The Arizona Cardinals podcast featured on the SB Nation Arizona Cardinals site Revenge of the Birds has brought us another episode during the offseason. Even though information and stories might be light, Mario, Joe and Tyler talk some more Arizona Cardinals.

What do they focus on this week?

For one, they discuss the signing of former Oakland Raiders linebacker Quentin Groves. They discuss whether the signing is a good one and whether or not he will make the final roster.

In an interesting discussion, they talk about former Cardinals wideout Steve Breaston. Why? To decide whether or not, a year later, letting him go on and sign with the Kansas City Chiefs was a good thing for the team, especially now with the drafting of Michael Floyd.

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One of the perhaps big storylines for the Arizona Cardinals this offseason is a potential quarterback controversy between Kevin Kolb and John Skelton. Both played about half the season in 2011, but it was due to injury that had Kolb on the sideline. Now, head coach Ken Whisenhunt has made the starting job an open competition, vowing to start the player that performs better in OTAs, minicamp, training camp and the preseason.

However, by the way that some reacted, it was completely shocking that both Kolb and Skelton have been splitting reps with the first team offense. The way it worked the past couple of days is that they alternated days.

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Just a day ago, we learned that quarterback Kevin Kolb is not worried or playing in fear of another concussion, something that he has suffered each of the past two seasons. One of the things that he did was get a new helmet.

ESPN NFC West blogger Mike Sando got more information on the helmet.

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Ian Kennedy was counted upon to be the staff of the Arizona Diamondbacks starting rotation. It hasn't been that way at all. Part of that has been command, part of it has been what stat buffs refer to as "regression" and it also has to do with the pressure he puts on himself.

In his 11th start of the season, he put together one of his best performances of the season -- one in which he played the part of ace. Yes, he was matched up against Tim Lincecum, who has simply been a shell of himself this season, but Kennedy pitched great. He threw a career-high 122 pitches, allowing only one run and five hits over seven and two-thirds innings.

That line is what we have all expected more of. However in 11 starts, he only has had seven "quality" starts and four that I would put under the fake stats category I call "ace starts."

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On Wednesday night, those that follow the Arizona Diamondbacks were a tad surprised to see David Hernandez return to the mound in the ninth inning to close out the team's 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants. Hernandez pitched a scoreless ninth and logged his first save of the season.

J.J. Putz, who is the team's closer, did not even warm up.

Now before to start any rumors about Putz being replaced as closer, the team addressed the situation after the game. Putz woke up Wednesday morning with a sore neck and was given the night off. He treated it and said that he would be good to go for the team's next game in San Diego on Friday. He even said that he could pitch on Thursday if the team played.

Putz missed time last season and has had back issues in the past. Erring on the side of caution is probably a good idea.

However, on the other side of things, wouldn't it be nice to get a day off of work because of sleeping wrong?

Get more Diamondbacks coverage over at AZ Snakepit.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.

In what could be seen a somewhat of a surprise move, the Arizona Cardinals waived cornerback Korey Lindsey and signed former Arizona Wildcat receiver Gino Crump to their 90-man offseason roster.

Crump (6-2, 210) played two seasons at the University of Arizona where he appeared in 23 games and made 11 starts. He had 65 receptions for 610 yards and two touchdowns last season after collecting four receptions for 39 yards as a junior. Crump began his collegiate career at Glendale Community College in 2007 before redshirting at West Virginia in 2008. He joined Arizona and sat out as a transfer in 2009.

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Even baseball players have to deal with family things like their wives having babies. The Arizona Diamondbacks made a roster move to accommodate a family matter of this sort. Outfielder Jason Kubel was placed on paternity leave so he could return home to be with his wife, who delivered the couple's second child on Wednesday.

Kubel missed the game on Wednesday against the Giants, which the team won 4-1. He can be out a maximum of three days, which means the most he can be off the active roster is missing the series opener his team has against the San Diego Padres on Friday.

Arizona does not play on Thursday.

To temporarily replace Kubel on the roster, the team recalled speedy outfielder A.J. Pollock from Triple-A Reno. It will be his second stint with the major league club. He hit .229 with a homer and two doubles during the month he was with the big league team when Chris Young was on the disabled list.

Get more Diamondbacks coverage over at AZ Snakepit.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.

