But slow down, OK? Smith told the publication. Bert Smith told the . 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. Look at those crossed arms. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Katie Trammels stock is up with me in the Smith family book, he says, laughing. The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In a scary moment, Smith passed out cold during a recent Elite Eight game. Hes been friends with Smith for 30 years. I love officiating because it has a Zen aspect to it: for those two hours, you are completely focused on the task at hand. 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. After all, he hit the court hard, so hard that it left a giant bump on the back of his head. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. Once hospitalizedat first, he didnt even plan to godoctors discovered a troubling issue: a blood clot in his lungs. Smith is back home in Kentucky with his wife, Jacquie, and his grandson, Karter. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. 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. Do we give an extra hug enough? Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. Hes worked 17 NCAA Tournaments. I love being part of the game. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? 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. You meet just about every type of person there is that exists and you have to learn to deal with all of them in a manner that shows that you deserve to be called an official. You meet cheaters, schemers, geniuses and idiots. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt , He said he told the doctor at the time, "You little SOB, you tricked me!. My uniforms were enormous, and I stepped on my flag but I felt as big as the world! I have known that I wanted to referee long before I owned my first whistle. I didnt miss a game that season, because working the games was my therapy. Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. There is no better feeling then walking back into the locker room with your partners and knowing that we worked together as a team and that we gave everything we had for those 48 minutes. No matter who you meet, you have to deal with them as people who deserve the best from you. Nobody can say. Jacquie was waiting at the door. Theres video of me with my arms crossed on the stretcher, he says. Gregg Doyel Indianapolis Star 0:00 0:56 INDIANAPOLIS - Bert Smith hasn't seen the moment that. Ref alert after collapsing during Gonzaga-USC, Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Thats normal to huff-and-puff, right? Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? Now check your email to confirm your subscription to the Referee.com Review. CBS provided an update on the medical status of referee Bert Smith following his collapse on the court Tuesday. This article is the copyright of Referee Enterprises, Inc., and may not be republished in whole or in part online, in print or in any capacity without expressed written permission from Referee. It goes: You scored, Billy "You don't know where that clot was going next," Smith told the Star's Gregg Doyel. The NCAA announced later in the night that Smith was "alert and stable" and would not be transported to a hospital. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? They strapped me in! Bert Smith, Raymond Styons. Smith's fall to the ground. Bunch of sixth-graders at Garfield Park in Chicago. Bert Smith doesnt remember any of thatand hasn't seen areplay of his fall, though he says he's almost ready to watch. 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. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. Now he wonders. Dr. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. For now, hell continue to return new messagesstill flooding inand relax while, yes, watching golfs first major championship. When I am out on the field working a game I am mentally and physically completely focused on doing the job right. There are 200+ professionals named "Bert Smith", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. Trammel was at Methodist the night of March 30. 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.. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. Oh, Ill be back. *. That's where he learned his scary fall was related to a blood clot in his lung. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. Smiths pausing. " Bert is alert and stable and will not be transported to a hospital. So when I went off to college I had to work and was asked what I might enjoy doing, I said, Sports. I was hired on the intramural staff and was paid $3 an hour to officiate co-ed flag football, womens basketball and co-ed softball. The 56-year-old veteran referee was carried off the court on a stretcher. Devika Pawar. Smith was put on blood thinners and discharged two days later with the clot gone. 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 . But slow down, OK? Then he becomes a basketball official. NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. I always say, you can question my judgment but dont question my effort. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? Just over four minutes into the game between USC and Gonzaga, Bert . He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. 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. 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. 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. INDIANAPOLIS Bert Smith hasnt seen the moment that made him famous. Smith abruptly collapsed during an Elite Eight game between No. So was Karter. After college, I had the great privilege of joining his football crew and kick-starting my own football officiating career. Bert Smith. It and she have made me a better person. 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. Check this out.. They were pretty intense, man. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of all the cookies. Where did it come from? You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. According to kenpom.com, the Gonzaga-USC game was the 70th matchup Smith worked this season. Soccer has enriched my life ever since that fateful day in 1973 when my brother came home and said he made the high school soccer team. He works his first game at age 24. And how did the court get so blurry all of a sudden, like someone smeared it with. We make the calls and put up with the jeers because we love officiating. