More on Tackles and Timing as if it was needed, :)

[Curt]

I love all the comments about tackling and timing. I may be too late for these items but I thought I'd share mine anyway since they are seemingly quite different. That's why it's called Solitaire. The focus is on solo, that is with your own specifications etc. My nephew joins me at times but for me, I like to quote REO Speedwagon's drummer Alan Gratzer from a Modern Drummer magazine advertisement when he described his drum kit. "This setup is mine, uniquely, exclusively mine. Go get your own". So, I guess I truly go "solo" with my own Electric Football solitaire league. 

When possible, I try to match NFL rules and adjust things as needed for my league. I try to make progress difficult for the offense in that I allow tackles as any touch by a defender from any side of the ball carrier. 

A stopwatch times the games. It does not run for kickoffs, punts, field-goals, extra point conversions, any changes of possession, free-kicks, timeouts and anything else I may have forgotten to mention.

If a player makes a catch or a ball carrier is stopped anywhere in the field of play, i.e. not a turnover or not out of bounds etc., the clock keeps running. A game lasts around 3 to 3 1/2 hours start to finish but I try to play a quarter per day.

Any player hit by a direct pass [offense or defense] is now the ball carrier. If the ball hits the field more that 10 yards from any player it is incomplete but any ball within 10 yards of any player in the field of play allows as many players to be turned to it. The first player to the ball [offense or defense] is now the ball carrier and can continue to run until tackled, out of bounds, or scores. A ball carrier can stop progress any time to avoid yardage loss etc. If a player is knocked over on a pass [or when stopped], the furthest positive reach of the ball carrier is the spot of the ball for the next play. Ex., if his head or hand exceeds his base by even a yard then that point is the next ball spot. Hopefully that is clear enough.

Even my footballs are unique. I'm not wild about the felt ones. 3 and 7/8 inch twist ties are folded in half twice and bent into a boomerang/arrowhead shape. Balanced on the very top of the Triple Threat Quarterbacks, they are deadly accurate and cover the whole length of the field, including my Ultimate sized field so I allow field goal attempts from any point on the field at any time. I've made some real difficult ones too!

 

Well, I think that covers some of the unique intricacies of my league. Hope this was not a waste of anyone's time.

 

Blessings!

[nefgm.org]

Thanks for posting. I always enjoy reading about how others play the game. 

[Bob Davis]

Thanks for posting. I've tweeked my rules recently because of what I've read from other coaches. Always interesting to see how others play the game. 

[RickLM30]

I run 30 plays per quarter (which amounts to 30 seconds per play), not counting plays that would stop the clock (incomplete passes, running out of bounds, time outs, etc.) which count as half a play (15 seconds per play).  Kick offs, punts, field goals count as a normal 30 second play. 

I use a multi- stop system and allow adjustment around the front of the base for all players, whether engaged or not, to simulate reaction to the flow of the play and the position of the ball carrier.

On pass plays, the ball has to hit the receiver on the fly or it is an incomplete pass.  The first player that the ball hits in the air catches it, whether receiver or defender as long as no other player is in contact with the player.  If the ball hits a player in contact with another player the pass is incomplete. 

Tackles can be made using any part of the defender's base on any part of the ball carrier's base, reasoning being that tackles in real football are sometimes made by players blocked or falling into ball carriers. 

 

 

[nefgm.org]

Thanks for posting. I like it. How long does it take to complete a game? 

[RickLM30]

Usually about two to three weeks, sometimes longer if I have a lot of honeydoos!  😁  Since I play a 16 team, 16 game schedule plus playoffs, Super Bowl, and Pro Bowl, it takes me about 10 years to complete a season (including pre-season prep - renumbering, touching up paint, making new rosters, moving bases among players, etc.).  I know that sounds crazy, but I enjoy playing the actual games, and letting the statistics accumulate over a full season for each player and team.  I've got records of every player who has played in my league since 1966 over 7 seasons.

[nefgm.org]

WOW!! That's the cool thing about solitaire though. Whatever makes the game work for you. 

[Benoît Racette]

My rules are 12 plays per quarter (Touchbacks on kickoff and PAT doesn't count as a play) and it usually take 65-75 minutes to play a whole game (in regulation).

 

Regards, Ben from Montreal, Canada