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Jeff Mezydlo

A Chicago native, Jeff Mezydlo has professionally written about sports, entertainment and pop culture for parts of four decades. He was an integral member of award-winning sports sections at The Times of Northwest Indiana (Munster, Ind.) and Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette, where he covered the NFL, PGA, LPGA, NCAA basketball, football and golf, Olympics and high school athletics. Jeff most recently spent 12 years in the editorial department at STATSPerform, where he also oversaw coverage of the English Premier League. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Jeff's work has also appeared on such sites at Yahoo!, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated and NBA.com. However, if Jeff could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High School and Grand Lakes University

EXPERTISE:

NCAA football, NCAA basketball, PGA/LPGA, international soccer, sports history, rock music, film history

The 25 greatest players in Big Ten football history

When it comes to picking the 25 greatest football players in Big Ten history, the number of worthy candidates seems endless. Here's our list, listed by position.

The 25 greatest players in SEC football history

It's a daunting task to find the 25 greatest football players in the history of the Southeastern Conference. However, we gave it a go. Here it is, sorted by position.

The 25 greatest players in Florida football history

The University of Florida has produced some of the greatest football players, so trying to determine the top 25 Gators in program history is not easy. We gave it a shot.

The 25 greatest players in Penn State football history

Regardless of the position (yes, more than just linebackers), Penn State has produced some of the greatest football players in college football history.

The 25 best players in Nebraska football history

Nebraska might be the one school that is best known for producing some of the greatest linemen -- on both sides of the ball -- in college football history.

The 25 greatest fictional sports moments

We all have memories of some of the greatest sporting events of all time. In real life. But, there are plenty of memorable moments in the fictional world of sports, especially when it comes to the movies and on television.

The 25 best players in Michigan football history

Michigan football appears to have regained its prominence -- at least for the time being. Maybe that's a good thing for college football purists, who value tradition and legendary players.

The 25 greatest players in Miami football history

Graciously known as "The 'U,'" for those who lived it, the University of Miami Hurricanes football program seems like its own universe, what with the trash-talking, smoke-filled entrances and the Orange Bowl etc.

The 25 greatest players in Alabama football history

It isn't easy to deliver a condensed list of the best players in the storied history of Alabama football. We did it anyway. Listed in chronological order, here are our 25 greatest football players to ever suit up for the Crimson Tide. 

The 25 most memorable Monday Night Football moments

Another NFL season means more potentially memorable moments from Monday Night Football. Here are 25 of the most notable to date.

The 20 greatest made-for-TV sports films

Some of the best sports movies of all time weren't released on the big screen. The made-for-television concept was wildly popular in the 1970s, '80s, and even into the '90s.

The 25 greatest players in Florida State football history

Making a condensed list of the best players in Florida State football history can be challenging. We gave it a go, featuring 25 of the greatest players to grace any college gridiron.

The greatest fictional Little League players

Baseball continues to be a popular topic when it comes to movies and television. The little league or youth league aspect of the game usually plays well with audiences.

20 underrated college football rivalries more fans should be talking about

There are those tradition-rich, legendary college football rivalries that are celebrated throughout the country. Then there are those that might fly a bit under the radar.

The 20 greatest water disaster films

Water can make a mess of many things. Especially in the movies, when storms, waves, flooding, etc., make for highly entertaining disaster fare. Here's our look at 20 notable such films. 

The 25 greatest players in Notre Dame football history

Trying to narrow down the 25 best players in the history of Notre Dame's storied football program is no easy task. However, we gave it a go. Listed in chronological order.

The 25 greatest players in Clemson football history

Clemson has produced some of this century's best college football players. However, the program has long been a football factory for individual talent dating back to the 1930s.

25 iconic artists who truly transcended the music business

There are legendary musicians whose success and iconic status has gone beyond the business itself. Here are 25 of the biggest such names. 

The 25 greatest players in Ohio State football history

A perennial college football power, Ohio State continues to churn out of some of the greatest players in the history of the sport. And, the Buckeyes seem to get even better talent as the years add up.

The 25 greatest players in Georgia football history

The University of Georgia football program has been responsible for some of the best players in college football history. Here are the 25 best players to play football for the Bulldogs, listed in chronological order.

The 20 greatest UCLA men's basketball players of all time

No school has won more men's basketball national championships than UCLA's 11. All but one of those titles was guided by legendary coach John Wooden. Naturally, the Bruins were successful because of those players on the floor — some blossomed into legends of the game.

The best Mission: Impossible' characters not named Ethan Hunt

Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt is the undisputed focal point of the Mission: Impossible movie franchise. But, there have been plenty of memorable performances from others as well.

College football 2025: 25 Group of Five players to watch

College football's elite talent is not relegated to the power conferences. Here are 25 important players who hail from the Group of Five.

The 25 greatest MLB play-by-play announcers of all-time

It's daunting trying to narrow down the 25 best baseball play-by-play voices in history. Many greats will be left out — sorry to Marty Brennaman or Milo Hamilton.

The 20 biggest college football season-opening upsets of all time

The 2025 college football season is about to kick off, and there's likely to be a few upsets that come along with it. Here's our list of 20 notable opening weekend upsets.