Rules of Fantasy League Ultimate

1st Edition with Variations

No set of rules can replace a good argument.

A Postscript version is also available.

Preface

The purpose of the rules of Fantasy League Ultimate (FLU) is to provide a guideline which describes the way the game is heckled. It assumed that no FLU heckler will intentionally violate the rules; thus there are no harsh penalties for inadvertent infractions, but rather a method for attempting to sway the other hecklers to your side of a dispute (i.e. arguing).

Often a heckler is in a position where it is clearly to the heckler's advantage to miscall an Ultimate play, but that heckler is morally bound to abide by the rules. The integrity of FLU depends on each player's responsibility to uphold the spirit of the game, and this responsibility should not be taken lightly. However, a healthy argument is always encouraged.

Introduction

Description

Fantasy League Ultimate is a non-contact, non-motion sport played by any number of hecklers. The purpose of the game is to make watching Ultimate almost as exciting as playing it. The object of the game is to score points. A point is scored when a heckler's player(s) successfully completes one of a specific set of plays.

Spirit of the Game

Ultimate has traditionally relied upon a spirit of sportsmanship which places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of the bond of mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed upon rules of the game, or the basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate adverse conduct from the Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting of opposing players, dangerous aggression, intentional fouling, or other ``win-at-all-costs'' behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all players. However, in Fantasy League Ultimate, all of the above are encouraged between hecklers.

Heckler's Clause

A game may be played under any variations of the rules agreed upon by the hecklers. In tournament play, such variations are subject to the approval of the tournament director. Such things as Carolina Rules and the number of players per heckler can easily be altered to suit the level of play.

Participants

1. A ``player'' is any of the people who are actually participating in the game of Ultimate.
2. A ``heckler'' is any of the people who are actually participating in the game of Fantasy League Ultimate.
3. A ``metaheckler'' is any of the people who are actually participating in the game of Fantasy League Fantasy League Ultimate.

The Draft

A game of FLU may start at any point during an Ultimate game. A game of FLU begins by each heckler drafting one or more players from either team. No score is counted until all hecklers have drafted their player(s). When all hecklers have agreed on their picks, each starts with a score of 0. After the game of FLU has begun, other hecklers may join the game, but they must start with the lowest current score of any heckler.

Field of Play

1. The field of play is any area outside of the Ultimate playing field.
2. The playing field may have any surface (although a comfortable lawn chair or Maine Lounger is suggested) which is essentially flat, free of obstructions and holes, and affords reasonable heckler safety.
3. During halftime, the Ultimate playing field may be encroached for such games as milk, flutter-guts, box, or MAC lines. These halftime activities may optionally be played for FLU points.

Playing FLU

Scoring

The distinctions between a throwaway and a drop, or a defensive block and a drop, are fuzzy. These issues may be decided in any manner agreed to by all hecklers; one method is a majority vote, with hecklers whose players were involved in the play abstaining from voting (but active in arguing).

These multipliers are cumulative. So, for example, a push pass hammer (?) for a goal at game point is worth +8.

Time outs

There are no timeouts in FLU. A heckler must be present on the sideline to claim points; a heckler must also be present at the end of the game in order to win. No purchase is necessary.

Variations

Carolina Rules

These rules were inspired by the physical style of play exhibited by several North Carolina teams. The rules below are in addition to the standard rules in section 4.1.

High-release backhands may optionally be scored as hammers, since they seem to be the garbage throw of choice.

Multiple players per heckler

Each heckler picks one or more players from each team. Hecklers may agree to restrict choices to a player and his or her defender.

Each heckler must pick one experienced and one inexperienced player, from either team. A majority of hecklers must agree on a player's classification.

If your player throws a goal, you switch to the player who caught the goal. If another heckler already had the receiver, he or she now has your player. Similarly, when your player's throw is blocked, you switch to the player who made the block.

Fantasy League Fantasy League

Each metaheckler selects a heckler, much as hecklers select players. Score +1 when your heckler wins an argument or votes with the majority on a call, -1 when your heckler loses an argument, and +3 if he or she wins the Fantasy League. Metahecklers may also be hecklers, but it is not permitted to choose yourself in Fantasy League Fantasy League.

Etiquette

1. Should a dispute or confusion arise on the Ultimate field, it should be common practice to offer your input.
2. In the case where a novice heckler is deciding on his pick, it is a violation against spirit to recommend a bad pick.
3. It is the responsibility of all hecklers to maximize the amount of heckling.

Examples

These examples to illustrate the rules only; they should not be taken as rules themselves. Hecklers are encouraged to amend or circumvent the rules when it is to their advantage.

Basic rules

Example 1

Player throws a hammer which is blocked, but receiver calls a foul (no scoring). Player then throws a hammer out the back of the end zone (throwaway; -2 for thrower's heckler).

Example 2

Player's push pass is point blocked at game point (+2 for marker, -4 for thrower).

Carolina rules

Example 3

The marker calls travel on the player with the disc (+1). The disc returns to the thrower, and the marker calls a travel again (+2). The same thing happens again (+4). The disc returns to the thrower, and the marker calls a foul on the throw (only +1).

Example 4

A player throws a goal (+1), and the entire team rushes the field in congratulations (+1 for all those who sit the next point). From across the field, an opposing player screams that he had called pick on the previous throw. After a prolonged argument, he is yelled down (-2 for losing the argument). The receiver gets no points, since he did not spike the disc.

Observers

Before the game, the hecklers may decide to select up to 6 experienced non-hecklers to act as Observers. In this role, their job is to carefully watch the action of the game. They do not actively score any points, but may lounge passively on the sideline.

When a dispute arises concerning any scoring play:

1. The observer with the best view of the play makes the call. If the observers so choose, they may discuss the play among themselves before rendering a decision.
2. All hecklers loudly argue the observer's decision.

History

FLU apparently originated with the ``Smoke 'n Gun'' Boston-area club team in 1994 at the Hingham tournament. There is evidence that the first player drafted was Jim Parinella.

Carolina Rules were invented by the MIT college team at the finals of the 1995 Ultimax tournament between UNCW and ECU. Several additions were suggested by Josh Faust from Cornell. Meta-fantasy league arose from a comment by a Williams College player.

The 1st edition rules were written by David Bailey and Andrew Kirmse at MIT.

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