Each and every season for many seasons, one last place team the previous season ends up the division champion. In the NFC West, if that were to happen, it would mean that the St. Louis Rams would pull it off. In post on SB Nation NFL, each last place team from 2011 is discussed and analyzed as to what the likelihood would be for them to come back in 2012 and win their respective divisions.

In the NFC West, the Rams are not likely to do that. Why?

Because the San Francisco 49ers won a ton of games a season ago and this season, they still have their defense intact and have added offensive weapons for Alex Smith.

After finishing 2-14 a season ago, the Rams don't look the part.

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Lots of people are worried whether quarterback Kevin Kolb can make it through a season without a concussion. He is not one of those people. He talked to Darren Urban on Tuesday after OTAs and Urban focused an article on that topic.

"I don't worry about them," Kolb said about suffering another concussion this season. "It was a freak deal. They don't happen all the time."

This is true. However, he did take precautions. He has a new helmet, which is a great idea. This helmet supposedly has better protection for the back of the head.

Truthfully, he has to have that attitude.

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It is officially time to begin the Kevin Kolb and John Skelton debate. They essentially split the season last year, coach Ken Whisenhunt has said that they are both competing for the starting job and now, in OTAs, the competition is really on! (note sarcasm)

Ken Somers tweeted this after Tuesday's practices were done.

John Skelton ran the starting unit today. He and Kolb are trading off in OTAs

— Kent Somers (@kentsomers) May 29, 2012

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With their loss on Tuesday night to the San Francisco Giants, the Arizona Diamonbacks fell to 4-4 this season against San Fran. Only the thing about that is that Both teams not have four-game winning streaks against the other. Arizona won the first four contests and the Giants have won the last four.

To end last season, the D-backs won their last five against the Giants, essentially wiping out their chances of the playoffs.

When Arizona won their first four games against them, they were quick to dismiss it, and reasonably so. Paul Goldschmidt said after one game that to even talk about the 2011 success late in the season was silly because 2012 meant that the two teams were different.

Even then, when referring to the success against the Giants early on, the players and manager just said that they look at things a game at a time. Things can change just as quickly and go south as it did to have success.

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It is said that you don't make the team based on what happens in NFL OTAs, but you can definitely not make the team. Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisehunt also has said that when it comes to rookies in minicamp and OTAs that it's a good day when they line up correctly.

It is a fine line and a lot of pressure for rookies, especially the undrafted ones. They have the hardest road to making the team because so little is invested in them.

A pair of Arizona State Sun Devils -- safety Eddie Elder and linebacker Colin Parker -- are in that group of players and Arizona Republic reporter Doug Haller caught up with them in practice and found out about how it is at the bottom of the totem pole.

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A few days ago (I missed it), Mike Sando did a series of posts that looked at the dream scenario or nightmare scenario for each team in the NFC West. The Arizona Cardinals' scenarios happened to be stark contrasts from one another.

In the dream scenario, the Cardinals finish 11-5 and beat the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17 to lock of the NFC West.

The nightmare scenario is not so pleasant. They finish 5-11 and get blown out by San Fran in the final week of the season.

Kevin Kolb in the nightmare scenario suffers a concussion in the Hall of Fame Game and with Skelton starting, the offense stinks, as the running game never gets going.

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The NBA Draft Lottery is happening on Wednesday and the Phoenix Suns, thanks to their not making the playoffs this past season, will be participants in it. They will send former Suns player and current Vice President of Player Programs Mark West. They are also soliciting a little help from their fans. Currently with a 96 percent chance of having the 13th pick in the draft, they are hoping for a little fortune. They would love to land within the top three picks, for whcih they stand a paltry 2.2 percent chance.

As such, the team wants to know what lucky charms that the fans have.

They are going to need it. Not only do they mathematically have little chance of winning it, they happen to be sending one of the team's most unlucky players. As great as he has been as a team executive, as a player, he was not the recipient of good fortune. It seemed that the moment he stepped on the court he was called for at least one foul.

I suppose that sending West doesn't hurt their chances. After all, the likely result is the 13th pick.

But what if some fan's trinket, dirty sock, rabbit's foot or jersey turns out to be the one thing to turn the tide of fortune for the Suns? There is a history of misfortune -- the Lew Alcindor coin flip, the John Paxson three-pointer, the untimely injuries in the playoffs, the Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw suspensions and more.

That charm would immediately become part of Arizona sports history.

With the odds so stacked against the Suns this time, it certainly couldn't hurt to add some fun and possible luck to the process.

