The best photos from the past week in sports: Dec. 15 - Dec. 22

It's the most wonderful time of the year -- for sports.

Weekends full of Bowl Games in college football and the postseason push in the NFL are keeping the drama at an all-time high as Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Super Bowl inch ever closer.

Regular-season NHL and NBA action continues as well, with athletes making plenty of headlines, including LeBron James who wore statement shoes while playing in Washington this past week.

Elsewhere in the world, soccer, cricket and even aquabiking captured the attention of various aficionados.

Click through the slideshow above to see photos from all of these events and more, and be sure to check back next weekend for our selection of the best shots from the coming week's action.