Laguna Beach coach’s grandfather dies

Steve Virgen

Laguna Beach High boys basketball coach Rob Cullinan said his

grandfather, Bob, 83, died at11:30 a.m. at Hoag Hospital Thursday after

apparent complications stemming from a collapse during a basketball game

at Costa Mesa High Wednesday night.

Bob Cullinan, a diabetic, passed out in the stands behind and above

the Laguna Beach team bench with 5:28 remaining in the first quarter.

Costa Mesa Coach Bob Serven stopped the game, walked onto the court and

shouted, “Is there a doctor in the house?”

Within five minutes of the game’s stoppage, Costa Mesa paramedics and

policemen came on the scene, but they could not revive Mr. Cullinan, who

was then taken to Hoag Hospital.

A Laguna Beach supporter, Dale O’Neal, administered CPR on Mr.

Cullinan before paramedics arrived.

Coach Rob Cullinan decided to resume the game after officials and

Serven game him the option of postponing the game.

“My grandfather always told me to finish what you started,” Rob

Cullinan said Wednesday night. “He wouldn’t want me to leave the boys.”

Costa Mesa boys athletic director Kirk Bauermeister arrived after Mr.

Cullinan was taken to Hoag and said he agreed to let Rob Cullinan decide

whether to resume the game.

“Being through the Matt (Colby) situation, I found it’s better to

leave the decision to play up to the individual,” Bauermeister said.

“Whatever he wanted to do was fine with us. Some people need to mourn.

Some people need to play. There is no right way or wrong way of doing

it.”

Rob Cullinan’s team answered a 31-17 deficit with 5:30 left in the

third quarter and came back to tie the game, 43-43, with 0:34 remaining.

Costa Mesa went on to win, 48-43.

“We did a good job of fighting our way back,” Rob Cullinan said. “The

kids played really hard. It’s a no-win situation. If we win the game it

was a good decision. If we lose like we did, maybe it wasn’t a good

decision. But I made that decision and that was just the way it went.”