Doug Whiteside
An educator in the elementary and secondary panels for the past 25 years, Doug has pivoted towards the digital sports media space, where he has published over 200 articles since 2024. A former college baseball player, and going way back, a batboy for the Toronto Blue Jays, Doug has a knowledge of the intricacies of professional sports culture that is truly unique. Doug writes with a focus on the analytics, and trends of MLB, but will often delve into hot takes across all major sports.
Latest by Doug Whiteside
Broncos at Home - Look to Take Down the Seahawks in Week 6 Thursday Night Clash
Now, in Week 6 of the 2026 NFL season, a less than mighty Seahawks team flies into the Mile High City to take on a Broncos team that just might have the upper hand.
Why Benching Shohei Ohtani Is the Dodgers' Best Move
The marathon that an MLB season becomes every year punishes starting pitchers, and the war of attrition ultimately proved unkind to Shohei Ohtani.
MLB’s Return To A 154-Game Season Could Change The Game For The Better
One proposed item that appears to make sense now, in real time, is a return to the old 154 game, regular season schedule.
NFL Thursday Night: Not So Fast, Cowboys!
Here are three reasons to take the points with the 0-4 Bucs on Thursday night.
Baycurrent Classic: Short Par 4s Invite PGA big hitters to “Nuke It”
For those of us keen to watch an elite field compete against the backdrop of Mount Fuji, on a track with some unusually challenging obstacles, there is the added incentive of seeing true fireworks in real time.
Sale Dialed In for Epic Game 3 Clash With Yamamoto
Yamamoto enters tonight with a 14-9 record, a 2.53 ERA and 182 strikeouts through the '26 season. Sale was even better statistically, going 14-9 with a 2.16 ERA and 200 strikeouts.
Freddy Peralta’s Late Season Climb Suggests Another Slow Night For Yankee Hitters
Opponents hit just .165 against him in September. That performance earned Freddy the American League Pitcher of the Month honors.
Off the Cover Picks NFL Week 4
Off the Cover got the Week 4 party started perfectly on Thursday night. Now we turn our attention to the remaining 15 games
Thursday Night In Cleveland
There are two reasons to believe Cleveland can pull off the upset.
Phillies In The Driver’s Seat After Overcoming Miscues
In a tense elimination playoff game, it will be interesting to see if the announcing crew will hold off on prematurely passing judgment.
Leafs Are The Last Team Standing With The Championship Curse
The 3-2 home loss to the Montreal Canadiens to begin the season (should) serve more as an afterthought than an omen.
The Tampa Bay Rays Have Built the Perfect October Machine
There is one absolute "X" factor that this Rays team has that the others didn't, and one that perhaps the rest of the league in the 2026 MLB postseason is proceeding without.
2026 MLB Wild Card Game One Picks: The Pitchers Who Can Set The Tone (Updated)
Here are the Game 1 matchups, and the pitchers who can establish the tone for their clubs.
Off The Cover - Week 3 Picks
Here are the sides I'm taking against the number:
Alonso-Cease: Top Free Agents Were Spectacular in 2026 - Their Clubs Failed to Follow Suit
The predicament definitely wasn’t the fault of their biggest free-agent acquisitions
How Long Is The Aaron Rodgers Leash?
Rodgers was brutally blindsided early last Sunday against the New England Patriots, and the Bengals will similarly be looking to feast on the veteran pocket presence.
Thursday Night Slaughter? Can Atlanta Cover vs. The Pack?
The Falcons fly into Lambeau Field at 0-2, having scored just 16 points in their first two games.
Three Presidents Cup Pairings the PGA Would Love to See
For fun, and with absolutely no inside information whatsoever, here are The Cover’s three pairings the PGA, and fans of game everywhere, would probably love to see.
OFF The Cover: Sunday Picks
The early weeks of the NFL season are always about as volatile as gasoline in a fireworks factory
Gable Steveson’s MMA Climb Hits Next Test at UFC 331
Steveson has been remarkably open, and typically confident about the learning curve that comes with making the transition from elite wrestling to mixed martial arts.
Blue Jays, Rangers Fight for Their Postseason Lives in Crucial Late-Season Series
Toronto runs into Jacob deGrom, who has once again looked like one of the game’s premier pitchers down the stretch.
Kyler Murray vs. Caleb Williams: Heisman Clash Deflated for Now
For now, the Heisman reunion will have to wait.
MLB Hot Corner Legends Continue to Produce as Playoffs Loom
Now, in 2026, there are three aging superstars who continue to produce at an elite level at the hot corner.
Denver Broncos Still Safe to Cover in NFL Week 2 and Week 3?
The Chiefs running back steamrolled Denver’s defense, rushing for 173 yards and a touchdown, including a spectacular 60-yard score. Will Denver rebound in Week 2? It's looking a little unclear at the moment.