For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith says. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. Being able to participate and watch these young men and women playing the game because they have that desire to play is a joy to me that you cannot experience through a TV or on the sidelines. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Look at his scowl. That is definitely what drives me. Copyright 2022 Referee Enterprises Inc. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. At the core of the reasons why I love to referee is a passion for the sport of soccer. I love being part of the game. 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. Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. 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. Im ready to get after it, he says. He works his first game at age 24. Im happy I did it around a bunch of people who had the ability to help me.. Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? Bert Smith doesnt remember any of that and hasnt seen a replay of his fall, though he says hes almost ready to watch. 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. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. And they found out. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. Why cant he catch his breath? And how did the court get so blurry all of a sudden, like someone smeared it with . Referee Bert Smith said he was 'tricked' into getting on the stretcher after his collapse . You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. Its energizing and refreshing to have that kind of focus on something. Might as well walk fast, too. You know the rules, have studied the pregame intel and use your experience to go read and react to the actions. I get to watch the Masters.. They insisted more. You blacked out., I look to my right, and I see a stretcher. 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. Bert Smith . The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. Are you going to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? NCAA Tournament Basketball Referee Bert Smith suffered a scary collapse during the 2022 NCAA March Madness Tournament Gonzaga vs. USC basketball game.I bre. There were ones from coaches, ones from colleagues, ones from family, one even from an NFL official hed never met. The doctor said, Listen, tell you what, why dont you just sit on the stretcher? I said OK, I can do that, Smith says and now hes laughing. First as an athlete growing up in Buffalo, a high school small forward, receiver and 400-meter runner, then some junior college basketball. He'll just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes they'll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. The support and love was just overwhelming. Mar 31st, 2021. When I enter the field, theres more bounce in my step, my senses are heightened and my competitive juices start flowing. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. It offers a chance to lead by example. . When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.". But first, Smith had to get stretchered off the floor, something he was adamantly against. Im letting the paint dry.. Katie Trammel, he tells me slowly, then repeats her name, then spells it. My uniforms were enormous, and I stepped on my flag but I felt as big as the world! He goes to IU Health Methodist. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. Smith, who'ddriven a rental car into town after working the Atlantic-10 Tournament in Dayton, Ohio, was driven to his home in Florence, Kentucky, by Eric Lowe, a Central Indiana-based referee. Look at those crossed arms. He runs. Since I'm involved in an athletic contest I want to be able to participate to the full, and working out, proper nutrition and recovery allow me to be able to keep up with the players and game. By 1993, hes an NCAA Division I official. She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. People often ask me how I maintain a smile throughout almost every game, however it is quite unintentional. But do we say I love you enough? 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. Smith collapsed just over four minutes into the Elite Eight game between USC. He doesnt remember passing out, only that things got foggy, he says, and that his breathing didnt feel normal. It could have been a red flag, he said doctors told him, but then again "sometimes it just hits you.". [1] It was the 68th annual edition of the tournament. I literally grew up watching my dad, Glen, work a seemingly endless number of football and basketball games. Once hospitalizedat first, he didnt even plan to godoctors discovered a troubling issue: a blood clot in his lungs. You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. He plans to return as soon as he can to the court, and that includes ref camps this summer. 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. Smith fell and was immediately attended to by medical personnel. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at@GreggDoyelStar. They strapped me in! You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. Hospitalized with a blood clot. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Official Bert Smith collapsed on the floor during the game, immediately being carried away in a stretcher. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. Now he wonders. I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? REFEREE Bert Smith collapsed during the first half of the USC - Gonzaga game during the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. After college, I had the great privilege of joining his football crew and kick-starting my own football officiating career. It is my release. