ncaa referee bert smith age

First as an athlete growing up in Buffalo, a high school small forward, receiver and 400-meter runner, then some junior college basketball. Its the best seat in the house. I do it because I love the ballgame. 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? 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. So was Karter. Moves fast? Here's where I'mtell him about that Kelly Wilkinson picture, how he looks so angry on the stretcher. " Bert is alert and stable and will not be transported to a hospital. All rights reserved. Bert Smith. 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. He goes to IU Health Methodist. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. Collins and NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt, for their support and kindness to me.. 6 seed University of Southern California and No. But slow down, OK? Bunch of sixth-graders at Garfield Park in Chicago. You could talk to him during a game. Being mentally ready for the game is most important. I also love the fact that no game is ever the same and allows us the ability to make constant improvement. Mar 31st, 2021. 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. Bert Smith doesnt remember any of thatand hasn't seen areplay of his fall, though he says he's almost ready to watch. Even though at this point in my career I have the experience and acceptance, there is still that constant challenge from one game to the next because you never know what is going to happen every time you step on the ice. Now he wonders. 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. He goes to IU Health Methodist. He runs. Everything we send is officiating specific because that's all we do. Knowing the rules and how to implement them fairly, evenly and within the guidelines of accepted philosophy is important. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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. Youve probably seen him. Written By. You are expected to be perfect and improve after that. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it, too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Are you going to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? 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. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. Smith said, in a way, he was grateful the fall happened during the tournament and not when he was driving. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. By 1993, hes an NCAA Division I official. 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. 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. I joined a rec team and Mike spent hours showing me how to play. Then he becomes a basketball official. If you saw it, you understand. And without any rhyme or reason, the place where I feel the most at home, pacified and comfortable is on that soccer field. 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. Earlier: Tonight's Elite Eight game between Gonzaga and USC was stopped momentarily after veteran referee Bert Smith collapsed on the court. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 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. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. When I am out on the field working a game I am mentally and physically completely focused on doing the job right. Fox News Flash top headlines for April 10. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. I say, Whats going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. Referee data is available for the 1988-89 through 2022-23 seasons. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. 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. Medical personnel and other staffers rushed toward him. The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their care, and understands their stretcher subterfuge. The scary moment was caughtlive during the Bulldogs-Trojans matchup. After college, I had the great privilege of joining his football crew and kick-starting my own football officiating career. It does not store any personal data. Smith revealed in a lengthy interview with the Indianapolis Star the fall may have saved him. That says something about that officiating fraternity.. Nobody can say. Some are destined for greatness, some for failure. There are 200+ professionals named "Bert Smith", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. Whats that for? Might as well walk fast, too. This article is the copyright of Referee Enterprises, Inc., and may not be republished in whole or in part online, in print or in any capacity without expressed written permission from Referee. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. I love officiating because it has a Zen aspect to it: for those two hours, you are completely focused on the task at hand. Note: This article is archival in nature. Everyones joking with him now. Trammel wasnt as concerned with a CT scan on his skull as she was on why he fell in the first place. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. What I mean is that we are the upholders of the integrity of the game. I could be involved with 4-H. 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The scary moment was caught. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. You never know whats going to happen. 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. 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. Its deep, and its contagious. Bert Smith . NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. My father and older brother both became soccer referees, and I had to watch them referee every Saturday in agony waiting for my turn. For me, it didnt seem like a red flag, Smith says. Bert Smith NCAA men's basketball official, 27th season My fitness is important to me. See Bert Smith? I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? If you saw it, you understand. Referee Bert Smith said he was 'tricked' into getting on the stretcher after his collapse . Check this out. REFEREE Bert Smith collapsed during the first half of the USC - Gonzaga game during the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. 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. Its a good week to be getting sympathy from the wife, he says, chuckling. All rights reserved. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. I always thought he was a good dude, Lansing says. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. He rarely uses the elevator. Do we give an extra hug enough? If you saw it, you understand. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Further examination revealed Smith, 56, had a blood clot in his lung, the Indianapolis St Players on both teams returned to their benches. . It was fun and stress-free officiating, and I was able to help pay for college. Then he becomes a basketball official. They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. A replacement official was added to the crew after Smith collapsed. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. Moves fast? Youve probably seen him. You could talk to him during a game. Smiths pausing. And how did the court get so blurry all of a sudden, like someone smeared it with . 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. NCAA basketball official Bert Smith hasn't watched the moment that might have saved his life. Later, doctors discovered the reason. 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. Might as well walk fast, too. Smith abruptly collapsed during an Elite Eight game between No. 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 1 seed Gonzaga and No. The three officials for the game who are in question are Bert Smith, James Breeding and John Gaffney. Dr. What happens next leads to a picture caught by IndyStar photographer Kelly Wilkinson. He later regained consciousness and was stretchered off the . Katie Trammels stock is up with me in the Smith family book, he says, laughing. After completing my doctorate, I returned to officiating. 