You can get more Suns coverage at Bright Side of the Sun.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.

Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Nick Eason has made himself a much more visible member of the team this offseason. He joined Twitter. He has done a lot of community work. He even sparred with a reader. He also has lost a ton of weight.

Doug Haller wrote an article focusing on Eason and what he has done this offseason to prepare for 2012. He has lost 40 pounds, and weighs in at about 282.

Now, he says that he is quicker and can play longer, which was somewhat of a necessity a season ago after Dan Williams went down for the rest of the season with a broken arm.

However, he plays nose tackle, and in the Cardinals' defensive scheme, he is expected to occupy space and blockers.

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It was just three weeks ago when we criticized outfielders Jason Kubel and Justin Upton for not being better run producers this season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was rightly so. Upton started the season batting .091 and Kubel .185 with runners in scoring position. Those two players are arguably the two most important bats in the lineup and they are counted upon for driving in runs.

They have improved.

Since that start, Kubel has six hits in his last 15 at-bats with runner in scoring position (a .400 average). Upton has six hits in his last 14 such opportunities (a .429 clip).

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As most of us today have a day off from work as we get together with friends and family to eat and have a good time, of course we ought to take the time to remember that it is a day in which we remember those servicemen and women who lost their lives fighting for our freedoms.

As this is a day for veterans, we at SB Nation have given current or former members of the Armed Forces to share their best sports memories while deployed in service to our country.

Hit the jump to see the video that was put together.

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We at SB Nation don't forget why we have Memorial Day. Which is why, while many of us are having the day off work, eating barbecue and enjoying time with family and friends, we have given a voice to those who now are or have served our country in the past.

Yes, we are a network of sports sites, so we asked these men and women to share their favorite sports moments from the time during their deployment.

After the jump, you can see their responses in video.

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As Arizona Cardinals fans, we know how hard it has been over the years to remain faithful to the team. There have been some very, very bad years -- especially if you pledged your football allegiance to the team before the Ken Whisenhunt days.

Apparently, Cardinals fans are truly rare -- almost mythical -- according to an ESPN poll that measured how popular different NFL teams are. In the results of that poll, we learn that the Cardinals are the fourth least popular team in the nation, being named as people's favorite team by only 0.8 percent of the population.

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The Boston Celtics are back in the Eastern Conference Finals and will face the Miami Heat for the chance to face either the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. They took care of business in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers, eliminating them from the playoffs with an 85-75 victory in Boston.

Early on in the game, the Sixers' defensive strategy was to give defensive help with the player guarding Rajon Rondo, basically daring him to beat them with his scoring.

He did. He hit huge baskets down the stretch and finished with a triple-double, scoring 18 and adding 10 assists and rebounds.

Boston's defense held Philly to 35 percent shooting, which did them in in the end. So the Celtics are now off to Miami to start their series against the Heat on Monday.

Western Conference Finals, Game 1: Thunder at Spurs, 5:30 PM Arizona time, TNT

The series considered the de facto NBA Finals begins Sunday evening. Will the experience of the Spurs hold off the athleticism and firepower of the Thunder? The Spurs have been playing flawless basketball, and were it not for their "age" (never mind that as a team they have managed to get younger), everyone would be saying that they are the prohibitive favorites to win the title this season. However, the trio of Kevin Durant, Brian Westbrook and James Harden has been more or less unstoppable this postseason as well.

It is easy to see how someone would think that either of these teams would be a clear favorite to come away with the championship this year.

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The 2012 season has been a good one for Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley. He was named Rookie of the Month in April, he has now won six games to go with only one loss and he has been the D-backs' best starter this season. On top of that, he is also having a superb year at the plate.

After two hits on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, he is hitting .444 and has a seven-game hitting streak.

That's a pretty impressive feat considering he only plays once every five days.

How has he done it? The answer was clear for Miley after the game on Saturday. "Luck," he said quickly. It matched his response to a double he hit that was just a few feet from being a home run. After the hit and his teammates were going crazy, all he did was shrug his shoulders like he has no idea why it is happening.

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I know we can't get enough football. This part of the year is also some of the toughest times for football fans. However, a football fix can be had on Sunday (today) just after noon.

The Arizona Cardinals have a one-hour special set to air right after the Indianapolis 500 concludes (12:30 AZ time or some time after that). It will be on ABC 15.

