Editors note: Point/Counterpoint features two members of the Northern Star sports staff in a debate about topics in the NIU sporting world.

Jim Nokes: Best team at NIU, huh? Not much of an argument. Men’s soccer has the top seed in the MAC Tournament, the best player in the tournament, and the best goalkeeper in the NCAA.

Andy Pruski: This guy’s done his homework.

JN: I just go to every game.

AP: Well, volleyball is about to clinch the MAC West. You mention some of the best players; you have Gina Guide who is third in the nation in digs, and Kate McCullagh who is fifth in the nation in kills. Only two other teams in the nation, UCLA and Washington — both in the top ten in the nation— have accomplished this.

JN: Men’s soccer already clinched the MAC outright! They’ve been in and out of the rankings. And, they’ve played a ridiculously brutal schedule against Big Ten teams, Notre Dame and Portland.

AP: Volleyball only has two conference losses: one to Ohio, ranked No. 21 in the nation and the other to Bowling Green, which only lost to Ohio in conference.

JN: I think volleyball is pretty good. They’re gritty. They’re very much like the men’s soccer team. They have a lot of pride. Unlike watching the football team…

Ben Gross: Wait a minute here, are you guys debating what the best team at NIU is? That’s not a debate. It’s football. Look at the average attendance. Men’s soccer: maybe 100? Volleyball: 400 on a good day?

AP: 48,273 every game. People wait outside to get the score.

BG: That’s intense, but honestly, even football — which is “struggling” for attendance — is averaging more than 20,000 people per game.

JN: But that’s like looking at music by Britney Spears or N’Sync. Just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s good.

When coach Steve Simmons says our goal is to win a national championship, you believe him. In volleyball, I bet Coach Ray was fuming when they lost both of those games. It’s not, “Oh, we lost a game, but we have room to improve.”

BG: But guys, think about the media that covers football. If Joe starts showing signs of panic mode, it goes everywhere. Not knocking the other sports, but those coaches can be more honest and not get the negative press in the Tribune and the Sun Times. I’m sure Joe is yelling his guts out at the team after a loss to Western Michigan. He knows those games count.

JN: Our keeper is the best in the NCAA. He’s a Garrett Wolfe. That’s sick. He’s…we don’t have a great defensive football player so…well, he’s the Larry English of our soccer team.

BG: That’s right, football has the best running back in the nation. Plus, ask someone on campus to name a football player and they’ll give you a list. But ask them to name a soccer or volleyball player and they’ll struggle.

AP: That’s because the Northern Star doesn’t do a volleyball pull-out section.

JN: But you can go to other schools where these sports are the kings, like Portland. Soccer’s the king there.

BG: When it comes down to it, boys, we’re in the Midwest. The home of apple pies, corn and football. That’s the sport, that’s the king. It’s not fair. Volleyball and men’s soccer are doing awesome and deserve to be recognized. But the media, state legislature and everyone else asks how the football team is doing. Football brings the attention, fans and money. It’s the best sport.

JN: But once you get your foot inside that door, everyone else is pretty fun to watch.