My family were Sabres fans. Especially my dad and his mother. We grew up watching games on the TV. Even caught a few in the Aud. I was pretty young, and not a hardcore follower, but I remember Mike Ramsey, Foligno, Patty LaLa and Mogilny, Hasek and the '99 run. In the dark days of the early 2000's we didn't really follow the team much. Especially since I was away at school and busy. But once I saw that Empire was replaying games late at night during the '03-'04 season, I put them on while going to bed. Many a night the Sabres were serenading me to sleep. Only... I wasn't sleeping.

I saw them playing well at the end of that season, but they were too deep in a hole to climb into a playoff spot. But I was excited for the '04-'05 season... which never came. It was agonizing to me. I had just reconnected with my youthful fandom, the team was heating up, I had access to the Empire network and the dispute dragged on until it was apparent there would be no hockey that year.

But that only made me salivate for the puck drop on '05-'06, and what a magical ride that was. I still think that Cup was ours that year if not for nigh unprecedented injuries. There's no turning back now.

Ham

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Do you believe yet?

I have always loved hockey. It's been my favorite sport since I learned of its existence, even though the only games that were ever on were the playoffs. Didn't have cable till I was fifteen.

I became a Sabres fan because after my family moved to the area when I was eleven, I was like, "HEY! I love hockey, and Buffalo has an NHL team! Score!" I started actively following the Sabres during the 2002-2003 season, the year after we moved. Picked a bad year. I have horrible timing when it comes to becoming fans of things in general. If I start to love something or someone, that thing's going to be canceled soon or that person's going to go on a crazy extended hiatus within a year, etc.

I only realized that regular season games could be viewed on TV at the beginning of the 2006-2007 season, though, by accident... Yay me.

I have been to three games: one in which they beat the Kings 12-3 or whatever in early 2003, one in which they beat the Hurricanes 5-4 in 2006 (one of the ten wins at the beginning of the season), and one in which they lost to the Senators 3-2 in 2007.

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Miles to go before I sleep

‎"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
-Khalil Gibran

I knew hockey growing up, sort of, but I became a big fan when I moved here. It was a huge transition for me at first, and by following the team and eventually living and breathing with them, it really helped me to settle in and call Buffalo home.

Since I can possibly remember, since we had season tickets from the inception of the franchise. Reds, blue line, right across the rink from Seymour and Northrup. Playing hockey in mite, squirt, pee-wee, bantom etc., we all fought for the #11, #7 and #14 jerseys of the French Connection.

But my fan-hood particularly took shape in the Think Stanley Cup year of '74-'75. I was 7 years old at the time, but vividly remember the buzz around the city being at a frenzied level. Imagine, a team in just its 5th season going to the finals...it was awesome.

I would listen to all the Sabres games in bed on my clock radio. Even the west coast games that started at 11pm I'd force myself to stay awake through at least the 1st intermission. Great times.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Started in about 1990 or so when I was about 10. Didn't really have a hockey allegiance, but I gravitated more to the Sabres of the 3 NY teams.

It was sealed when I was told that the Rangers are NYC's team, Isles are Long Island's team, and the Sabres are Upstate NY's team. (If I knew what "Western NY" was it could have been different!)

People say I should be an Islanders fan since I'm a Mets and Jets fan. But OH WELL, my love for the Sabres exceeds every team that I cheer for.

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

Same here.

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1970 - 5 years old.

Dad brought me home a Sabres pennant from a game. Still have it.

Followed them on radio (transistor - when I was supposed to be sleeping), daily newspaper standings, only a few tv (black & white) games (with a channel dial that you had to get up and change!).

Dad worked 2nd and 3rd shifts at Chevy, and he would leave me a note at breakfast with the final score.

Played lots of street hockey and "floor hockey" in elementary school classroom. During free time, we cleared the desks away and used rulers and anything available for a puck; we were Perreault, Crozier, Martin, Schony . . .

I was only 5, and I certainly don't recall it vividly(thanx to the meth), but roughly the same time frame.

really just loved hockey from about age 4 or 5 when i started playing ice hockey....started watching the sabres some time around 1980...gil perreault was my fav sabre for along time....

one of my first games i ever went to at the aud i witnessed bill hajt (big time stay at home d-man) take the puck end to end through the enitre hartford whaler team and score.....

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"It is more about them than it is about the team...Cannot play with them, cannot win with them, cannot coach with them. Can't do it. I want winners. I want people that want to win." - Mike Singletary

Tyler Myers - Future captain of the Buffalo Sabres, and future Norris Trophy Winner

Manning the machine gun on the Tyler Myers Bandwagon - just in case any teams have an idea of prying him away from us (3 GM's shot already)

Connolly/Roy - 2 goals in the last 47 playoff games

Haha, the clock radio. I used to listen to the games at night on my clock radio, until I was 7 or 8 and got a TV for my room for Christmas so I could watch the end of the games (although in hindsight, once I got to about 10, I never went to bed before they were over anyway).

But the first few years I would lay in bed with a roster clipped from the paper for each team, so I could learn all the players for each team and what position they played while listening.

Well, being born in Buffalo, and having my parents being born in buffalo, Buffalo sports were always in my blood, so anyways, I mean, I went to 4 or 5 sabres games with my dad in between the years of 97- 01, saw the Stanley Cup team, that was pretty damn cool, but like I never really got into them until the beginning of the 05-06 season because where i live now we didnt get the sabres broadcast until then. And as soon as i started watching them I have been obsessed with them ever since hahaa. I think I like them more than my dad now haha. And he has been a fan ever since their first season, he still tells me about the season tickets he had in the Orange seats at the Aud. haha

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LETS GO BUFFALO!