Matt Rein #3 <[log in to unmask]> wrote in part:
 
> I guess I have two questions.  Why does the ref "wave off" penalties?  When
> somebody goes down and it may look like a penalty but the ref decides no,
> he waves his arms to signal no penalty.  Whats up with that?  Either it is a
> penalty or it isn't.  It is almost like he is "disallowing" a penalty.
 
my understanding is that the official is signalling "safe" meaning
that he (or she) has observed the play and believes no penalty has
occurred.  Why do this, you might ask?  Well, that tells the crowd
that the offocial hasobserved the play, and while the crowd might
thing there was a foul, the referee believes no foul occurred.  It
would seem to me that the official might be saying things like, "no,
that wasn't a trip."
 
charlie shub
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