Georgia Tech's playbooks, for example, the formations that are available are not very different. However, even in those playbooks, different looks are available and should be utilized. It is understandable (and acceptable) for a team that is down by a lot to become one dimensional, needing to throw the ball. By the same token, a team that is up by a lot is permitted to become one dimensional running the ball to keep the clock running. As long as the game is close, we expect all box scores to reflect a concerted effort at reasonable play calling.

On defense, be sure to mix up coverages, bltizes, and the like. Showing blitz should be used sparingly, but can be an option to mix it up. Sitting in Cover 3 or DE Contain all game, for example, is prohibited. In addition to making games more sim, mixing up your playcalling makes you a more lethal weapon as a coach. The more versatile you are on either side of the ball, the more you will be able to play mind games and set up plays against your opponent. The only exception to this goes along with offenses becoming one dimensional. If your opponent is forced to become one dimensional due to the score, you will be permitted to do so on defense.

When making adjustments on the field pre-snap, be sure that you are not making the exact same adjustments on every play. Constant press coverage, constant line stunts, shifting the DL and linebackers in the same manner every play and the like falls under the category of not mixing up play calling, and is frowned upon. In addition, moving anyone other than the player you will control is prohibited. If you find yourself in a situation where your guys move as you are switching to the player you intend to control, audible back to your original play by pressing X+LT (360) or []+L2 (PS3).

OFFENSE

O.1.0 - Going on 4th Down: We encourage straight play in this league, however, we do not want to limit players to the point where they cannot play aggressively. With that in mind, there will be a simple rule on 4th downs:

• Whenever you are past the 50 yard line with 1 yard or less to go, you are permitted to for it on 4th down.
• If you are behind by two touchdowns or more in the second half, you can go for it whenever you like.
• If you are the losing team in the 4th quarter, you can go for it whenever you like.

O.1.A - There are exceptions to these 4th down rules that will be handled on a league-by-league basis. Unless it is otherwise stated, these rules are law.

O.2.0 - Motioning: Motioning by backs and receivers is allowed. If the defense audibles before your motion is complete you must wait for the defense to get reset before snapping the ball, when possible. Otherwise, you are free to snap the ball when the Motion man reaches their spot on the field and the motion is complete.

O.3.0 - Hurry Up Offense: All teams are allowed to run the "hurry up" offense in both two minute drill situations. Any team losing in the 4th quarter is permitted to hurry up as often as they like. When using the hurry up offense, please allow your opponent to set their defense before snapping the ball. Purposely trying to cause offsides penalties or taking advantage of defensive AI is not allowed.

O.3.A - The above rules do not apply to teams who use the "No Huddle" offense feature in the game. However, it should be noted that fast tempo offenses do not rush to the line and snap it. You must allow the opponents defense to come set. Also, it is unrealistic to rush to the line of scrimmage after incomplete passes or when a player runs out of bounds (or any other clock stoppage).

O.4.0 - Playclock: We're all here to play football. Keep in mind we play anywhere from 6-8 minute quarters here; not 15 like the NCAA. So please choose your plays as quickly as possible on offense and make every effort to do so before the play clock gets close to running out. We do realize, however, that certain situations in the game may require some extra time when choosing a play. You may run the game clock with under 3 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter. Or if your trying to prevent another possession before the half.

O.5.0 - Play Action: Keep in mind it is unrealistic to call a PA Pass when it is 3rd down and more than 10. You may call a designed PA play and audible your RB to block or go into a pattern to stop the Playaction. Playaction should not be "over utilized" when you have not established the running game. Plain drop backs or shotgun formations should be the main passing formation for throwing the ball. Playaction is used to catch a defense off guard when you've been successful and pounding the rock during the drive or game. Be aware of the intention of PA and use it as such.

O.6.0- QB Scrambling: Unrealistic QB scrambling/sprinting is frowned upon on pass plays, including screens. Constantly dancing from sideline to sideline, running straight backwards or well behind the line of scrimmage without being under pressure is not realistic. This does not include option plays, designed QB runs or broken/pressured play situations.

O.7.0- QB Dropback: Purposefully dropping too far back in the pocket during regular passing plays is not allowed. Defensive AI doesn't take into account how far back in the pocket the QB is, allowing for wide open out routes and passes into the flats. This includes hitting a WR on said routes on screen plays.

