AP Sports SummaryBrief at 12:59 p.m. EST

Sports unraveled, collided with politics, racism in 2022

Hardly a day passed in 2022 when a headline that ran across the ticker on ESPN wouldn’t have been out of place on CNN or Fox Business. There was the saga of basketball player Brittney Griner, Russia’s invasion and war on Ukraine and the struggle over transgender athletes among other topics that laid bare the intersection between sports and real life. There were also toxic workplace environments in the NBA and NFL, alleged sexual misconduct by an NFL player, countries using sports to cover up their perceived sins, a cryptocurrency influx and crash and the COVID-19 pandemic. Simply, sports offered another window into the world.

Roberto Clemente remains Latino legend 50 years after death

Roberto Clemente remains one of the most revered figures in Puerto Rico and Latin America 50 years after his death. His graceful flare and powerful arm were unrivaled in his era. His humanitarian efforts off the field are perhaps his greatest legacy, though. Half a century after he played, many of today’s Latino baseball players credit him for paving the way. Clemente died at age 38 on Dec. 31, 1972, when his plane crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico as he was delivering relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

Rams, Bucs, Packers earn wins on same day in upside-down NFC

Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers led comeback wins and the Los Angeles Rams dominated Russell Wilson and the Broncos. It was a triumphant Christmas for the Buccaneers, Packers and Rams as many figured it would be when the schedule was released in May. The NFC’s top three preseason Super Bowl favorites were expected to be jockeying for playoff positioning on Sunday. Instead, the Rams are trying to avoid the most losses by a defending Super Bowl champion. The Packers need help just to make the playoffs. The Buccaneers lead the dreadful NFC South with a first-place showdown coming up against Carolina.

AP source: Jets’ White cleared by docs, will start Sunday

A person with direct knowledge of the situation says Mike White has been cleared by doctors and will start at quarterback for the New York Jets on Sunday in Seattle. White missed the Jets’ past two games while dealing with broken ribs suffered in New York’s 20-12 loss at Buffalo on Dec. 11. He has practiced on a limited basis since, but hadn’t been cleared by doctors for contact so he couldn’t play. That clearance came Monday. The person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t announced the results of White’s examination. The New York Post first reported White had been cleared.

Chargers face Colts on rebound after historically poor games

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts revealed the unvarnished truth in their own words this week. After back-to-back historically poor performances, they described it as embarrassing. On Monday night, nine days since allowing the largest comeback in NFL history, the Colts hope to deliver a memorable rebound performance on national television. The Los Angeles Chargers understand. They started Week 16 with the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff chase. And it’s come nearly 12 months after an overtime loss in last season’s final regular-season game kept them out of the postseason.

No. 1 Purdue headlines AP Top 25; Miami leaps, UNC returns

Purdue remained atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for a third straight week. The week also included preseason No. 1 North Carolina returning to the rankings at No. 25 and New Mexico cracking the poll for the first time in eight years. The Boilermakers earned 40 of 60 first-place votes in Monday’s new poll, while fellow unbeaten Connecticut earned the other 20 to sit at No. 2 in an unchanged top. Houston, Kansas and Arizona rounded out the top five. Miami made the week’s biggest jump by climbing eight spots to No. 14.

Buckeye defense motivated to limit big plays against Georgia

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio State defense is looking to bounce back from its last game. That was a loss to archrival Michigan in late November. The Buckeyes surrendered a handful of big plays and more than 500 yards in offense in losing its first game of the season. The Buckeyes still made the College Football Playoff and will face No. 1 Georgia in the Peach Bowl. They know they need to correct mistakes and limit big plays to reach the national championship game Jan. 9. If they do, their opponent could be Michigan.

Protest-backing soccer star’s family kept from leaving Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A prominent former soccer player in Iran who has expressed support for anti-government protests says his wife and daughter were prevented from leaving the country. Ali Daei says their plane made an unannounced stopover Monday en route to Dubai. Daei had his own passport briefly confiscated after returning to the country earlier this year. He told Iranian media that his wife and daughter departed Tehran legally before the flight made an unannounced stop on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf, where they were prevented from traveling onward. Daei is one of several celebrities to face consequences after expressing support for the protests, which mark one of the biggest challenges to Iran’s clerical rulers in four decades.

A cue for success? Zimbabwe’s pool players are betting on it

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Once a minority sport played mostly in Zimbabwe’s wealthier neighborhoods, pool has increased in popularity over the years, first as a pastime and now as a survival mode for many in a country where employment is hard to come by. Pool tables have been springing up in bars and homes over recent years across the country as the game’s popularity increases. Pool has become an income earner for players and gamblers who bet on games. Others warn that betting is a dangerous habit that can have disastrous impacts on families. But with Zimbabwe’s economic outlook so dire, many people are desperately scrambling to make money through a cue stick.

Mayfield, Akers lead Rams’ 51-14 blowout of Wilson’s Broncos

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams routed the Denver Broncos 51-14 for their second victory since mid-October. Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes to Tyler Higbee and Cam Akers rushed for 118 yards and three more scores. Larrell Murchison made 2 1/2 of the Rams’ six sacks of Russell Wilson. Wilson passed for 214 yards with three interceptions for Denver in his return from a one-game absence with a concussion. It was the Rams’ first 50-point performance under Sean McVay since a 54-51 victory over Kansas City in 2018.