Bricklayers Basketball League Constitution
League Overview
The Bricklayer Basketball League (BBA), also referred to as “The Brick” was formed using the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Both the Constitution and Rules are based on this method.
The Bricklayers Basketball League is a 20 team draft basketball league using the computer version of the Strat-O-Matic Basketball Game and most recent version of the game, teams, and players.
The league is divided into 2 divisions of 10 teams each for the purposes of determining division champions, wild-card playoff teams and ultimately a league champion through a post season playoff system.
1. DRAFTS:
OPEN TEAMS
New Coaches: Joining during a season:
Any person accepted into the league during the season can choose from any team that is available.
During season, the team goes intact to first person on waiting list. If more than one team open, he can choose which one he wants (if more than one is available. If no waiting list first to apply and be accepted does the same.
Teams with no active coach will be managed by other active coaches in the league who will create a generic gameplan that will stay the same during the entire season. Away games for these teams will be autoplayed by the league, while home games will be played as normal by the opponent.
New Coaches: Joining between seasons:
If more than one team, teams will have a dispersal draft if more than one team is available. Draft order determined method will be by Commissioner's discretion.
Returning Coaches:
Returning teams are allowed to keep up to 15 players (including the option of retaining anyone who did not play in the NBA last season) then there are two rounds of drafting (free agents), a week trading period, and finally cutting roster to 15 OR LESS. There will then be one final supplemental draft to fill up to a 15 man roster from the leftover free agents and players cut after the first draft. You will then have one week before regular season begins to trade, release and pick up a players. Once season begins you can still release and pick up a free agent but that free agent will be released at end of season and available in next years draft.
Draft will be conducted in October, after the game has been released. Draft order is based on prior season’s record (worst to best). Worst team in BBA aligns itself with worst team in NBA (and so on down the line) and lottery pick order is the same as NBA counter part.
In case of a tie for a draft pick position, tie breaker determination is:
2. FREE AGENTS
Free Agent Pick Up in the Preseason
If there is time between supplemental and opening of season any free agent pick up can be kept the following season. Player must be released at same time of pick up. Based on a first come basis.
Free Agent Pick Up during the Season
Release a player, pick up a player on a first come basis any block, goes into effect the next block. Free agent is released at end of the year.
No free agents may be picked up once the season ends and until the next season draft is complete.
Free agent pickups must be submitted to the commissioner by midnight PST the second Friday of each block for it to take effect the next block
3. TRADING
Trading between teams is allowed until the end of block 9. Trades become effective at the start of the next block after the trade is announced. Both coaches must send their notification of the trade to the commissioner who will then announce the trade to the rest of the league. There is then a 24-hour period when the trade can be challenged to be lopsided. In that case it will be reviewed to a trade committee.
Trades must be submitted to the commissioner by midnight PST the second Friday of each block for it to take effect the next block.
Trading Draft Picks: Once the draft for the current season commences, teams may trade draft picks for the next season's free agent draft (for example, once the 2010 draft commences, teams may trade their picks for the 2011 draft). Draft picks in seasons beyond the next year cannot be traded. In addition, supplemental draft picks also cannot be traded.
4. SEASON PLAY
Assuming the timely release of the game each year in October, followed by a prompt dispersal draft, free agent draft, and supplemental draft, the season will begin in early November to coincide with the start of the NBA season. The League Schedule is for an 82 game regular season. Each week will consist of 2 home and 2 road games against the same team. 2 weeks make up a ‘block’ of play. At the end of each block, the league files will be updated and sent out for the following ‘block’ of games.
The away team plays the scheduled game on their computer.
With 20 teams, each team plays every team one week of the season, for 4 games, until at the end of 19 weeks, each team has played 76 games. For the final 6 games of the season, teams are grouped based on the standings in the previous season. The four teams with the best records from the previous season are a group. Teams 5-8, 9-12, 13-16, and 17-20 also form groups. Each team play a home and away series against the three opponents in his group.
