'I’m on the Road to Recovery:' Collapse of NCAA Tourney Ref Bert Smith Caused by Blood Clot

Posted Apr 20, 2021
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. 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. (Sports Illustrated)

Related: Other News

UCLA Stunned: No. 1 National Seed Eliminated From NCAA Baseball Tournament
UCLA went 52-8 and earned the No. 1 overall national seed. They authored one of the greatest regular seasons the sport has seen. Then, suddenly,...
Mon Jun 1, 2026

NC State's season, and coach Elliott Avent's decades-long career, ends on a pitch-clock violation
Elliott Avent has been the NC State head baseball coach since 1997 and has worked in college baseball since 1981. That career ended on Saturday,...
Sun May 31, 2026

NCAA Baseball Tournament Regional Results, Highlights and Bracket from Saturday
No. 1 UCLA Bruins 6, No. 2 Virginia Tech Hokies 5. UCLA entered the tournament as the top overall seed, but the Bruins have been...
Sun May 31, 2026

Inside the making (and future) of the latest bill to 'save' college sports
Amid the conference’s annual spring meetings along the Florida Panhandle, SEC administrators and coaches learned, while literally in their meetings, of the introduction of perhaps...
Sun May 31, 2026