Earlier in the day, Ryan Miller had seemed weary of it all. The Sabres goalie had the distracted air of an athlete who was tired of talking about himself and wanted to get on with his old routine, a man who wanted nothing more than to be with his teammates.

It was understandable. For 10 days, Miller had been the focus of the Olympics, a new

American hero. He took a nation and a hockey-mad community on an unforgettable ride, one that

fell just short of a gold medal. But now it was time to put the silver medal in the drawer and

move on.

But there was one more piece of business for Miller to attend to before returning to the

business of a potential Stanley Cup playoff run. This didn't involve him saying a thing, but

being welcomed home by an adoring and appreciative home crowd before Wednesday's game against

the Washington Capitals.

The noise in HSBC Arena began to build during the U.S. national anthem, when scattered

chants of "USA, USA" began rising from the sellout crowd. It rose steadily, reaching a

crescendo just before the anthem singer came to the words "home of the brave."

The Sabres and Capitals players skated to their respective positions, awaiting the opening

faceoff. Then all of the Olympic medalists with Western New York ties were announced to the

crowd. American hockey players Ryan Callahan, Brooks Orpik and Patrick Kane, bobsledder Steve

Mesler, Finland's Toni Lydman, who won bronze ...

The crowd noise began to intensify again as each Olympian was introduced, knowing what was

coming.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, assistant for Canada's gold medal winners, got a rousing ovation

from the home fans. Ruff waved to the crowd, as his image lingered on the big video board

above center ice.

Then the crowd rose up and roared in unison, drowning out the announcement of Miller's

name. They stood for at least a minute, waiting for Miller to acknowledge them. He bent

forward in his crease, his head down, as if waiting for a gust of wind to pass over. He stood

and gave a quick wave with his catching glove. Finally, he raised his stick in the air.

It was a great Buffalo sports moment, a collective thank-you that Miller won't soon forget.

The people let him know how much they appreciated what he had done for his country, his

community and his sport, and for carrying himself with dignity and intelligence.

But in a way, they were thanking him for sticking around. Two years ago, there was

speculation that Miller would play out his contract and test the waters as a free agent after

the 2008-09 season. People figured he would go home to Michigan and play with the Red Wings.

But he signed a new five-year deal a year ahead of time.

Buffalo fans have been burned a lot in recent years by mercenary pro athletes —

Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, Jason Peters. Miller decided not to play the free-agent game. He

said he wanted to stay here, and he meant it. Miller wanted to remain with "the boys" and

finish what they began as kid pros in Rochester.

Miller made this his adopted hometown, and the people love him for it. Western New Yorkers

don't ask much from their athletes in return. They want an honest effort.

They want you to think of Buffalo as a decent place to call home. And, of course, they like

it when a player relates to the fans' world.

"It was a very cool experience to come home and hear how people were so engaged," Miller

said. "They were glued to their TV sets, getting into it, jumping off the couch. I've heard a

lot of stories about people getting together in large groups for parties."

"Our fans have always been great," he said. "They've always supported my Olympic endeavors,

even when I was on the taxi squad and wasn't on the team."

Miller recalled how the arena fans booed Robert Esche here in 2006 after Esche was selected

ahead of Miller for the '06 Olympic team. It was impressive, hearing him retrieve that one out

from the memory bank, and you know the fans appreciate it.

He had a brilliant individual Olympics, winning MVP. But Miller is a team player, which is

why he grew uneasy with the incessant media attention. He wanted the focus directed back at

his team and its Stanley Cup possibilities. Miller made it clear that the Sabres need to "ramp

up" their game in the weeks ahead.

In the end, maybe that's what Buffalo fans admire most about Miller, that he's a team

player who happens to play the most important position in his sport. Ruff said Miller should

gain confidence from his performance in Vancouver. It also should make him a more confident

leader, a player the fans feel they can trust.

The medals are put away. It was one heck of a ride, wasn't it? The applause was gratifying.

But goalies are creatures of habit, and Miller is probably happy to get back to his old

routine.

He could use a few days' rest and a chance to wind down. Remember, he did say a a couple of

months ago that he expected to be playing hockey in June.