Herron protested vehemently when referee Terry Vaughn disallowed a stoppage-time equalizer by Gonzalo Segares after referee assistant George Gansner raised his flag for offside. Herron jostled both officials.

The suspension equals a six-game ban imposed on goalkeeper Thomas Ravelli, who deliberately kicked a ball and struck a referee during his only MLS season in 1998, as the longest meted out by MLS.

AFTERMATH. Another, subtler, form of discipline is to trade a player, and for whatever reason Kansas City coach Bob Gansler has traded Diego Gutierrez to Chicago in exchange for Will John.

Gutierrez, 33, earned $120,000 last season and had been unhappy with his salary. The Wizards declined to renew his option last month. He played for Chicago from 1998 to 2001.

Gansler clashed with Gutierrez in mid-season, sat him down for two games, and often used him as a a substitute during the remainder of the season. Chicago opened up cap space by lopping Lubos Reiter off its roster. He earned $170,000 in base salary last year.

FLANK FORAYS. Are there any more doubts that MetroStars coach Mo Johnston is eager to upgrade his options out wide?

Scottish midfielder Peter Canero, depicted as a "right-sided player" in the official press release, has arrived after failing to stick with Dundee United and Leicester City. The Metros have also traded with Columbus for former U.S. international midfielder Chris Henderson in exchange for former U.S. under-20 international Tim Ward, who played left back and some left mid last year for the Metros when he wasn't injured. His injuries forced him to sit out the FIFA World Youth Championships. At Columbus, Ward reunited with Coach Sigi Schmid, the former U.S. U-20 coach.

With Jeff Agoos having retired and Sergio Galvan Rey having departed for Colombia, there's already a much different look in Metroland. Midfielder Amado Guevara, whom according to sources has been dangled in trades since August with no takers, has angered team management by playing for Montagua in his native Honduras but is expected to report for preseason training Feb. 1.

ARVIZU OUT OF TOWN? Not among the U.S. under-17 players announced as signed by MLS is David Arvizu.

He has been pondering an offer from MLS and has also been contacted by foreign clubs, including teams in Mexico, and is reportedly on trial south of the border.

Arvizu was born in the United States but his family is from Mexico. He played for the Pateadores club team before joining the U.S. under-17 residency program at age 16 in the fall of 2004. His father's quest for a pro playing career ended when he suffered a broken leg when struck by a car in Leon.

Defender Blake Wagner and forward Josmer Altidore, who played with Arvizu at the U-17 World Championship in Peru last year, have signed with MLS.

AND SIGI, TOO? Crew coach Sigi Schmid, who has already added Chilean defender Marcos Gonzalez and Ugandan defender Joel Kitamirike, has been in Brazil this week, reportedly scouting for a striker.

Gonzalez, 25, counts as a senior international and Kitamarike, 21, will be classified as a youth international. Gonzalez has played five times for the Chilean national team; Kitamarike has trained in the Chelsea youth system and also spent some time in Scotland with Dundee United.