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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

The greatest all-time football players from the Chicago area

The city of Chicago and the greater Chicagoland area have produced some of the greatest football players ever to take the gridiron. Here's our list of the 25 best.

The greatest college football bowl games of all time

It might seem impossible to rank the 25 best bowl games of all time. However, we took on the challenge and present a list that should generate plenty of spirited conversation.

The best fictional media outlets of all time

When it comes to getting information in the fictional world of television, film or comics, we've got you covered. Here's our list of some notable media outlets that give us news — and information — you can use.

The most notable father-son stars in NFL history

There have been some notable father-son duos who have enjoyed sustained NFL success over the years. Here's our rankings of the 20 best.

The 25 greatest players in Arizona men's basketball history

When it comes to West Coast college basketball, Arizona has long been considered one of the premier programs in the country, mostly for the great players the program has produced. Here's our list of the top 25 of all time.

The 25 greatest players in Connecticut men's basketball history

A basketball program doesn't win five national championships without great players. The Connecticut Huskies have certainly had their share of elite performers.

Falling for you: Movies made to be watched in autumn

The autumn season tends to be popular for its outdoor beauty, crisp bite of the air, and Halloween. It's also been highly profitable as a film setting.

Best alternative albums of the 21st century

The 21st century is relatively young, but some terrific music within the alternative genre has been released. It's a rather Herculean task, but here are 25 of the best alternative albums released since 2001.

The 25 best players in LSU football history

Whether talking Heisman Trophy winners, Thorpe honorees and even a Butkus Award recipient, LSU has produced some of the most legendary college football players in the history of the game.

20 college football stadiums that deserve more love

There are iconic, uniquely legendary college football venues throughout the country, and then there are stadiums that deserve more credit. Here's our list of the latter, listed alphabetically.

25 true freshmen to watch for the 2023-24 college basketball season

Here's a look at the latest batch of talented college freshmen expected to take the game by storm this season, listed alphabetically.

25 college basketball transfers to watch in 2023-24

In this day and age of college basketball, staying in one place seems quite abnormal. Here's our look at this season's most notable transfers, listed alphabetically.

25 women's college basketball players to watch in 2023-24

These are some exciting times for women's college basketball, especially when discussing individual talent on display this season. Here's our look at 25 names to remember in 2023-24, listed alphabetically.

The 25 men's college basketball players to watch in 2023-24

It's always challenging condensing a list of the top 25 players entering any college basketball season. However, we once again gave it a go. Here's our list for 2023-24, in alphabetical order.

The best men's and women's college basketball storylines for 2023-24

The 2023-24 men's and women's college basketball seasons are underway, and there is plenty to talk about. Here are some storylines to follow this season.

The 25 greatest FCS programs of all time

The Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), previously known as Division I-AA, has produced some of college football's greatest teams and established perennial powers. Here are our rankings of the 25 best all-time FCS schools.

The most memorable defunct NHL teams

In the rich, storied history of the National Hockey League, there have been plenty of memorable teams to grace the ice. Especially those who no longer exist.

The top FBS programs never to win a recognized national title

There are plenty of college football programs who have never officially, or universally been recognized to, win a national championship within the poll era (beginning in 1936 with The Associated Press). Here's our list of some of the best. 

The 25 best players in Notre Dame football history

Trying to narrow down the 25 best players in the history of Notre Dame's storied football program is no easy task. However, we gave it a go. Listed in chronological order.

The 25 best players in Oregon football history

It might be surprising to the casual college football fan just how much individual stardom the Oregon football program has produced, even if the Ducks' prominence didn't truly start until the late 1990s. Here's our list of the 25 best players to sport those creatively loud Oregon uniforms over the years.

The most underrated rock guitarists of all time

Determining whether or not a musician receives the appropriate amount of praise can be subjective. However, we believe there are some successful, even legendary rock stars, who are not truly appreciated for their guitar-playing abilities. Here's our rankings of rock's most underrated guitarists.

Actors who had sustained success after playing iconic characters

Having success in one role is a goal of any actor. Earning icon status with a character is truly special. Then continuing that success just proves when someone has true talent.

The most iconic couples of the music world

Couples within the entertainment industry come and go. However, those who make music together tend to be remembered forever, especially the really good ones.

Notable music artists who play multiple instruments quite well

Playing one instrument is hard enough — excelling at more than one is the stuff legends are about. Here is our list of great musical artists who are also successful multi-instrumentalists.

Last words: The most iconic song-closing lyrics

There's a lot that goes into making a great song, or even just one with memorable lyrics — especially those that close out a song. Here's our list, in chronological order, of 25 notable final song lines.