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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

Beloved movies that can't just be watched on network TV/basic cable

Even classic movies aren't worth the time spent taking in if they are severely edited and censored. Like when a favorite film pops up on basic cable (for those who still go that route) or even a major network. Here's our list of 20 such movies.

Who had the greatest WNBA rookie seasons of all time?

The 2024 WNBA season might be known for the performances of two exceptionally talented rookies. But, there have been plenty of rookies who shined bright before. Here's our list of 20 standout WNBA rookie seasons.

25 fantastic films we'll watch every time they are on TV

No matter the channel or time of day, there are certain movies that will come on the TV, and we tend to stop what we're doing and watch. Even if we've seen it countless times already.

The 25 greatest power ballads in music history

Some of the hardest rock acts of all time are known for their slower, more melodic ballad work. But they still keep the volume at a respectable level. Here's out list of 25 great power ballads.

Ryan Gosling's best film and TV roles, ranked

The versatile Ryan Gosling has blossomed from a young Canadian actor to among the most popular and successful entertainers in Hollywood. Still in his prime, Gosling has already amassed quite an impressive acting catalogue. Here's our rankings of his 20 best roles on screen.

25 defensive players to watch for the 2024 college football season

Here's a look at 25 of the best defensive players entering the 2024 college football season. Listed in alphabetical order.

25 offensive players to watch for the 2024 college football season

Here's a look at 25 of the best offensive players entering the 2024 college football season. Listed in alphabetical order.

20 essential songs for your Blink-182 playlist

It's been nearly 30 years since Blink-182 released its first album in 1995. And even though the road has been rocky at times, the band is still prominent, and they're back on the scene with the classic lineup of Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker. Here's our list of Blink's best.

20 essential songs for your Eminem playlist

When it comes to characters in the rap and hip hop world, Eminem is arguably at the top of the list. As his career nears the 30-year mark, here's our list of Eminem's top 20 songs.

The most notable fictional firefighters

Trying to narrow down the most noteworthy fictional firefighters from television or film wasn't easy — but we gave it a go. Here's our top 20.

20 essential songs for your Radiohead playlist

Radiohead has enjoyed quite the career as one of the most innovative rock bands on the planet. Not afraid to take chances with its music, Radiohead's collective talent is truly immense. Here's our list of the 20 best Radiohead songs.

The most memorable secretaries and assistants from film and TV

There are have been plenty of memorable secretaries and personal assistants in the annals of television and films. Here are some of our favorites.

The most memorable characters from the films of the Brat Pack

Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy have been established as those young Hollywood actors and actresses that made up the Brat Pack, who starred in various films during the 1980s.

The definitive Brat Pack soundtrack playlist

When it comes to Brat Pack movies (starring 1980s young Hollywood staples Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall) one thing fans of those movies should agree upon is the high quality of the music included in those films.

Margot Robbie's most memorable roles, ranked

Margot Robbie has blossomed from enjoyable Australian soap opera star to A-list Hollywood celebrity. During her acting career, which has run fewer than 20 years, Robbie has shined in various types of roles, spanning many genres. Here are her 20 best.

25 essential songs for your Elvis Presley playlist

Trying to narrow down an Elvis Presley playlist to 25 can't-go-without tunes was daunting. But we pulled it off. Enjoy.

The 25 most versatile MLB players of all time

There have been plenty of ball players who enjoyed lengthy major-league careers due to their versatility. These jack-of-all-trades types are invaluable. Here's our list of 25 great utility players to grace a major-league diamond. Listed in chronological order.

Remember the greatest roles of Donald and Kiefer Sutherland

The recent passing of iconic actor Donald Sutherland brought his widely celebrated acting legacy to the forefront, a legacy that paved the way for son Kiefer to create one of his own.

The 20 greatest WNBA rivalries

Whether talking head-to-head individual player battles or those between franchises, the WNBA has provided some of basketball's most interesting and intense rivalries.

The 19 best animated sports-related movies

Surprisingly, the amount of notable, quality animated sports features seem few and far between. But, we found some worthy of taking a look. Listed in chronological order.

2024 Paris Olympics: 20 indelible moments from Team USA

The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics have ended and, by all accounts, were an undisputed success. Especially for the United States, which delivered another impressive showing.

The greatest all-time musicians and bands from Wisconsin

Casual music fans might be surprised just how many iconic musical artists, bands, songwriters and innovators the state of Wisconsin has produced. That's OK ,we'll help.

25 MLB Hall of Famers who never won a ring

Among the countless Hall of Famers who never experienced the joy of winning a World Series, there are several notable legends who stand out. Here's our list of the 25 greatest.

Storylines to watch as the Paris Olympics gets underway

The 2024 Summer Olympics are days away. The entire city of Paris will be celebrated, and it's expected to be a celebration like no other. Here's a look at some stories to keep an eye on before and during the Games.

The 25 greatest Bruce Springsteen deep cuts

We offer the 25 Springsteen songs we feel, for one reason or another, deserve more credit and attention.