Un-Foulkeing-believable

Last night it was just a whisper from WTAM Indians beat reporter Mark Schwab. This morning it's a full-fledged roar: Cleveland Indians purported closer Keith Foulke has retired.

Cleveland.com's Indians message board is blowing up. Someone on the ESPN.com Indians message board wants to know why we are cursed. (Hellooooo???) Cleveland.com finds itself playing catch-up on the story after Schwab beat it. ESPN.com has finally made it one of its headlines. Bloggers (Vinny and the Hornless Rhino, Papa Cass, Swerb's Blurbs) are chiming in.

Here's some of the best comments heard in cyberspace today:

"Classy move by the front office letting Foulke come back to retire as an Indian" -- mikejunkin55 on the Cleveland.com Indians forum

"Seriously, this Foulke thing really gets under my skin. Why is it this stuff only happens in Cleveland? Why?? ... It sucks to be a Cleveland sports fan!" -- Regal on the ESPN.com Indians forum

"It's not LeCharles Bentley's torn patella tendon, but it's still not the best news to start Spring Training, is it?" -- The Hornless Rhino

"Well that was quick." -- Rich Swerbinsky, Swerbs Blurbs

"One still has to wonder about the initial psychological blow of losing a former World Series-winning closer on the second day of spring training. Very LeCharles Bentley of him." -- Eric Cassano, aka Papa Cass

Leave it to the Cleveland sports scene to knock LeBron James out of the headlines before anyone can even read about his 38-point effort and 18-of-22 free-throw shooting while outdueling Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, 114-108 last night. After all the hand-wringing over the Cavs since the calendar turned to 2007, they go into the All-Star break at 31-22, just a half-game worse than last year's record. But who cares, Keith Foulke has retired!!!