Jurgen Klinsmann decided to give the U.S. Olympic team job to Andreas Herzog. Make that his friend Andreas Herzog. Herzog had absolutely no special soccer qualities that made him a candidate for the appointment. His previous coaching experience was hardly a recommendation, as my colleague Mike Woitalla has made clear. In fact, Herzog has one quality that should have ruled him out immediately: he is not American.

We are still waiting for a look at the new -- rewritten, and greatly condensed -- rule book. The IFAB has been making a big deal of this. I'm not about to belittle it, it is a big deal, involving a lot of work.

Johan Cruyff, dead at the far too early age of 68, will surely not be forgotten. He leaves the most wonderful memories of sublime soccer skill, of course. But not just memories -- Cruyff becomes one of the first of the soccer greats to leave a career-long record -- on film and tape and discs -- of his dazzling skills.

Are teenage players getting a fair shake?

I think it unlikely that there are many people around who would consider the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to be an up-to-date group. But, the IFAB is making an attempt, it seems. It has just approved a major rewriting of soccer's rules and David Elleray, the man in charge of the overhaul, says one of its aims is to bring the rules up to date.

I don't know about this. Someone -- one of the TV guys, I suppose -- is under the impression that, during MLS telecasts, we don't get enough of the coaches.

Not much point in mincing words over this one. In its 4-0 loss to Santos Laguna the LA Galaxy was frankly pathetic. Outplayed, out-thought, out-skilled, utterly humiliated. A night to forget for Bruce Arena and his players as the quicker, sharper Mexicans ran rings around them