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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 25 most unlikely Stanley Cup Final heroes

It's not always the stars who come through when the lights shine brightest and the games matter most. Here are 25 unheralded players, at the time, who broke out for some memorable Stanley Cup Final moments.

22 underrated lead singers who deserve way more love

Whether overlooked or underappreciated, here's a look at some of standout lead singers and frontpersons who haven't or never did receive their proper due.

25 iconic songs that were massive hits for more than one artist

Some songs are just so good, they can generate hit-making status for more than one musical artist or group. Here are 25 notable examples.

The 25 most iconic American punk bands

The punk movement might be best associated with England, due to the Sex Pistols and the Clash, but America is represented quite well within the icons of the genre.

The 25 greatest college basketball teams that didn't win a national championship

Sometimes the best college basketball teams, on both the men's or women's side, ended up coming up short when it came to winning a national title. With that in mind, here's a look at the 25 best teams who didn't win it all.

The 25 greatest NCAA men's and women's tournament coaches

Here's a look at 25 of the best -- men and women -- whose NCAA Tournament coaching resumes standout above the rest. Listed in alphabetical order.

The 25 most underrated sitcoms of all time

Throughout the annals of television history, there have been sitcoms that never received the proper amount of praise — whether critical or commercial. Here's our list of 25 underappreciated sitcoms over the years.

The 20 most iconic chase scenes in movies

Anything goes, and any means of pursuit will do, as long as we're entertained.

The 25 all-time unsung heroes of the men's NCAA tournament

One does not need to be a superstar to become a hero of March Madness. Here are 25 under-the-radar players who left a lasting mark on the NCAA Tournament.

The greatest songs that run 10 minutes or more

Sometimes longer is better. Even when it comes to music, and listeners are patient enough to appreciate an epic piece of music. Here's 25 great songs that span 10 minutes or more, and worth the time it takes to listen.

Going places: The greatest bands named after a city, state, country or continent

Showing national, state or town pride is an easy way to name a band. Or maybe it's even more simple than that. Here are 20 notable bands that take their name after such locations.

The 25 greatest junior college basketball players of all time

Players take different routes to the NBA, and doing so via some junior college time remains a popular path. With that in mind, here's our list of 25 star junior college players over the years, listed in alphabetical order.

The 22 all-time greatest college baseball programs

While teams come and go in College World Series, plenty of familiar schools are usually in the hunt for a national championship. Here's our list for the most successful college baseball programs of all time.

The 25 greatest mid-major college basketball players

One does not have to play at a major conference college basketball program to be a star. Here are 25 of the best Division I mid-major players ever to grace a hardcourt, listed in chronological order.

25 iconic high school basketball players from Detroit

Far from an easy task, we tried to select the 25 great prep players from the Detroit metro area, but certainly many worthy candidates were left off. But with that in mind, here's our list of those who have stood out through the decades, listed in chronological order. 

Breaking the ice: The 25 greatest rookie seasons in NHL history

Here's our list of the 25 notable seasons from those with official rookie status, as deemed by the NHL, in reverse chronological order.

The 20 most iconic fictional United States Vice Presidents

Always playing second fiddle to the commander-in-chief, the vice president usually doesn't have much of a real-life storyline. In Hollywood, that's a different story.

20 head coaches who were successful both the NFL and college football

With Bill Belichick taking over the North Carolina program, we wanted to look back at which coaches have succeeded in both college and the NFL. Here's our list in alphabetical order.

Track stars: The 25 most iconic fictional race car drivers

Whether on the track, open road or city streets, it takes a truly special talent to become an elite fictional race car driver. From the big screen to the tube, here's our ranking of the 25 best.

Power of one: The greatest hard rock/heavy metal solo albums

Breaking away from the confines of a band, no matter how legendary, isn't always easy in the hard rock and metal world. Here's a look at some who have done it quite well.

Fast tracks: Great songs that run under 3 minutes

Short and sweet. Often that's the recipe for a classic song. Here's our list of 25 special tunes that clock in less than 3 minutes. 

The 20 greatest Service Academy football teams of all-time

The 2024 season will go down as one of the better years for service academy football, which proved to be an inspiration for a look at the most successful teams in the history of Air Force, Army, and Navy football.

The all-time college football service academy team

The United States service academies (Army, Navy, Air Force) have produced some memorable football talent through the decades. Here's our list of the 25 best.

Pixel perfect: Video game films that aren't awful

Films that are based around popular video games can be truly hit or miss, with most falling into the latter category. But never one misses the mark. These 20 won't leave games feeling disappointed. 

From Homer to Matlock: The 25 best characters on network TV right now

For those who still watch network television (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, WB), there are some pretty good fictional characters on the airwaves. Here's our list of the best.