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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

25 members of famous bands who deserve more love

Not everybody in the band receives just due. That does not mean they are any less a contributor to the success of those groups. Here are some notable band members who probably have been underrated during their careers.

The 25 best political comedies

Politics and comedy go well together on film or television. Listed in alphabetical order are some of the more notable political comedies.

25 film villains from the 1990s who we still love to hate

Whether action films, comedies, dramas or psychological thrillers, Hollywood has given moviegoers plenty of memorable screen villains over the decades.

Celebrities who had cameos on both "Seinfeld" and "Friends"

Seinfeld and Friends are two of the most popular sitcoms in television history. But did you ever notice how many notable actors and actresses guest-starred or starred on both shows? Here's a look.

The 25 greatest live albums in music history

If we can't get to a concert, this is the next best thing. That was especially true in the 1970s and '80s when live-recorded albums seemed to come out weekly. Listed in chronological order, here are some of the best.

The 25 greatest coming of age movies

Some of the most endearing films of all time can be labeled as "coming of age," a story of growing up or young people dealing with some potentially life-changing events. In chronological order, here are 25 of the best.

The best and worst fictional teachers

Television and movie fans have been introduced to some beloved teachers we wish we could have had in class and others who we would have wanted to avoid. Here are 20 of the best and worst fictional teachers.

The best nicknames in NFL history

The NFL season is about to start (whatever that may look like). That means we'll get reacquainted with some of the games best players - and nicknames (Gronk, Matty Ice).

Who are the 25 best fictional football players?

The game of football is a near-perfect, time-tested vehicle for Hollywood dramatization, regularly producing memorable characters and helping to launch the careers of many stars. Here are 25 of our favorite fictional football players of all time.

The 25 most significant political songs

The political climate in the United States is quite contentious at the moment. On the positive side, perhaps some memorable music will come out of this moment when things calm down.

Fight the power: The 25 most political bands

Politics and music go hand in hand. There have been, and continue to be, several prominent groups that have consistently made a good living delivering their respective ideologies to the masses. Here are 25 more notable bands with no problem unleashing their political voices.

The 25 most memorable fictional political villains

Whatever one's political preference, television and film fans can agree there are plenty of rotten and dangerous fictional leaders. Some are ruthless; others are seriously inept.

Non-debut albums that earned artists massive mainstream success

Even some of the biggest bands in the world have had to wait for their moment of greatness — or at least massive mainstream success. Here are 25 of the best non-debut breakthrough albums.

The 25 most memorable TV cops of all time

Whether officers, detectives, sergeants, or captains, the fictional list is long and distinguished for the most part. Or entertaining, at the very least. Here are 25 who stand out, listed alphabetically.

Politics as usual: The 25 best political biopic movies

It will be interesting to see how Hollywood depicts our current political leaders, especially within the United States, as time passes. Let's take a look back at some political film biographies that have worked well over the years.

The 20 best election movies

It doesn't have to be a presidential election year to care about elections or feel the urge to watch a movie about an election. We've got you covered. Here are 20 of the best election movies.

No lie: The best fictional golfers

When golf fans aren't in the mood to watch a real-life tournament, they can check out golf movies, short films, or associated programs. With that comes some of the most memorable fictional golf characters we've had the pleasure of indirectly enjoying a round or so with.

25 college football games to watch in 2020

We know there are plenty of intriguing games already on the college football docket—at the moment. Here are some to keep in mind—should they be played.