There will be films study with Ken Whisenhunt, some stuff on QBs and footwork with the new QB coach. Ryan Williams, O'Brien Schofield and Calais Campbell will be featured.

Naturally, this is going to be something that will spin things positively for the team, but why not? It is the offseason, and as fans, what we really want is to do is get excited for our favorite team.

So tune in if you can or make sure you record it. It is sure to be a good.

Keep up with Cardinals news and opinions when you are not on the site. Follow Revenge of the Birds on Twitter at @revengeofbirds and "like" us on Facebook. You can follow me individually at @senorjessroot.

Coming into Saturday night's game, based on the pitching matchup, it should have been a battle of pitching wits. Both Zack Greinke and Wade Miley had five wins each and an ERA around 2.00, so most would have expected a low-scoring affair. Instead, 12 runs were scored in the first three innings and Greinke lasted only two and one-third innings, and the Arizona Diamondbacks evened the series with an 8-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Milwaukee started the scoring in the top of the first inning when Jonathan Lucroy singled to drive in Corey Hart, who led off the game with a double.

However, Arizona responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. Gerardo Parra got the first of four hits of the night and was the first of four straight singles. Aaron Hill was next to get aboard, then both Justin Upton and Jason Kubel singled with runners in scoring position. The significance of that was that neither has been very effective in that situation in 2012, although Upton has been much much more opportunistic as of late.

Milwaukee jumped back on top with four runs in the third inning, only one of which was earned, against Miley. Norichika Aochi tripled and then scored on an RBI groundout by Ryan Braun. Lucroy doubled and Rickie Weeks walked, both advancing on a passed ball by Konrad Schmidt. Former D-back Cody Ransom then doubled in both runs. Ransom then came in to score on a throwing error by Ryan Roberts.

Arizona then responded by chasing Greinke in the bottom of the inning scoring five runs. After hits by Upton and Kubel and a walk to Paul Goldschmidt, Ryan Roberts walked with the bases loaded to drive in a run. Konrad Schmidt drove in a run with a ground ball force play, but then John McDonald had the crushing blow. He homered for the second time this season to clear the bases. Two batters later, after Wade Miley got a hit (to extend his hitting streak to seven games) and Gerardo Parra walked, Greinke was pulled. Arizona woudl not score again that inning.

Miley then calmed down and pitched through the sixth inning without allowing another run.

Arizona added a run on a double by Parra and a bloop single by Aaron Hill in the seventh inning, and Brad Ziegler, David Hernandez and J.J. Putz pitched the final three frames without giving up a run.

Putz picked up his 10th save of the season in 13 tries, giving Miley his sixth win of the year. He is 6-1 on the year and continues his surprising (and very necessary) season for the D-backs.

Greinke, who allowed seven runs on 10 hits in two innings and a third, fell to 5-2 on the year.

The rubber game of the series is Sunday afternoon at 1:10 PM Arizona time and Daniel Hudson should make his return for the Diamondbacks.

After the NFL lockout, probably most of us were ready for the NFL to never have another ounce of litigation for any reason. However, now the NFLPA is suing the NFL because it believes that the owners colluded one with another during the uncapped 2010 season, creating a "secret" $123 million salary cap. This is why the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys were punished in losing cap space this season.

For the details of how things have developed, check out the SB Nation story stream on the topic.

The question for you is this -- does it matter to you? What if the NFL did secretly create a salary cap? Do you care whether they did or not?

And how do you see this court case turning out?

This is the topic of conversation this afternoon and evening. Let's discuss it.

While the owners have been in Atlanta meeting together, there were a pair of rules changes that were approved. NFL teams will be able to have one player return from injured reserve during the season and teams can make trades until Week 8, not Week 6 as it has been for a long time.

These two things are good things for teams and can help the competitiveness there is.

A later trade deadline just makes sense. Baseball and basketball usually get a lot of buzz and attention at the trade deadline. Football doesn't. The later deadline allows teams to know whether they will be sellers and which will be .

The injured reserve distinction is also one that will give teams more flexibility

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The Arizona Diamondbacks surprised a lot of people when the team reportedly agreed to a five-year, $60 million contract extension. According to some, the contract was worth it, despite being the richest contract that the D-backs have ever given. His contract beats out the like of Justin Upton and, back in the day,

But the Arizona Diamondbacks had to pay him.

Why?

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