O.8.0 -Running Up the Score: Good sportsmanship is a major part of TSO, so running up the score on user opponents will not be tolerated. This includes both User and CPU games. Please use good judgment when leading by a large margin. There isn't a reason to see multiple 70-80 point scoring games.

O.8.A - There are things you should do when on the positive end of a blow out. Removing your starters, punting, running the ball and chewing the clock should be staples of your gameplan. Starters should not be scoring when up by four scores. Late scoring will also not be tolerated. When up big, there should not be a reason to score in the closing minutes of the game.

O.9.0 -Option Piches: Make sure that you time your pitches correctly when running the option. There are instances in the game where the QB can make awkward, unrealistic and sometimes even illegal pitches that should be avoided. If you happen to execute a questionable pitch, the right thing to do is to try and negate any yards you have gained. Excessive amounts of questionable pitches is cheese.

O.10.0 - Motion: Manually motioning your WR's before the snap should be kept to a realistic minimum. There are plenty of plays with green routes and defined motion in them that you can utilize. But again, don't abuse them.

O.11.0 - Spreading the Ball Around: WR's should be the main target for passing plays. HB's should be checkdown receivers and not primary targets. HB receptions should not get out of hand or be a primary aspect of an offensive gameplan. Your 3rd, 4th, and 5th WR should not be a primary target. Majority of passes should be thrown to your two outside WRs with few exceptions.

O.12.0 - Two QB Offenses: If you have one passing QB and one running QB, you should limit the rotation of them. Yes, it has happens "some" in real life, but that doesn't mean you can switch back and forth every play. Using two QBs in an offense should be done responsibly. Oklahoma's Bell-dozer package (Landry Jones, Blake Bell) and Texas' offense transition (Case McCoy, David Ash) are good examples.

O.13.0 - Wildcat Personnel Groupings: This should operate similar to the QB rotation. For playbooks that are designed to use a wildcat personnel grouping, offensive playcalling should realistically reflect this change. Meaning that the wildcat personnel should only be on the field for small a grouping of plays during the entire game. It's not a offensive cornerstone.

O.14.0 - Excessive offensive audibles (changing formations): Calling audibles at the line of scrimmage is commonplace in every level of football. However, these audibles are almost always to plays in the same formation, or to flip the side of the play. Avoid calling audibles out of personnel groupings that conflict with the formation you are moving to. For example, changing from a 5 WR set to ace-big is not allowed. Calling an audible to change the formation circumvents personnel rules (I.E. WR at TE, WR at FB, HB at FB), and is not allowed. Take the time to setup your audibles using the custom playbook feature.

DEFENSE

D.1.0 - Moving Players: On defense, shifting linebackers and the defensive line is permitted. However, if you move a individual defensive player manually before the snap you must control that player at the snap of the ball. This includes moving a player to cover an assignment.
Constantly spreading or pinching your DL or LBs and 'showing blitz' falls under the rules for mixing up your playcalling. If for some reason one of your players doesn't line up correctly, you can move him to where he needs to be and make an additional switch and move. This is easy to spot from the offenses point of view and rarely happens (maybe once in every couple games).

D.2.0 - Blitzing: While blitzing is certainly a part of the game, please be realistic when doing so, and do not use it excessively. Any attempt to confuse the AI when blitzing is prohibited (ie. spreading your defensive line then shifting your LB's to create AI holes). This also falls under the rules for mixing up playcalling.

D.3.0 - Defensive Playcalling: Please call realistic defensive plays for the proper situation. Use a 4 or 5 DL set to stop the run and a 3 or 4 DL set to play the pass. There are formations in these games that allow for unrealistic results. Using the 3-3-5 or 1-5-5 to stop the run, however effective it may be, will not be tolerated. There are OL AI problems with these formations that make them super-effective against heavy run sets.

D.4.0 - Defensive Subs: OLB are not suppose to play DE, Safeties are not suppose to play LB, etc in any package or formation, even if it's a game based package. It is just too much of an AI headache. Keep players in their original positions at all times.

D.5.0 - Playing the Position: Safeties do not normally play close to the line of scrimmage. Defensive linemen do not play in the secondary. Regardless of what player you are controlling, make sure you are playing that position. Controlling a safety and crashing him straight towards the line of scrimmage is not sim. A safety's first step is NEVER towards the line of scrimmage. Note that nickel DBs and SS (rovers) in a 4-2-5 can also be easily abused. Use sim judgment in the way you control players on defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS

ST.1.0 - Fake Punts and FGs: Any fake punt or field goal must follow the same rule used when going for it on fourth down. If you are allowed to go for it on 4th down in that situation, you can also fake the punt or field goal. Faking a FG or punt is part of the game and provides "the element of surprise," but please be realistic. These are utilized in NCAA but on a limited basis, so please keep that in mind.

