Two individuals long prominent in American soccer have been hit hard by the USA's World Cup fiasco -- Coach Bruce Arena and USSF President Sunil Gulati. Arena looks like the big loser. While this is not something to shed tears over -- why do something that Arena himself will not do? -- it is certainly something to ponder, something to regret.

The death of Clay Berling stirs up memories of my first days in the USA. Way back in the early 1960s I used to sit around with little groups of soccer people in New York as we discussed the sport's problems. Not enough publicity, hardly any really, ignored by the national press and television ... soccer desperately needed someone of influence, preferably with money -- a multi-millionaire or a politician, someone with clout who could get publicity for the sport. That was how we thought.

The appalling story came from Germany, just 14 days ago. It was widely reported. And it was wisely reviewed by Mike Woitalla on this website, under the headline: "Will This Be the Wakeup Call?"

I am being reluctantly forced to the opinion that official soccer's attitude to concussions entails the utmost cynicism.

It was totally right and proper that the farce of the English campaign against diving should be brutally exposed at Wembley, often called "the cathedral" of English soccer.

In no time at all we shall be getting, in MLS, the benefits of video replays to help referees make the right calls.

The tragedy that was Chuck Blazer is now over. And tragedy it assuredly was, a good man destroyed by his own excesses, a man capable of wondrous warmth and humanity who ended up vilified as The Soccer Rat.

To laugh ... or to cry? There is no middle course here, no way of dodging the utter failure of soccer's response to the concussion crisis. No way to ignore the inadequacy of the protocol, no way to pretend you haven't noticed the pathetic hesitancy of referees when confronted with head injuries.

The trial of video-assistance for referees currently under way at the Confederations Cup in Russia cannot be said to have cleared anything up. There remains a good deal of confusion.

It was Pele who started the "soccer is beauty" theme. He titled his autobiography -- one of them, anyway -- "My Life and the Beautiful Game."

Tab Ramos has been talking in glowing terms of his team and its adventures at the Under-20 World Cup in the Republic of Korea. Certainly, there is plenty that looks good. Winning its group, getting to the quarterfinal. Listen up: "We built a team with confident players who were there to win the tournament ..." Followed by "We could have won it."

Meet Sorin Stoica. Maybe you've seen him in action during MLS games. Not a highly paid or widely acclaimed player, though. A referee. A rather unusual referee, it seems.

I note, with considerable exasperation tempered by sadness, that Scottish soccer is experimenting with a marvelous new scheme for eliminating diving from their game.

I am still finding it difficult to come to terms with the extraordinary way in which coaches have come to dominate our game. Have hijacked it, in fact.

Arsene Wenger should stay. That's what I think. And I think that way because I respect his unflinching devotion to skillful and entertaining soccer.