You meet talented, mediocre and middle-of-the-road people. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. All Rights Reserved. Devika Pawar. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. I love the smell of the grass when you first walk out on the field when you get to the stadium. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Hes a motivational speaker and diversity recruiter in addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. Im happy I did it around a bunch of people who had the ability to help me.. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. Referee OK after collapsing on sideline during Gonzaga-USC Elite Eight I love officiating because of the rush of excitement I get every time a player rises over another for a nothing-but-net three-pointer or from two kids diving after a loose ball like its a $1 million bill. Smith is one of the longest tenured and most respected officials in college hoops. Referee Bert Smith collapses at Gonzaga-USC March Madness game - KHOU The referee who collapsed during Gonzaga's matchup against USC in the NCAA men's basketball tournament had a blood clot in his lung, The Indianapolis Star reported Friday. At the core of the reasons why I love to referee is a passion for the sport of soccer. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. The scary moment was caught. I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. Official collapses during NCAA basketball game | The Hill As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. I will, he says. I love that we are the only participants who are not allowed to fail. Jacquie was waiting at the door. By Bert Smith, NCAA D-I men's basketball official from Florence, Ky. Who parks in the farthest spot from the entrance to Kroger? Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The reasons for our joy when we step on the field, court or ice are vast and every reason is forged in the fire of our individual experiences. NCAA Ref Bert Smith Says Blood Clot in Lung Caused Collapse at - TMZ Referee Bert Smith is taken off the court on a stretcher after collapsing during the first half of an Elite 8 game between Gonzaga and Southern California during the first half of an Elite 8 game . Smith is back home in Kentucky with his wife, Jacquie, and his grandson, Karter. To me, he offers an aside: Hes taking advantage of a guy in a weakened position., The doc says, Swing your legs around. I swing my legs around, and they go: Click-click-click-click. Well get there, but right now were moving too fast. Being able to handle situations that arise separates the average official from the capable arbiter. Trammel was at Methodistthe night of March 30. Whats that for? You know the rules, have studied the pregame intel and use your experience to go read and react to the actions. Youre going to get on one side, hes going to get on the other, were going to wave to the fans, and Im walking out of here.. Having to make those decisions in a split second is a challenge I enjoy. Trammel had seen the video. Referee Bert Smith is taken off the court on a stretcher after collapsing during the first half of an Elite 8 game between Gonzaga and Southern California during the first half of an Elite 8 game . ", BAYLOR BEATS GONZAGA FOR FIRST NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP. Two hours later, she returned into the room with the test results. Within seconds, theyd strapped the seated Smith onto it. Medical personnel at Lucas Oil Stadium treated Smith, who later went to a local hospital. No matter what age, talent, salary, race or sex, you must give your all. Hell just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes theyll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith says. And they found out. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. Hospitalized with a blood clot. Referee Bert Smith in Stable Condition After Collapsing During Gonzaga To me, he offers an aside: Hes taking advantage of a guy in a weakened position., The doc says, Swing your legs around. I swing my legs around, and they go: Click-click-click-click. INDIANAPOLIS Bert Smith hasnt seen the moment that made him famous. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. College Basketball: NCAA Referees Have Their Own Selection Sunday Thats his wife of 33 years. Im very grateful. I thought he was a good official, a fair official, and when you saw him at a game, you knew you were going to get a good whistle from him., Smith says well see him at games next season I could work again in seven to 10 days, he says but for now he wants to thank some people publicly. Hes worked 17 NCAA Tournaments. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. Look at those crossed arms. It is by far the most difficult thing Ive ever done. A referee has collapsed on court during the opening stages of an NCAA Elite Eight basketball match in Indiana. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. She said: I got the answer to the question. Referee Bert Smith is taken off the court on a stretcher after collapsing during the first half of an Elite 8 game between Gonzaga and Southern California during the first half of an Elite 8 game . I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. Referee Bert Smith says blood clot in lung caused fall at NCAA tourney 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. A former employee at Avis Car Rental, he dropped that job to officiate full time in 2010. Don't let anti-vaxxers lie to you about Damar Hamlin like they did with It offers a chance to lead by example. Smith fell and was immediately attended to by medical personnel. It took me a few days, he says. After all, he hit the court hard, so hard that it left a giant bump on the back of his head. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. The NCAA even distributed a statement announcing the news: Smith was O.K. Working a Friday night high school football game gives me goose bumps. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. NCAA ref Bert Smith stretchered out after collapse in Elite Eight - Yahoo! Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at@GreggDoyelStar. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. Oh, and hes also been returning those messages. He agreed. 2023 www.southbendtribune.com. The support and love was just overwhelming. Why I Love Officiating - Referee.com - Referee.com & Referee Magazine After the game, Gonzaga coach Mark Few said he had walked over to Smith to offer his support as Smith was being placed on the stretcher. Here's where I'mtell him about that Kelly Wilkinson picture, how he looks so angry on the stretcher. Smiths also grateful that his health scare, if it was going to happen, took place during the NCAA Tournament and not when he was driving or sleeping. I love officiating because it has a Zen aspect to it: for those two hours, you are completely focused on the task at hand. The scary moment was caughtlive during the Bulldogs-Trojans matchup. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". My father and older brother both became soccer referees, and I had to watch them referee every Saturday in agony waiting for my turn. Might as well walk fast, too. My father was a basketball official and one of the founding members of the local IAABO board in Lowell, Mass. Katie Trammel, he tells me slowly, then repeats her name, then spells it. