• Published on

    Bylaw Proposals

    With the conclusion of the NFL season, it's time to address proposed bylaw amendments. You can access the bylaws here. A simple majority vote is required to alter the bylaws. The Commissioner will be sending each OIL member an email asking for their votes. In the meantime, please review the below proposals. 
    1. Jack Bruesch proposes we change Section I § G from:
    "Section I:
    ​G.
    The two highest-scoring conference champions will play in week 17's “Liberty Bowl” for the right to the Tenequer Memorial Trophy:  okiraqi.org/tenequer"
    to:
    "Section I:
    ​G. Liberty Bowl:
         1.
     Each conference champion shall participate in the Liberty Bowl, which will run weeks 16 and 17. The winner will be the conference champion with the highest combined score over those two weeks.
    2. Lance Zerger proposes we change Section I § G from:
    "Section I:
    ​G.
    The two highest-scoring conference champions will play in week 17's “Liberty Bowl” for the right to the Tenequer Memorial Trophy:  okiraqi.org/tenequer"
    to:
    "Section I:
    ​G. Liberty Bowl:
         1.
     The highest-scoring conference champion in week 16's championship games will be deemed "Liberty Bowl" champions and receive the Tenequer Memorial Trophy (okiraqi.org/tenequer) in addition to their conference trophy;"
    3. Lance Zerger proposes we add a subsection to Section I § G:
    "Section I:
    ​G.  Liberty Bowl
         1. 
    The highest-scoring conference champion in week 16's championship games will be deemed "Liberty Bowl" champions and receive the Tenequer Memorial Trophy (okiraqi.org/tenequer) in addition to their conference trophy' 

         2. The last-place teams in each conference will play each other in week 16. The conference that has the lowest-scoring team in that game will incur a penalty of having to fetch beer for the Liberty Bowl-winning conference during that conference's draft the following season.""
    to:
    "Section I:
    ​G. Liberty Bowl:
         1. The highest-scoring conference champion in week 16's championship games will be deemed "Liberty Bowl" champions and receive the Tenequer Memorial Trophy (okiraqi.org/tenequer) in addition to their conference trophy' 

         2. The conference that has the lowest-scoring conference champion in week 16's championship games will incur a penalty of having to fetch beer for the Liberty Bowl-winning conference during that conference's draft the following season.""
    4. Justin C. Cliburn proposes we add a subsection to Section VIII stating:
    "Section VIII:
    ​F. Dues

         1. Annual dues are to be paid in an amount that is feasible for each manager. The average total we need from each manager is $102 (or $8.50 monthly), so that is the baseline suggested amount. Some will give less; others will give more. Not all managers may be able to part with $102 annually, but everyone can give something​.
         2. Dues are necessary to operate this league. The OIL yearly budget is:
          -Website editor: $52 annually
          -Website domains: $24 annually (about $12 a year for oklahomiraqis.com             and okiraqi.org)
          -Jerseys: $280 annually (including tax and shipping)
          -Helmet: $110 annually (including tax and shipping)
          -Trophy engraving plates: $40 (free shipping)
    ​      - Annual draft weekend: $3,800"
         - Total: $4,306
         3. Dues paid and amounts paid shall be confidential. Contact the commissioner if you have any concerns. 
    5. Justin C. Cliburn proposes we add a subsection to Section VIII stating:
    "Section VIII:
    ​F/G. Treasurer

         1. The Board shall elect a treasurer to track of OIL funds;
         2. The Treasurer shall keep the OIL funds in a bank account of his choice, so long as the Commissioner and the Board have reasonable access to said bank;
         3. The Treasurer may be removed by a 2/3 vote of the Board;
         4. The Treasurer shall be Kevin Pyle until and unless he resigns or is replaced.
    6. Justin C. Cliburn proposes we amend subsection E to Section VIII from:
    Section VIII:
    E. Justin C. Cliburn will serve as the commissioner for the original OklahomIraqis League, as he has since the first season in 2006. Adam F. Duffy will serve as co-commissioner.
        1. Nick Reed will serve as the commissioner for the AFC until and unless he decides to step down.
    In the event Reed steps down, Commissioner Cliburn and Co-Commissioner Duffy will have sole discretion to award the commissioner position to a new manager.
        2. Scott Buehre will serve as the commissioner for the PFC until and unless he decides to step down.
        3. In the event Buehre steps down, Commissioner Cliburn and Co-Commissioner Duffy will have sole discretion to award the commissioner position to a new manager.
    to:
    Section VIII:
    E. Board of Directors:
      A. 
    This league will be run by a board of directors.. The board of directors will consist of between five and nine members. The members shall be:
         1. Justin C. Cliburn, OIL and NFC Commissioner;
         2. Adam F. Duffy, OIL Co-Commissioner.
         3. Nick Reed, AFC Commissioner;
         4. Scott Buehre, PFC Commissioner;
         5. The OIL Treasurer; and
         6. up to four members who nominate themselves and are approved by the existing board.
     B. In the event a commissioner or other board member resigns, the Board shall have sole discretion to fill the position with a new manager.
    7. Justin C. Cliburn proposes we amend subsection E to Section VIII from:
    Section IX: Bylaw Modification
                      a. On motion by the OIL Commissioner, a league vote may alter these bylaws.
    to:
    Section IX: Bylaw Modification
                      a. On motion by the Board, a league vote may alter these bylaws.
    8. J.P. Peacock proposes we add a section to the bylaws concerning relegation:
    Section IX: Relegation (moving the current Section IX down to Section X)

    A.  Every two years, beginning after the 2017 season, the OIL Commissioner will tally the wins, including playoff wins, of each manager in each conference.
     
