There's nothing like a bit of controversy to stir up debate – as my colleague Neil Reid discovered with his blog about Brian O'Driscoll this week.

(My take on O'Driscoll? It's hard to rate his as world class, because I don't think I've seen him perform too well for Ireland in six matches against the best team in the world – the All Blacks.)

Putting O'Driscoll's ability aside however, there has been enough controversy over the last week or so to satisfy even the most bloody-minded and argumentative sports fanatic (i.e. me) among us.

LOYALTY

First up we had a newspaper columnist saying he couldn't support the All Blacks because of who was in charge.

The whole debate this column sparked staggered me. I couldn't believe a passionate Scot could possibly care more about the All Blacks than people born here.

Most of all I couldn't believe eight months after the events in Cardiff people could still be willing to put personal feelings over loyalty to the black jersey.

I have no intention of opening the Graham Henry versus Robbie Deans debate again, because the NZRU have made their decision and you, me and the angry journalist over there aren't going to persuade them otherwise.

What I'm speaking about is this 'throwing the toys out of the pram' attitude that sparked back into life post-column.

All I've heard since immigrating to New Zealand is about how important the Black jersey is. How it transcends beyond a mere game. How it's been devalued by the choice of certain players and Henry's rotation routine. How being an All Black is more than just putting on the jersey, it's an attitude and a responsibility.

Yet, because a few people don't like the people in charge, they're willing to ditch their allegiance to the national team and turn their back on players they would have still idolised if Robbie Deans were put in charge?

It's an incredible attitude to take. And I'd go as far to say the people who feel like this aren't fans of the game. They're fair-weather fans who are keen to gloat when the All Blacks are winning and are quick to criticise when they lose.

The kind of fans I learned to hate back in Scotland.

I was brought up a football man first and foremost. I supported Rangers even when they were rubbish in the early 1980s.

I didn't turn my back on my team because I disagreed with who was in charge and who was being picked to play. And believe me, when a player like Craig Paterson is the captain, I'd have been warranted. But I didn't.

I supported my team. Through thick and thin. Even when I was one of only two Rangers supporters in my school.

Even when everyone else started supporting Aberdeen because they were the best team. Boy, did I used to get some stick on a Monday morning.

It's called loyalty – something which I hold dear in everyday life, not just when it's sports related.

Don't confuse this with blind loyalty, though.

There is a place for boycotts of teams when the administrators make egregious decisions which the majority feel will damage the team. This has been successful for various football teams in the UK.

However, reappointing a coach with the best record in international rugby, and the best of any All Blacks coach doesn't, by any stretch of the imagination, count.

Even when my team were successful on the field I still felt able to criticise some of the decisions made by Rangers – including their inability to deal with the undesirable moronic element in our support.

But I still turned up to support the team when they took to the field at the weekend because they are my team and I wanted them to win.

I expected nothing less of fans of the All Blacks and have been disappointed thus far.

Maybe I'm being too hard on these people. Perhaps they're merely attention seekers who are having a last gasp whinge before returning to planet Earth.

I suspect the majority who claim to have ditched the All Blacks will quickly find out that cheering against your team is much harder said than done and will slowly come to realise those in charge matter not a jot when the players line up to do the Haka before a test.

I guess we'll find out!

BASKETBALL

Basketball New Zealand has also drawn my ire this week after its 'You're out. Wait, you're back in again' routine with the Auckland Stars.

Regardless of what actually happened (which I'm sure will come out in the wash, eventually) those in charge of the game were left looking like a bunch of amateurs who have done nothing but turn basketball in New Zealand into a laughing stock.

My sympathies lie with both Dynamos Taranaki and the Harbour Heat. Taranaki were out, then in and then out of the playoffs this week – the final decision when they were just south of Auckland.

They were mucked around and should, rightfully, be angry over the way they were treated. Hopefully they will be compensated with more than just a refund over their costs.

Tony Rampton's call for change is understandable, and hopefully this kind of ridiculousness won't be allowed to happen again.

It should also be recognised the Harbour Heat's preparation for the quarter-final was severely disrupted by the confusion over who their opponents were going to be.

I'm not sure anyone at the club would admit this, but I'd be surprised if this wasn't a factor in their loss to the Stars last night.

All in all, a very poor week for basketball in New Zealand.

So what do you make of the Auckland Stars fiasco? Are you happy to be a proud All Blacks' supporter despite a preference for Deans over Henry? Are football fans better because they support their team through thick and thin? Or, as I suspect, will normality ensue once the Tri-nations starts?

I'd appreciate your thoughts.