That was the start of my passion for officiating basketball. More than a week later, he hasnt watched the moment. At IU Health Methodist, the 56-year-old Smith was treated by Dr. Katie Trammel, "an important part of this story.". Oh, and hes also been returning those messages. "But do we say 'I love you' enough? Hes not wobbly, no blurry vision, nothing. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Its deep, and its contagious. Presently I officiate in nine D-I conferences. 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. After all, he hit the court hard, so hard that it left a giant bump on the back of his head. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. So was Karter. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? Follow every game: Latest NCAA Men's College Basketball Scores and Schedules. He mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. A replacement official was added to the crew after Smith collapsed. a thrust, a dribble, a power shot I look for officials I assign to have the same respect and values for the game as I do. They strapped me in! In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Smith says the fall and subsequent battery of testing was a life-saving ordeal. It puts me in the zone! He said he'll be back officiating next season. All rights reserved. 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!. Here's where I'mtelling him about thatpicture, how he looks so angry on the stretcher. OK, so the night of March 29. Youve probably seen him. He felt wobbly and the next thing he remembers seeing is the ceiling of the stadium. You cant get any closer to the ballgame. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Smith is one of the longest tenured and most respected officials in college hoops. The Big League College World Series (last August in Kalamazoo, Mich.) was probably the most fun Ive had on a ball field. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. 2023 www.southbendtribune.com. Check this out. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. 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. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Smith, 56, regained consciousness, and he was alert as he was carried off the floor on a stretcher. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. CBS provided an update on the medical status of referee Bert Smith following his collapse on the court Tuesday. Do you know you went viral? she playfully asked. Officiating at the professional level requires commitment to conditioning. This was evident five years ago when my mother died in September and my father died in October during the football season. Look at that picture again. Everyones joking with him now. Being mentally ready for the game is most important. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. Thats 1990. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. He gets exercise any time he can and officiates around 90 games a year for the NCAA. Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. He was officiating the Elite Eight matchup last month in Indianapolis when he suddenly collapsed near the Gonzaga bench. 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. The scary moment was caughtlive during the Bulldogs-Trojans matchup. So was Karter. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. It is by far the most difficult thing Ive ever done. I cant find that feeling anywhere else. The passion I felt when I played is still there for me when I officiate and I can feel that passion on the court. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. 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 will, he says. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. Katie Trammels stock is up with me in the Smith family book, he says, laughing. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. Trammel wasnt as concerned with a CT scan on his skull as she was on why he fell in the first place. 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. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Then he becomes a basketball official. There was an error submitting your subscription. Referee Bert Smith's fall in men's NCAA Tournament game didn't kill him. CNN . He works his first game at age 24. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of all the cookies. The problems of the world do not exist when I am working a game. I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? Shes an important part of this story.. Smith told the publication. Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. Their goalie tried leaping to his left Its deep, and its contagious. Its hard for me to talk about now. 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. He was surrounded by medical professionals and eventually was helped on to a stretcher. 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. 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. Market data provided by Factset. 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. Gregg Doyel Indianapolis Star 0:00 0:56 INDIANAPOLIS - Bert Smith hasn't seen the moment that. 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. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. We enjoyed working four football seasons together before his retirement. 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!. For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith says. 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. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. 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. Then he becomes a basketball official. 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. Ref alert after collapsing during Gonzaga-USC, Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Success! Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. I literally grew up watching my dad, Glen, work a seemingly endless number of football and basketball games. The NCAA announces that Smith has returned to the hotel, and its true. No matter who you meet, you have to deal with them as people who deserve the best from you. Bert Smith . 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. Thats 1990. 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. 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. 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. She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. Hes incredibly fit, somewhat of a workout freak, and hes never really endured many traumatic health issuescertainly nothing like this. 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. collapsed on national television during Gonzagas eventual win over USC. I always say, you can question my judgment but dont question my effort. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. Shes an important part of this story.. I appreciate that officiating has contributed lots of exercise and has helped to keep me in good health. I hear (other officials) say, I do it for the kids. Im not disagreeing with them when they say that and I enjoy being around the kids too, but theres a hundred other things I could do if I was doing it for the kids. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors were reportedly unsure whether the clot had anything to do with COVID-19. I realized, even back then, how fun and rewarding each officiating experience was for the crew. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. 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 worked 17 NCAA Tournaments. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. He runs. Whats he doing on his back? The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their careand understands their stretcher subterfuge. Whatsthatfor? Rules knowledge is a component of it. I love officiating because of the challenge. I love being part of the game. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day. People often ask me how I maintain a smile throughout almost every game, however it is quite unintentional. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. 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. They were supposed to just check my head and spine for a concussion (he didnt have one, by the way), says Smith. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. After completing my doctorate, I returned to officiating. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. 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. March 30 (UPI) --The No. 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? Hes a motivational speaker anddiversity recruiterin addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. A former employee at Avis Car Rental, he dropped that job to officiate full time in 2010. She said: I got the answer to the question. Smiths pausing. He's grumpy in the now-famous photo of him on it and told Doyel he was tricked. Something doesnt add up. Do we give an extra hug enough? Some are destined for greatness, some for failure. The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. My father was a basketball official and one of the founding members of the local IAABO board in Lowell, Mass. 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. 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. 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 . If you saw it, you understand. and would not need hospitalization. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. In a scary moment, Smith passed out cold during a recent Elite Eight game. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Trammel was at Methodist the night of March 30. Hed rather take the stairs, and Bert Smith doesnt walk them. After college, I had the great privilege of joining his football crew and kick-starting my own football officiating career. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. View the profiles of professionals named "Bert Smith" on LinkedIn. Youve probably seen him. I could be involved with 4-H. *. All rights reserved. He agreed. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? " If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. In 1973, my older brother Mike introduced the game to our family by joining the high school team as a freshman. Bert Smith NCAA men's basketball official, 27th season My fitness is important to me. Turns out, nope, no concussion. I continue to coach high school soccer. Later during the broadcast, they announced he was feeling OK and resting in the arena. I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. It was fun and stress-free officiating, and I was able to help pay for college. It is equivalent to flying an airplane, skydiving, skiing a black diamond, anything that heightens all your senses. Whats that for? When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. Look at his scowl. Jacquie was waiting at the door. It kept me going.. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. 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. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital. The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. I have known that I wanted to referee long before I owned my first whistle. Hes a motivational speaker and diversity recruiter in addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. And when next season arrives, you can expect to find Bert Smith on the hardwood. Hell just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes theyll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. REFEREE Bert Smith collapsed during the first half of the USC - Gonzaga game during the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. And they found out. 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 . 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. Its a good week to be getting sympathy from the wife, he says, chuckling. Veteran college basketball referee Bert Smith collapsed on the floor during the first half of Tuesday night's Elite Eight game between No. As a note, the first four are crew chiefs in any list. Moves fast, this guy. Whats he doing on his back? 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 . They strapped me in! 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. Something doesnt add up. 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.