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. And when next season arrives, you can expect to find Bert Smith on the hardwood. He felt wobbly and the next thing he remembers seeing is the ceiling of the stadium. Hed rather take the stairs, and Bert Smith doesnt walk them. But do we say I love you enough? Bert Smith, the official who collapsed during the Elite Eight, believes his fall could have saved his life. 6 seed USC. Referee Bert Smith collapsed on the floor and had to be taken off on a stretcher. 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. 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. He works his first game at age 24. Moves fast, this guy. As a note, the first four are crew chiefs in any list. People often ask me how I maintain a smile throughout almost every game, however it is quite unintentional. And they heard the sound his head made I heard it too, 30 rows away when it slammed onto the court. He did not go to the hospital. His wife has seen it once, and shell never watch it again. 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. 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 has helped me to handle stressful situations and taught me how to remain calm in the midst of the storms of life. When he retired as an official to take the ACC job in 2016, he immediately had to replace one of the conference's best referees: himself. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. He rarely uses the elevator. Not one of these men or women is without the utmost class and integrity, and I hope by associating with them some of their class and integrity has rubbed off on me and made me a better person. Theres video of me with my arms crossed on the stretcher, he says. 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!. and would not need hospitalization. He agreed. Smith's fall to the ground. When he arrived, in walked Katie M. Trammel, the physician who, in many ways, may have saved his life. Devika Pawar. Now I have hundreds of brothers around the country. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. First as an athlete growing up in Buffalo, a high school small forward, receiver and 400-meter runner, then some junior college basketball. Im happy I did it around a bunch of people who had the ability to help me.. 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. 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. It and she have made me a better person. ", BAYLOR BEATS GONZAGA FOR FIRST NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP. Smith abruptly collapsed during an Elite Eight game between No. Which Men's College Basketball Programs Should We Keep an Eye Out for Next Season? Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors were reportedly unsure whether the clot had anything to do with COVID-19. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Look at that picture again. 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. Your heart begins to race, the adrenaline begins to run rampant throughout your body, the excitement takes over as you look around the stadium; you take a couple of deep breaths and then everything becomes so clear. The thing I enjoy most about NHL officiating is the challenge each game presents. Bert Smith does. Something doesnt add up. He is the current president of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, was the 2020 winner of the National Headliner Award as the country's top sports columnist and has twice been named North. 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? Thats his wife of 33 years. 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. Just over four minutes into the game between USC and Gonzaga, Bert . Thats 1990. They strapped me in! A referee has collapsed on court during the opening stages of an NCAA Elite Eight basketball match in Indiana. Thats 1990. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. They insisted more. 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. He has been in contact with his family. So was Karter. I love being part of the game. Hes a motivational speaker anddiversity recruiterin addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. Two hours later, she returned into the room with the test results. Within seconds, theyd strapped the seated Smith onto it. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. If youve ever experienced a buzzer-beater, thats what Im talking about. Being part of the game is a big reason. If hes going to walk, might as well make it a long one. 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. I didnt miss a game that season, because working the games was my therapy. And they found out. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. He runs. Referee Bert Smith's fall in men's NCAA Tournament game didn't kill him. 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? She said: I got the answer to the question. Everyones joking with him now. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. When a situation occurs that brings the temperature of the game up, you have to control your emotions and read the emotions of the players and coaches to restore calm. Medical officials tending to him on the floor insisted he be transported off the floor by the stretcher. Smith is back home in Kentucky with his wife, Jacquie, and his grandson, Karter. I always say, you can question my judgment but dont question my effort. That was the start of my passion for officiating basketball. Check this out. He didn't have a headache or blurry vision. Moves fast, this guy. I was seven years old and wanted to learn everything he learned each day when he got home from practice. 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 . 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 . Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. 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.. There is no greater place to be than on a softball or baseball field. The reason is Im saying to them, You tricked me, you little SOB!. I know his wife is going to be going bananas. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. Im letting the paint dry.. 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 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. 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. You have to be in excellent physical condition in order to be in the correct position to rule on plays. There were ones from coaches, ones from colleagues, ones from family, one even from an NFL official hed never met. Subscribe to get the Referee.com Review every week plus periodic free training and special offers on the sports you officiate. 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 clot restricted enough oxygen to Smith that he passed out during the game. Hes got a wife, Jacquie, of 32 years, two daughters and two more grandchildren. I will, he says. 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. INDIANAPOLIS Bert Smith hasnt seen the moment that made him famous. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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 . The final clip in this video compilation shows Bert Smith as he collapsed during a March Madness game in April 2021. Moves fast, this guy. Smiths pausing. I'm committed to it year round. Look at his scowl. Smiths pausing. According to kenpom.com, the Gonzaga-USC game was the 70th matchup Smith worked this season. The article is made available for educational use by individuals. I looked at him and said, Oh no you didnt. By age 11, I was organizing all the neighborhood kids in pick up games and by age 14, I got certified to referee and started coaching.

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