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. This was evident five years ago when my mother died in September and my father died in October during the football season. " Bert is alert and stable and will not be transported to a hospital. You blacked out., I look to my right, and I see a stretcher. He rarely uses the elevator. Thats 1990. The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their care, and understands their stretcher subterfuge. Everyones joking with him now. a picture caught by IndyStar photographer Kelly Wilkinson. It goes: You scored, Billy Further examination revealed Smith, 56, had a blood clot in his lung, the Indianapolis St Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Do we give an extra hug enough? Working a Friday night high school football game gives me goose bumps. When I am out on the field working a game I am mentally and physically completely focused on doing the job right. That says something about that officiating fraternity.. I lost it, too. Two hours later, she returned into the room with the test results. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at@GreggDoyelStar. You are expected to be perfect and improve after that. Youve probably seen him. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. Trammel had seen the video. Written By. 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 looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. 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. In a scary moment, Smith passed out cold during a recent Elite Eight game. Referee Bert Smith said he was 'tricked' into getting on the stretcher after his collapse . 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. Referee Fall in Gonzaga USC NCAA Game TBS Replay Gets Backlash Sports A Referee Collapsed at an NCAA Basketball Game. It is equivalent to flying an airplane, skydiving, skiing a black diamond, anything that heightens all your senses. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. He runs. And how did the court get so blurry all of a sudden, like someone smeared it with . Per the Star, he was treated at the stadium for two hours with vital checks on pulse, blood pressure and oxygen level that came back normal. "But do we say 'I love you' enough? In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Smith says the fall and subsequent battery of testing was a life-saving ordeal. Something doesnt add up. NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. He did not go to the hospital. I didnt miss a game that season, because working the games was my therapy. Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Thats 1990. So was Karter. 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. For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith says. See Bert Smith? Hed rather take the stairs, and Bert Smith doesnt walk them. Thats his wife of 33 years. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. It puts me in the zone! Smith, who became an NCAA Division I official in 1993, said he remembers the play preceding the fall. But do we say I love you enough? 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. Thats normal to huff and puff, right? 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!. 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. The Big League College World Series (last August in Kalamazoo, Mich.) was probably the most fun Ive had on a ball field. 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. Smith collapsed just over four minutes into the Elite Eight game between USC. He didn't have a headache or blurry vision. Smith fell and was immediately attended to by medical personnel. 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. Do we give an extra hug enough? No matter who you meet, you have to deal with them as people who deserve the best from you. Theres video of me with my arms crossed on the stretcher, he says. Rules, interpretations, mechanics, philosophies and other information may or may not be correct for the current year. Smith told the publication. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. Where did it come from? 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 . Referee Bert Smith is taken off the court on a stretcher after collapsing during the first half of an Elite Eight game between Gonzaga and USC during the first half of an Elite 8 game in the NCAA . They were pretty intense, man. No matter what sport or level we work, we are bonded. And they found out. Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. The NCAA announces that Smith has returned to the hotel, and its true. Rules knowledge is a component of it. What I mean is that we are the upholders of the integrity of the game. The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. Turns out, nope, no concussion. 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 look to my left, and its a doctor, Bert says, and hes laughing about it now. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. They strapped me in! One of those people was Mike Fox, an independent contractor hired by the NCAA to help run the tournament and a basketball official himself. 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? It allows me the privilege to do something I love, being part of the greatest game, mens college basketball. After completing my doctorate, I returned to officiating. 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 . The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 6 seed USC last month in the men's NCAA tournament. Whats he doing on his back? That's where he learned his scary fall was related to a blood clot in his lung. 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. Im happy I did it around a bunch of people who had the ability to help me.. I am blessed that I have been able to enjoy two passions and carry on the Aldrich Hoop Family tradition. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. I just cannot erase the pleasure from my face. When he arrived, in walked Katie M. Trammel, the physician who, in many ways, may have saved his life. 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. 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. It and she have made me a better person. and would not need hospitalization. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. 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. 2 Alabama erases 17-point deficit, wins SEC, All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. You could talk to him during a game. Hes huffing and puffing a little, but hes running stairs in a mask. Referee data is available for the 1988-89 through 2022-23 seasons. Eades, who at age 56 has worked three Final Fours and. Smith is back home in Kentucky with his wife, Jacquie, and his grandson, Karter. Fox News Flash top headlines for April 10. Well get there, but right now were moving too fast. There is no greater place to be than on a softball or baseball field. Smiths pausing. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. Legal Statement. 