Volleyball victory brings some comfort

Volleyball victory brings some comfort
August 11, 2008

BEIJING — With the crowd screaming and their emotions swirling, members of the U.S. men's volleyball team formed a circle on the Capital Gymnasium floor and did something unprecedented.

They didn't speak.

The solemn moment of silence contrasted sharply with the hugs and smiles that came Sunday when Clay Stanley's blocked spike fell out of bounds, finally sealing the U.S.' opening five-set victory over Venezuela.

Yet the tribute was a necessary exercise in exorcising grief as players and coaches struggled with the death of Todd Bachman, father-in-law of coach Hugh McCutcheon.

Bachman was fatally stabbed Saturday and his wife, Barbara, was seriously injured by Tang Yongming, a local man who then committed suicide by leaping off the 13th Century Drum Tower. The Bachmans had visited the tourist spot with their daughter, Elisabeth, a volleyball gold-medal winner who married McCutcheon in 2006. Barbara Bachman was upgraded to stable condition Monday, according to U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Volleyball officials.

The team spoke to McCutcheon via conference call Saturday night from the Olympic Village. Players and coaches then spoke eloquently about how much their victory would mean to their gregarious leader, who remained at the hospital Sunday while assistant Ron Larsen led the team.

"Obviously to hear his voice and get leadership from him meant a tremendous amount to myself and the guys," said captain Tom Hoff, a former Chicagoan. "He just told us it will be difficult. But together we're going to be much stronger."

Players and coaches told McCutcheon to take as much time as he needs.

"You can't put a timetable on something like this," outside hitter Riley Salmon said. "He knows we need him. I'm sure his interests are conflicted. He'll be back when he's ready."

After processing the initial shock, players were immediately concerned for their own family members. But after speaking with security officials, team members stressed they feel safe.

"We didn't know if it was something related to U.S. athletes or USA Volleyball or a random act of violence, which we now know it was," Ball said. "My wife always puts things in perspective. She said, 'Bad things happen in Ft. Wayne, Indiana,' where we're from, every day. But we still go to Coney Island downtown. We still go get gas. We still go to Wal-Mart.

"And that's how you have to live your life. And while your thoughts are prayers are with the family — Hugh, Elisabeth, the Bachmans — they would want us to continue on this journey we started."

So that's what Team USA will do.

"[McCutheon's] a wonderful, passionate, loving coach who cares about his team and about what we're trying to build and develop here," Larsen said.

"He's sorely missed."