Gold is bittersweet for U.S.

BEIJING — The flood of emotion generated by the last 16 days finally overflowed for Hugh McCutcheon early Sunday afternoon after the U.S. men’s volleyball team won the Olympic gold medal.

His team celebrated a 3-1 win over Brazil that gave the United States its first Olympic title in 20 years. His coaching staff engulfed him near the edge of the court. Opposing coach Bernardo Rezende offered congratulations.

But then, just like that, McCutcheon - his hands over his bald scalp - was gone.

Thinking about his murdered father-in-law, recovering mother-in-law and traumatized wife and the journey his team has taken him during his four years as coach, it was finally too much for McCutcheon, who needed a moment alone.

“It’s been a very emotionally draining couple of weeks, and when we won, that cognition sunk in,” he said an hour after the victory. “The filters came down. I had to step outside, collect myself and come back. It was a very meaningful moment.”

The heartache of Aug. 9, when Todd Bachman was killed and Barbara Bachman badly wounded in a stabbing while they were sightseeing at the 13th century Drum Tower by an assailant who jumped to his death, gave way - at least for a little while - to the joy of seeing his team finish a perfect Olympic tournament.

Before watching his team receive their medals, McCutcheon called his wife, Elisabeth, in Minnesota. She flew home from China last week on a medical plane with her mother, who is continuing her recovery.

“On the one hand, I mourn the loss of my father-in-law greatly, and my heart aches for my wife and our family for the loss,” he said. “On the other hand, I am extremely proud and happy for my team and USA Volleyball as an organization and the things we’ve been able to achieve over these four years. Those are the two emotions I have. They are conflicted, obviously, but I cannot change what happened in either sphere. I can embrace what’s occurred and deal with it accordingly.”

One of the positive emotions for McCutcheon was gratification over how his team performed during the Olympics. An international also-ran until the last 12 to 18 months, the United States downed traditional powers Russia and Brazil on its way to gold.

The team’s players were thinking what their beloved coach had endured since arriving in China.

“This doesn’t bring back Todd, but he was obviously an extremely special person because the Bachmans have invested their lives with [Elisabeth] and Hugh in their volleyball,” veteran Reid Priddy said. “I know they’re happy for us, but this is a bittersweet time for them.”

Said U.S. player Richard Lambourne: “He was highly emotional after the win, and the mixture of emotions must be something that very few people fortunately have been through.”

Todd Bachman was murdered the day before the American opener against Venezuela. Without McCutcheon on the sideline, the United States lost setter/team pulse Lloy Ball to an injury and survived a five-set match.

McCutcheon missed the Americans’ first three matches but returned to the sideline when Barbara Bachman began to show progress following surgery and Elisabeth McCutcheon gave her blessing.

“With their consent and their encouragement, I was able to return,” he said. “Had the recovery not been as smooth or we had collectively decided it was not appropriate to return, I would not have come back.”

The U.S. players said as the Olympics continued, they were able to focus on volleyball while also welcoming McCutcheon back into the fold.

“That certainly entered our mind just because when we found out his father-in-law was murdered, any day that happens to anybody in your life, I’m sure most people, including us, are at a loss on how to handle that,” Lambourne said. “And then it’s the biggest tournament you’ve ever played in.

“There was the cloud hanging over us, so yes, it was certainly in our minds. It’s a testament to the work Hugh put in before the games that we were able to crawl forward. Then he was able come back and be hands-on again.”

Although the owner of a nondemonstrative demeanor during matches, McCutcheon often stands close to the court to give instruction. The United States needed it early against Brazil.

With a win in Friday’s semifinals over Russia, the Americans clinched their first medal since 1992. In the final, the world champion Brazilians scored 12 of the first 19 points and won the first set 25-20.

“We were making some uncharacteristic errors in the first set, but we settled down and got going,” McCutcheon said.

The United States jumped to an 8-0 lead in the second set and then held on as Brazil stormed back, getting as close as 21-10 before the Americans scored four of the set’s final six points.

In the pivotal fourth set, the United States broke a 9-9 tie by going on an 11-6 run and winning the set 25-21 on a Brazilian service error.

McCutcheon’s team closed out the match in come-from-behind fashion. Trailing 20-17, the Americans scored four straight points on Priddy’s serve and then closed out the match on spikes by Ryan Millar and Clayton Stanley.

“We made some plays and digs that you are lucky to see because we don’t do that during every match,” Gabe Gardner said. “Ultimately, the best team usually wins. I really felt that every one of us believed we were the best team in the tournament and if we could stick through things and keep going, we would come out on top.”

The Olympics over, reality again faces McCutcheon, who lives with his wife in Southern California. Todd Bachman’s funeral is forthcoming, and Hugh will return to Minnesota to be with his wife and mother-in-law. The Bachmans and McCutcheons have been taken aback by the worldwide response to Todd’s death.

“I live in the United States, but I have a New Zealand passport, and that’s a big part of who I am, but I feel like a global citizen,” Hugh McCutcheon said. “I can’t say enough about the support from everybody during his trying time. I’m happy we could come out with a great result and make those people proud.”