It never pays to have too much sympathy for a rugby coach at the professional level.
Like the players, the coaches are 100% fair game. They are well paid, well resourced and well supported, and their job is to deliver success.
If they fail, they have to expect criticism. As long as it isn't unduly personal, or in the form of spitting or non-metaphorical stones, that's perfectly reasonable.
They have to take the good with the bad. For every win, there is a loss. For every glorious success, there is a crushing disappointment. For every smart move, there is a blunder.
Someone once said there were two types of coaches: those who had been sacked, and those who were waiting to be sacked. In his latest book, Chris Laidlaw compares a coach to a used car: it depreciates the second it rolls off the lot.
Still, while outright sympathy for the men in the top positions should be avoided, it is impossible to ignore the element of slight unfairness inherent in the job.
It is unfair that some consider John Hart an abject failure as All Black coach, based on the unthinkable five-test losing streak in 1998 and the World Cup collapse against France a year later, when he coached the first New Zealand team to win a series in South Africa and his 1997 team was arguably one of the five best in All Black history.
It is unfair that Graham Henry might end his All Black coaching career with a winning rate of about 80%, yet he will be judged solely on two World Cup tournaments.
It is unfair that the freshest memories of Steve Martin's Otago tenure, the horrific 10th placings, cloud Martin's fine debut season and his nourishment of Ben Smith and Adam Thomson.
And yes, it is even unfair that the snapshot biography of Glenn Moore's Highlanders coaching career, assuming it ends soon, will read "11th, 11th and 12th" and not "beat the Crusaders twice, developed the next great All Black fullback, managed to hold on to the bulk of a squad for three years".
But that's the way it is. It's a tough job at which only tough people can survive for long.
Moore's future is in the balance because of his results. And while there may be change at the Highlanders - with Jamie Joseph or the Southland pair of Simon Culhane and Dave Henderson getting their chance - what won't change is the demand for success. Fairly or unfairly, that's what matters most.
• Jumping through hoops
If there is an example of a bigger chasm between crowd support and performance than the Nuggets in Otago sport, then my name is Harry Houdini.
Bizarrely, while the Nuggets are plummeting towards new levels of historic suckery, their fan base only seems to be growing.
It helps having a warm new stadium - and the promotion to get in free and donate on the way out was smart - but there is still no logical explanation why more than 2000 people give up their Saturday nights and their ability to speak the next day to cheer on such an awful team.
There is clearly an appetite for the sport in the city, and those who have gone to a game have obviously enjoyed the atmosphere, the intensity and the exhilaration of the great sport of basketball.
But consider this: how popular could the Nuggets get if they actually won a few games?
• An oar-ful situation
Brickbats to both Rowing Otago and the North End club for turning the Otago rowing awards into a farce last week.
Hamish Bond is a world champion, a Halberg Award winner, a multiple national champion and the New Zealand rower of the year. He should have been named the Otago rower of the year, no contest.
North End did not even nominate Bond - words fail me - and Rowing Otago claimed it could only consider rowers who had been officially nominated. Bond was given a patsy "honour" instead.
This is a ridiculous situation that makes both organisations look foolish. North End should have nominated Bond, and Rowing Otago judges should be allowed the discretion to consider rowers who were mistakenly not nominated.
For awards to have credibility, they must recognise the best. That palpably wasn't the case in this situation.
• A blow for feminism
New Zealand Cricket has a great handle on how to promote the White Ferns, our excellent women's team that made the final of the world twenty/20 tournament recently.
An NZC email reached the inbox this week but thank goodness it had nothing to do with Nicola Browne's fast bowling or Sara McGlashan's power hitting or Suzie Bates' magnificent blend of skills.
No, this was all about the only reason people can possibly be interested in women's sport: hot chicks.
"Watkins runner-up in Sexy Sportswoman poll!" the email blared.
It went on to report White Ferns captain Aimee Watkins had finished behind only BMX star Sarah Walker in a poll of the sexiest women in sport.
NZC general manager Geoff Allott said his organisation was "thrilled" with Watkins' "achievement".
I have nothing left to say.
• Words of inspiration
Dunedin football fan Chris Mason has won a new car for coming up with a slogan for the All Whites in South Africa.
"Kickin' it Kiwi style" was considered the best New Zealand entrant in a competition sponsored by Hyundai.
Slogans were found for all 32 nations competing this month and ranged from the predictable to the ridiculous:
Algeria: Star and crescent with one goal - victory!
Argentina: Last stop - glory.
Australia: Dare to dream, advance Australia.
Brazil: The whole of Brazil is in here!Cameroon: The Indomitable Lions are back.
Chile: Red is the blood of my heart, Chile will be champion.
Denmark: All you need is a Danish team and a dream.
England: Playing with pride and glory.
France: All together for a new dream in blue.
Germany: On the road to get the cup!Ghana: The hope of Africa.
Greece: Greece is everywhere!Honduras: One country, one passion, five stars in the heart.
Italy: Italian Azzurro on African sky.
Ivory Coast: Elephants, let's fight for victory!
Japan: The Samurai spirit never dies! Victory for Japan!
Mexico: It is time for a new champion!
Netherlands: Don't fear the big five, fear the Orange 11.
Nigeria: Super Eagles super fan united we stand.
North Korea: 1966 again! Victory for DPR of Korea!
Paraguay: The Guarani lion roars in South Africa!
Portugal: One dream, one purpose - Portugal victorious!
Serbia: Play with the heart, lead with a smile!
Slovakia: Shake the green field - go Slovakia!
Slovenia: With 11 brave hearts to the end.
South Africa: One nation, proudly united under one rainbow.
South Korea: The shouts of reds, United Republic of Korea.
Spain: Hope is my road, victory my destiny.
Switzerland: C'mon Switzerland!
Uruguay: The sun shines upon us. Go Uruguay!
USA: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of victory!
