Preamble
We the members of the football pool, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure family tranquility, provide for the common knowledge, promote the National Football League, and secure the blessings of victory to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the SPAM Football Pool.
Article I
Section 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Rules Committee of the SPAM Football Pool and shall be composed of members attending
Section 2. The Rules Committee shall choose the officers for the Board of Directors
Section 3. Every order, resolution, or rule shall be passed by a majority and presented to the Chairman of the Board; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by said office, or being disapproved, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Rules Committee.
Section 4. The Director of the Rules shall keep a journal of the current rules, and at the beginning of the regular season, publish the same; and the yeas and nays of the members on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.
Section 5. All prizes and titles shall originate from the Director of Prize Distribution. No title of nobility shall be granted, but rather the titles granted shall be: 1st Half Winner, 2nd Half Winner, Overall Winner, and Playoff Winner. The prizes may only be awarded as food or beverage items.
Article II
Section 1. The executive power shall be vested in a Chairman of the Board.
Section 2. The Chairman of the Board shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Rules Committee, shall appoint the Director of the Judiciary.
Section 3. The Chairman shall from week to week, during the regular football season, give to the members information of the state of the pool, and collect from them their opinions regarding victors, and maintain accurate records of said opinions.
Article III
Section 1. The judicial power of the SPAM Football Pool shall be vested in one Director of the Judiciary.
Section 2. The judicial power shall extend to all cases arising under this Constitution or the rules of the SPAM Football Pool, to controversies regarding nicknames, or to controversies between two or more members and shall have the sole power to select the nickname theme.
Article IV
New members may be admitted by the Board of Directors into this pool; but no new members shall be formed by the junction of two or more people.
Article V
The Rules Committee, whenever two thirds shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution.
Article VI
This Constitution, and the rules of the SPAM Football Pool, which shall be made in pursuance thereof, shall be the supreme law of the land.
Article VII
The ratification of this convention by six members shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between the members so ratifying the same.
Done in convention by the unanimous consent of the members present the twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord two thousand and two and of the independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty five.
Constitutional Convention (Las Vegas, NM)
President – Captain America
Rules Committee – Major Winters, Sherman, Commander-In Chief, Little Mac, Major Gen
Chairman of the Board - Sherman
Director of the Rules – Major Gen
Director of Prize Distribution – Little Mac
Director of the Judiciary – Major Winters
2nd Congress (Lake Okoboji, IA)
President - T-Rex
Secretary - Dinosaurus
Rules Committee – Pachycephalosaurus, Coloradisaurus
Chairman of the Board - Pachycephalosaurus
Director of the Rules – Megalo
Director of Prize Distribution – Maiasaura
Director of the Judiciary – Coloradisaurus
3rd Congress (Coors Field, CO)
President - Robin
Secretary - Dove
Rules Committee – Great Auk, Wormer
Chairman of the Board – Great Auk
Director of the Rules – Green Jay
Director of Prize Distribution – Mockingbird
Director of the Judiciary – Dove
4th Congress (Coors Field, CO)
President - Diamond
Rules Committee – Quartz, Peridot, Silver, Granite
Chairman of the Board – Quartz
Director of the Rules – Moonstone
Director of Prize Distribution – Star Of The East
Director of the Judiciary – Peridot
The Bill of Rights of the SPAM Football Pool
The Preamble to The Bill of Rights
Rules Committee of the SPAM Football Pool begun and held at the City of Denver, on Sunday the twenty-seventh of August, two thousand and six.
RESOLVED, by several members, that the following Articles be proposed, as amendments to the Constitution of the SPAM Football Pool, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by two thirds of the Rules Committee, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.
ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the SPAM Football Pool, proposed by several members and ratified by the Rules Committee, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.
Amendment I
The Rules Committee shall make no law respecting an establishment of a favorite team, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Director of the Judiciary for a redress of grievances.
Amendment II
A well-informed membership, being necessary to the security of a free pool, the right of the people to keep and bear expert picks, shall not be infringed.
Amendment III
No picks shall, in time of peace be assigned to any member, without the consent of the member, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their picks against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.
Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of the Director of the Judiciary; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the Rules Committee, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
Amendment VII
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined by the Director of the Judiciary, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the SPAM Football Pool by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it are reserved to the people.
5th Congress (Champps, Denver, CO)
President – Poplar
Secretary – Yew
Rules Committee – Larch, Blue Spruce, Lilac, Ash
Chairman of the Board – Larch
Director of the Rules – Ash
Director of Prize Distribution – Holly
Director of the Judiciary – Blue Spruce
Amendment XI
Passed by the 6th Congress of the Rules Committee at Champps, Denver, CO on February 20, 2011.
Note: Article I, section 1 and section 2, of the Constitution was modified by amendment 11.
The Rules Committee shall not be required to hold an annual meeting or choose officers each year. The Rules Committee shall assemble when called by the Chairman or a majority of the membership to a board meeting. Four members attending said meeting shall constitute a quorum.
6th Congress (Champps, Denver, CO)
President – Matthew
Secretary – Paul
Rules Committee – Linda, Gloria
Chairman of the Board – Paul
Director of the Rules – Matthew
Director of Prize Distribution – Gloria
Director of the Judiciary – Linda
7th Congress (Richard Siegel Soccer Complex, Nashville, TN)
President – Matthew
Secretary – Paul
Rules Committee – Julie, Gloria
Chairman of the Board – Paul
Director of the Rules – Matthew
Director of Prize Distribution – Gloria
Director of the Judiciary – Julie
