Yardbarker

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 MLB play-by-play announcers

Many greats will be left out — sorry to Marty Brennaman or Milo Hamilton. We gave it a go and included some of the game's more modern-day talent mixed with the all-time legends. Here we go, listed alphabetically.

The 25 best NFL play-by-play broadcasters

Many greats will be left off the list. Still, we gave it a go and included some of the game's more modern-day talent mixed with the obvious legends. Here we go — listed alphabetically.

The 25 greatest players in USC football history

One of the most storied college football programs of all time, as a winner of 11 recognized national championships, USC has produced its fair share of gridiron legends. 

The 20 greatest players in UCLA football history

There have been plenty of exceptional athletes to come through UCLA's football program. It can be tricky to narrow it down to the 20 best in school history, but we gave it a go. Here they are, listed chronologically.

The 25 greatest players in Oklahoma football history

Oklahoma has built one of the most successful college football programs, with seven official national championships and the same amount of Heisman Trophy winners. It takes great players to enjoy that kind of success.

The 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 some of the greatest players to grace any college gridiron. Our list is in chronological order.

The 20 greatest football players in Texas Longhorns history

When it comes to storied college football programs, the University of Texas has plenty to brag about. Sure, times have been a little lean in recent years, but its football tradition is second to none.

The 20 greatest players in Florida football history

The University of Florida has produced some of the greatest football players, so trying to determine the top 20 Gators in program history is not easy. We gave it a shot.

20 underappreciated 1980s-era bands worth rediscovering

Perhaps they resided in the shadow of someone else within a genre, or maybe there was a lack of mainstream appreciation. Maybe they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. That could have been the case during the 1980s for these 20 bands.

20 underrated '90s bands worth rediscovering

Here's our list, in alphabetical order, of 20 bands from the 1990s who didn't quite receive their full due.

The best movies about soccer

In the spirit of the World Cup, here's our list of some worthy films about soccer, whether a die-hard fan of the sport or not — listed in chronological order.

College football Week 10: Picks and preview

The first College Football Playoff rankings for the 2022 season are out, and it's quite interesting at the top leading into this weekend's action.

Yardbarker's preseason 2022-23 college basketball top 25

It's almost tip time for the 2022-23 college basketball season. So, we offer up our preseason Top 25 rankings. All statistics in parenthesis are from last season unless noted otherwise.

The top college basketball freshmen to watch in 2022-23

There are several potential impact freshmen generating hype ahead of the 2022-23 season — those capable of taking control of a game from the onset. Here's our look at 20 of the best freshmen to watch in the NCAA this season.

25 college basketball players to watch in 2022-23

Trying to nail 25 premier players to watch for the upcoming college basketball season isn't easy, but we have a good idea of who has already stood out and others who are ready to shine. Here are the 25 players we landed on, listed in alphabetical order.

Top 25 players expected to play in the 2022 World Cup

Here's a look at 25 of the best players expected to be in Qatar for soccer's premier tournament. Players are listed in alphabetical order. Statistics are valid through September 5, 2022.

College football Week 9: Picks and previews

We are one more game weekend out of the first College Football Playoff rankings. Several of the major players for the top-four spots are in action this week. 

Who are the early Heisman Trophy contenders?

The Heisman Trophy presentation is a little less than two months away, but we're starting to get a picture of the top contenders after the first seven "official" weeks of the season.

College football Week 8: Picks and preview

The Week 8 college football schedule involving ranked teams is limited but still features some intriguing matchups, most notably in the Big 12. 

College football Week 7: Picks and preview

There are just 13 games featuring teams in The Associated Press Top 25 for Week 7, but six involving two ranked squads. There's plenty of intrigue to keep a college football fan glued to the screen this weekend.

College football Week 6: Picks and preview

As we get ready for Week 6 action, the conference races are starting to heat up, with some untraditional football-successful schools making a little noise.

College football Week 5: Picks and preview

There are plenty of intriguing conference matchups on the docket for Week 5, notably in the Big 12 and SEC. 

The definitive Simon & Garfunkel playlist

Together, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel put out just five studio albums. However, the work was truly magnificent and opened the door for folk music to be embraced by mainstream music fans.