Opting Out: Bad For The Irish, Good For Everyone Else?
- Erich Pilcher
- 23 minutes ago
- 3 min read
“Often those who criticise others reveal what they themselves lack.”- Shannon Adler.
Notre Dame Athletics draws intense attention in college sports. For fans, the history and expectation of excellence fuel loyalty; for detractors, they provide frequent criticism. Words like 'irrelevant' and 'overrated' can leave wounds that last for decades.
On December 7th 2025, the Notre Dame Football Team declined an invitation to presumably play the Brigham Young Cougars (BYU) in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. This decision was made after Notre Dame was left out of the College Football Playoff, despite being ranked in the top 10 week after week, until the final week, when they were bumped down two spots, and a team that lost in embarrassing fashion less than 24 hours earlier (the Alabama Crimson Tide) stayed in their recent spot of nine.
When this occurred, Notre Dame made a significant impact in the sports world. Analysts, including Stephen A. Smith, argued Notre Dame should join a conference and criticized the University's response. Other commentators echoed these views, claiming the decision could affect the game.
Fast forward to March 15th 2026, Selection Sunday. This grand day is when the participants for both the men’s and women’s NCAA Division One Basketball tournaments are announced. Every year, there are snubs and those left out that feel they should have been included; this year was no exception. However, four teams took it a step further.
Indiana, Belmont, San Diego State, and Florida State declined invitations to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), which is for the next 32 teams not selected for the NCAA Tournament. In past years, the NIT was once even more significant than the NCAA Tournament. Notre Dame supporters expected critics to react to these teams as they did to Notre Dame's decision, anticipating outcries of selfishness or brand attacks aimed at these schools for opting out, just as Notre Dame experienced.
Over a week has passed, yet there is still no hint of public criticism toward these teams. This contrasts sharply with the strong reaction Notre Dame received.
All things being equal, being invited to NIT and then being declined is nothing new. They have been happening for as long as I can remember. The table below lists the metrics the Selection Committee uses to determine which teams advance to the tournament. There are some metrics, such as Indiana's 38th-ranked Strength of Schedule (SOS), that would make you raise an eyebrow. Then it is diminished by their 218th-ranked out-of-conference SOS (out of 362 teams). With all four of these teams, the minuses outweigh the pluses.
Also, there were many bid stealers this year. These are teams that would not make the tournament but won their conference tournament, which earns them an automatic bid. Couple that with Miami of Ohio being 31-1 and not winning their conference tournament with a suspect resume, and this created an unheralded situation for the committee.
Personally, I did not admonish these teams for sitting out because, at the end of the day, it is their choice. Just as it was for the Notre Dame Football team. I will also say I didn’t see any prominent Irish supporters attack them or question their character either.
The fact is, Notre Dame is not irrelevant; they are not overrated. As a matter of fact, they are needed. These individuals, including ESPN, Stephen A. Smith, Dan Dakich, ON3, Pat Forde, and the countless social media pundits, need Notre Dame to maintain their own relevance. They know that the moment they say those two words, they get more clicks, views, and conversations.
Notre Dame bears the weight of high expectations in college sports. This also attracts prominent critics, ready to offer their opinions.
What they do not realize is that Notre Dame is built to withstand them. Bullets weakened with hypocrisy; disingenuous statements merely make flesh wounds, and that is what has been exposed over the past week. All detractors of Notre Dame are just chasing clout, attempting to tarnish the Golden Dome we hold dear. And using it to prop up their own paper popularity.
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