ST.2.0 - Onside Kicks: Onside kicks are permitted at any time by the losing team in the 4th quarter only.

WEEKLY GAMEPLAY

WG.1.0 - Pausing: NCAA allows a limited number of pauses during the game, so please keep that in mind. If it's ever necessary to pause the game, please provide a quick explanation to your opponent if your not utilizing your headset at that time. Pausing the game to show poor sportsmanship will not be tolerated. Please do not start a game if you know something will interfere with your playing time.

WG.1.A Most game's pauses operate on a timer. If you select 'Resume' it will put your opponent on a timer before it auto resumes the game. Please take note that if you do not see a timer on your screen, your opponent has not selected 'Resume'.

WG.2.0- Disconnects: Games will disconnect from time to time for various reasons (and usually have nothing to do with either user's setup). It will be up to the players involved to figure out a resolution; with the choices being to either replay the game from the beginning or simulate for an obvious winner. If you cannot reach a resolution, contact the commish. TF expects all owners to have a reliable, high-speed ISP. If you are having any type of Internet trouble, please do not start the game until the problem is resolved.

WG.3.0- Quitting a Game: - Please do not start a game if there's a chance you will not be able to finish it. In the case of an emergency situation where you are forced to leave the game, an agreement should be made between both players as to whether the game will be replayed from the start or simulated in the opposing teams favor.

WG.4.0 - Scheduling: Leagues here operate on an as “fast as we can goâ€Â schedule (unless otherwise stated), missing games will be necessary at times. We are a community full of people who have lives outside of these leagues. TF simply asks that you make every effort to schedule and play your own games by utilizing the message boards. ALL GAMES MUST BE SCHEDULED ON THE FORUMS. If a problem arises with your game and it is not scheduled between both parties on the forums, it will result in a sim. In the unfortunate event that you are unable to schedule a game, we ask that you do the following:
-- Notify your opponent via email and message board as early in the week as possible.
-- Notify the commissioner that your opponent will need to play the CPU or that your CPU game will need to be simmed.

Failure to follow these guidelines will result in a sim loss to your team.

WG.5.0 - Restarts: There will be NO restarts for user vs. cpu games. In the unlikely event that you experience a problem/emergency during your game, notify your commissioner immediately. Failure to instantly notify your commissioner will result in a sim. If restarts become a trend you will be dismissed from the dynasty.

For more clarifications on the rules above, please watch the following instructional video on sim gameplay.

General Madden Rules

TEAM MANAGEMENT

T.1 DEPTH CHART CHANGES

Owners/coaches are responsible for setting their team’s depth chart within the franchise BEFORE each game. Depth chart changes are NOT permitted before the opening kickoff. However, depth chart changes are allowed during the game if:

• If a player is struggling.
• If a player is injured OR to prevent injury.
• If the game is a blowout.

T.2 SUBSTITUTIONS & POSITION CHANGES
Madden allows you to change personnel in different formations from the play selection screen. If you utilize the switching personnel feature PLEASE DO SO WITH CAUTION. Switching personnel in the play calling screen and/or calling audibles that put personnel out of position and into any unacceptable situations is prohibited. Individual leagues may have rules in place regarding position changes. Please refer to each league specific rule set to determine the individual league position change parameters.

T.3 TRADING, RE-SIGNINGS, FREE AGENCY, & ROOKIE SIGNINGS

Please refer to each individual league specific rule set to determine the applicable league parameters regarding trading, re-signings, free agency, and rookie signings.

T.4 FRANCHISE PARAMETERS

Individual leagues may have rules in place regarding franchise management procedures. Please refer to each league specific rule set to determine the individual league parameters regarding each franchise.

OFFENSE

O.1 OFFENSIVE PLAYCALLING

Coaches in the NFL mix up their play calling, however, when a coach sees that a team is weak in an area, they exploit it. This is legal, however, with some exceptions. Do not call the same play or pattern over and over again. If a team can't stop the run or pass, you may exploit them with a heavy dose of either one by using a number of different plays. If you've called the same play twice in a game, it's time to think twice about calling it again. Diversify and distribute the ball. QUICK SNAPPING IS PROHIBITED! ALLOW THE DEFENSE TO SET! An exception to this would be if the play clock is about to hit zero. Otherwise, a one or two second count would be sufficient.

