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

10 college basketball programs on the rise, 10 on the decline

The Associated Press Top 25 Poll is out, and while it offers a look at some of the best teams in the country entering the season, there are other programs headed in the right direction. Then there's also some prominent squads that might be headed south — maybe not completely — and need some re-tooling.

Way-too-early college football bowl predictions

It's not yet November, and the first College Football Playoff rankings have not even come out. So what better time look even further ahead — to bowl season .

Case for these 10 teams to make the College Football Playoff

Here's a look at 10 teams (in order from least to most likely) that we feel have a legitimate chance to be part of the final four grouping of teams.

Which MLB teams had the best World Series rotations of all time?

While baseball fans still "dig" the long ball and high-scoring games are fun to watch, we could be in for some strong pitching performances in the 2019 World Series. Pitching tends to win championships, especially if they come from the starting rotation.

The 25 most legendary bands to hail from England

We're talking bands considered English (prominent membership or classic lineups featuring English musicians), not British, which means greats like Queen, Cream, or Dire Straits won't be on this list. Here's a ranking of the top 25 English rock bands of all time.

World Series storylines to keep an eye on

The 2019 World Series got underway on Tuesday, Oct. 22, with the Houston Astros taking on the Washington Nationals. Here are the storylines to track for the World Series.

The best World Series matchups of all time

While some World Series matchups look good on paper, not all play out that way on the field, and others that don't seem as interesting often provide some of the most memorable moments in baseball — and sports — history.

Freshmen who are making an immediate impact this season

It's far from surprising to see freshmen — true or redshirt — make it big right out of the collegiate gate. Here's a look at 25 of the better freshmen across the country who have been factors on their respective teams.

The 25 greatest characters from Quentin Tarantino films

More than 25 years ago, moviegoers were introduced to Pulp Fiction. With that in mind, we've ranked the 25 best characters from films directed by Quentin Tarantino.

The biggest flaw of every top 25 college football team

Here's a look at one glaring shortcoming, area of improvement or question mark for each team currently ranked in The Associated Press Top 25. 

Mike Ditka: Career retrospective

Here's a look at the life  — on and off the football field — of the legendary Mike Ditka.

10 storylines to follow heading down college football's home stretch

Seven weeks down; seven to go. We've hit the halfway mark of the college football regular season. It's been entertaining thus far — not too many surprises — with enough intrigue to keep us going back each week.

10 college football coaches on the hot seat

It's October. The college football season is chugging along. Why not talk about those FBS coaches whose seats are getting warm or even a little hot? Some big names from the preseason who were feeling the heat are still sweating it out, while new ones have been thrown into the fire.

The 25 greatest U.S. presidents from film and TV

The role of the President of the United States, whether on the big screen or on television, is not always easy to pull off. Countless have tried, either in a lead or supporting role. Here are 25 notable presidential performances in movies and TV.

The 25 best guilty pleasure TV shows

There are television shows, past and present, that we as viewers can't stop watching, even if it means being ridiculed by family and friends. Still, such shows — or guilty pleasures — offer a break from reality, and often times, prove that our lives aren't as bad as we think.

The 25 most iconic TV sidekicks and second bananas

Whether real-life or animated, a comedy or drama, a good television sidekick can make a show better. Here are our top 25 memorable all-time TV sidekicks.

Musicians who were influenced by Bruce Springsteen

Bruce has influenced many of the world's best and brightest artists through the decades. Here are 20 of the musicians who owe their own debt of gratitude to "The Boss."

The 25 best game-ending plays in college football history

Whether a field goal as time expires, an improbable Hail Mary pass or a stellar defensive stand or play, we can't get enough of those fantastic finishes.