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. Why cant he catch his breath? Note: This article is archival in nature. Smith was put on blood thinners and discharged two days later with the clot gone. Their goalie tried leaping to his left April 9, 2021, 9:39 AM. . For someone like me who has been in the game for a long time, there is a certain level of expectation on the part of players, coaches and my supervisors. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. Its deep, and its contagious. Im very grateful. 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. I love being part of the game. I came off the field and I was so pumped up. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. It has helped me to handle stressful situations and taught me how to remain calm in the midst of the storms of life. It was fun and stress-free officiating, and I was able to help pay for college. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. We get him off the floor out of sight and he just loses it, Fox recalls. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it, too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. Thats 1990. I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? Hed been duped. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Smith does remember the 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. I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? They released him to return to his hotel. I want to know why you fell. She checked a few things out, came back inand took me through the car wash. Just a lot of tests. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. Your heart begins to race, the adrenaline begins to run rampant throughout your body, the excitement takes over as you look around the stadium; you take a couple of deep breaths and then everything becomes so clear. But slow down, OK? The article is made available for educational use by individuals. The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. My father and older brother both became soccer referees, and I had to watch them referee every Saturday in agony waiting for my turn. 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. No matter what age, talent, salary, race or sex, you must give your all. He's grumpy in the now-famous photo of him on it and told Doyel he was tricked. 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. Later, doctors discovered the reason. Bunch of sixth-graders at Garfield Park in Chicago. I also love the fact that no game is ever the same and allows us the ability to make constant improvement. OK, so the night of March 29. Im ready to get after it, he says. Officiating In Perspective with Barry Mano, Amid cancer fight, NBA ref Tony Brown returning to work, Recruiting & Retention: What WorkedWhat Didnt, Next Level Softball Umpiring Free Email Series, High School Volleyball Officials Quiz 2023. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. For now, hes at his home in Florence, Ky., just outside of Cincinnati, relaxing and watching the Masters golf tournament while medicating an ailment that, if not caught after that fall, could have eventually been much worse. 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. He was surrounded by medical professionals and eventually was helped on to a stretcher. She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. I know his wife is going to be going bananas. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. That was the start of my passion for officiating basketball. You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. 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. The minute my stripes are on, Im a part of a crew not an official with a disability. Off the court, doctors checked his vitals: blood pressure, heart rate, etc. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Look at his scowl. Look at his scowl. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. Bert Smith, the official who collapsed during the Elite Eight, believes his fall could have saved his life. Follow every game: Latest NCAA Men's College Basketball Scores and Schedules. As you looked toward my approval I could be involved with 4-H. Within seconds, theyd strapped the seated Smith onto it. 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. We make the calls and put up with the jeers because we love officiating. She said: I got the answer to the question. He agreed. Success! I get to watch the Masters.. Heres where Im tell him about that Kelly Wilkinson picture, how he looks so angry on the stretcher. Scary video shows the ref falling backwards and hitting his head on the hardwood floor just four minutes into the March Madness game as other officials pause the match and run to his aid. 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. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. Gaining the best sight line on the ice requires officials to be strong skaters, agile and physically fit. It is by far the most difficult thing Ive ever done. The support and love was just overwhelming. Where did it come from? 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. Bert Smith NCAA men's basketball official, 27th season My fitness is important to me. The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. Bert Smith doesnt remember any of thatand hasn't seen areplay of his fall, though he says he's almost ready to watch. The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. I cant find that feeling anywhere else. Medical personnel take care of a NCAA referee after he fell on the court during the first half during the game between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the USC Trojans in the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA . I look to my left, and its a doctor, Bert says, and hes laughing about it now. 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. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. He said the fall was related to a blood clot in his lung. 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 . Bert Smith (56) NCAA men's basketball Referee collapsed due to a blood clot in his lung during a tournament News Story. For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith says. By 1993, hes an NCAA Division I official. They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. Hes huffing-and-puffing a little, but hes running stairs in a mask. Now he wonders. 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. I love the smell of the grass when you first walk out on the field when you get to the stadium. Which Men's College Basketball Programs Should We Keep an Eye Out for Next Season? You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". I love officiating for the same reason I love my wife. by Joseph Choi - 03/30/21 9:28 PM ET. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. CBS provided an update on the medical status of referee Bert Smith following his collapse on the court Tuesday. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. He rarely uses the elevator. Each week, Id tag along with dad and his crew to whatever game they had scheduled. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. Shes an important part of this story.. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. Now he wonders. She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. I have to be ready physically, mentally and emotionally.