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. The scary moment was caught. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. Every chance I get, I want to get my heart rate up, says Smith, 56, who takes the court 90 times a year with elite NCAA athletes. I love being part of the game. I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. It goes: You scored, Billy As soon as I arrive and begin preparing for the game, my day, my life, enters a new and exciting realm. I realized, even back then, how fun and rewarding each officiating experience was for the crew. Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. My colleagues and I have strong personalities with how were wired so being able to do a job that you know youre in a select company of people is very rewarding. 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. Add to that the extreme climate conditions that officials encounter and you quickly understand the importance of physical conditioning for officials. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. Who parks in the farthest spot from the entrance to Kroger? The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their care, and understands their stretcher subterfuge. No matter what sport or level we work, we are bonded. It kept me going.. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. Bert Smith (56) NCAA men's basketball Referee collapsed due to a blood clot in his lung during a tournament News Story. Follow every game: Latest NCAA Men's College Basketball Scores and Schedules. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. He agreed. 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 . Were about to put you through the car wash of testing, she said. My father and older brother both became soccer referees, and I had to watch them referee every Saturday in agony waiting for my turn. They released him to return to his hotel. Given time that night on March 30, those around SmithNCAA doctors, his wife and colleaguesthought it best if he at least visited IU Methodist Hotel in Indianapolis to check his head and spine. 6 seed USC. Thats normal to huff and puff, right? he told the newspaper. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. Jacquie was waiting at the door. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Smith trains year-round on a treadmill or stationary bike, and gets in other workouts, like when the family goes to Disney Worldand Smith says they dont need a stroller for their grandson, Karter. A former employee at Avis Car Rental, he dropped that job to officiate full time in 2010. Something doesnt add up. Hed rather take the stairs, and Bert Smith doesnt walk them. She said: I got the answer to the question. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. Why I love officiating can be simply put as it has given me the opportunity to work with and be associated with some of the finest individuals that walk the face of this earth. Trammel wasnt as concerned with a CT scan on his skull as she was on why he fell in the first place. 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. Legal Statement. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. Gaining the best sight line on the ice requires officials to be strong skaters, agile and physically fit. a thrust, a dribble, a power shot Referee data is available for the 1988-89 through 2022-23 seasons. The scary scene unfolded with 15:44 to play in the. ", NCAA tourney ref who collapsed had blood clot, From bubble struggles to NCAA seed improvement, why these final weekend games matter, Davis 3 shy of Maravich; Detroit eyes CBI bid, Son: Maravich would be 'cheering on' Davis, Vandy's Robbins out rest of season with leg injury, Sources: High Point fires Smith after one season, Davis out as Bucknell coach after 12-20 season, Grill discloses mental illness after Iowa St. exit, No. They strapped me in! Look at those crossed arms. Smiths pausing. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. There is no greater place to be than on a softball or baseball field. If you saw it, you understand. Bert Smith, the official who collapsed during the Elite Eight, believes his fall could have saved his life. You cant get any closer to the ballgame. Shes an important part of this story.. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? Having to make those decisions in a split second is a challenge I enjoy. They were supposed to just check my head and spine for a concussion (he didnt have one, by the way), says Smith. First as an athlete growing up in Buffalo, a high school small forward, receiver and 400-meter runner, then some junior college basketball. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. The arrival at the arena, the pregame, being with various partners, the competition, the players, coaches, ambience, the focus and concentration needed on each possession. 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!. He felt wobbly and the next thing he remembers seeing is the ceiling of the stadium. It was fun and stress-free officiating, and I was able to help pay for college. 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. No matter who you meet, you have to deal with them as people who deserve the best from you. Presently I officiate in nine D-I conferences. There are 96 NCAA referees all waiting for the same thing those 68 teams are waiting for. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar or at www.facebook.com/gregg.doyel. She said: I got the answer to the question. " Bert is alert and stable and will not be transported to a hospital. Within seconds, theyd strapped the seated Smith onto it. Even after coaches/fans express their disappointment in my calls, I still have the eyes and hearts of the players on the field looking to me for leadership and how to show good character and convictions. Smith trains year round on a treadmill or stationary bike, and gets in other workouts like when the family goes to Disney World in Florida and Smith says they dont need a stroller for their grandson, Karter. Check this out.. