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The all star ballot was released Thursday without Yi Jianlian on it. The speculation is that the NBA fears the voting power of the Chinese fans.

The 20 year old Milwaukee Bucks power forward has been impressive in his first month as a pro, scoring 11 points a game with 6.9 rebounds. He starts for the Bucks, replacing Charlie Villanueva in the starting lineup, who is on the All Star balloting.

Yi's absence from the All Star game was all of Chinese newspapers Friday. Titan Sports Weekly said in an editorial.:

"The NBA does not dare to put Yi Jianlian on the ballot because the voting power of Chinese fans is too big.

If the NBA put Yi Jianlian on the ballot without careful consideration ... he would surely start for the East.

The NBA fears that if a guy like Yi becomes an All Star and only scores two points in the game, they would lose the meaning of the All Star (game)."

The editorial referred to what happen with Yao Ming in 2003. Despite having a good season, Shaquille O'neal was still the dominant center in the west and Yao was still voted in front of his for the All Star game. This shocked players and fans alike. Yao has made the All Star team every year since, with large support from Chinese fans.

I actually like this move by the NBA. Not to take anything against Yi, but he is not an All Star yet. He would have surely been voted as the starter over move deserving power fowards in the East like Kevin Garnett for example.

Barry Bonds indicted

You've most likely seen the last of Barry Bonds in the Major leagues. After his indictment yesterday Bonds likely will get any offers to play next year. Regardless of the fact that he is still a free agent.

A lot of people have obviously been quick to bury Bonds because they believed that he was guilty all along. A lot of people have also accused the FBI of being motivated to pursue Bonds based on race. It is definitely something that needs to be considered when you think about that fact that Bonds has been the only MLB player who has been indicted and assuming that he did use steroids, he most definitely is not the only guy who used to them. At this point, in baseball if you DONT use steroids you are selling yourself short.

I normally hate when people play the race card but it just may be appropriate in this situation. You have to take into consideration, the fact that there are guys who are known steroids users and have not been indicted and some are even still playing. Everyone assumed that Mark McGwire used steroids so if thats the case, why isn't he being investigated. Paul Byrd and Jason Giambi have both been caught and they are still playing.

So do you believe that race played any significant role in this investigation?

Alex Rodriguez returns to the Yankees

Alex Rodriguez will be returning to the Yankees after they agreed to a deal and even though it not the $300 million that Rodriguez and his agent Scott Boras were looking for, it is still the largest contract in sports history. A-Rod and the Yanks have agreed to a preliminary contract. According to sources the contract is a 10-year, $275 million contract. Thats a ridiculous check.

This eclipses A-Rods last contract which was 10 years for $252 million, given to him by the Texas Rangers. That was contract that Rodriguez opted out of and was controversially announced during game 4 of the World Series. This contract will keep Rodriguez in pinstripes until he is 42.

The contract has not be finalized yet but it is getting there. Rodriguez will also get paid higher in incentives if he breaks Barry Bonds home run record.

Derek Jeter in tax trouble

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, has been accused of not paying his taxes. This could cost the , the captain of the Yankees millions in back taxes.

New York tax officials say Derek Jeter should have been taxed as a state resident from 2001-03. Jeter claims that he is a Florida resident but he is accused of using his Florida address to avoid paying the high New York taxes.

Pay your taxes people, they will come for you.

Mets sign Yorvet Torrealba

The Mets can check off one more thing from their offseason shopping list when they signed Colorado Rockies free agent catcher Yorvet Torrealba, The New York Post reported Thursday. Torrealba isn't the best catcher in the world but there were not many catchers available this offseason and Torrealba is definitely capable of handling a pitching staff.

The Mets could make the official announcement as early as Friday.

#2 seed Ducks lose in Arizona

The season of upsets continues in college football. Five of the last seven weeks, the #2 team has gone down to an unranked team.

The Oregon ducks lost big last night. Not in terms of the score but first they lost they're superstar QB Dennis Dixon. Dixon, who many believed was the Heisman Trophy frontrunner, left the game during the first quarter when it his knee buckled under him. He was not hit, he just went down and at first glance it didn't look like anything but it turned out to be bad enough that he would leave the game and not return.

The Oregon Ducks were ranked 2 in the country going into this game. The Ducks seemed to be destined to fall into the # 2 curse this year. Here are the teams that lost:

Oct. 6th - USC loses to Stanford

Oct. 13th - California loses to Oregon st

Oct. 18th - South Florida loses to Rutgers

Nov. 3rd - Boston College loses to Florida st

Nov. 15th - Oregon loses to Arizona

I feel sorry for whoever gets the #2 spot next.

