[OFF THE POST] Fans of German club Schalke 04, fed up with the poor play of former German international Kevin Kuranyi, rejoiced when the club reported on its Web site next week that his contract had been terminated and he had been released. The story proved to be false when the club announced that a computer hacker had broken into the Web site and posted the phony story.

The Brazilian-born Kuranyi said he was eating dinner with my wife and two friends when the story hit the web.

"We were sitting together relaxed and eating," he said. "Therefore my cell phone was on silent. Later, I glanced quickly at the screen and saw that I had numerous missed calls and umpteen texts. 'What is up with you?' almost everyone said. I didn't know any details, so I phoned a very good friend of mine. He told me about the incident on the Schalke homepage, but in the same breath said that it was all a hoax."

Schalke shut down its web site for 24 hours to boost security.

Germany coach Joachim Low says Kuranyi will not play for the national team as long as he is in charge. Kuranyi walked out on the team at halftime of a World Cup qualifier against Russia last fall after having failed to make the gameday squad.