By Bill Galluccio
Long-time NCAA official
Bert Smith says that his collapse during the NCAA Basketball Tournament saved his life. Smith discussed the terrifying incident when he suddenly fell to the floor during the West Region final between Gonzaga and USC with the
Indianapolis Star.
Smith was unconscious for several moments and was confused when he first woke up on the court surrounded by the medical staff. I look to my left, and it s a doctor, Bert told the paper. I say, What s going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. You blacked out. I said: What?
By Bill Galluccio
Long-time NCAA official
Bert Smith says that his collapse during the NCAA Basketball Tournament saved his life. Smith discussed the terrifying incident when he suddenly fell to the floor during the West Region final between Gonzaga and USC with the
Indianapolis Star.
Smith was unconscious for several moments and was confused when he first woke up on the court surrounded by the medical staff. I look to my left, and it s a doctor, Bert told the paper. I say, What s going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. You blacked out. I said: What?
By Bill Galluccio
Long-time NCAA official
Bert Smith says that his collapse during the NCAA Basketball Tournament saved his life. Smith discussed the terrifying incident when he suddenly fell to the floor during the West Region final between Gonzaga and USC with the
Indianapolis Star.
Smith was unconscious for several moments and was confused when he first woke up on the court surrounded by the medical staff. I look to my left, and it s a doctor, Bert told the paper. I say, What s going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. You blacked out. I said: What?
Bert Smith just now finished returning the text messages.
There were 500 of them. There were ones from coaches, ones from colleagues, ones from family, one even from an NFL official he’d never met.
We’re praying for you.
We’re rooting for you.
Get better.
They poured into Smith’s phone after he collapsed on national television during Gonzaga’s eventual win over USC in a men’s Elite Eight game on March 30. 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.
By Bill Galluccio
Long-time NCAA official
Bert Smith says that his collapse during the NCAA Basketball Tournament saved his life. Smith discussed the terrifying incident when he suddenly fell to the floor during the West Region final between Gonzaga and USC with the
Indianapolis Star.
Smith was unconscious for several moments and was confused when he first woke up on the court surrounded by the medical staff. I look to my left, and it s a doctor, Bert told the paper. I say, What s going on, man? And he goes, Bert, you passed out. You blacked out. I said: What?