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BUF at SD - Sat. 10pm ET on ESPNews Schedule

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WK
1
Fri, Dec 2
FINAL
Philadelphia
8
Halifax
18
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Vancouver
8
Toronto
19
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
San Diego
15
New York
14
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Albany
11
Buffalo
10
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Rochester
16
Georgia
11
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Colorado
6
Saskatchewan
18
WK
2
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL
Las Vegas
11
Panther City
13
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
12
San Diego
13
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Toronto
7
Rochester
11
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Vancouver
9
Calgary
11
WK
3
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
5
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Panther City
9
Las Vegas
3
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Buffalo
11
Toronto
8
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Rochester
14
Albany
13
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Philadelphia
13
Georgia
12
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Halifax
20
New York
11
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Colorado
12
Panther City
9
WK
5
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
Halifax
13
Buffalo
18
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
San Diego
17
Calgary
14
Sat, Dec 31
FINAL
Panther City
9
Saskatchewan
11
WK
6
Fri, Jan 6
FINAL
Philadelphia
14
Las Vegas
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Panther City
9
Rochester
17
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Halifax
14
Albany
11
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Buffalo
18
Georgia
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Toronto
15
New York
7
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Calgary
8
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Vancouver
11
San Diego
16
WK
7
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Albany
11
Halifax
10
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
10
Colorado
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Halifax
8
Toronto
17
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Panther City
12
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Georgia
9
Buffalo
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
San Diego
10
Calgary
14
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Las Vegas
16
Vancouver
19
Sun, Jan 15
FINAL
Rochester
11
New York
8
WK
8
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Buffalo
12
Rochester
15
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
15
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
Toronto
14
Philadelphia
5
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
New York
16
Albany
10
WK
9
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Rochester
7
Halifax
17
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Buffalo
13
Philadelphia
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Buffalo
16
New York
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Las Vegas
10
Saskatchewan
15
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL/OT
Toronto
11
Calgary
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
San Diego
13
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Panther City
20
Vancouver
7
WK
10
Fri, Feb 3
FINAL
Georgia
10
Colorado
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL/OT
Calgary
12
Halifax
11
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
New York
14
Toronto
22
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Albany
5
Philadelphia
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Rochester
10
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Panther City
10
San Diego
12
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
14
Vancouver
8
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Colorado
8
Las Vegas
13
WK
11
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Toronto
11
Georgia
10
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
13
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Halifax
14
Rochester
16
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Albany
12
New York
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Vancouver
13
Panther City
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Colorado
9
Calgary
13
WK
12
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
9
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
16
San Diego
11
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Georgia
7
Toronto
16
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
Albany
10
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
12
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Colorado
7
Panther City
13
Sun, Feb 19
FINAL
New York
12
Halifax
13
WK
13
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Panther City
12
Colorado
14
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Calgary
9
Las Vegas
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL/OT
New York
10
Rochester
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Albany
4
Georgia
20
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Vancouver
16
Saskatchewan
12
WK
14
Fri, Mar 3
FINAL
Buffalo
10
Halifax
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
New York
12
Philadelphia
19
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
San Diego
15
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Rochester
8
Toronto
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL/OT
Georgia
9
Albany
8
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
10
Panther City
16
Mon, Mar 6
FINAL
Toronto
10
Philadelphia
11
WK
15
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL/OT
Halifax
9
Buffalo
10
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL
Calgary
16
Colorado
10
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Albany
6
Toronto
12
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Philadelphia
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
San Diego
12
Saskatchewan
11
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
5
Sun, Mar 12
FINAL
Rochester
19
Georgia
18
WK
16
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
11
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
San Diego
16
Vancouver
9
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Georgia
13
Philadelphia
12
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Toronto
12
Halifax
14
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Albany
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Colorado
13
Buffalo
8
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
8
Panther City
11
Sun, Mar 19
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
9
Rochester
8
WK
17
Fri, Mar 24
FINAL
San Diego
17
Panther City
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Toronto
11
Albany
9
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Halifax
14
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Georgia
13
New York
8
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Calgary
14
Saskatchewan
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL/OT
Buffalo
7
San Diego
6
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Colorado
12
Vancouver
14
Sat, Mar 25
FINAL
Rochester
7
Las Vegas
12
WK
18
Fri, Mar 31
19:00:00
New York
Georgia
Fri, Mar 31
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Colorado
Fri, Mar 31
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sat, Apr 1
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Apr 1
20:00:00
Albany
Panther City
Sat, Apr 1
21:30:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 2
13:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Sun, Apr 2
18:00:00
Rochester
Philadelphia
WK
19
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sat, Apr 8
22:30:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
WK
20
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Georgia
Albany
Sat, Apr 15
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 15
21:30:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 15
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
WK
21
Fri, Apr 21
20:30:00
Calgary
Panther City
Sat, Apr 22
18:00:00
New York
Halifax
Sat, Apr 22
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 22
21:30:00
Colorado
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 22
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Apr 23
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Albany
WK
22
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Halifax
Georgia
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 29
22:30:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
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Stories/Op-Ed

Family First – Grandma Rush

By Stephen Stamp | NLL.com Staff Writer

Photo GetMyPhoto.ca

Even with 15,000+ roaring fans packing the SaskTel Centre every time the Saskatchewan Rush play a home game, the team has no more ardent fan than a resident of Sherwood Park, Alberta who goes by the name of Grandma Rush.

