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His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? 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. Trammel had seen the video. After all, he hit the court hard, so hard that it left a giant bump on the back of his head. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. " Bert is alert and stable and will not be transported to a hospital. Bert Smith was involved in a controversial ending to a Kansas and Iowa State game that led to the Big 12 Conference punishing Smith for a call that cost the Cyclones a win against the Jayhawks. 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. That was one of the few times I remember getting in trouble with my father for kicking his car door as hard as my little legs could out of anger. 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. "I mean, I was just shocked and scared for him, but I was able to stick my head in there a little bit and see that he was talking and coherent and tried to say a quick prayer for him and just wished him the best. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. CBS provided an update on the medical status of referee Bert Smith following his collapse on the court Tuesday. Hes worked 17 NCAA Tournaments. Im ready to get after it, he says. 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. A former employee at Avis Car Rental, he dropped that job to officiate full time in 2010. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. Being mentally ready for the game is most important. Hes been friends with Smith for 30 years. If you saw it, you understand. 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. 6 seed University of Southern California and No. Oh, Ill be back. It saved his life. Were about to put you through the car wash of testing, she said. Referee Bert Smith collapsed on the floor and had to be taken off on a stretcher. 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!. Look at that picture again. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". He rarely uses the elevator. 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. Hes on the stretcher, and hes not even a little bit happy about it. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at@GreggDoyelStar. Now he wonders. It could have been a red flag, he said doctors told him, but then again "sometimes it just hits you.". When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. Thats his wife of 33 years. You also have to ensure that your mental preparation is exceptional in order to be effective. 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. 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. He started on the lowest levels as a youth league official in 1990, began working Division I games in 1993 and. Smith was taken off the . Moves fast, this guy. Bert Smith doesnt remember any of that and hasnt seen a replay of his fall, though he says hes almost ready to watch. When I am out on the field working a game I am mentally and physically completely focused on doing the job right. And when next season arrives, you can expect to find Bert Smith on the hardwood. 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.. Something doesnt add up. 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.. Referee Fall in Gonzaga USC NCAA Game TBS Replay Gets Backlash Sports A Referee Collapsed at an NCAA Basketball Game. 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 . They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. According to kenpom.com, the Gonzaga-USC game was the 70th matchup Smith worked this season. Having to make those decisions in a split second is a challenge I enjoy. he told the newspaper. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar or at www.facebook.com/gregg.doyel. Shes an important part of this story.. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. The reasons for our joy when we step on the field, court or ice are vast and every reason is forged in the fire of our individual experiences. Now I have hundreds of brothers around the country. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. Working a Friday night high school football game gives me goose bumps. Subscribe to get the Referee.com Review every week plus periodic free training and special offers on the sports you officiate. It allows me the privilege to do something I love, being part of the greatest game, mens college basketball. It and she have made me a better person. 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 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?" 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!. We won't send you spam. Jacquie was waiting at the door. Look at those crossed arms. 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. and would not need hospitalization. Its deep, and its contagious. In a scary moment, Smith passed out cold during a recent Elite Eight game. Smith collapsed just over four minutes into the Elite Eight game between USC. Officiating at the professional level requires commitment to conditioning. 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. He goes to IU Health Methodist. Bert Smith does. Thats normal to huff-and-puff, right? REFEREE Bert Smith collapsed during the first half of the USC - Gonzaga game during the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Hed been duped. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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. Smith abruptly collapsed during an Elite Eight game between No. 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 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Bert Smith does. 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. My father and older brother both became soccer referees, and I had to watch them referee every Saturday in agony waiting for my turn. They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. When I enter the field, theres more bounce in my step, my senses are heightened and my competitive juices start flowing. Then he becomes a basketball official. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. What I mean is that we are the upholders of the integrity of the game. " 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. But slow down, OK? Its a good week to be getting sympathy from the wife, he says, chuckling. Eades, who at age 56 has worked three Final Fours and. "He's a great official, great person," Few said after his team's 85-66 win to advance to the Final Four. Who parks in the farthest spot from the entrance to Kroger? Now he wonders. Hell just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes theyll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. The whole thing is mysterious, because hes a sculpture of a man, 6-3 and 195 pounds. He said the fall was related to a blood clot in his lung. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". You could talk to him during a game. As a child, I know that I enjoyed every minute of it. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. Brett Smith, an NCAA college basketball referee, collapsed during a game. I continue to coach high school soccer. I love officiating because of the rush of excitement I get every time a player rises over another for a nothing-but-net three-pointer or from two kids diving after a loose ball like its a $1 million bill. It pushes you to be on top of your game. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. See Bert Smith? Each week, Id tag along with dad and his crew to whatever game they had scheduled. Official Bert Smith collapsed on the floor during the game, immediately being carried away in a stretcher. 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. "But do we say 'I love you' enough? Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. Im happy I did it around a bunch of people who had the ability to help me.. They were pretty intense, man. The NCAA announces that Smith has returned to the hotel, and its true. Being able to handle situations that arise separates the average official from the capable arbiter. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it, too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. You have to be in excellent physical condition in order to be in the correct position to rule on plays. Why I love officiating can be simply put as it has given me the opportunity to work with and be associated with some of the finest individuals that walk the face of this earth. Where did it come from? A pulmonary embolism. Its because I was telling the doctor: You little SOB, you tricked me!. He'll just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes they'll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. Smiths pausing. Why is he lying down near the Gonzaga bench? I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. I always say, you can question my judgment but dont question my effort.