KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Despite blowing a 21-3 first-half lead, and an interception by Patrick Mahomes in overtime that allowed the Bengals to set up the winning field goal, the Chiefs still accomplished plenty this season. They won their record sixth straight AFC West title, beat the Bills in the divisional round in one of the greatest finishes ever and became the first team to host four straight AFC title games. If not for a second half to forget, a costly mistake in overtime and some poise beyond their years from Joe Burrow and the long-downtrodden Bengals, they would be playing in a third straight Super Bowl, too.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pete Rozelle never liked the name that was half-jokingly suggested by Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt for the first annual game between the champions of the NFL and the AFL. Hunt agreed, telling the NFL commissioner they could surely think of something better to call it than the Super Bowl. Reporters, fans and many other football people were already calling it the Super Bowl, much to Rozelle’s consternation. Two years later, the sport gave in and adopted the name officially for the event that was already growing into the sociocultural behemoth it is today. But the first Super Bowl had a fraction of the pomp and circumstance that surrounds this weeklong celebration of football, fandom and consumerism.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Green Bay’s proven old pros carried the National Football League to a 35-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs of the American League on Sunday in the first Super Bowl under the brilliant direction of Bart Starr. Starr connected with 34-year-old Max McGee for two touchdown passes and sent Elijah Pitts and Jim Taylor hurtling into the line for three more. Vince Lombardi’s NFL champs, held to a 14-10 edge in the first half, put a tremendous rush on Len Dawson, the Chiefs’ passer, in the second half and pulled away steadily. The Packers were two-touchdown favorites going into this first meeting of NFL and AFL champions after the merger of June 1966. The Associated Press is republishing verbatim the story of that game.
UNDATED (AP) — The transfer portal remains packed as college football’s second signing period arrives. According to Rivals.com, about 48% of the more than 1,250 scholarship players from the Bowl Subdivision who have entered the portal since August had not announced new schools as of last week. The glut of players looking for scholarship offers combined with the seemingly constant movement of athletes and coaches has college sports leaders pondering changes. One possibility under discussion would require players who transfer outside designated periods during the year sit out the next season.
UNDATED (AP) — As college football waits on Caleb Williams to announce where he will be going to school, Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin has proclaimed himself the portal king. Ole Miss is assembling one of the most interesting transfer classes in the country, led by former Southern California quarterback Jaxson Dart. Even if USC doesn't land Williams, the Lincoln Riley and the Trojans have already pulled a good haul out of the portal. LSU, Florida State, Nebraska and Oklahoma have also had a busy and productive porral season.
UNDATED (AP) — No. 10 Kansas and No. 23 Texas face tests in the Big 12 to headline the AP Top 25 schedule for this week. The Jayhawks visit No. 20 Iowa State then host eighth-ranked and reigning national champion Baylor this week. The Longhorns visit No. 14 Texas Tech on Tuesday in coach Chris Beard's first trip back to the Red Raiders program he led for the previous five seasons. The week includes No. 7 Arizona and No. 12 Villanova each facing two ranked foes. There's also the first meeting in the Duke-North Carolina rivalry.
WACO, Texas (AP) — James Akinjo scored 25 points and eighth-ranked Baylor overcame West Virginia 81-77. Matthew Mayer scored all nine of his points in the final 3:27. His first basket was a layup after a Mountaineers turnover to break a 66-all tie and put Baylor ahead to stay. Taz Sherman had a career-high 29 points with six 3-pointers to lead the 13-8 Mountaineers, who have their first six-game losing streak since the end of the 2012-13 season. Sherman didn’t play the final 3:42 because of a concussion, coach Bob Huggins said. Jeremy Sochan finished with 13 points and nine rebounds for Baylor.
UNDATED (AP) — Chris Beard has fond memories of his time at Texas Tech. Red Raiders fans feel betrayed by the coach who left Lubbock last year for their most-hated rival. Beard returns Tuesday night with his first visit as head coach of 23rd-ranked Texas, his alma mater. The game has been sold out for more than a month. Texas Tech students were already camped out Saturday, even before the 14th-ranked Red Raiders finished their last game. The teams have identical 16-5 records. Beard was Tech's head coach for five seasons, and led to them to the national championship game three years ago.
UNDATED (AP) — Auburn remains No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the second straight week. The Tigers have won 17 straight games. Gonzaga is No. 2 followed by UCLA and Purdue. Kentucky jumped into the top five for the first time in more than two years. The Wildcats climbed seven spots after winning at Kansas. Houston, Arizona, Baylor, Duke and Kansas round out the top 10. No. 23 Texas re-entered the poll as the week's lone new addition.
NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball labor negotiations are set to resume Tuesday, just over two weeks before the scheduled start of a spring training that’s threatened by a lockout. The sport’s ninth work stoppage began Dec. 2 after the expiration of a five-year labor contract. Tomorrow's session will be the first on central issues since Jan. 24 and the sides are apart on many economic proposals.
MONDAY SCORES
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (8)Baylor 81 West Virginia 77
Final (9)Duke 57 Notre Dame 43
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Indiana 122 L.A. Clippers 116
Final Cleveland 93 New Orleans 90
Final OT Philadelphia 122 Memphis 119
Final Boston 122 Miami 92
Final Toronto 106 Atlanta 100
Final New York 116 Sacramento 96
Final Oklahoma City 98 Portland 81
Final Golden State 122 Houston 108
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Florida 8 Columbus 4
Final Vancouver 3 Chicago 1
Final OT Detroit 2 Anaheim 1
Final Toronto 6 New Jersey 4
Final OT Ottawa 3 Edmonton 2