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. He runs. Its deep, and its contagious. Smith, who'ddriven a rental car into town after working the Atlantic 10 Tournament in Dayton, Ohio, was driven to his home in Florence, Ky., by Eric Lowe, a Central Indiana-based referee. 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.. Theres no room in your head for thinking about cutting the grass, what you need from the store or how you have to finish your taxes. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. Who parks in the farthest spot from the entrance to Kroger? Smith's fall to the ground. No matter what age, talent, salary, race or sex, you must give your all. There were no signs in the preceding days of this happening, even when he was running up and down three flights of stairs, with a mask, the day before. Turns out, it was something worse. It is equivalent to flying an airplane, skydiving, skiing a black diamond, anything that heightens all your senses. Legal Statement. You also have to ensure that your mental preparation is exceptional in order to be effective. He rarely uses the elevator. He runs. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. Officiating is similar to playing the game full of emotion, both highs and lows. Replay Of Referee Bert Smith Collapsing Swift Highlights 22.9K subscribers Subscribe 393 Share 158K views 1 year ago Replay Of Referee Collapsing Basketball Official Collapses Show more Show. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of all the cookies. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? Everyones joking with him now. 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 . Do we give an extra hug enough? That road includes blood thinners and a trip next week to see a nearby doctor to strategize his future treatment. So was Karter. 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. Smith, who became an NCAA Division I official in 1993, said he remembers the play preceding the fall. After completing my doctorate, I returned to officiating. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. The three officials for the game who are in question are Bert Smith, James Breeding and John Gaffney. 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. I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their care, and understands their stretcher subterfuge. He rarely uses the elevator. I look to my left, and its a doctor, Bert says, and hes laughing about it now. Smith told the publication. Market data provided by Factset. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. Thats his wife of 33 years. He said the fall was related to a blood clot in his lung. Why cant he catch his breath? If you saw it, you understand. Bunch of sixth-graders at Garfield Park in Chicago. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. Smith does rememberthe play before it:Gonzagas Andrew Nembhard stealing the ball and going the other way, but now the action is coming back toward the USC basket, where Smith had remained hed been unable to run the court as Nembhard finished at the rim and Smith is wondering whats going on. Todays game is so fast and the players have such a high skill set that its very important to be in the best possible position to judge a play and make a call. Check this out. And they found out. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Hes got a wife, Jacquie, of 32 years, two daughters and two more grandchildren. 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 . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Katie Trammel, he tells me slowly, then repeats her name, then spells it. Everyones joking with him now. That was the start of my passion for officiating basketball. Smith said, in a way, he was grateful the fall happened during the tournament and not when he was driving. You meet people persons, individual persons, team players and egomaniacs. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. The clot restricted enough oxygen to Smith that he passed out during the game. You could talk to him during a game. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. What happens next leads to a picture caught by IndyStar photographer Kelly Wilkinson. They strapped me in! Unfortunately we miss plays every night, but the challenge of trying to be perfect and get every play right is why I love it so much. It has put me in the middle of so many exciting situations where my skills and knowledge have been tested and given me and my crewmates the afterglow of satisfaction when you know you nailed it in a championship atmosphere. 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.. Then he becomes a basketball official. Bert Smith, Raymond Styons. OK, so the night of March 29. Moves fast? They were pretty intense, man. Oh, Ill be back. And they found out. Smith does rememberthe play before it, Gonzagas Andrew Nembhard stealing the ball and going the other way, but now the action is coming back toward the USC basket, where Smith had remained hed been unable to run the court as Nembhard finished at the rim and Smith is wondering whats going on. Heres why: The doctor said, Listen, tell you what, why dont you just sit on the stretcher? I said OK, I can do that, Smith says and now hes laughing. I have to be ready physically, mentally and emotionally. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. 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.

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