Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. Something doesnt add up. The NCAA announces that Smith has returned to the hotel, and its true. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. It puts me in the zone! 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. Referee Bert Smith's fall in men's NCAA Tournament game didn't kill him. A few hours later, his officiating friends joined him at the hotel and suggested he go to the hospital to be evaluated for a concussion, just in case. For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith says. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. and would not need hospitalization. NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. 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. I have to be ready physically, mentally and emotionally. 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. She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. I came off the field and I was so pumped up. Immediately after falling, Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd ran to him and the bench waved for doctors. Youve probably seen him. 29/08/21, Germany (unknown age) Unnamed Germany C-League Dillenburg a player from Hirzenhain collapses, game . Trammel was at Methodistthe night of March 30. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. Dr. By 1993, hes an NCAA Division I official. Im very grateful. Everyones joking with him now. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? First as an athlete growing up in Buffalo, a high school small forward, receiver and 400-meter runner, then some junior college basketball. 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. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? 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 always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. 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. 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. 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. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. The Big League College World Series (last August in Kalamazoo, Mich.) was probably the most fun Ive had on a ball field. Berts on the sixth floor, and hes putting on his mask to run the stairs down to the fifth floor for ice, or to run up to the eighth floor to see his buddies. It has helped me to handle stressful situations and taught me how to remain calm in the midst of the storms of life. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Please try again. Trammel was at Methodist the night of March 30. What happens next leads to a picture caught by IndyStar photographer Kelly Wilkinson. 2023 www.indystar.com. Why cant he catch his breath? He did not go to the hospital. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. Smith is one of the longest tenured and most respected officials in college hoops. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. 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. Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. Do we give an extra hug enough? 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. It is equivalent to flying an airplane, skydiving, skiing a black diamond, anything that heightens all your senses. Subscribe to get the Referee.com Review every week plus periodic free training and special offers on the sports you officiate. . Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors were reportedly unsure whether the clot had anything to do with COVID-19. There are 96 NCAA referees all waiting for the same thing those 68 teams are waiting for. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Now he wonders. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. When he arrived, in walked Katie M. Trammel, the physician who, in many ways, may have saved his life. The problems of the world do not exist when I am working a game. Medical personnel and other staffers rushed toward him. Smiths pausing. 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. Smiths pausing. Unfortunately we miss plays every night, but the challenge of trying to be perfect and get every play right is why I love it so much. Nobody can say. Then he becomes a basketball official. Im letting the paint dry.. There are 200+ professionals named "Bert Smith", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. 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 . Follow every game: Latest NCAA Men's College Basketball Scores and Schedules. 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. 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. They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. I love being part of the game. If you saw it, you understand. She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. Further examination revealed Smith, 56, had a blood clot in his lung, the Indianapolis St March 30 (UPI) --The No. He rarely uses the elevator. You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. Who parks in the farthest spot from the entrance to Kroger? When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.". In a scary moment, Smith passed out cold during a recent Elite Eight game. You cant get any closer to the ballgame. . 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. Replay Of Referee Bert Smith Collapsing Swift Highlights 22.9K subscribers Subscribe 393 Share 158K views 1 year ago Replay Of Referee Collapsing Basketball Official Collapses Show more Show. Well, says one of the doctors, at least sit on the stretcher. That was the start of my passion for officiating basketball. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. Smith was taken off the . It goes: You scored, Billy I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? All rights reserved. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. I still play in a mens league, have refereed more than 700 NCAA games and am in my 17th season as an MLS official. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. The 2021 ACC men's basketball tournament (officially the 2021 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament Presented by New York Life) was the postseason men's basketball tournament for the Atlantic Coast Conference and held at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, from March 9 to 13, 2021. 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!. Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Then he becomes a basketball official. Are you going to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? 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 . At IU Health Methodist, the 56-year-old Smith was treated by Dr. Katie Trammel, "an important part of this story.". Usually I will leave the venue with a different outlook. NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. " 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. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. Hed rather take the stairs, and Bert Smith doesnt walk them. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. What happens next leads toa picture caught by IndyStar photographer Kelly Wilkinson. According to the Indianapolis Star, Smith was placed on blood thinners and two days later the clot was gone. 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. Medical officials tending to him on the floor insisted he be transported off the floor by the stretcher. 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. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. 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. He goes to IU Health Methodist. All Rights Reserved. Do you know you went viral? she playfully asked. Ref alert after collapsing during Gonzaga-USC, Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. OK, so the night of March 29. Bert Smith told the . Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. I literally grew up watching my dad, Glen, work a seemingly endless number of football and basketball games. The 56-year-old veteran referee was carried off the court on a stretcher. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. Andy Lyons/Getty NCAA Reveals Budget for Men's Basketball Tournament Is Almost Twice as Much the Women's Reporters Ross Dellenger and Jeff Borzello later tweeted that, according. Something doesnt add up. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar or at www.facebook.com/gregg.doyel. