Smith is back home in Kentucky with his wife, Jacquie, and his grandson, Karter. I look to my left, and its a doctor, Bert says, and hes laughing about it now. Check this out. Why I Love Officiating - Referee.com - Referee.com & Referee Magazine Thats 1990. Thats around the time he spilled onto the hardwood, awaking to a semicircle of people surrounding him. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. NCAA ref Bert Smith says on-court collapse saved his life - Yahoo! 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. If you saw it, you understand. 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. Trammel wasnt as concerned with a CT scan on his skull as she was on why he fell in the first place. 200+ "Bert Smith" profiles | LinkedIn I look to my left, and its a doctor, Bert says, and hes laughing about it now. 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. 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. Its the best seat in the house. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. 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.. Shes an important part of this story.. Veteran official Bert Smith hit his head on the baseline and laid face up for about five minutes before being stretchered off with 15:44 remaining in the first half of the 2021 March Madness. View. They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. He started on the lowest levels as a youth league official in 1990, began working Division I games in 1993 and. We are drawn together by a passion for officiating those outside the industry cant understand. Its deep, and its contagious. Everyones joking with him now. But slow down, OK? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. It does not store any personal data. If you saw it, you understand. Well, says one of the doctors, at least sit on the stretcher. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. Presently I officiate in nine D-I conferences. 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. . Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Their goalie tried leaping to his left Bert Smith . Its hard for me to talk about now. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. Now Bert Smith is laughing again. A pulmonary embolism. For the following few years, I officiated some while pursuing my masters in nursing and then my doctorate. 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. Something doesnt add up. People often ask me how I maintain a smile throughout almost every game, however it is quite unintentional. He didn't have a headache or blurry vision. Smith, who'ddriven a rental car into town after working the Atlantic-10 Tournament in Dayton, Ohio, was driven to his home in Florence, Kentucky, by Eric Lowe, a Central Indiana-based referee. You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. 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. After all, he hit the court hard, so hard that it left a giant bump on the back of his head. WATCH: 'Scary scenes' as basketball referee collapses midway - RT Ncaa Referee Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Since I'm involved in an athletic contest I want to be able to participate to the full, and working out, proper nutrition and recovery allow me to be able to keep up with the players and game. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. "You don't know where that clot was going next," Smith told the Star's Gregg Doyel. Usually I will leave the venue with a different outlook. It saved his life. Being part of the game is a big reason. Hes not wobbly, no blurry vision, nothing. All rights reserved. She said: I got the answer to the question. Two days later, clot gone, he was discharged. This season he worked about 90 games, including dates in the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference. Referee Bert Smith said he was 'tricked' into getting on the stretcher after his collapse . Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. Smith, 56, regained consciousness, and he was alert as he was carried off the floor on a stretcher. No one knows where the clot came from, per the Star. 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. Its because I was telling the doctor: You little SOB, you tricked me!. Fox News Flash top headlines for April 10. The referee who collapsed during Gonzaga 's matchup against USC in the NCAA tournament had a blood clot in his lung, the Indianapolis Star reported on Friday. 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. She said: I got the answer to the question. Dr. Katie Trammel, hes wanting me to know, may have saved his life. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. A former employee at Avis Car Rental, he dropped that job to officiate full time in 2010. 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 People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? So was Karter. That is definitely what drives me. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. You blacked out., I look to my right, and I see a stretcher. 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 . 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. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. Game official Bert Smith collapsed Tuesday evening in the first half of the men's NCAA basketball game between No. Turns out, that night probably saved Bert Smiths life. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Oh, and hes also been returning those messages. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. If youve ever experienced a buzzer-beater, thats what Im talking about. You cant get any closer to the ballgame. My father and older brother both became soccer referees, and I had to watch them referee every Saturday in agony waiting for my turn. Hes worked 17 NCAA Tournaments. 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. Immediately after falling, Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd ran to him and the bench waved for doctors. When hes saying something serious, though, he slows down. Referee OK after collapsing on sideline during Gonzaga-USC Elite Eight 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Now he wonders. March 30 (UPI) --The No. I also love the fact that no game is ever the same and allows us the ability to make constant improvement. Now he wonders. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. That's where he learned his scary fall was related to a blood clot in his lung. I literally grew up watching my dad, Glen, work a seemingly endless number of football and basketball games. 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 . I could be having the worst day possible and I still lose myself in my game that day.