Sports are so powerful -- they transcend just the court, the mat or the field: They have the power to change lives.

Russia’s relentless bombardment of Ukraine has edged closer to central Kyiv. Large explosions thundered across Kyiv before dawn Tuesday as Russia’s assault on the capital appeared to become more systematic, The Associated Press reported.

It was quite a year in the sports world, was it not?

What a year 2021 has been.