How much does Grandma Rush love her team? Well, when her grand-nephew Nolan Heavenor was playing for the Calgary Roughnecks when the Rush were formed a decade ago, folks used to assume she’d be cheering for his club because, after all, blood is thicker than water, right? “Uh-uh,” Grandma Rush asserts, “the Rush is thicker than anything.”

She’s not even remotely upset at the team for leaving Edmonton two years ago. “It was very, very sad,” Grandma admits, “but I’m so glad that they did because they didn’t get the support that they needed and Saskatoon has gone overboard—and Saskatchewan as a whole. They have treated them so good. There is a massive difference and they deserve what they got.”

With her famous “Grandma Says Rush Kick Ass” sign and her engaging personality, fans in Saskatoon have taken to Grandma Rush just as warmly as the fans in Edmonton did, even if she doesn’t get around the arena as much as she used to.

“I know in Edmonton, I would go with my sign and get people cheering, egg them on. I would go from the very bottom to the very top, every stairs, because I figured the people at the top and the special needs ones were so glad to see me, I figured their money’s just as good as the ones down below. I would do 10-12 thousand steps a night.”

She can’t do that any more because of some health issues that haven’t allowed her to get to every game in Saskatoon, but she still gets to as many games as she can and the team’s new fans appreciate her devotion just as much the fans in Alberta did.

“I’m totally amazed at the reception because after 10 years in Edmonton, I was not surprised that people knew who Grandma Rush was, but when I went to Saskatoon, I was absolutely amazed at the reception, the recognition and the acceptance I got there,” she says. “They did wonderful things. They had a special Grandma Rush night. When I was in Edmonton, they had a Grandma Rush bobblehead night. Just for example, now there’s people going around saying I wish they’d make a Grandma Rush bobblehead for Saskatchewan. They’re overwhelmingly welcoming people.”

The team even had a Grandma Rush night in Saskatoon and it was a massive hit.

“As I came on the floor, it absolutely blew me away. I’ve never been so humbled in my life. 15,000 people are there that stood up and chanted ‘Grandma Rush, Grandma Rush.’ I even get choked up now when I think of it. There’s just something about the Rush and the fans and the team and the owners, they’re just one big family.”

Grandma Rush is so charming that it’s hardly surprising the Saskatchewan fans have embraced her as though she is family, too. They often wonder which member of the team is part of her actual family, which player is her grandson.

Her answer? “I say, none of them and all of them. I adopted all of them. After every game I go down and walk behind and just give them a tap on the shoulder and either congratulate them or say better luck next time and give them a hug. I’ve kept in touch with them, even the ones that leave I keep in touch with.”

The other question that always comes up is how old Grandma Rush is. “I’ll tell you the same I tell everyone else: age is just a number. Some days I’m 10, some days I’m a hundred and I was born on June the tenth, 1931. You figure it out. I believe this year I’m going to be 86.”

Okay, there is one other question that just demands to be asked. What is your real name and how many of the players actually know it.

“Not too many,” she says with a laugh. “As a matter of fact I had a teenager come up and say to me, do you have a real name? Like are you a real person. Most everybody calls me Grandma or Grandma Rush. Since I’ve been on Facebook, yes, because they see my other name, Joyce Souka. You notice that I say ‘my other name’.”

Grandma Rush refers to her “other name” because she thinks of herself by her adopted moniker.

“I sure do,” she emphasizes. But she’s clearly not the only one, and it’s not just at lacrosse games that she gets recognized, either.

“As a matter of fact it’s amazing. I went to a soccer tournament in Calgary this weekend with my family and I was walking down the aisles and there’s people yelling, there’s Grandma Rush, there’s Grandma Rush, which amazes me cause I don’t have my sign, I don’t have my shirt on. I guess I’ve got a face you can’t forget or something.”

She certainly hasn’t been forgotten as she faces the health issues that have limited her attendance. “The team and the whole NLL has been behind me 100%, unbelievable, sending videos and cards,” Grandma Rush says. And it’s not just Saskatchewan players. Ryan Benesch sent her a stick with his best wishes for her recovery.

That’s just the kind of admiration and adoration that Grandma Rush engenders. So if you are lucky enough to get to a game in Saskatoon and Grandma Rush is there, make sure you look her up. And don’t be surprised if you quickly find yourself feeling like she’s family. That’s just the effect she has on folks. And she sees the whole NLL as one big family, too. But she will make it clear, for Grandma, the Rush are #1.

NLL