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. You blacked out., I look to my right, and I see a stretcher. But do we say I love you enough? Refereeing soccer is more than a hobby or a job; it is my passion and it is ingrained in me so deeply that it is a part of me. Well get there, but right now were moving too fast. Smith is the college basketball official who passed out during the 2021 NCAA region final between Gonzaga and Southern California, toppling over like a fallen tree - his description - his body. March Madness roundup: Gonzaga, UCLA advance to Final Four SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. It does not store any personal data. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; INDIANAPOLIS -- A referee collapsed early in the first half of Tuesday night's Elite Eight matchup between Gonzaga and USC . If youve ever experienced a buzzer-beater, thats what Im talking about. "It puts in perspective the value of each day, because we all go through our lives -- we're all guilty of it -- and we just live, right?" A scary moment interrupted the Elite Eight on Tuesday, as NCAA official Bert Smith abruptly collapsed during a game between No. My love of officiating started when I was very young five to six years old. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. He rarely uses the elevator. He runs. Moves fast, this guy. Referee Bert Smith's fall in men's NCAA Tournament game didn't kill him He was released after two days in the hospital. When I enter the field, theres more bounce in my step, my senses are heightened and my competitive juices start flowing. Soccer was now firmly in my blood and forever would help mold and shape me. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. It was a scary moment as an audible thud was heard throughout Lucas Oil Stadium, and the official was taken off the court on a stretcher, though he was awake and alert. He's grumpy in the now-famous photo of him on it and told Doyel he was tricked. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. Game official Bert Smith collapsed and was taken off the court on a gurney during the first half of the men's NCAA basketball game between the USC Trojans . Eades, who at age 56 has worked three Final Fours and. Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Official collapses during NCAA tournament, wheeled off court on Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Brett Smith, an NCAA college basketball referee, collapsed during a game. His crew comes back to Le Meridien with a doggy bag of the dinner he missed at the game, and theyre talking and laughing, but theyve seen replays of Smiths fall. The passion and emotion of the contestants can never sway the judgment of the crew. I could be having the worst day possible and I still lose myself in my game that day. Whats he doing on his back? The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their care, and understands their stretcher subterfuge. It would've been about NCAA basketball official Bert Smith, how he'd been used dishonestly as a pawn by the anti-vaccine movement to prove the unprovable: that COVID vaccines were causing. Its because I was telling the doctor: You little SOB, you tricked me!. Former NCAA national mens basketball officiating coordinator John Adams says Bert is funny but quiet, not a me-first guy. Adams was one of the 500 who reached out to Smith. NCAA Tournament fall didn't kill referee Bert Smith. It saved his life. The former NCAA national mens basketball officiating coordinator, John Adams, says Bert is funny but quiet, not a me-first guy. Adams was one of the 500 who reached out to Smith. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors were reportedly unsure whether the clot had anything to do with COVID-19. And after it happens, with a replacement official stepping in for Smith, he spends two hours getting treatment at the stadium, where his vitals are normal pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level and he doesnt have a headache. When a situation occurs that brings the temperature of the game up, you have to control your emotions and read the emotions of the players and coaches to restore calm. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. Moves fast? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We make the calls and put up with the jeers because we love officiating. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. We get him off the floor out of sight and he just loses it, Fox recalls. Then he becomes a basketball official. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. Smith, who became an NCAA Division I official in 1993, said he remembers the play preceding the fall. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day. Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The NCAA announces that Smith has returned to the hotel, and its true. After completing my doctorate, I returned to officiating. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". NCAA basketball official Bert Smith lies on the court after collapsing during the Gonzaga-USC men's game in the Elite Eight. Ref alert after collapsing during Gonzaga-USC, Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Immediately after falling, Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd ran to him and the bench waved for doctors. Yeah man, you were staggering like you were fighting Ali., You were asking Mark Few for a job application because you were on his bench., Next thing you know, you were back in the ring again with Ali and you went down like a tree in a forest!. INDIANAPOLIS Bert Smith hasnt seen the moment that made him famous. Medical personnel and other staffers rushed toward him. 10,797 Ncaa Referee Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO basketball referee 10,797 Ncaa Referee Premium High Res Photos Browse 10,797 ncaa referee stock photos and images available, or search for basketball referee to find more great stock photos and pictures. So was Karter. Whats that for? I literally grew up watching my dad, Glen, work a seemingly endless number of football and basketball games. Hed rather take the stairs, and Bert Smith doesnt walk them. Thats 1990. I want to know why you fell. She checked a few things out, came back in and took me through the car wash. Just a lot of tests. Smith is the college basketball official who passed out during the 2021 NCAA region final between Gonzaga and Southern California, toppling over like a fallen tree his description his body flat and unmoving, his eyes open and unseeing, a Gonzaga trainer frantically waving for help. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? . Smith is the college basketball official who passed out during the 2021 NCAA region final between Gonzaga and Southern California, toppling over like a fallen tree his description his body. Note: This article is archival in nature. Do we give an extra hug enough? Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. There were ones from coaches, ones from colleagues, ones from family, one even from an NFL official hed never met. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. It saved his life. Referee Fall in Gonzaga USC NCAA Game TBS Replay Gets Backlash Sports A Referee Collapsed at an NCAA Basketball Game. Now check your email to confirm your subscription to the Referee.com Review. Smith, have a good night, I thought they had done a good job, he says, but because she wanted to know why I fell, we got the answer. Hes a motivational speaker and diversity recruiter in addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. They strapped me in! The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. Smith revealed in a lengthy interview with the Indianapolis Star the fall may have saved him. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it, too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court.