He'll just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes they'll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. 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 . The support and love was just overwhelming. 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 . 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. Mar 31st, 2021. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. It is by far the most difficult thing Ive ever done. " 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. 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. I still play in a mens league, have refereed more than 700 NCAA games and am in my 17th season as an MLS official. Further examination revealed Smith, 56, had a blood clot in his lung, the Indianapolis St He works his first game at age 24. Smith is one of the longest tenured and most respected officials in college hoops. As soon as I arrive and begin preparing for the game, my day, my life, enters a new and exciting realm. At the core of the reasons why I love to referee is a passion for the sport of soccer. 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. 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? 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. Just over four minutes into the game between USC and Gonzaga, Bert . Moves fast, this guy. My father and older brother both became soccer referees, and I had to watch them referee every Saturday in agony waiting for my turn. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? You could talk to him during a game. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. Check this out. Where did it come from? Brett Smith, an NCAA college basketball referee, collapsed during a game. CNN . 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 . Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Where did it come from? A pulmonary embolism. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Now I have hundreds of brothers around the country. I love officiating for the same reason I love my wife. He said no. Moves fast, this guy. Hes not wobbly, no blurry vision, nothing. 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. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? By 1993 hes an NCAA Division I official. 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. 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? 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. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors were reportedly unsure whether the clot had anything to do with COVID-19. So was Karter. Something doesnt add up. 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. The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. I have to be ready physically, mentally and emotionally. The three officials for the game who are in question are Bert Smith, James Breeding and John Gaffney. 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. You blacked out., I look to my right, and I see a stretcher. OK, so the night of March 29. a thrust, a dribble, a power shot Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital. a picture caught by IndyStar photographer Kelly Wilkinson. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. 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. So was Karter. We get him off the floor out of sight and he just loses it, Fox recalls. The reason is Im saying to them, You tricked me, you little SOB!. There were ones from coaches, ones from colleagues, ones from family, one even from an NFL official hed never met. Referee, the worlds original sports officiating magazine, educates, challenges and inspires officials at all levels. Smith told the publication. There is no greater place to be than on a softball or baseball field. Whatsthatfor? I'm committed to it year round. 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. Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. Its energizing and refreshing to have that kind of focus on something. I cant find that feeling anywhere else. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Smiths pausing. 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. NCAA Referee Bert Smith Collapses During March Madness. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? The board presents an award in his name each year to the area high school that exemplifies sportsmanship. 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. They insisted more. And without any rhyme or reason, the place where I feel the most at home, pacified and comfortable is on that soccer field. Look at that picture again. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. 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. But do we say I love you enough? When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. Why cant he catch his breath? More Doyel:Referee Bert Smith got to hear ovation of a lifetime. Thats his wife of 33 years. Being part of the game is a big reason. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. Bert Smith (56) NCAA men's basketball Referee collapsed due to a blood clot in his lung during a tournament News Story. This week, Gonzaga and Southern California faced off during the Elite Eight matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium. Smith is back home in Kentucky with his wife, Jacquie, and his grandson, Karter. Working a Friday night high school football game gives me goose bumps. But do we say I love you enough? I came off the field and I was so pumped up. At IU Health Methodist, the 56-year-old Smith was treated by Dr. Katie Trammel, "an important part of this story.". 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. Hes huffing-and-puffing a little, but hes running stairs in a mask. Shes an important part of this story.. Smith is one of the longest tenured and most respected officials in college hoops. 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. It was fun and stress-free officiating, and I was able to help pay for college. 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. ", 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. 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? 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. Check this out. Areyougoing to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? If you saw it, you understand. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. Smith fell and was immediately attended to by medical personnel. REFEREE Bert Smith collapsed during the first half of the USC - Gonzaga game during the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. He runs. In 1973, my older brother Mike introduced the game to our family by joining the high school team as a freshman. March 30 (UPI) --The No. It has helped me to handle stressful situations and taught me how to remain calm in the midst of the storms of life. Referee Bert Smith is taken off the court on a stretcher after collapsing during the first half of an Elite Eight game between Gonzaga and USC during the first half of an Elite 8 game in the NCAA . Now he wonders. 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. 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!. Bert Smith NCAA men's basketball official, 27th season My fitness is important to me. Some are destined for greatness, some for failure. Dr. Look at those crossed arms. Later during the broadcast, they announced he was feeling OK and resting in the arena. I also love the fact that no game is ever the same and allows us the ability to make constant improvement. You meet people persons, individual persons, team players and egomaniacs. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Smith's fall to the ground. We are drawn together by a passion for officiating those outside the industry cant understand. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court.