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 definitive Bon Jovi playlist

Bon Jovi thrived during the 1980s era of power ballads and MTV but remains relevant and earned a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Here is our list of the 20 best Bon Jovi songs.

The definitive Neil Diamond playlist

Trying to peg down the top 25 songs written and performed by the legendary Neil Diamond can be pretty daunting. However, we gave it a go. Here they are.

The definitive playlist of The Police

In honor of this Hall of Fame trio, here is our list of the 20 best songs from The Police.

The definitive Bob Dylan playlist

It's not easy trying to put together the perfect Bob Dylan playlist. The choices are seemingly endless, but the challenge can be entertaining, like his music. Here is our list of the 25 best Dylan songs.

The definitive Black Sabbath playlist

Trying to put together the ultimate Black Sabbath playlist can be daunting. There are so many classic options. But we gave it a go. Here is our ranking of the best Black Sabbath tracks.

The definitive Judas Priest playlist

Here is our ranking of the 20 best Judas Priest songs.

Popular songs that are associated with sports teams

Listed in alphabetical order are 20 popular songs with strong ties to specific sports franchises.

The 25 best 'How I Met Your Mother' episodes

CBS's How I Met Your Mother was one of the funniest, most heartwarming, and uniquely creative sitcoms on network television. We offer our top 25 episodes in the history of How I Met Your Mother.

The definitive Grateful Dead playlist

Here's our list of the 20 best Grateful Dead tunes.

College football Week 4: Picks and preview

Week 4 of the college football season features some intriguing matchups within the SEC, Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12. 

College football Week 3: Picks and preview

Week 3 of the 2022 college football season might not have many marquee matchups, but plenty of big-time programs are looking to bounce back from an upset or close call.

College football Week 2: Picks and preview

Here are our previews and predictions (point spreads courtesy of DraftKings and current at the time of publication, but subject to change) for games featuring teams in The Associated Press Top 25 and some other notable contests.

College football Week 1: Picks and preview

The first full week of the 2022 college football season is here. And with it comes some intriguing matchups. 

The 25 greatest Alabama football players of all-time

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.

Too-early World Cup 2022 storylines

The 2022 World Cup is fast approaching. Qatar will play the historic host. That alone has drawn criticism and is just one of many too-early storylines to keep in mind as we get closer to November. We've listed more below.

The 20 greatest WNBA coaches of all time

The WNBA has showcased some of the greatest women's basketball players in history. It's also produced some of the sport's most legendary coaches. Here are the 20 best coaches in WNBA history — ranked.

2022 college football predictions for conferences and College Football Playoff

Yardbarker's 2022 college football conference predictions are here, including our picks for division champions and College Football Playoff teams. 

The top 25 FBS head coaches for the 2022 season

The 2022 college football season is near, and while it's fun to highlight some of the best teams and players to watch, it's also important to note the top coaches in the country. Here are the 25 best FBS coaches for the 2022 season.

Yardbarker 2022 preseason college football All-American team

The 2022 college football season is right around the corner. It's the right time to highlight some of the nation's best players and the perfect time to unveil the 2022 Yardbarker college football All-American team. (Statistics are from the 2021 season unless otherwise noted.)

The 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 greatest WNBA teams of all time

The WNBA has featured the best women's basketball players in the world during its illustrious history. Some of those players were part of memorable teams that defined the collective greatness of the league. Here are the 25 best teams in WNBA history, including some that didn't win it all.

The best minor leaguers never to enjoy MLB success

Whether struggling in the majors or never getting the chance to play in the majors for an extended period, here are notable players in the MLB minor-league system who never enjoyed sustained major-league success, listed in chronological order.

Yardbarker 2022 preseason college football top 25

Here we go: Yardbarker's 2022 Preseason College Football Top 25. All statistics in parenthesis are from 2021, unless noted otherwise.

College football teams that might surprise in 2022

As we approach the 2022 season, here are 20 teams that could turn heads -- for the better.

The top college football transfers to watch in 2022

Here's a look at 25 of the more notable transfers for the upcoming season. Listed in alphabetical order.