Having good presence, working with pride, acting professional and enjoying the challenge of the job is what I love most about officiating hockey. It offers a chance to lead by example. 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. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. 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. She said: I got the answer to the question. March Madness roundup: Gonzaga, UCLA advance to Final Four Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their care, and understands their stretcher subterfuge. INDIANAPOLIS Bert Smith hasnt seen the moment that made him famous. All Rights Reserved. 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? 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. 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. In 1973, my older brother Mike introduced the game to our family by joining the high school team as a freshman. He rarely uses the elevator. Legal Statement. More Doyel:Referee Bert Smith got to hear ovation of a lifetime. More than a week later, he hasnt watched the moment. Smiths pausing. Hed rather take the stairs, and Bert Smith doesnt walk them. Do we give an extra hug enough? The minute my stripes are on, Im a part of a crew not an official with a disability. I also love the fact that no game is ever the same and allows us the ability to make constant improvement. 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. Trammel was at Methodist the night of March 30. Smith said, in a way, he was grateful the fall happened during the tournament and not when he was driving. 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. Bert Smith (56) NCAA men's basketball Referee collapsed due to a blood clot in his lung during a tournament News Story. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. Gregg Doyel Indianapolis Star 0:00 0:56 INDIANAPOLIS - Bert Smith hasn't seen the moment that. Its because I was telling the doctor: You little SOB, you tricked me!. Might as well walk fast, too. Its hard for me to talk about now. After college, I had the great privilege of joining his football crew and kick-starting my own football officiating career. 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. No matter who you meet, you have to deal with them as people who deserve the best from you. 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. Active referees are listed in bold. Theres video of me with my arms crossed on the stretcher, he says. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. 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. Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. Im happy I did it around a bunch of people who had the ability to help me.. They insisted more. NBA Referees Directory | Basketball-Reference.com He agreed. Referee Bert Smith got to hear ovation of a lifetime. , Does Video Show Athletes Fainting Due to COVID-19 Vaccine? You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. They strapped me in! I just cannot erase the pleasure from my face. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. Legal Statement. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. CBS provided an update on the medical status of referee Bert Smith following his collapse on the court Tuesday. 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. Hed been duped. Ref alert after collapsing during Gonzaga-USC, Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. 6 seed USC. By 1993, hes an NCAA Division I official. Dr. Hes huffing and puffing a little, but hes running stairs in a mask. 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. Officiating is similar to playing the game full of emotion, both highs and lows. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. I love officiating because it has a Zen aspect to it: for those two hours, you are completely focused on the task at hand. Hes worked 17 NCAA Tournaments. We get him off the floor out of sight and he just loses it, Fox recalls. Im ready to get after it, he says. You never know whats going to happen. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. Bert Smith . I do it because I love the ballgame. 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 . Fox News' Daniel Canova contributed to this report. Their goalie tried leaping to his left The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. "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?" He plans to return as soon as he can to the court, and that includes ref camps this summer. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it, too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. Its because I was telling the doctor: You little SOB, you tricked me!. I love being part of the game. 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. 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 hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. Referee Bert Smith says blood clot in lung caused his fall at NCAA men Look at that picture again. Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. Trammel was at Methodist the night of March 30. The NCAA announced later in the night that Smith was "alert and stable" and would not be transported to a hospital. 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. He didn't have a headache or blurry vision. Then he becomes a basketball official. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. 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. INDIANAPOLIS Bert Smith hasnt seen the moment that made him famous. 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. Knowing the rulebook and being able to execute decisions in a split-second. Michael Conroy/AP. 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. You are expected to be perfect and improve after that. he told the newspaper. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. When you are ready mentally you work with confidence. 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. Referee Bert Smith was taken off the court on a stretcher after collapsing to the court during the first half of the NCAA men's tournament Elite Eight matchup between USC and Gonzaga on Tuesday. 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. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. But do we say I love you enough? 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. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. 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. Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Being part of the game is a big reason. I appreciate that officiating has contributed lots of exercise and has helped to keep me in good health. NCAA Officials Share Fitness Regimens - Referee.com Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. First as an athlete growing up in Buffalo, a high school small forward, receiver and 400-meter runner, then some junior college basketball. They were pretty intense, man. Why I Love Officiating - Referee.com - Referee.com & Referee Magazine We Shouldn't Have Watched It Twice. NCAA ref Bert Smith (Buffalo) said to be doing well after collapse - WGRZ 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. 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. He rarely uses the elevator. Do we give an extra hug enough? ", BAYLOR BEATS GONZAGA FOR FIRST NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP. Referee Bert Smith says blood clot in lung caused his fall at NCAA men 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. Shes an important part of this story.. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. He was surrounded by medical professionals and eventually was helped on to a stretcher. Usually I will leave the venue with a different outlook. There are 96 NCAA referees all waiting for the same thing those 68 teams are waiting for. I have to be ready physically, mentally and emotionally. NCAA Ref Bert Smith Says Blood Clot in Lung Caused Collapse at - TMZ My dad always said, You do not always win, but you can always be a good sport and, You should conduct yourself on the court, the way you would conduct yourself in life. In addition, I have two brothers and a sister who were also officials we were known as the Aldrich Hoop Family.. 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. 56-year-old Smith was officiating the Gonzaga vs. USC matchup on March 30 when he collapsed to the hardwood a few minutes into the game. And they found out. Referee Bert Smith collapses during Gonzaga-USC Elite Eight game - FanSided Eades, who at age 56 has worked three Final Fours and. I look to my left, and its a doctor, Bert says, and hes laughing about it now. Even after coaches/fans express their disappointment in my calls, I still have the eyes and hearts of the players on the field looking to me for leadership and how to show good character and convictions. After completing my doctorate, I returned to officiating. Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Well get there, but right now were moving too fast. All rights reserved. Theres no room in your head for thinking about cutting the grass, what you need from the store or how you have to finish your taxes. ", NCAA tourney ref who collapsed had blood clot, From bubble struggles to NCAA seed improvement, why these final weekend games matter, Davis 3 shy of Maravich; Detroit eyes CBI bid, Son: Maravich would be 'cheering on' Davis, Vandy's Robbins out rest of season with leg injury, Sources: High Point fires Smith after one season, Davis out as Bucknell coach after 12-20 season, Grill discloses mental illness after Iowa St. exit, No. Oh, Ill be back. March 30 (UPI) --The No. It is equivalent to flying an airplane, skydiving, skiing a black diamond, anything that heightens all your senses. See Bert Smith? The NCAA announces that Smith has returned to the hotel, and its true. 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 that picture again. She said: I got the answer to the question. There were no signs in the preceding days of this happening, even when he was running up and down three flights of stairs, with a mask, the day before. I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. Moves fast, this guy. Soccer was now firmly in my blood and forever would help mold and shape me. There were 500 of them. You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. March Madness: Bert Smith diagnosed with - New York Post The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. She said: I got the answer to the question. According to kenpom.com, the Gonzaga-USC game was the 70th matchup Smith worked this season. It was a scary moment as an audible thud was heard throughout Lucas Oil Stadium, and the official was taken off the court on a stretcher, though he was awake and alert. They strapped me in! Are you going to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? Im happy I did it around a bunch of people who had the ability to help me.. But slow down, OK? One of those people was Mike Fox, an independent contractor hired by the NCAA to help run the tournament and a basketball official himself. You blacked out., I look to my right, and I see a stretcher. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. Smith revealed in a lengthy interview with the Indianapolis Star the fall may have saved him. 2 Alabama erases 17-point deficit, wins SEC, All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball. Hed rather take the stairs, and Bert Smith doesnt walk them. 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. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. He'll just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes,they'll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. He has been in contact with his family. "You don't know where that clot was going next," Smith told the Star's Gregg Doyel. Market data provided by Factset. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. " 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. Thats 1990. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Shes an important part of this story.. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. You meet people persons, individual persons, team players and egomaniacs. Look at those crossed arms. 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. Smith, who became an NCAA Division I official in 1993, said he remembers the play preceding the fall. You could talk to him during a game. I love officiating for the same reason I love my wife. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors were reportedly unsure whether the clot had anything to do with COVID-19. 29/08/21, Germany (unknown age) Unnamed Germany C-League Dillenburg a player from Hirzenhain collapses, game . You also have to ensure that your mental preparation is exceptional in order to be effective. Official collapses during NCAA men's tournament game And they found out. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. Don't let anti-vaxxers lie to you about Damar Hamlin like they did with 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. NCAA Tournament Basketball Referee Bert Smith suffered a scary collapse during the 2022 NCAA March Madness Tournament Gonzaga vs. USC basketball game.I bre. There is no other avocation that I can think of that requires the level of physical and mental preparation that officiating mandates, and you have to dedicate yourself in order to be successful. 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 . NCAA Tournament referee Bert Smith collapse during game saved his life Brett Smith, an NCAA college basketball referee, collapsed during a game. He goes to IU Health Methodist. and would not need hospitalization. Official collapses, wheeled off court on stretcher from NCAA tournament 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. NCAA Referee has SCARY COLLAPSE! Doctor examines WHY?? Now I have hundreds of brothers around the country. For now, hell continue to return new messagesstill flooding inand relax while, yes, watching golfs first major championship.