Barry Bonds indicted on federal Perjury and Obstruction of Justice charges

Barry Bonds was indicted Thursday for perjury and obstruction of justice. Bonds was charged with lying when he told a federal grand jury that he did not knowingly use performance-enhancing drugs.

The indictment read:

"During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances for Bonds and other athletes."

Bonds, who is a free agent, passed Henry Aaron this year to become baseballs all time home run king. The indictment comes as a surprise to many including John Burris, one of Bonds' attorneys. "I'm surprised" said Burris. "but there's been an effort to get Barry for a long time. "I'm curious what evidence they have now they didn't have before."

I'm curious just like him. I really thought we were done with all the Bonds talk about steroids but hopefully now we will be able to find out now once and for all.

Peavy wins NL Cy Young Award in unanimous vote

Its unanimous, Jake Peavy is the NL CY award winner. Peavy accomplished the pitchers version of the triple crown this year, leading the NL in wins, ERA and strikeouts. The San Diego Padres ace went 19-6 while leading the entire MLB in ERA with 2.54 and strikeouts with 240. Peavy's year was ridiculous.

Peavy received all of the 32 first place votes. He finished the balloting with 160 first place votes. Last years winner Brandon Webb came in a distant second with only 94 votes.

Not to take away from Peavy's accomplishment in anyway but Peavy had the chance to put the Padres in the playoffs. This is your ace, this is the guy you want to be pitching the big game. What does Peavy do, he gives up six runs and ten hits in 6 and 1-3. Brandon Webb's team at least made the playoffs. I always think that coming through in the clutch should count for something but oh well.. Congrats to Jake Peavy on winning the award. Better luck next year.

Williams reinstated after 18-month suspension

After considering the status of Ricky Williams reinstatement for over a month, NFL commissioner reinstated the Miami Dolphins running back to the NFL according to a report by ESPN. Williams has been out of the league for 18 months for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. He repeatedly tested positive for marijuana.

Despite William's problems in the past, Williams apparently went to a Boston area treatment center for various issues including social anxiety disorder. Doctors at this treatment facility have been very supportive of Williams' potential return to the NFL.

Here is the timeline of Ricky Williams events since he initially "retired" from the NFL in 2004:

June '05 - Reinstated to the NFL

December '05 - Failed a drug test

April '06 - Suspended from the league for a year

April '07 - Failed drug test again (reinstatement delayed)

November '07 - To be reinstated

So this immediately asks the question, should the Dolphins take him back. Coach Cam Cameron has been very vague with this issue and hasn't said that he wants Ricky Williams to be a distraction for the team but with the Dolphins being the only remaining winless team in the NFL, Williams can only help. If they don't decide to bring him back then I'm sure there will be teams interested with the current shortage or quality RB's in the league.

If you ran the Dolphins would you reinstate Williams?

What kind of trade value does Marbury have?

Has the Starbury era ended in New York? It definitely looks like it right now.

Stephon Marbury left the Knicks on a 6 am flight back home Tuesday. The short handed Knicks lost to the Suns as well 113-102 in Phoenix last night. When he got back he reportedly sent two text messages to the NY Post saying that he had permission to leave from coach Isiah Thomas.

According ESPN, a person close to the team stated that Marbury's rage began when Eddy Curry told Marbury that he and Marbury were being pulled from the starting lineup against the Suns. After hearing that, Marbury immediately went to meet with Thomas. Five minutes later, an angry Marbury told his teammates that if wasn't starting, he wasn't going to play.

"Isiah has to start me," Marbury fumed, according to the source. "I've got so much (stuff) on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can (get) me. But I'll (get) him first. You have no idea what I know."

Stephon Marbury has traditionally been a loser his entire career. Hes a great player but whenever a team acquires him, they always either start losing or continue losing.

Marbury actually would have some trade value though. According to ESPN reporter, Chris Sheridan, "If you are the owner or the general manager of a team looking to rebuild, one of the best assets you can have is a contract worth $21.1 million coming off your salary cap in the summer of 2009 when there will be a bumper crop of free agents that could include many of the players from the 2004 draft class who did not agree to contract extensions prior to the Oct. 31 deadline, including Andre Iguodala, Emeka Okafor, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon."