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Referee data is available for the 1988-89 through 2022-23 seasons. By 1993, hes an NCAA Division I official. "But do we say 'I love you' enough? Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. Bert Smith, the NCAA official who fainted during an Elite Eight matchup between Gonzaga and USC last week, said Friday he collapsed over a blood clot in his lung. There are 96 NCAA referees all waiting for the same thing those 68 teams are waiting for. Ref alert after collapsing during Gonzaga-USC, Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato. I love officiating because it has a Zen aspect to it: for those two hours, you are completely focused on the task at hand. The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. Were about to put you through the car wash of testing, she said. 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. Market data provided by Factset. 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. Smith is one of the longest tenured and most respected officials in college hoops. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM. 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. 6 seed University of Southern California and No. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. Turns out, it was something worse. Its not some routine youre doing day in and day out. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. At the core of the reasons why I love to referee is a passion for the sport of soccer. I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? The Big League College World Series (last August in Kalamazoo, Mich.) was probably the most fun Ive had on a ball field. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Smith is one of the longest tenured and most respected officials in college hoops. She said: I got the answer to the question. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. He was released after two days in the hospital. He said the fall was related to a blood clot in his lung. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at@GreggDoyelStar. People often ask me how I maintain a smile throughout almost every game, however it is quite unintentional. Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital. What I mean is that we are the upholders of the integrity of the game. Being mentally ready for the game is most important. Bert Smith doesnt remember any of that and hasnt seen a replay of his fall, though he says hes almost ready to watch. That says something about that officiating fraternity.. 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. Given time that night on March 30, those around SmithNCAA doctors, his wife and colleaguesthought it best if he at least visited IU Methodist Hotel in Indianapolis to check his head and spine. 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. They were supposed to just check my head and spine for a concussion (he didnt have one, by the way), says Smith. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. And how did the court get so blurry all of a sudden, like someone smeared it with Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. The reason is Im saying to them, You tricked me, you little SOB!. 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 . He works his first game at age 24. 6 seed USC. 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 Smith, a veteran college basketball official of 28 years, lost consciousness five minutes into the game, falling backward in a scary moment captured on the TBS broadcast and banging his head against the hardwood court. Referee Bert Smith is tended to by training staff and medical personnel after collapsing during the first half of the Elite Eight round game between the USC Trojans and the Gonzaga Bulldogs during . 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. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. When I enter the field, theres more bounce in my step, my senses are heightened and my competitive juices start flowing. 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. 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. The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. 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. For now, hell continue to return new messagesstill flooding inand relax while, yes, watching golfs first major championship. My colleagues and I have strong personalities with how were wired so being able to do a job that you know youre in a select company of people is very rewarding. You could talk to him during a game. NCAA basketball official Bert Smith lies on the court after collapsing during the Gonzaga-USC men's game in the Elite Eight. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. It took me a few days, he says. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? 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. Do you know you went viral? she playfully asked. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? Hell just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes theyll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. 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. He rarely uses the elevator. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. Gaining the best sight line on the ice requires officials to be strong skaters, agile and physically fit. Hes not wobbly, no blurry vision, nothing. Having good presence, working with pride, acting professional and enjoying the challenge of the job is what I love most about officiating hockey. But slow down, OK? It does not store any personal data. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Now check your email to confirm your subscription to the Referee.com Review. Katie Trammel, he tells me slowly, then repeats her name, then spells it. Smith was taken off the . I realized, even back then, how fun and rewarding each officiating experience was for the crew. View. My feelings about my whistle are still the same. You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? Dr. Hes huffing-and-puffing a little, but hes running stairs in a mask. Are you going to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? 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. See Bert Smith? 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. 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. Thats 1990. 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 . I love that we are the only participants who are not allowed to fail. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. They strapped me in! Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. 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. Thats his wife of 33 years. Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. 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. 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. After that he studies business administration at SUNY-Buffalo, gets a job at Avis Budget Group, moves fast up the ranks as his career takes him to Chicago, Houston and finally the Cincinnati area. 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. Oh, Ill be back. Medical personnel at Lucas Oil Stadium treated Smith, who later went to a local hospital. Bert Smith does. 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. Smith said, in a way, he was grateful the fall happened during the tournament and not when he was driving. Referee Bert Smith's fall in men's NCAA Tournament game didn't kill him. They released him to return to his hotel. NCAA Tournament Basketball Referee Bert Smith suffered a scary collapse during the 2022 NCAA March Madness Tournament Gonzaga vs. USC basketball game.I bre. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. "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?" Every offseason lasts too long and a week off of the field makes me feel rusty. Smith does remember the 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. ", 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. No one knows where the clot came from, per the Star. I lost it, too. Thats his wife of 33 years. We Shouldn't Have Watched It Twice. 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.. OK, so the night of March 29. 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. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt.