Representation often can have a positive impact, and a great example of that came in a 2019 interaction between then-Orlando Pride defender Carson Pickett and then-21-month-old fan Joseph “JoJo” Tidd. Both were born without a left forearm, and their limb-bump after a game drew an incredible amount of attention:
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That included even a profile by NBC’s Today. And now, five years later, that moment has been recreated, with Scripps Sports’ new NWSL on ION studio show reuniting Tidd and Pickett (who now plays for Racing Louisville FC) in a feature that will air during their prematch show Saturday night (7 p.m. ET) ahead of Pickett’s team taking on the Portland Thorns in the first half of ION’s Saturday Night Soccer doubleheader (beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET). Here’s a teaser for that feature, which was set up as a regular interview for Pickett before Tidd was brought in:
Tonight's Saturday Night Soccer NWSL doubleheader on ION (@IONNWSL ) has a notable feature on the pregame show (7 p.m. ET). That sees Racing Louisville's Carson Pickett reunited with young fan Joseph "JoJo" Tidd, who was also born without a left forearm. pic.twitter.com/RGQVxwCoT9
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 30, 2024
There are some sweet comments in there from Pickett, including “This relationship with Jojo has definitely meant the world to me. I feel like from the first time I met you, you were only, like, three, but the second you saw my arm, you knew that we were the same. …And you were so young, and I was so old, so to be able to share that moment with you, even though you were so young, was one of the coolest things ever.” And Tidd says “When I always look at my lucky fin, it always, reminds me of you.” Pickett then says “Aw, I love that, I feel the same, because the first time I really met anyone missing an arm was you. So now we can always be lucky fin friends for life.”
This is solid storytelling from the Scripps Sports team behind ION’s NWSL broadcasts, and it fits with what Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor previously told AA about their goal to make NWSL coverage stand out with this weekly dedicated studio show. Lawlor chimed in on this on Twitter/X as well:
I am very proud that @ScrippsSports is bringing @EWScrippsCo storytelling to our @NWSL broadcasts. Don't miss this great story Saturday night in our pre-match coverage at 7pm on @iontv https://t.co/UgA6Nd4zsj
— Brian Lawlor (@lawlor_scripps) March 29, 2024
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