Bowling Green State University Athletics
Ex-Northside Player Reaching For Stars At BGSU
January 08, 2004 | Football
Jan. 8, 2004
By Chris Deighan, Telegraph Staff Writer - If you think former Northside running back Daniel Sayles went far from home to attend college and play football at Bowling Green (Ohio) State University, you don't know the half of it.
"I want to go to Mars," the Falcons linebacker and physics major said while in town for a holiday visit.
Excuse me?
"I want to work with NASA in the space program," he declare. "Be one of those people that figures out how to get people on Earth up to Mars."
It's understandable then that Sayles preferred watching CNN over OSU Saturday night. After all, Sayles saw the Buckeyes up close and personal when he turned in a 10-tackle performance for the Falcons in a loss on Sept. 20. What he hadn't done is see the explorer "Spirit" make a successful landing on the surface of Mars.
"Since I was a little kid, I've always been interested in stars and things like that," Sayles said. "We're using up all the natural resources on Earth pretty quickly so I'd like to go up there and use some of theirs."
Sayles, a junior, started five games at linebacker this year before rupturing a hamstring tendon in his right leg. He still contributed on special teams, however as the Falcons compiled a 10-3 season record and earned a spot in the Motor City Bowl.
Sayles returned to the starting lineup for the bowl game and helped the Falcons beat Northwestern 28-24.
"I'm real happy getting a ring this year. I've never got one of those in my life," Sayles said.
Bowling Green also beat Purdue in the regular season, making it 2-1 against teams from the Big Ten. The Falcons were one of several Mid-American Conference teams to spend time in the national spotlight this year.
"I believe that the MAC is an underrated conference," Sayles said. "We can play with anybody in the country ... Not many teams would just outright embarass us."
Sayles made his way to Bowling Green partly by accident, partly by timing. The Falcons staff was recruiting another player when they saw Sayles on film and decided to pay him a visit. When they arrived, Sayles said he was just coming out of the weight room.
"I looked pretty good," he laughed.
He looked good at the Northside basketball game with Crisp County Dec. 30, also. Decked out in a suede jacket with Bowling Green colors (orange and brown) and insignia, Sayles showed that college and Ohio agree with him.
"There's nothing like being a Falcon," he said. "Nothing like it."