O.2 AUDIBLES

Calling audibles at the line of scrimmage is commonplace in every level of football. Calling an audible to change to a formation which circumvents your league’s personnel rules is not allowed. When calling an audible, the offense MUST allow the defense time to adjust and be set for at LEAST one second before snapping the ball.

O.3 HURRY-UP OFFENSE

Hurry-up offense may only be used in the final two minutes of each half following the two-minute warning. Hurry-up offense is prohibited when the clock is stopped, i.e. possessions out of bounds, incomplete passes, or penalties. When using the hurry up offense, please allow your opponent to set their defense before snapping the ball. If a player is put in motion, he must be set before the ball is snapped - even if the play clock is about to expire. Purposely trying to cause off-sides penalties or taking advantage of defensive AI is not allowed. Please refer to each league specific rule set for any exceptions to the rule.

O.4 MOTION

ONLY ONE PLAYER MOTION IS ALLOWED ONCE THE OFFENSE IS SET. The player put in motion must re-set before snapping the ball. If you decide to motion a player and he is not able to re-set before the play clock expires, you MUST call a timeout or take a delay of game penalty.

O.5 PLAY-ACTION PASS

Play-action should only be used in warranted running situations. Please refrain from using play-action on a habitual basis.

O.6 QB MOVEMENT

Rolling out with the QB following the snap MUST be by play design (QB roll out, play action roll out, option, or screen). Dropping back or rolling out to avoid a sack is warranted if defensive pressure is there. However, there has to be pursuit by the defense in order for it to be considered a legitimate QB scramble. You cannot intentionally drop your QB back 10+ yards and/or you cannot SPRINT with the QB to the sidelines immediately following the snap just to get receivers open.

O.7 TWO QB OFFENSE

The use of a two QB offense is very limited in the NFL and should NOT be utilized heavily in your game plan. The occasional substitution of a running QB in the wildcat or some other running formation is acceptable as a trick/change of pace type play.

O.8 SLOT RECEIVERS

The use of #1 and #2 receivers, tight ends, or running backs at the slot position varies with each league. Refer to each league specific rule set to determine the individual league parameters regarding players allowed to play at the SL position.

O.9 MANUAL CATCH

Owners may manually control a WR to make a possession catch. However, manually controlling the WR during the play and pulling them off of their route to gain an advantage over the defense OR to manual "rocket catch" is prohibited. Refer to each league specific rule set to determine the individual league parameters regarding controlling the receiver to make a manual catch.

O.11 GOAL LINE FORMATION

The goal line formation may be used at any time if the offense is within 10 yards or less of either end zone. It may also be used in situations involving one yard or less to attain a first down. Please refer to each league specific rule set for any exceptions to the rule.

O.12 RUNNING OUT THE CLOCK

Most leagues do not play 15 minute quarters, so we have to be cautious of excessively running clock. Typically, “killing the clock" is only permitted with under 2:00 remaining in each half. Excessively running the clock at any other time is prohibited unless dictated otherwise by the individual league rules. "Killing the clock" would mean running the play clock down to less than 10 seconds excessively. We all know there are certain situations that are unavoidable, but when the game clock is running between plays, please try to have your plays called and the ball snapped within a reasonable time.

O.13 4TH DOWN RULES

Individual leagues may have rules in place regarding 4th down. Please refer to each league specific rule set to determine the individual league parameters regarding 4th down.

O.14 RUNNING UP THE SCORE

Running up the score is NOT allowed in the TSO community. Individual leagues will have rules in place regarding “blowouts.” Please refer to each individual league specific rule set to determine the league parameters regarding how to handle “blowout” situations. Any unnecessary scoring or stat padding will not be tolerated. Use your best judgment. Show sportsmanship by respecting your opponent.

There are things you should do when on the positive end of a blow-out. Removing your starters, punting, running the ball and chewing the clock should be staples of your gameplan. Starters should not be scoring when up by four scores. Late scoring will NOT be tolerated. There should be no reason for the winning team to score on offense in the closing minutes of the game if it is a blowout.

