NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. Look at his scowl. Official Bert Smith collapsed on the floor during the game, immediately being carried away in a stretcher. Bunch of sixth-graders at Garfield Park in Chicago. Im letting the paint dry.. I love that we are the only participants who are not allowed to fail. Smith is back home in Kentucky with his wife, Jacquie, and his grandson, Karter. 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. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? Which Men's College Basketball Programs Should We Keep an Eye Out for Next Season? Before I started officiating I had a sister who lived in another county. There were ones from coaches, ones from colleagues, ones from family, one even from an NFL official hed never met. Whats he doing on his back? 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. There were 500 of them. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? My father and older brother both became soccer referees, and I had to watch them referee every Saturday in agony waiting for my turn. 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. It took me a few days, he says. And how did the court get so blurry all of a sudden, like someone smeared it with . 2023 www.southbendtribune.com. You know the rules, have studied the pregame intel and use your experience to go read and react to the actions. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. 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. Medical personnel and other staffers rushed toward him. The confidence I feel on the field has spilled over into almost every aspect of my life, and it has propelled me to believe that any dream is within my grasp. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. It is equivalent to flying an airplane, skydiving, skiing a black diamond, anything that heightens all your senses. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. Soccer was now firmly in my blood and forever would help mold and shape me. But do we say I love you enough? Now Bert Smith is laughing again. At IU Health Methodist, the 56-year-old Smith was treated by Dr. Katie Trammel, "an important part of this story.". He started on the lowest levels as a youth league official in 1990, began working Division I games in 1993 and. All rights reserved. View the profiles of professionals named "Bert Smith" on LinkedIn. Michael Conroy/AP. 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. Just 4 minutes after tipoff in the Elite Eight matchup, Bert Smith crashed to the floor in a terrifying scene -- triggering team trainers and other medical personnel to race to his aid. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. No matter who you meet, you have to deal with them as people who deserve the best from you. My father was a basketball official and one of the founding members of the local IAABO board in Lowell, Mass. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Dr. 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 do it because I love the ballgame. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. April 9, 2021, 9:39 AM. I look to my left, and its a doctor, Bert says, and hes laughing about it now. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. 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. I continue to coach high school soccer. "But do we say 'I love you' enough? 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. Bunch of sixth-graders at Garfield Park in Chicago. Managing a game and ensuring equity in your rulings between two talented, highly motivated teams is a great challenge. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. The passion and emotion of the contestants can never sway the judgment of the crew. 1 . . Thats normal to huff-and-puff, right? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Whats he doing on his back? He agreed. You are expected to be perfect and improve after that. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Thats his wife of 33 years. 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. I still play in a mens league, have refereed more than 700 NCAA games and am in my 17th season as an MLS official. 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. Whatsthatfor? Katie Trammel, he tells me slowly, then repeats her name, then spells it. 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. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? You blacked out., I look to my right, and I see a stretcher. She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. Look at those crossed arms. Shes an important part of this story.. Written By. The minute my stripes are on, Im a part of a crew not an official with a disability. Do we give an extra hug enough? Medical officials tending to him on the floor insisted he be transported off the floor by the stretcher. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. Just over four minutes into the game between USC and Gonzaga, Bert . When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day. Then he becomes a basketball official. Look at his scowl. 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, 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. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. But slow down, OK? Officiating at the professional level requires commitment to conditioning. 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!. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. 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 . He plans to return as soon as he can to the court, and that includes ref camps this summer. Officiating is similar to playing the game full of emotion, both highs and lows. The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. "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?" Smith is one of the longest tenured and most respected officials in college hoops. Smith, who became an NCAA Division I official in 1993, said he remembers the play preceding the fall. 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. He works his first game at age 24. Do we give an extra hug enough? Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at@GreggDoyelStar. I know his wife is going to be going bananas. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. Thats normal to huff and puff, right? Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. We Shouldn't Have Watched It Twice. Usually I will leave the venue with a different outlook. Smith said, in a way, he was grateful the fall happened during the tournament and not when he was driving. They were pretty intense, man. She said: I got the answer to the question. The challenges of officiating are a great motivation and fun you gotta love it! 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 People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. 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. Officiating for me has always been the ultimate escape. Who parks in the farthest spot from the entrance to Kroger? Dr. It offers a chance to lead by example. Referee Bert Smith collapsed on the floor and had to be taken off on a stretcher. Each week, Id tag along with dad and his crew to whatever game they had scheduled. Bert. But do we say I love you enough? Whats he doing on his back? Legal Statement. He didn't have a headache or blurry vision. She said: I got the answer to the question. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. He gets exercise any time he can and officiates around 90 games a year for the NCAA. Now check your email to confirm your subscription to the Referee.com Review. Here's where I'mtelling him about thatpicture, how he looks so angry on the stretcher. Smith abruptly collapsed during an Elite Eight game between No. Bert Smith does. 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. Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. Something doesnt add up. You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. We won't send you spam. 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. I have to be ready physically, mentally and emotionally. he told the newspaper. He goes to IU Health Methodist. Thats normal to huff-and-puff, right? Nobody can say. Smith was taken off the . The problems of the world do not exist when I am working a game. Hes worked 17 NCAA Tournaments. " Bert Smith, an official assigned to work the Gonzaga-Southern California regional final, left tonight's game after a medical issue ," the NCAA said in a statement. The passion I felt when I played is still there for me when I officiate and I can feel that passion on the court. She said: I got the answer to the question. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. 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. A replacement official was added to the crew after Smith collapsed. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. As soon as I arrive and begin preparing for the game, my day, my life, enters a new and exciting realm. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. And they found out. They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. Dr. When I enter the field, theres more bounce in my step, my senses are heightened and my competitive juices start flowing. 6 seed USC. The NCAA announced later in the night that Smith was "alert and stable" and would not be transported to a hospital. 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. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Its a good week to be getting sympathy from the wife, he says, chuckling. Thats 1990. Moves fast? 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. This was evident five years ago when my mother died in September and my father died in October during the football season. It and she have made me a better person. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. 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 . 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? The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their careand understands their stretcher subterfuge. Every offseason lasts too long and a week off of the field makes me feel rusty. I look to my left, and its a doctor, Bert says, and hes laughing about it now. They released him to return to his hotel. It saved his life. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. Refereeing soccer is more than a hobby or a job; it is my passion and it is ingrained in me so deeply that it is a part of me. Then he becomes a basketball official. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. I love the challenge of being in complete control of your emotions, maintaining the calmness and the challenge to make a split-second decision in front of 60,000-100,000 screaming fans and knowing you have six crewmates that have your back in the heat of the battle. No matter what sport or level we work, we are bonded. Moves fast, this guy. 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. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith 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. Jacquie was waiting at the door. 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. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of all the cookies. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? 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.