1st Week of Block
Each Monday will be a list of 10 games for that week.
Tue/Wed 5 games each for second set of games for that series.
Thursday 10 games listed for same series - opposite home team.
Fri/Sat 5 games each for second set of games for that series.
2nd Week of Block
Following Monday: List of 10 games for second series.
Tue/Wed 5 games each for second set of games for that series.
Thursday 10 games listed for same series - opposite home team.
Fri/Sat 5 games each for second set of games for that series.
5. GAME RULES
Internet Play – Optional – It is suggested that each team alternate hosting.
Static Fatigue
One-minute wonder rule – See player usage
Assigning defenses (i.e. which positions can a player defend) – see player usage
Player usage over use penalties – see player usage
Minutes allowed per game – see player usage
Lottery contenders - cannot improve position by not playing best players
Play road games and use of home court advantage
6. PLAYER USAGE RULES
For the regular season, player usage is limited only by the number of games in which he can play. Each player can play in no more games than he played in during the real NBA season. For example, a player who played in 59 games during the real NBA season can play in no more than 59 games during the BBA season.
Within each game, there is no limit to the number of minutes a player may play, but games are played using Static Fatigue.
A player is only allowed to be positioned on offense where he is rated to play 2 minutes or more. The “One minute wonder rule”---Many players are given one minute allowances at certain positions. They are not allowed to play that position offensively, unless all other available player have been disqualified. They are allowed to defend opponents at those positions as needed, however. See Assign Defense under Section 9 Game Play.
Appealing a player’s position rating in Strat – Each team may make up to 2 challengers each year to the Strat ratings. The player must have at least 1000 minutes to be eligible and the appealed position must have a 1 minute rating by Strat. If the “by position” stats at 82games.com lists a minimum of 5% usage at the appealed position, the player will be eligible to play that position.
Penalties for violation of season usage rules:
1st offense - Lose player for remainder of season
2nd Offense - Lose player and loss of next second round draft pick
3rd Offense - Lose player and loss of next first round draft pick
7. CREATING A GAMEPLAN (Computer Manager):
Eligibility – Each team should have no more than 13 active players. These can be changed between any game.
Player Profiles:
DO NOT CHANGE ORANGE OR GREEN (Fatigue Grid) NUMBERS.
In boxes N-S-C select type shot for how player is being guarded by opponent.
In boxes 45+ and 123+ select type of shot on a switch.
When in doubt 0, lets computer decide.
Go to opponents defensive profile and select how you want to play and guard
each player. Instructions are at the bottom.
To export: Go to teams, click on export game plan (same naming convention
as in reporting games and boxes). Also you will be asked to click on to your
opponent as well.
Send email to opponent and commissioner. Opponents email address is under
team - update team.
Once a team sends their gameplan out, they can play their games for that week as soon as they receive the opposing team gameplan.
8. SENDING GAMEPLANS
The home team sends his gameplan to the visiting teams at the beginning of each block.
File name procedure
Gameplans can be zipped together make sure subject line indicates which team gameplan is for.
Remember road team first, then home team.
Gameplans must be sent out by the first Wednesday of each block.
Late reporting gameplans by deadline:
1st Offense -Warning
2nd Offense - Loss of next 2nd round draft pick
3rd Offense - Loss of next 1st round draft pick
Note: Our league has always been about having fun and remembering this is our hobby, with real life coming first. If a coach does not have time to play a certain block, import opponents gameplan, autoplay and report on time. If the league has to autoplay for you, a penalty will be assessed. If a coach will be unavailable, for whatever reason, let the commissioner know and league will take over till your return. The difference whether a penalty is assessed is knowing or not knowing.
9. GAME PLAY
The team designated as visiting plays the games on his computer.