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. And when next season arrives, you can expect to find Bert Smith on the hardwood. 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. I love being part of the game. 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. Look at his scowl. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. It took me a few days, he says. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He later regained consciousness and was stretchered off the . Hes a motivational speaker and diversity recruiter in addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. They were pretty intense, man. More Doyel:Referee Bert Smith got to hear ovation of a lifetime. After completing my doctorate, I returned to officiating. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? I had grown up playing the sport, but for some unknown reason, playing was just not satisfying enough. Why cant he catch his breath? If you saw it, you understand. Shes an important part of this story.. Veteran college basketball referee Bert Smith collapsed on the floor during the first half of Tuesday night's Elite Eight game between No. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at@GreggDoyelStar. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. 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. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. That says something about that officiating fraternity.. A referee has collapsed on court during the opening stages of an NCAA Elite Eight basketball match in Indiana. Eades, who at age 56 has worked three Final Fours and. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. 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. Presently I officiate in nine D-I conferences. The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. 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. Youve probably seen him. Officiating at the professional level requires commitment to conditioning. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. 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. . As a note, the first four are crew chiefs in any list. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? " Bert is alert and stable and will not be transported to a hospital. Off the court, doctors checked his vitals: blood pressure, heart rate, etc. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 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. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. Officiating is similar to playing the game full of emotion, both highs and lows. Here's where I'mtell him about that Kelly Wilkinson picture, how he looks so angry on the stretcher. She sits down next to the bed, Smith continues, and she says: I saw your fall tonight. I love that we are the only participants who are not allowed to fail. Thats 1990. 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 you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Hes a motivational speaker and diversity recruiter in addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. He started on the lowest levels as a youth league official in 1990, began working Division I games in 1993 and now does as many as 80 games a year. However, minutes into the game, the NCAA tournament ended up experiencing a scary moment. Its because I was telling the doctor: You little SOB, you tricked me!. Whats he doing on his back? CBS provided an update on the medical status of referee Bert Smith following his collapse on the court Tuesday. You blacked out., I look to my right, and I see a stretcher. Nobody can say. I love officiating because of the challenge. Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. Referee Bert Smith got to hear ovation of a lifetime. "But do we say 'I love you' enough? You are expected to be perfect and improve after that. Being mentally ready for the game is most important. No, he said hed walk off under assistance. 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. Managing a game and ensuring equity in your rulings between two talented, highly motivated teams is a great challenge. Add to that the extreme climate conditions that officials encounter and you quickly understand the importance of physical conditioning for officials. 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. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. The minute my stripes are on, Im a part of a crew not an official with a disability. Well get there, but right now were moving too fast. They strapped me in! And how did the court get so blurry all of a sudden, like someone smeared it with. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. Now he wonders. 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. Legal Statement. Then he becomes a basketball official. 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. The challenges of officiating are a great motivation and fun you gotta love it! Whatsthatfor? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. 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. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. Mar 31st, 2021. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. I get to watch the Masters.. My father was a basketball official and one of the founding members of the local IAABO board in Lowell, Mass. Jacquie was waiting at the door. He'll just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes they'll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. Katie Trammel, he tells me slowly, then repeats her name, then spells it. Smith collapsed just over four minutes into the Elite Eight game between USC. Areyougoing to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? 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.. 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. Hes huffing-and-puffing a little, but hes running stairs in a mask. You know the rules, have studied the pregame intel and use your experience to go read and react to the actions. By Bert Smith, NCAA D-I men's basketball official from Florence, Ky. Everyones joking with him now. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? Smith abruptly collapsed during an Elite Eight game between No. "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?" My love of officiating started when I was very young five to six years old. [1] It was the 68th annual edition of the tournament. Written By. Soccer was now firmly in my blood and forever would help mold and shape me. I could be having the worst day possible and I still lose myself in my game that day. Medical personnel at Lucas Oil Stadium treated Smith, who later went to a local hospital. 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. INDIANAPOLIS Bert Smith hasnt seen the moment that made him famous. Before I started officiating I had a sister who lived in another county. Dr. 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. You have to be in excellent physical condition in order to be in the correct position to rule on plays. REFEREE Bert Smith collapsed during the first half of the USC - Gonzaga game during the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. My uniforms were enormous, and I stepped on my flag but I felt as big as the world! Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Earlier: Tonight's Elite Eight game between Gonzaga and USC was stopped momentarily after veteran referee Bert Smith collapsed on the court. 6 seed University of Southern California and No. April 9, 2021, 9:39 AM. Check this out.. He's grumpy in the now-famous photo of him on it and told Doyel he was tricked. And they found out. 6 seed USC last month in the men's NCAA tournament. She said: I got the answer to the question. Just over four minutes into the game between USC and Gonzaga, Bert . If you saw it, you understand. As soon as I arrive and begin preparing for the game, my day, my life, enters a new and exciting realm. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. 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. 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. Its a wonderful place to be. He works his first game at age 24. What I mean is that we are the upholders of the integrity of the game. I do it because I love the ballgame. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference.

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ncaa referee bert smith age