Bickley: Cardinals proving how a sports franchise can unite, heal a community
Nothing good comes from a bullet that claims a dedicated police officer, stealing a husband from his wife and two children.
But as the pain turns to numb, and the numb turns to strength, a grieving Valley family will feel fortunate for two things:
They will feel lucky to be part of the Thin Blue Line, the special camaraderie that courses through all police officers and their families. And they will feel fortunate that Officer David Glasser was also part of the Big Red, a card-carrying member of the Bird Gang.
This is not a trivialization of tragedy. To the contrary, the life and death of Officer Glasser is the rare soul-crushing hard news story that somehow became a sports story. His death is proof that a sports franchise can connect with a community in very personal and powerful ways.
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It started with his Twitter timeline, where his last tweet was in admiration of a local radio interview with Cardinals running back David Johnson. Like many in these parts, Officer Glasser was extremely impressed with Johnson’s humility and good nature.
That interview ended at approximately 1:20 p.m., and Officer Glasser might’ve been listening in his car, or maybe on a lunch break. Maybe he was savoring how a young football player was making him feel a little better about stuff, maybe even humanity.
He was gunned down 70 minutes later.
In recent years, the image of American police offers have been slimed by incidents gone wrong and viral. It’s become far too easy to forget these men and women are the last line of defense between us and the most dangerous, undesirable creatures on the planet.
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Things go horribly wrong in their line of work, and there can be no other way. In the past, they just weren’t caught on cellphone cameras.
In Glasser’s case, the details of fandom that preceded his killing changed the conversation. He wasn’t just another courageous officer responding to a call that might claim his life. He was a guy that was just listening to sports talk radio, maybe as an escape from the perils and stress his job provided. And like everyone else in the Valley, Officer Glasser was getting very excited for the upcoming season, including plans to travel for an out-of-town game in Miami.
Then came the visuals. As soon as his name was released, a picture of Glasser began circulating on social media. He was standing in front of a sign welcoming him to Montego Bay. He was wearing a Cardinals hat and a red T-shirt with a popular logo of head coach Bruce Arians.
Glasser was a big guy with a big sense of duty. His wingspan was such that his extended arms disappear from the picture. But he carried the unmistakable look of a man on vacation, and the look of a sports fan filled with hope and excitement for the future, proud to be representing his favorite team.
Arians said the picture “broke his heart.”
“I try not to get too emotional because every day our police officers and firefighters and emergency medical people run out and don’t know if they’re coming home,” Arians said. “They’re really the true heroes in this city. It’s not the football players and coaches. We play games.”
The following day, the Cardinals staged a private gathering at their training headquarters. It included 15-20 of Glasser’s family, a half-dozen officers in uniform, Michael Bidwill, Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Keim. The team presented Glasser’s widow, Kristen, with a sizable check, and there is a picture that captures the horribly awkward nature of the moment:
Bidwill is holding an envelope. Kristen Glasser is flanked to her right by Fitzgerald and Keim. The crushed widow is standing straight and strong, head held high, and the slain officer would be proud of the courage she is summoning.
But nobody in the snapshot is sure if they should be smiling. There is no manual for these moments. The Cardinals just knew they had to do something.
The following week, Fitzgerald quietly attended a downtown fundraiser for Officer Glasser and made his own donation.
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“Sports is something we all shared in common,” Fitzgerald said. “It was just a brief reprieve from the sorrow they are all experiencing right now. We are the team the family pulled for, and we appreciate that support they showed us. So it’s just reciprocal.”
There is no happy ending to this story, but in a small way, it’s a reflection of the Cardinals, a football team that has captured the hearts and minds of the region, connecting casual sports fans in ways rarely seen in these parts.
Glasser’s passion for the team mirrored the fanaticism of many Valley residents. It personalized him, made him relatable. It made his life and its tragic end echo even louder because, well, nobody makes more noise than Cardinals fans.
You can also bet the fallen hero will be honored again at a game in the near future, maybe even the season opener against the Patriots on Sept. 11. For we know this to be true:
Police officers take care of their own. Same with great fan bases. So rest in peace, Officer Glasser. You were fortunate to be part of both.
Reach Bickley at dan.bickley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8253. Follow him at twitter.com/danbickley. Listen to “Bickley and Marotta,” weekdays from 12-2 p.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