Boxscore, summary, and Files are set to the following
Game Files - Save
Box Score when - Always
Box score what -save Boxscore/PlayAccount
Summary file - NO (not needed)
Everything else on game options is your choice
Rules:
Injuries - NONE
Home Court Advantage - ON
Rest - No Auto Rest
Fatigue - Static Fatigue
Rules - Current
Other Rules:
Emphasize Individual Defense - ON (must use)
Emphasize switch differences ON (must use)
Fastbreak and Putback - ON but coaches option
After selecting the game to play, the opposing (home) team gameplan is imported during the setup. If the visiting team coach notices any errors in the opposing team gameplan that constitute a violation of player usage rules (either ineligible position, or too many minutes for a player), he has the option of notifying the home team coach to send a corrected set of gameplans.
NOTE: If a coach has not sent in a gameplan and permission from commissioner is given, coaches playing the road games will make ineligible the 2 players with the least usage according to the eligible players screen and then allow the computer to autofill the lineup. Furthermore, the coach who did not submit a gameplan may not play his road games versus this opponent. Those games will be autoplayed by the league.
Gameplay continues to the finish of the game.
Assigning Defense:
Players can be assigned to defend any position where they are rated with at least 1 minute. In addition, a player rated with at least 1 minute at PG or SG can defend either guard position. A player rated with at least 1 minute at Center can always defend the PF position. A player with at least 1 minute at PF can always defend Center.
10. REPORTING GAME RESULTS
File name procedure
Can send out individually or one series zipped together.
The naming standard is RRR@HHHDD (road team abreviation @ home team abreviation) then day scheduled game. So if Phoenix was visiting Baltimore on day 8, the gameplan, boxscore, and gamefile would all start with PHO@BAL08.
Send GFL's (gamefiles) in league wide mail.
Either post boxscores to email or zip to gamefiles.
Make sure on GFL's I can tell in subject line and attachment what game is being sent in. Road team first, then home team and game day.
Penalties for tardiness
Gamefiles and boxscores must be sent out by 6pm the last Saturday of each block. The coach who did not play the game (home) has a 24 hour window starting at the receipt of the game files to protest if the wrong lineup was used for his team. Usually the only conclusive proof would be that some player was actually missing from your starting lineup.
Late reporting gamefiles by deadline:
1st Offense -Warning
2nd Offense - Loss of next 2nd round draft pick
3rd Offense - Loss of next 1st round draft pick
Note: Our league has always been about having fun and remembering this is our hobby, with real life coming first. If a coach does not have time to play a certain block, import opponents gameplan, autoplay and report on time. If the league has to autoplay for you, a penalty will be assessed. If a coach will be unavailable, for whatever reason, let the commissioner know and league will take over till your return. The difference whether a penalty is assessed is knowing or not knowing.
11. PLAYOFFS
Playoff structure
The top two Won-Loss record are seeded in each conference. The next four teams with the best Won-Lost record in either conference are wild card seeds and are seeded according to Won-Loss record. The tie-breaker order is 1) head-to-head record, 2) home record, then 3) number of net games played.
Each round of the playoffs will be with a 2-2-1-1-1 format. The team with better record receives the 4 home games (first 2, game 5, and game 7). If the series reaches Game 7, that game has to be via internet. A team that reaches 3 losses and is on the brink of elimination can also demand that subsequent games be played head-to-head via the internet.
Player usage during playoffs.
In the playoffs, each player is allowed a maximum of 10% each series of actual NBA minutes. For each game, a player may play a maximum of their allowed minutes per game (as indicated in their fatigue grid, or team report) plus 6 minutes. For example, a player with 2000 real life minutes is allowed a total usage of 200 minutes in a playoff series, regardless of how many games are in the series. If that same player has 20 minutes at shooting guard and 10 minutes at small forward, he is allowed to play a maximum of 20+10+6=36 minutes in any one game.
Playoff games are played with the No Fatigue setting.
New tie-breaker rule for playoff seed determination
In order of useage:
12. RULE CHANGES
Any vote has to have 50% of membership to pass. If we have 17 teams and 3 open ones it would take 9 votes to pass. Normally it takes one year after vote to come in but the 2007-8 season will be an exception since we are having to adjust to the game.