DEFENSE

D.1 DEFENSIVE PLAYCALLING

Teams should mix up their defensive formations, coverages, and blitzes based on their defensive scheme and the opponent’s offensive gameplan. Please call realistic defensive plays for the proper situation. Use a 4 or 5 DL set to stop the run and a 3 or 4 DL set to play the pass. Sitting in Cover 3 or DE Contain all game, for example, is prohibited. The only exception to this goes along with offenses becoming one dimensional. If your opponent is forced to become one dimensional due to the score, you will be permitted to do so on defense.

D.2 FORMATION LIMITATIONS

Individual leagues may have rules in place regarding defensive formations allowed. Please refer to each individual league specific rule set to determine the league parameters regarding defensive formations.

D.3 PERSONNEL SELECTION

Defensive personnel selection should be based on what offensive personnel are selected in the huddle. In addition, personnel selection should be based on time remaining, the down, and the yardage required for the offense to attain the first down and/or the distance to the goalline. Individual leagues may have rules in place regarding defensive match-ups allowed. Please refer to each individual league specific rule set to determine the league parameters regarding defensive personnel allowed, if any.

D.4 AUDIBLES & ADJUSTMENTS

When making adjustments on the field pre-snap, be sure that you are not making the exact same adjustments on every play. Constant press coverage, constant line stunts, shifting the DL and linebackers in the same manner every play and the like falls under the category of not mixing up play calling, and is frowned upon. If you find yourself in a situation where your defense needs to be reset, audible to your original play by pressing X+LT (360) or []+L2 (PS3).

D.5 BLITZING

There are exploits and AI deficiencies that can be taken advantage of in Madden - even when employing defensive schemes that are often seen in the NFL. There are teams in the NFL that rely on their speed on defense sometimes using blitz schemes all game. Although it is not illegal to blitz; it IS illegal to NANO blitz with player shifts and manual player movement. Individual leagues may have additional rules in place regarding blitzing. Please refer to each league’s specific rule set to determine if the league has additional parameters regarding blitzing.

D.6 PLAYER MOVEMENT

NFL teams also shift players around in order to get a better blitz angle. However, there are a lot of "glitch blitzes" that prevent us from allowing teams to move players around on defense other than Madden shifts. At no point should shifts be made to take advantage of the D-line spacing or to allow a DB to encroach the line without penalty in order to reach the quarterback unabated.

Manually controlled players should mix up their strategies during the game. A defensive tackle will NOT swim all game as the offensive lineman would make necessary adjustments to counter that. Unfortunately, the AI does not think that well so mix up your attack. Individual leagues may have rules in place regarding manual player movement allowed pre-snap. Please refer to each league specific rule set to determine the individual league parameters regarding manual player movement allowed on defense pre-snap.

SPECIAL TEAMS

ST.1 ONSIDE KICKS

Onside kicks are permitted at any time by the losing team in the 4th quarter only. Individual leagues may have rules in place regarding surprise onside kicks. Please refer to each league specific rule set to determine the individual league parameters regarding fake onside kicks.

ST.2 FAKE PUNT & FAKE FIELD GOAL

Individual leagues may have rules in place regarding fake punts and fake field goals. Please refer to each league specific rule set to determine the individual league parameters regarding fake punts and fake field goals.

ST.3 PLAYER MOVEMENT

Player movement before the snap is strictly prohibited. More specifically, manually moving a defender back for an additional blocker on PUNT RETURNS both before AND after the snap is prohibited. Manually moving a defender before the snap on PUNT BLOCK or FG BLOCK attempts is prohibited.

WEEKLY GAMEPLAY

WG.1 GAME SCHEDULING

Use of the Game Scheduling forums is mandatory.

WG.2 PAUSING

Madden allows a limited number of pauses during the game, so please keep that in mind. If it's ever necessary to pause the game, please provide a quick explanation to your opponent if you’re not utilizing your headset at that time. Pausing the game to show poor sportsmanship will not be tolerated. Please do not start a game if you know something will interfere with your playing time.

WG.3 DISCONNECTS
Games will disconnect from time to time for various reasons. All league participants are expected to have a reliable, high-speed ISP. If you are having any type of Internet trouble, please do not start the game until the problem is resolved. If it becomes a continual issue that isn't resolved, you will be removed from the league until your connectivity issue is resolved. Individual leagues may have rules in place regarding disconnect procedures. Please refer to each league specific rule set to determine the individual league parameters regarding disconnect procedures and replaying the game.

WG.4 LEAGUE DEADLINES & GAME SIMULATIONS

Individual leagues may have rules in place regarding deadlines and game simulations of incomplete games prior to a league deadline. Please refer to each league’s specific rule set to determine the league parameters regarding deadlines and game simulations.

