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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

College football Week 8: 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 those Week 8 matchups featuring teams in the Top 25 and other intriguing contests.

25 songs that make up the definitive Elton John playlist

It would seem quite the challenge to select the 25 best songs from legendary entertainer Elton John, and his longtime lyrical collaborator Bernie Taupin. But, we went ahead anyway.

The 25 most memorable fictional sports media figures

Every sports fan has his or her favorite commentator, analyst, columnist, or media personality. However, some of the sports' best media types aren't even real.

The top 25 moments in Women's U.S. Open golf history

The U.S. Women's Open might not have the century-plus history as the men's version, but it's no less rich in tradition. In fact, it's still the marquee event in women's golf.

The most memorable fictional reporters, journalists, and news figures

Reporters and journalists often become part of the news, for better or worse. In Hollywood, sometimes those doing the reporting are more entertaining than the subjects they cover. Here are 20 of the best media-type figures from television or film.

College football Week 7: Picks and preview

There's a new No. 1 team in the country, and an interesting potential College Football Playoff scenario already playing out. That should make for a fun Week 7.

The best characters from Christopher Guest mockumentaries

Veteran actor Christopher Guest has become a master of mockumentary filmmaking. With great movies come great characters. He is our ranking of the best characters from those five memorable Guest movies.

The best mockumentaries of all time

The best documentary films are informative and entertaining. In the realm of mockumentary movies, add the element of comedy, and we've got one special fictional package made out to chronicle a supposed real-life event, individual, or group of people. Here are our favorite mockumentary films.

College football Week 6: Picks and preview

Plenty of big-time contests on tap for Week 6, headlined by a pair of top-five Big Ten schools squaring off. 

The best and most memorable Red River Rivalry moments

The game has been going strong since 1900. Of course, there have been plenty of memories made over the decades. Here's a look at some of the most notable. Listed in chronological order.

College football Week 5: Picks and preview

Conference play is in full force for Week 5, meanwhile, some intriguing Top 25 matchups also make up this weekend's slate of games. Here are our previews and predictions (point spreads courtesy of DraftKings ) for Week 5 games featuring teams in The  Associated Press Top 25 and other interesting contests.

25 songs that need to be on every Led Zeppelin playlist

In celebration of the group's expansive and exceptional hard rock catalog, we offer a definitive list of the 25 best Led Zeppelin songs.

The definitive solo Ozzy Osbourne playlist

Ozzy Osbourne made a name himself as the frontman of heavy-metal pioneers Black Sabbath. But, he's enjoyed stardom and some ridiculous longevity as a solo artist.

College football Week 4: Picks and preview

The fourth full week of the 2021 college football season is here, and it seems there are more questions than answers at this point . Perhaps things will become a little clearer this weekend.

The best Ryder Cup players of all time

After being postponed in 2020, the  Ryder Cup  is back and ready to thrill at Wisconsin's Whistling Straits. The world's best golfers from the United States and Europe will be on hand.

College football Week 3: Picks and preview

It's already Week 3, and prominent programs like Ohio State and Clemson already have a loss. Both are part of the slate this weekend. Here are our previews

Classic TV shows we'd like to see rebooted

Reboots and remakes of popular television shows seem like a dime a dozen these days. Some are worthy; others, we wish never happened. Here are some TV shows we'd like to see return to prominence in some form or another.

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse

Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse has brought us beloved films such as Clerks, Mallrats, and Chasing Amy. Those movies are memorable because of the characters. Here are 20 of the most entertaining.

The definitive Ramones playlist

The Ramones are one of the great punk and rock and roll bands. The number of bands the band influenced is countless. The classic lineup of Joey, Johnny, Tommy, and Dee Dee Ramone is collectively iconography. Here are the 20 best Ramones songs.

The most memorable fictional college sports programs

College football season is special. The pageantry, excitement, and passion make for plenty of drama and memories. In the world of television and film, fictional football collegiate football programs have also become notable in pop culture. Here are some of our favorites.

The definitive Green Day playlist

For the better part of 30 years, Green Day has carried the flag for the pop-punk movement. Here's our definitive list of the 25 best Green Day songs.

The definitive Journey playlist

Though the lineup has changed, Journey is still going strong. Since the mid-1970s, the band has been a staple on the arena and mainstream rock scene. Journey's songs have aged exceptionally well. Here is our ranking of their 20 best songs.

The most memorable back-to-school films of all time

It's back-to-school time. So, why not look at some of the most memorable movies about the beginning of the school year? There are plenty of classic films on this list, which are in chronological order.