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. Shes an important part of this story.. Bert Smith doesnt remember any of that and hasnt seen a replay of his fall, though he says hes almost ready to watch. They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. Trammel had seen the video. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. "He's a great official, great person," Few said after his team's 85-66 win to advance to the Final Four. Each week, Id tag along with dad and his crew to whatever game they had scheduled. I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. Katie Trammel, he tells me slowly, then repeats her name, then spells it. he told the newspaper. Thats around the time he spilled onto the hardwood, awaking to a semicircle of people surrounding him. That road includes blood thinners and a trip next week to see a nearby doctor to strategize his future treatment. Smith fell and was immediately attended to by medical personnel. 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!. See Bert Smith? ", 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. 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. I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? He doesnt remember passing out, only that things got foggy, he says, and that his breathing didnt feel normal. Thats his wife of 33 years. Being part of the game is a big reason. Officiating is similar to playing the game full of emotion, both highs and lows. Their goalie tried leaping to his left Please try again. Medical officials tending to him on the floor insisted he be transported off the floor by the stretcher. I appreciate that officiating has contributed lots of exercise and has helped to keep me in good health. I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. I will, he says. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. Add to that the extreme climate conditions that officials encounter and you quickly understand the importance of physical conditioning for officials. Check this out. Before I started officiating I had a sister who lived in another county. Whats he doing on his back? CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM. Its deep, and its contagious. I came off the field and I was so pumped up. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. Fox News' Daniel Canova contributed to this report. Hes huffing and puffing a little, but hes running stairs in a mask. Having good presence, working with pride, acting professional and enjoying the challenge of the job is what I love most about officiating hockey. You could talk to him during a game. Katie Trammel, he tells me slowly, then repeats her name, then spells it. Smith is one of the longest tenured and most respected officials in college hoops. He runs. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. Moves fast? Hed rather take the stairs, and Bert Smith doesnt walk them. 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 . However, minutes into the game, the NCAA tournament ended up experiencing a scary moment. Within seconds, theyd strapped the seated Smith onto it. It took me a few days, he says. First as an athlete growing up in Buffalo, a high school small forward, receiver and 400-meter runner, then some junior college basketball. Andy Lyons/Getty NCAA Reveals Budget for Men's Basketball Tournament Is Almost Twice as Much the Women's Reporters Ross Dellenger and Jeff Borzello later tweeted that, according. I literally grew up watching my dad, Glen, work a seemingly endless number of football and basketball games. He was officiating the Elite Eight matchup last month in Indianapolis when he suddenly collapsed near the Gonzaga bench. 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. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. 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. They were supposed to just check my head and spine for a concussion (he didnt have one, by the way), says Smith. For the following few years, I officiated some while pursuing my masters in nursing and then my doctorate. [1] It was the 68th annual edition of the tournament. 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. I cant find that feeling anywhere else. Bert Smith does. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. 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. Smith said, in a way, he was grateful the fall happened during the tournament and not when he was driving. Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. Bert Smith NCAA men's basketball official, 27th season My fitness is important to me. It puts in perspective the value of each day, because we all go through our lives were all guilty of it and we just live, right? In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Smith says the fall and subsequent battery of testing was a life-saving ordeal. All rights reserved. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Whats that for? Its the best seat in the house. But slow down, OK? Referee Bert Smith is tended to by training staff and medical personnel after collapsing during the first half of the Elite Eight round game between the USC Trojans and the Gonzaga Bulldogs during . Even though at this point in my career I have the experience and acceptance, there is still that constant challenge from one game to the next because you never know what is going to happen every time you step on the ice. The 2021 ACC men's basketball tournament (officially the 2021 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament Presented by New York Life) was the postseason men's basketball tournament for the Atlantic Coast Conference and held at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, from March 9 to 13, 2021. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. Smith, a veteran college basketball official of 28 years, lost consciousness five minutes into the game, falling backward in a scary moment captured on the TBS broadcast and banging his head against the hardwood court. Why cant he catch his breath? He gets exercise any time he can and officiates around 90 games a year for the NCAA. He works his first game at age 24. He goes to IU Health Methodist. Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. He'll just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes,they'll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.". Where did it come from? The NCAA announces that Smith has returned to the hotel, and its true. He'll just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes they'll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. Referee data is available for the 1988-89 through 2022-23 seasons. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. 