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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 undrafted NFL players of all time

Some of the greatest players in NFL history went undrafted. Here's our list of the 25 best, listed in chronological order.

The 25 best games and matches of 2025

There were plenty of memorable games and matches that graced the sports world in 2025. Here is our list of the 25 best, listed in chronological order. 

20 storylines to watch for in the College Football Playoff

As we await the kickoff of the 2025 College Football Playoff, there are plenty of storylines worth following. Here are 20 to keep in mind. 

Musicians who successfully replaced popular members of bands

Stepping in for a popular or prominent member of a band can't be easy — especially when there are huge shoes to fill. When it works, it's usually the stuff legends are made from.

The most outrageous on-stage moments in music history

The great thing about live performances is that anything can happen, no matter how over the top or how it may skirt the boundaries of good taste. Here are our top 20 outrageous live stage moments of all time.

Popular songs that weren't sung by the band's lead singer

There are times when a lead singer in a band is not the primary vocalist on a big hit or popular tune. Here's our list of such notable moments.

Successful rock bands whose popularity proved short-lived

These groups had a hit — or two or three — yet when it comes to their place in rock history, these bands don't always come to mind. Here's our list of some forgotten favorites.

20 notable bands & artists that faded after starting strong

There are plenty of bands who find early success, then, for whatever reason, see that acclaim wane. Maybe not entirely, then again other fade away for good.

Best music duets/collabs that crossed genres

Musical artists coming together, spanning genres and crossing over is quite exciting for listeners. Here's a look at 20 such collaborations and duets that worked out pretty well.

The 25 greatest NHL enforcers of all time

The value of an NHL enforcer —aka tough guy, agitator, pest —can't be overstated. There have been plenty of memorable types of these players in the history of the NHL, but here's our 25 favorite, listed in chronological order.

25 women's college hoops teams to watch in 2025-26

Perennial powers and intriguing growing programs highlight our 25 teams to watch for the 2025-26 women's college basketball season. Listed in alphabetical order, with 2024-25 statistics in parentheses, unless noted otherwise.

The 20 most memorable defunct NHL teams

In the rich, storied history of the National Hockey League, there have been plenty of memorable teams to grace the ice. Especially those who no longer exist.

The 25 most notable one-time NBA All-Stars

The all-time list of NBA All-Stars is obviously long, and notably distinguished. However, there are some players — for various reasons — who the casual, or even most-dedicated, NBA fans can't recall having earned All-Star nods.

25 men's college hoops teams to watch in 2025-26

The 2025-26 college basketball season is about to tip, with several teams worth keeping an eye on. Here are some, listed in alphabetical order. Statistics from 2024-25 in parentheses, unless noted otherwise.

The greatest World Series home runs of all time

Going deep in the World Series is alone an impressive accomplishment, even for the biggest legends in the game. That said, some home runs in the Fall Classic are more memorable than others.

The 25 greatest football players in Big Eight / Big 12 history 

Whether talking the Big Eight (or the Big Seven before) or expanded Big 12, football in this conference has given us some of the all-time greats of the game.

The 25 greatest players in Pac-12 football history 

Whether known as the Pac-8, Pac-10, or Pac-12 (or even the Pacific Coast Conference), this once-legendary league has produced some of the greatest players college football has ever seen.

20 NFL players who were one-season wonders

Most would consider just one great season in the NFL better than none — even if the promise was there for more good times in the future. In the spirit of something is better than nothing, here's a look at our picks for some of the better one-year wonders (in chronological order) in NFL history.

The 25 most unlikely World Series heroes

World Series stars — or heroes — come in all shapes, sizes and with various levels of experience. Pitchers, catchers, light-hitting infielders — doesn't matter.

The 25 greatest college football teams of the 2010s

Let's reflect on some of the successful and memorable college football teams that spanned 2010-19. Obviously not all were crowned national champions, but some still will go down as among the best in college football — let alone the decade — despite falling short of that ultimate goal.

The greatest World Series rotations in MLB history

Pitching tends to win championships, especially if they come from the starting rotation.Here's a look some of the best starting rotations in World Series history (in chronological order).

The 25 worst movie adaptations of popular TV shows

The idea of taking the premise and characters from a popular television show and turning it all into a movie with different actors in familiar roles has been a Hollywood staple.

20 underrated '80s bands who are worth rediscovering

There are many reasons why bands or artists can be considered underrated. Perhaps they resided in the shadow of someone else within a genre, or maybe there was a lack of mainstream appreciation.

20 pro sports teams that could use a new stadium

Fan-friendly, sport-specific stadiums, ballparks, and arenas are all the rage. And, some of the most prominent and storied franchises in all of professional sports are in need of an upgrade.

The 20 most memorable college football scandals

There have been plenty of shady dealings and controversies throughout the history of college football. Here are some of the most noteworthy.