WG.5 QUITTING

Please do not start a game if there’s a chance you will not be able to finish it. In the case of an emergency situation where an owner/coach is forced to leave the game, the league commissioner should be notified in order to resolve the situation unless both owners mutually agree to replay the game. If an owner quits during any league game, tournament game, or any other type of league or TSO sponsored game because they are losing, frustrated, or angry with their opponent; they will be subject to immediate dismissal from the league and TSO.

LEAGUE REQUIREMENTS

R.1 EXPECTATIONS

• Game recaps are a requirement here at TSO. Please refer to each league specific rule set to determine the league parameters regarding game recap requirements. The loser may follow with any comments and/or pleasantries thereafter. We don’t require a novel - just two or three paragraphs about how the game played out and who your player of the game was (accompanied by the usual "good game" pleasantries). Other owners are also free to discuss as it pertains to them. Highlight videos are welcomed and considered game recaps.
• ALL members are expected to participate any time an official league discussion or poll is presented, you're expected to jump in and post your opinion.
• Use the designated scheduling thread in the Game Scheduling forum to schedule your game with opponents each week.

R.2 FORUM & SOCIAL ACTIVITY REQUIREMENT
The members of the TSO community are who make this organization successful. Social interaction between the coaches in the forums is an integral step toward building the strongest league possible and ultimately enhances the enjoyment of the league for all involved. You could be the straightest gamer in the world, who shows up for each and every game on-time, and if you're ignoring the forums, you're not pulling your weight. So if you're not a big forum goer or don't like discussing your games, this isn't the community for you.

R.3 INACTIVITY
Inactivity will not be tolerated. If an owner fails to comply with announced deadlines pertaining to their league such as quotas for games played or failure to respond to league-wide broadcast messages that require a reply; the lack of performance is grounds for immediate dismissal. This includes insufficient log-ins to your forum account and inadequate actions towards posts pertaining to getting games played before the appropriate deadlines.

R.4 ETIQUETTE
RESPECT ONE ANOTHER AT ALL TIMES! Do not make it a habit of complaining about a person’s gameplay without first asking yourself, “why am I mad?” If the answer is because you could not stop their offense or they caught you off guard on defense, then hit the practice field and move on. If there is a rule infraction or dispute during a game, pause the game and communicate the concern with your opponent. If you are unable to resolve the problem with one another, get an available staff member involved. At no point should either owner involved in a dispute take the matter into their own hands, disrespect their opponent via messenger, or berate their opponent publicly in the forum. The league staff and TSO staff reserve the right to remove any owner that violates the code of conduct as it has been outlined here.

R.5 CODE OF CONDUCT
TSO plays an integral part in the development of NCAA, Madden, and potentially other genres in the future. ALL TSO league participants present and future alike, are required to recognize and respect that TSO is the governing body of all leagues within the community. YOUR voice is important. Just as you did by completing your TSO application, each league member is required to confirm publicly that they will respect and contribute to the TSO community. Any deviation from that will result in the immediate dismissal from the TSO community.

GENERAL FIFA RULES

Introduction

Welcome to the Tradition Futbol League. This is your home for organized, competitive, SIM style FIFA. We are a multi-layered league complete with Premiership, League 1 and Club Competition. To support expansion and long-term competition, the TFL supports a promotion / relegation structure whereby clubs will compete weekly to earn their spot in the table. Being apart of the TFL is an opportunity to be apart of something special with futbol gaming, online. Therefore, work on your fitness, keep up your form... or you may just be relegated.

General

G.1.0 Sportsmanship: Standard Tradition Sports Online rules and sportsmanship guidelines are in effect.

G.2.0 Gameplay: This is a cheese free zone. Those interested in hardcore, no holds barred, win at all cost FIFA game-play, then this is not the place for you. Therefore, we do not expect to see extreme custom formations, 100% aggression tactics, known glitches and/or otherwise unsportsmanlike conduct. Like content, SIM If you have specific questions and/or would like to report another member, please seek guidance via your league commissioner through use of PMs.

League Schedule

S.1.0 Scheduling: Games are to be scheduled according to TSO site rules under league specific parameters. Refer to your league's description thread for exact details.

Teams

T.1.0 Teams: Clubs are selected based on league specific parameters. Some leagues are restricted while others are more open. Refer to your league's description thread for exact details.

