Officiating for me has always been the ultimate escape. Do we give an extra hug enough? 6 seed USC last month in the men's NCAA tournament. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. At IU Health Methodist, the 56-year-old Smith was treated by Dr. Katie Trammel, "an important part of this story.". When I enter the field, theres more bounce in my step, my senses are heightened and my competitive juices start flowing. Within seconds, theyd strapped the seated Smith onto it. 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 could be involved with 4-H. Please try 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. Referee Bert Smith got to hear ovation of a lifetime. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. Referee Bert Smith collapses on sideline during Gonzaga-USC Elite Eight game (NCD) By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk March 30, 2021 at 8:58 pm CDT Bert Smith does. And they found out. However, minutes into the game, the NCAA tournament ended up experiencing a scary moment. Referee Bert Smith collapses at Gonzaga-USC March Madness game - KHOU You cant get any closer to the ballgame. "I mean, I was just shocked and scared for him, but I was able to stick my head in there a little bit and see that he was talking and coherent and tried to say a quick prayer for him and just wished him the best. I love the smell of the grass when you first walk out on the field when you get to the stadium. 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. Bert Smith just now finished returning the text messages. Referee Bert Smith collapses at Gonzaga-USC March Madness game - WCNC-TV It is my release. NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. No one knows where the clot came from, per the Star. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Now he wonders. As a child, I know that I enjoyed every minute of it. Thats around the time he spilled onto the hardwood, awaking to a semicircle of people surrounding him. For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith says. Immediately after falling, Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd ran to him and the bench waved for doctors. As a note, the first four are crew chiefs in any list. Areyougoing to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.". I love being part of the game. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Where did it come from? "But do we say 'I love you' enough? 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. Bert Smith . 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 . It and she have made me a better person. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. Look at his scowl. Thats his wife of 33 years. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. Thats normal to huff-and-puff, right? And they found out. Having good presence, working with pride, acting professional and enjoying the challenge of the job is what I love most about officiating hockey. NCAA ref Bert Smith says on-court collapse saved his life - Yahoo! You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. Look at that picture again. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. That was the start of my passion for officiating basketball. Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. I cant find that feeling anywhere else. NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. I ran and grabbed his phone, and he checked his phone and within the first hour, he had 250 texts, and a lot of them from fellow referees. . Bad news for ACC basketball: One of the sport's best referees is Bert Smith. The scary moment was caughtlive during the Bulldogs-Trojans matchup. For now, hell continue to return new messagesstill flooding inand relax while, yes, watching golfs first major championship. 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. The challenges are different for each level of refereeing and the emotional payoffs vary, but the reason for being in the game is the same: Passion for soccer runs through my veins. Fox News Flash top headlines for April 10. 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. She said: I got the answer to the question. Bunch of sixth-graders at Garfield Park in Chicago. Smith is one of the longest tenured and most respected officials in college hoops. Shes an important part of this story.. For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith says. You blacked out., I look to my right, and I see a stretcher. Dr. It offers a chance to lead by example. Ncaa Referee Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images My Investigation into the WVU/Pitt Officiating - Mountaineer Sports 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 data is available for the 1988-89 through 2022-23 seasons. 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. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. REFEREE Bert Smith collapsed during the first half of the USC - Gonzaga game during the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. I look to my left, and its a doctor, Bert says, and hes laughing about it now. Trammel wasnt as concerned with a CT scan on his skull as she was on why he fell in the first place. They strapped me in! Market data provided by Factset. Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. There is no greater place to be than on a softball or baseball field. All rights reserved. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. Im happy I did it around a bunch of people who had the ability to help me.. 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. The action was moving away from his baseline position after a Gonzaga steal, but he said he couldn't move or catch his breath. Further examination revealed Smith, 56, had a blood clot in his lung, the Indianapolis St This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By age 11, I was organizing all the neighborhood kids in pick up games and by age 14, I got certified to referee and started coaching. Bunch of sixth-graders at Garfield Park in Chicago. Official Bert Smith collapsed on the floor during the game, immediately being carried away in a stretcher. a picture caught by IndyStar photographer Kelly Wilkinson. 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. He mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Bad news for ACC basketball: One of the sport's best referees is Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. I am blessed that I have been able to enjoy two passions and carry on the Aldrich Hoop Family tradition. Bert Smith doesnt remember any of thatand hasn't seen areplay of his fall, though he says he's almost ready to watch. *. Veteran official Bert Smith hit his head on the baseline and laid face up for about five minutes before being stretchered off with 15:44 remaining in the first half of the 2021 March Madness. Its because I was telling the doctor: You little SOB, you tricked me!. That says something about that officiating fraternity.. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. Referee Fall in Gonzaga USC NCAA Game TBS Replay Gets Backlash Sports A Referee Collapsed at an NCAA Basketball Game. " Bert is alert and stable and will not be transported to a hospital. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. Hes huffing and puffing a little, but hes running stairs in a mask. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. you knew we kicked it in together. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. NCAA ref Bert Smith says on-court collapse saved his life - Yahoo! Look at those crossed arms. Moves fast? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Are you going to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? There are 200+ professionals named "Bert Smith", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. Might as well walk fast, too. The NCAA announced later in the night that Smith was "alert and stable" and would not be transported to a hospital. I came off the field and I was so pumped up. The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. There were ones from coaches, ones from colleagues, ones from family, one even from an NFL official hed never met. Hes incredibly fit, somewhat of a workout freak, and hes never really endured many traumatic health issuescertainly nothing like this. As you looked toward my approval Ref alert after collapsing during Gonzaga-USC, Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Hell just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes theyll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. Rules knowledge is a component of it. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? 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.. Jacquie was waiting at the door. The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their careand understands their stretcher subterfuge. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. Referee, the worlds original sports officiating magazine, educates, challenges and inspires officials at all levels. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. I get to watch the Masters.. Working a Friday night high school football game gives me goose bumps. Why cant he catch his breath? Oh, Ill be back. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. Knowing the rulebook and being able to execute decisions in a split-second. Referee Bert Smith's fall in men's NCAA Tournament game didn't kill him. He said no. 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. Which Men's College Basketball Programs Should We Keep an Eye Out for Next Season? Smith, who became an NCAA Division I official in 1993, said he remembers the play preceding the fall. Legal Statement. 1 overall seed Gonzaga Bulldogs remained undefeated and advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA men's basketball tournament with a dominant 85-66 win over USC on Tuesday . Hes a motivational speaker and diversity recruiter in addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Hes not wobbly, no blurry vision, nothing. Where did it come from? Moves fast, this guy. 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. But slow down, OK? Who parks in the farthest spot from the entrance to Kroger? 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. Were about to put you through the car wash of testing, she said. Players on both teams returned to their benches. Thats 1990. I love that we are the only participants who are not allowed to fail. Smith collapsed just over four minutes into the Elite Eight game between USC. 6 seed USC. Medical officials tending to him on the floor insisted he be transported off the floor by the stretcher. Smith said, in a way, he was grateful the fall happened during the tournament and not when he was driving. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. Its because I was telling the doctor: You little SOB, you tricked me!. They poured into Smiths phone after he collapsed on national television during Gonzagas eventual win over USC in a mens Elite Eight game on March 30. The reason is Im saying to them, You tricked me, you little SOB!. 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. We get him off the floor out of sight and he just loses it, Fox recalls. 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. 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. Referee Bert Smith said he was 'tricked' into getting on the stretcher after his collapse . I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. Official collapses during NCAA basketball game | The Hill Referee Bert Smith collapsed on the floor and had to be taken off on a stretcher. The article is made available for educational use by individuals. He agreed. This was evident five years ago when my mother died in September and my father died in October during the football season. The challenges of officiating are a great motivation and fun you gotta love it! Well get there, but right now were moving too fast. 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. by Joseph Choi - 03/30/21 9:28 PM ET. The passion and emotion of the contestants can never sway the judgment of the crew. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? Look at that picture again. You know the rules, have studied the pregame intel and use your experience to go read and react to the actions. Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. Dr. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. Referee Bert Smith collapses at Gonzaga-USC March Madness game - KUSA.com According to kenpom.com, the Gonzaga-USC game was the 70th matchup Smith worked this season. Presently I officiate in nine D-I conferences. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. He started on the lowest levels as a youth league official in 1990, began working Division I games in 1993 and. 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. NCAA Tournament fall didn't kill referee Bert Smith. It saved his life. I lost it, too. but never had a chance. 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. For the following few years, I officiated some while pursuing my masters in nursing and then my doctorate. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. 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. Does Video Show Athletes Fainting Due to COVID-19 Vaccine? The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. Moves fast? collapsed on national television during Gonzagas eventual win over USC. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Veteran college basketball referee Bert Smith collapsed on the floor during the first half of Tuesday night's Elite Eight game between No. Scary moment Gonzaga-USC referee Bert Smith COLLAPSES on court during By 1993, hes an NCAA Division I official. NCAA ref Bert Smith stretchered out after collapse in Elite Eight - Yahoo! 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's fall to the ground. Smith, who became an NCAA Division I official in 1993, said he remembers the play preceding the fall. Whats he doing on his back? Each week, Id tag along with dad and his crew to whatever game they had scheduled. When he retired as an official to take the ACC job in 2016, he immediately had to replace one of the conference's best referees: himself. ", BAYLOR BEATS GONZAGA FOR FIRST NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. He is the current president of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, was the 2020 winner of the National Headliner Award as the country's top sports columnist and has twice been named North. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. 200+ "Bert Smith" profiles | LinkedIn 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. Before I started officiating I had a sister who lived in another county. He didn't have a headache or blurry vision. The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. Trammel was at Methodist the night of March 30. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. Smith told the Indianapolis Star's Gregg Doyel he doesn't remember falling and hasn't seen a replay, but what doctors found that night could have been life-saving. Do you know you went viral? she playfully asked. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. 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. I love being part of the game. Something doesnt add up. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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? Referee Fall in Gonzaga USC NCAA Game TBS Replay Gets Backlash - Yahoo! Look at his scowl. Smiths pausing. 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. 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. 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 . 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. It has helped me to handle stressful situations and taught me how to remain calm in the midst of the storms of life. Bert Smith, the NCAA official who fainted during an Elite Eight matchup between Gonzaga and USC last week, said Friday he collapsed over a blood clot in his lung. , Success!
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