They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I still play in a mens league, have refereed more than 700 NCAA games and am in my 17th season as an MLS official. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. You never know whats going to happen. Presently I officiate in nine D-I conferences. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. Brett Smith, an NCAA college basketball referee, collapsed during a game. I do it because I love the ballgame. The NCAA announces that Smith has returned to the hotel, and its true. 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. So was Karter. CBS provided an update on the medical status of referee Bert Smith following his collapse on the court Tuesday. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. I love that we are the only participants who are not allowed to fail. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. By Bert Smith, NCAA D-I men's basketball official from Florence, Ky. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. No matter what age, talent, salary, race or sex, you must give your all. 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 . Look at his scowl. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Dr. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM. Not one of these men or women is without the utmost class and integrity, and I hope by associating with them some of their class and integrity has rubbed off on me and made me a better person. There was an error submitting your subscription. She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. 6 seed USC at Lucas Oil Stadium in . 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. I could be involved with 4-H. Smith was taken off the . Are you going to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors were reportedly unsure whether the clot had anything to do with COVID-19. 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 . 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. 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. Now I have hundreds of brothers around the country. After college, I had the great privilege of joining his football crew and kick-starting my own football officiating career. 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. 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. They were pretty intense, man. Smiths pausing. Bert Smith just now finished returning the text messages. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Youve probably seen him. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It pushes you to be on top of your game. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. OK, so the night of March 29. They were pretty intense, man. Jacquie was waiting at the door. You are expected to be perfect and improve after that. 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. Smith is the college basketball official who passed out during themen's NCAA Tournamentregional final between Gonzaga and Southern California, toppling over like a fallen tree his description his body prone and unmoving, his eyes open and unseeing, a Gonzaga trainer frantically waving for help. Hospitalized with a blood clot. I love officiating because of the challenge. It puts me in the zone! All rights reserved. Hes not wobbly, no blurry vision, nothing. For the following few years, I officiated some while pursuing my masters in nursing and then my doctorate. Smiths pausing. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". NCAA basketball official Bert Smith lies on the court after collapsing during the Gonzaga-USC men's game in the Elite Eight. Now he wonders. 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. He said no. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. Referee, the worlds original sports officiating magazine, educates, challenges and inspires officials at all levels. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. ", BAYLOR BEATS GONZAGA FOR FIRST NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP. Look at his scowl. My father and older brother both became soccer referees, and I had to watch them referee every Saturday in agony waiting for my turn. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. If they had done that and said, Mr. 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. 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. When I enter the field, theres more bounce in my step, my senses are heightened and my competitive juices start flowing. This was evident five years ago when my mother died in September and my father died in October during the football season. Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital. 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. He works his first game at age 24. It took me a few days, he says. There were 500 of them. 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. By 1993, hes an NCAA Division I official. Then he becomes a basketball official. 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. Smith revealed in a lengthy interview with the Indianapolis Star the fall may have saved him. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. 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. 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. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. . See Bert Smith? 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. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. In 1973, my older brother Mike introduced the game to our family by joining the high school team as a freshman. The NCAA announced later in the night that Smith was "alert and stable" and would not be transported to a hospital. He told the Star he's happy it happened during the Elite Eight when he could get the right help he needed rather than during an instance when he was driving or sleeping. Ref alert after collapsing during Gonzaga-USC, Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. 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. 6 seed USC last month in the men's NCAA tournament. Hes a motivational speaker and diversity recruiter in addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. No matter who you meet, you have to deal with them as people who deserve the best from you. 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. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. Look at those crossed arms. Do we give an extra hug enough? They strapped me in! Another year passed and my father finally allowed me to become a certified referee. Written By. April 9, 2021, 9:39 AM. 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. Moves fast, this guy. You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. It does not store any personal data. 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. Might as well walk fast, too. If you saw it, you understand. And without any rhyme or reason, the place where I feel the most at home, pacified and comfortable is on that soccer field. 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? OK, so the night of March 29. Katie Trammel, he tells me slowly, then repeats her name, then spells it. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. 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 game . She said: I got the answer to the question. . You cant get any closer to the ballgame. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 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 . Hes a motivational speaker and diversity recruiter in addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. 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. 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. Michael Conroy/AP. He runs. Read More Referee Bert Smith collapses on the court during the first half of an Elite 8 game between Gonzaga and Southern California during the first half of an Elite 8 game in the NCAA men's . NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. They strapped me in! Were about to put you through the car wash of testing, she said. Everyones joking with him now. Knowing the rules and how to implement them fairly, evenly and within the guidelines of accepted philosophy is important. See Bert Smith? NCAA Referee Bert Smith Collapses During March Madness. You meet talented, mediocre and middle-of-the-road people. But do we say I love you enough? You know the rules, have studied the pregame intel and use your experience to go read and react to the actions. 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. More Doyel:Referee Bert Smith got to hear ovation of a lifetime. I am blessed that I have been able to enjoy two passions and carry on the Aldrich Hoop Family tradition. 2 Alabama erases 17-point deficit, wins SEC, All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. 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 . The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. He said the night before the game, while running the stairs in the hotel to see his buddies or get ice, he was a little out of breath. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. First as an athlete growing up in Buffalo, a high school small forward, receiver and 400-meter runner, then some junior college basketball. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Nobody can say. See Bert Smith? Katie Trammel, he tells me slowly, then repeats her name, then spells it. He said the fall was related to a blood clot in his lung. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. Thats his wife of 33 years. Thats 1990. Subscribe to get the Referee.com Review every week plus periodic free training and special offers on the sports you officiate. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. 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. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. Youve probably seen him. Trammel had seen the video. My love of officiating started when I was very young five to six years old. collapsed on national television during Gonzagas eventual win over USC. Whats he doing on his back? 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. Once hospitalizedat first, he didnt even plan to godoctors discovered a troubling issue: a blood clot in his lungs. 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. As a person with a disability, Im pleased to be a part of a profession that doesnt discriminate against what I cant do and emphasizes what I can. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. 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. 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!. She said: I got the answer to the question. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The 56-year-old veteran referee was carried off the court on a stretcher. 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 . I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. 2023 www.southbendtribune.com. Mar 31st, 2021. 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!. The three officials for the game who are in question are Bert Smith, James Breeding and John Gaffney. I was seven years old and wanted to learn everything he learned each day when he got home from practice. Its because I was telling the doctor: You little SOB, you tricked me!. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of all the cookies. 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. Here's where I'mtelling him about thatpicture, how he looks so angry on the stretcher. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. There are 96 NCAA referees all waiting for the same thing those 68 teams are waiting for. 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. Do you know you went viral? she playfully asked. Theres video of me with my arms crossed on the stretcher, he says. 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. Smith's fall to the ground. He started on the lowest levels as a youth league official in 1990, began working Division I games in 1993 and. He was officiating the Elite Eight matchup last month in Indianapolis when he suddenly collapsed near the Gonzaga bench. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. 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. Over the next seven years, Mike rose to become a star for both his high school and college teams, my dad became a coach and my love for the game was cemented. Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. The referee who collapsed during Gonzaga 's matchup against USC in the NCAA tournament had a blood clot in his lung, the Indianapolis Star reported on Friday. I had grown up playing the sport, but for some unknown reason, playing was just not satisfying enough. Medical officials tending to him on the floor insisted he be transported off the floor by the stretcher. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. I just cannot erase the pleasure from my face. 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. 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. Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. And they found out. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. " Bert is alert and stable and will not be transported to a hospital. Officiating for me has always been the ultimate escape.
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