    B. The two least-successful NFC managers over the preceding two seasons will be relegated to the AFC.

    C. The two previous AFC champions will be promoted to the NFC. In the event that one manager wins each of the two preceding Thunder Bowls, that manager and the manager with the most wins over the previous two seasons will be promoted to the NFC.

    D. The two least-successful AFC managers over the preceding two seasons will be relegated to the PFC.

    E. The two previous PFC champions will be promoted to the AFC. In the event that one manager wins each of the two preceding Patriot Bowls, that manager and the manager with the most wins over the previous two seasons will be promoted to the AFC.

    9. Lance Zerger proposes we amend subsection E to Section I from:
    Section I:
    E. This league will not compete for money. Instead, each conference have one traveling trophy with the champion's name and team name for each season engraved on it. The previous champion is responsible for transferring it to the incoming champion in a timely manner.

        1. The NFC will compete for the Lawson Memorial Trophy: okiraqi.org/lawson

        2. The AFC will compete for the Killman Memorial Trophy: okiraqi.org/killman

        3. The PFC will compete for the Landrum Memorial Trophy:
    okiraqi.org/landrum
    to:
    Section I:
    E. This league will not compete for money. Instead, each conference have one traveling trophy with the champion's name and team name for each season engraved on it. 

        1. Trophies:

          a. 
    The NFC will compete for the Lawson Memorial Trophy: okiraqi.org/lawson

          b. The AFC will compete for the Killman Memorial Trophy: okiraqi.org/killman

          c. The PFC will compete for the Landrum Memorial Trophy:
    okiraqi.org/landrum

        2. Change of Champion procedure:

          a. The previous champion is responsible for transferring the trophy to the incoming champion within two weeks of the end of the week 17 Monday night game (the conclusion of the Liberty Bowl).

          b. The penalty for not shipping the trophy to its new owner within the prescribed time period is loss of draft position choice in the following season's draft. Instead of having their choice of draft positions, the offending manager will instead receive the last available draft position. Every manager who finished behind the offending manager in the previous season will then move up one spot in the pecking order. 
  • Published on

    Dues Discussion

    By OIL Commissioner Justin C. Cliburn
    Picture

    "Pay your dues" — Benjamin Franklin

    This is always a difficult discussion to have, but I want to be as transparent as possible. In the near future, you will be asked to vote on alterations to the league bylaws. One such change is the inclusion of dues in our governing document. How dues were never included in the bylaws in the first place is my fault, and I am aiming to remedy that.

    In the GroupMe chat, the question was raised: what actually are our dues and expenses? Unofficially, I've been asking everyone to pitch in $15 per season, which doesn't sound like much. It covers all our expenses except for the draft party. Those expenses are: 

  • Published on

    'Dirty Hippies', NFC Win Liberty Bowl; 2016 Wrap-up

    By OIL Commissioner Justin C. Cliburn
    Congratulations to Christopher Trovillo, whose Dirty Hippies won the 2016 Liberty Bowl. He will hold the Tenequer Memorial Trophy in trust until a new champion is crowned. He also earned a custom mini-helmet with the win, and the Commissioner awaits his instructions regarding said helmet. 

    As far as Lance Zerger goes, his Redlegs fell short in their quest to win their first week 17 championship. But the season was a monstrous success regardless. The Redlegs set a record for most points in single season, won 12 games, and won the AFC's Thunder Bowl. He will have his name engraved on the Killman Memorial Trophy and his custom jersey has been ordered. 
    Picture
    Well, that's it for the 2016 OIL season. Congratulations to the three conference champions: Buehre, Trovillo, and Zerger. The 2017 draft order will be posted soon, and I'll get started on the 2016 edition of the Book of OIL. Be prepared for lots of emails soliciting your feedback on the 2016 draft party, trades, rivalry week, season, and playoffs.

    Zerger has plans to coordinate an OIL March Madness pool, and we'll be finding ways to raise money for the 2017 draft weekend, which will again occur at the Roberts Retreat Lodge north of Ada. Our deposit has been paid, and we need to pay $3,100 by August to keep the rental (and not lose the $780 deposit). Anyone who was at the 2016 draft can vouch for how amazing the venue is: 5,000 square-foot cabin; private lake; ATV trails; shooting range; ping pong table; big screen TVs; huge wrap-around porch; and the company of your SECFOR brothers. 

    If you'd like to make your donation now, the link is here. You can view photos, videos, and audio clips of the 2016 draft weekend here. If you encounter a password prompt, the password is oklahoma*** with the *** being the number of our military unit. 

    Happy New Year, brothers. Something tells me we'll keep in touch all offseason using the GroupMe chat (thanks to Zerger for suggesting that). For all of those who didn't win a championship in 2016 (including me), the new year provides new hope. In the meantime, check out the championship banners hung at the top of each champion's manager page:
    Picture