Gentleman:

The 2015 AFL Season is upon us. I know that each of you anticipates that first "ten minute ticker" rolling across the bottom of your television screen Sunday afternoon. For those of you wealthy enough to afford expanded basic cable, the first two-hour NFL Countdown on ESPN cannot come soon enough.

The reasons each of us participate in this exercise may differ slightly, but there is no doubt that every owner covets the Jewel Cox Memorial Trophy as if it were made of solid gold. We would all go to great lengths in order to have that symbol of victory grace our fireplace mantel.

This is the reason I am communicating with you today.

As Chairman of the Ethics Committee, I felt it necessary to remind each of you that this hobby of our is based in the principles of friendship and moral rectitude. The Commissioner has made available (via this website) a copy of the bylaws. Please review and abide by them.

Effort has been spent to make these rules as clear and comprehensive as possible. But as evidenced through previous years controversies which gave rise to the "Hendrickson Rule," not every issue can be thought of in advance. If there are questions, please talk to other owners, the Commissioner, or myself about your thoughts. Fair play is essential, and underhandedness, cheating, and rule evasion should not be practiced or tolerated by any owner in this league.

I wish each of you the best of luck in your quest for Runner-up. May the pigskin take a good bounce in your direction and the disease of injury not infect your franchise.

In the immortal words of Mills Lane, spoken before the Holyfield-Tyson encounter, "keep it clean boys."

Yours in the Bond,

//signed//

Clinton J. Whitney
Ethics Committee Chairman
Owner, Jarvis City Jokers & former AFL Champion