Content

C.1.0 Content: As is standard in all TSO leagues, we require game summaries to accompany match results. At TSO we encourage content. This is your chance to be creative, add original user generated summaries, team specific pages, weekly league recaps, players of the week, etc. To take the lead on creating content, please see our content manager and/or league commissioner.

C.2.0 Match Results: It is the responsibility of the winning club to post the match results in the designated TFL match results thread. The match results consist of both goals and match bookings. The format to use when posting match results can be found in the OP of the TFL match results thread.

GENERAL NBA RULES

GENERAL MLB RULES

GENERAL FORZA RULES

GENERAL TIGER WOODS GOLF RULES


The Spirit of the Game
Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf. ~ USGA Rulebook

Tradition Sports Online is a "simulation" based video game community, and TCCT will use the settings available in the game to create an environment which is as close to playing golf in real life as possible. To institute this concept we will be setting up events with either the Tour Pro or Tournament swing style, or a hybrid somewhere in between the two. Also, the Caddy and Boost Pins settings will be turned off.

The Management Team also reserves the right to modify or change any of the following Rules and Information as deemed necessary and/or through consultation of the TCCT Members for their input.


Pro/AM Status

The Pro/AM system was included this year to give all players a chance to win. The Pro/AM events will use the handicap system to create a level playing field. The following rules will be used to exclude players from participating in the Pro/AM Tournaments:

1. TCCT Scratch Tournament Winners – If you win one of the Tournaments against the full field you will excluded from Pro/AM play from the rest of the season. Note that winning a Pro-Am Event does not count towards this exclusion.
2. The top 20% of the players in The Tradition Cup Standings will be excluded from Pro/AM status. This exclusion will be determined before the start of each event on the schedule.
3. Any player that has established a handicap that is lower than the cut-off line determined by TCCT management. This exclusion will also be determined before the start of each event on the schedule.
4. Rule #2 & 3 may be adjusted during the season in an effort to provide a system that gives everyone an opportunity to win.

Handicap System

The handicap system being used is modeled after the actual USGA system, with a few slight modifications. The actual handicap formula used can be seen below.

Handicap = (Score - Course Rating) X 113 ÷ Slope Rating

The modifications are as follows:

• The Course Rating used has been adjusted since this is a video game. Normally the course rating is determined to be the score a scratch golfer would score on the course. This number has been reduced to 68, so that fewer of the handicaps will be in the negative range.
• The Slope Rating that will be used is an average of all the courses in the game, to allow for easier application of this number to the formula.

The below is a list of other rules that will be used in the creation of the handicaps:

• Minimum of 5 official rounds need to be completed for establishing of a handicap.
• Only the 16 most recent rounds will be used for calculating golfer's handicap.
• Only a certain number of the 16 most recent scores will be used in the calculation, to help eliminate sandbagging and provide a handicap that better reflects the player’s actual skill level. This formula is as follows:
  • For 15-16 rounds recorded, only the lowest 6 scores will be used
  • For 13-14 rounds recorded, only the lowest 5 scores will be used
  • For 11-12 rounds recorded, only the lowest 4 scores will be used
  • For 9-10 rounds recorded, only the lowest 3 scores will be used
  • For 7-8 rounds recorded, only the lowest 2 scores will be used
  • For 5-6 rounds recorded, only the lowest score will be used
• All handicaps will be recalculated after the conclusion of every tournament, except the Match Play event, since it will not use the Handicap System.

Tie Breaker System

An additional Daily Event will be set-up following the Weekly Tradition Cup rounds in the case of a tie for First Place. With any other tie being accounted for by averaging the points that would have been distributed to the players that are tied. So for example if there is a tie for 3rd place between 2 players, the points that would have gone to both 3rd and 4th will be added together and divided in half.


Partial Round Completion Points

A partial point system is being included this season to help player that are unable to complete all of the required rounds for a given tournament. So even if you are only able to complete 3 of the 4 rounds, you can still receive point for the rounds you did complete. The system will work as follows:

• Partial Round Points will be based on the place you finished in the final standings for the tournament, based on total score to par.
• This final point number with be modified according to how many rounds you actually finished, since you could possibly finish higher, with only 3 rounds completed than someone who finished all four rounds. The modification is as follows:
  • 3 Rounds completed = 75% of the points received
  • 2 Rounds completed = 50% of the points received
  • 1 Rounds completed = 25% of the points received