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. 56-year-old Smith was officiating the Gonzaga vs. USC matchup on March 30 when he collapsed to the hardwood a few minutes into the game. Rules knowledge is a component of it. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? collapsed on national television during Gonzagas eventual win over USC. Bert Smith, the official who collapsed during the Elite Eight, believes his fall could have saved his life. He runs. 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. Immediately after falling, Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd ran to him and the bench waved for doctors. Look at his scowl. Michael Conroy/AP. View the profiles of professionals named "Bert Smith" on LinkedIn. Who parks in the farthest spot from the entrance to Kroger? When you are ready mentally you work with confidence. 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. Heres where Im tell him about that Kelly Wilkinson picture, how he looks so angry on the stretcher. 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.. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. Areyougoing to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. "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?" I love the smell of the grass when you first walk out on the field when you get to the stadium. 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. Smith, who became an NCAA Division I official in 1993, said he remembers the play preceding the fall. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. Gaining the best sight line on the ice requires officials to be strong skaters, agile and physically fit. Well get there, but right now were moving too fast. The board presents an award in his name each year to the area high school that exemplifies sportsmanship. Smith abruptly collapsed during an Elite Eight game between No. the college basketball official who passed out during themen's NCAA Tournamentregional final between Gonzaga and Southern California, Latest NCAA Men's College Basketball Scores and Schedules, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Thats normal to huff and puff, right? Thats his wife of 33 years. Everyones joking with him now. And how did the court get so blurry all of a sudden, like someone smeared it with . 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.. I am also in my first year as the coordinator of officials for the NE-10 Conference, the largest Division II conference in the country. Video shows Cowboys Prescott taking snaps, moving well, Thamel: Millers firing tells truth about coaching in NCAA, Former Florida State, Giants WR arrested on murder charges, Rapinoe blasts Warriors Green for takes on womens sports, abruptly collapsed during an Elite Eight game, Smith told the Indianapolis Star's Gregg Doyel, later in the night that Smith was "alert and stable. Medical personnel and other staffers rushed toward him. Hed been duped. It is my release. It puts me in the zone! Now he wonders. that carried high into the net. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. I still play in a mens league, have refereed more than 700 NCAA games and am in my 17th season as an MLS official. When I became old enough to referee, in my opinion, at the ripe age of nine I told my father my intentions and he explained that I was still too young to take an entry-level class. You cant get any closer to the ballgame. Another year passed and my father finally allowed me to become a certified referee. This was evident five years ago when my mother died in September and my father died in October during the football season. After that he studies business administration at SUNY-Buffalo, gets a job at Avis Budget Group, moves fast up the ranks as his career takes him to Chicago, Houston and finally the Cincinnati area. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. NCAA Tournament Basketball Referee Bert Smith suffered a scary collapse during the 2022 NCAA March Madness Tournament Gonzaga vs. USC basketball game.I bre. Turns out, nope, no concussion. Referee Bert Smith collapsed on the floor and had to be taken off on a stretcher. I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. April 9, 2021, 9:39 AM. The support and love was just overwhelming. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. Bert Smith was involved in a controversial ending to a Kansas and Iowa State game that led to the Big 12 Conference punishing Smith for a call that cost the Cyclones a win against the Jayhawks. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The clot restricted enough oxygen to Smith that he passed out during the game. Brett Smith, an NCAA college basketball referee, collapsed during a game. Oh, and hes also been returning those messages. 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. or redistributed. Medical personnel at Lucas Oil Stadium treated Smith, who later went to a local hospital. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. It has helped me to handle stressful situations and taught me how to remain calm in the midst of the storms of life. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. Presently I officiate in nine D-I conferences. You blacked out., I look to my right, and I see a stretcher. A scary moment interrupted the Elite Eight on Tuesday, as NCAA official Bert Smith abruptly collapsed during a game between No. Smith, whod driven 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. Its energizing and refreshing to have that kind of focus on something. For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith says. The unnecessary replay of Bert. If they had done that and said, Mr. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Here's where I'mtell him about that Kelly Wilkinson picture, how he looks so angry on the stretcher. Smith, who became an NCAA Division I official in 1993, said he remembers the play preceding the fall. 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. You never know whats going to happen. People often ask me how I maintain a smile throughout almost every game, however it is quite unintentional. Its deep, and its contagious. REFEREE Bert Smith collapsed during the first half of the USC - Gonzaga game during the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. He rarely uses the elevator. Managing a game and ensuring equity in your rulings between two talented, highly motivated teams is a great challenge. The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their careand understands their stretcher subterfuge. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".