ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons hired Scott Pioli as assistant general manager on Wednesday, reuniting him with GM Thomas Dimitroff. Pioli was director of player personnel for the New England Patriots from 2000-08, including six seasons with Dimitroff, who directed college scouting. He was the Kansas City Chiefs general manager for four years before leaving by mutual agreement in January 2013. Pioli, 48, will join the Falcons on Feb. 3, after he completes his contract with NBC Sports and SiriusXM Radio. Pioli began his NFL career in 1992, when he was hired by Bill Belichick as a scouting assistant for the Cleveland Browns. Pioli was made the New York Jets director of pro personnel in 1997 before joining Belichick in New England. Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Dimitroff initiated the push to bring in Pioli. "This move was made as a result of Thomas competitive drive to build the best personnel team in the NFL, and the addition of Scott to his team certainly reflects that," Blank said. Dimitroff said Pioli is "one of the most respected and adept talent evaluators in the NFL." "We have worked together well in the past and been friends for more than 20 years," Dimitroff said. "We have had the opportunity to experience a lot of success together, and I am very pleased that he has agreed to join our personnel team so we can work together again." The Falcons were 4-12 in 2013 after five straight winning seasons. "We have made the commitment to improve every aspect of our organization this off-season, and with the addition of Scott to our personnel department, we have taken an important step to enhance our scouting staff," Dimitroff said. Cheap Florida Marlins Jerseys . The Canadiens have recorded recent home wins over Winnipeg and Pittsburgh, but the club hasnt notched three victories in a row since a season-high four-game run from Oct. 26-Nov. Cheap Philadelphia Phillies Jerseys .4 long-track speedskating competition. Miller, from Kitchener, Ont., the mens 500 metres in a time of 35. http://www.jerseyscheapnfl.us.com/ . Beginning Monday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. ET and continuing throughout Grey Cup week, ESPN Classic delivers a nightly tripleheader of the leagues most notable Grey Cup games (see below for complete broadcast schedule). Highlights of GREY CUP WEEK include: ? The Toronto Argonauts clashing with the Calgary Stampeders in the 79th Grey Cup, which featured a memorable punt return by Raghib Rocket Ismail? 101st GREY CUP host Saskatchewan Roughriders vying for their third championship against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 95th Grey Cup ? The Argos and Edmonton Eskimos competing for the 84th Grey Cup at a snowy Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton ? Jeff Garcia looking to finally hoist the Grey Cup as he led the Stamps against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 86th Grey Cup? The 93rd Grey Cup overtime thriller between the Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes ESPN Classics GREY CUP WEEK culminates on Friday, Nov. Cheap Montreal Expos Jerseys . -- From Notre Dames unbeaten regular season to college footballs biggest awards, Manti Teo just keeps winning. Cheap New York Mets Jerseys . -- The Anaheim Ducks have activated defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky from injured reserve after a month-long absence with a broken finger.MINNEAPOLIS -- Cris Carters entry into the exclusive club in Canton will be commemorated with a bronze head-and-shoulders bust, like all of the Pro Football Hall of Fame members before him. His hands might be a more appropriate body part to feature. Over 16 seasons in the NFL, with fire and grit and flair, Carter exemplified just what a wide receiver is paid to do: catch the ball. After overcoming some well-publicized troubles in his early years, Carter became a highlight-reel fixture and unflappable performer in the 1990s for the Minnesota Vikings. He wasnt the fastest, the biggest or the most elusive of the bunch, but he made happen some of the most impossible grabs and often did so at the most opportune times. Tiptoeing both feet at the sideline and successfully pulling in a pass in the split-second before falling out of bounds. Leaping to his feet after being whistled down and sticking his arm straight out to signal a first down. Jumping in front of two defenders to corral a ball in the end zone with his fingertips. Those are the images of what set Carter apart. After missing the cut five times for the Hall of Fame, Carter was finally voted in. Hell be inducted on Saturday with this years group about a 3 1/2-hour drive from where he grew up in Middletown, Ohio. "I catch everything that the normal people catch and I catch a few things that no one catches. Thats what I used to say to myself before every game," Carter said recently. Four of his former Vikings teammates, Chris Doleman, John Randle, Randall McDaniel and Gary Zimmerman, preceded Carter with enshrinement over the past five years. Carter retired after the 2002 season behind only Jerry Rice for all-time receptions and touchdowns. Hes fourth in those categories now, passed by Tony Gonzalez and Marvin Harrison in catches and Randy Moss and Terrell Owens in scores. Wherever he landed on those lists was always going to be a product of his fierce determination. Raised in poverty in a four-room apartment with a single mother and five siblings, Carter couldve easily strayed from his Hall of Fame track. He was ineligible for his senior year at Ohio State because of a federal investigation for organized crime that revealed he signed early with an agent. He forced Philadelphia coach Buddy Ryan, who famously said of Carter, "All he does is catch touchdowns," to cut him after the 1989 season. Then, Carters abuse of alcohol and drugs were destroying his career, let alone his life. But with arguably the best invvestment in franchise history, the Vikings paid the $100 waiver fee to claim Carter.dddddddddddd Ten years later, he had been picked for eight Pro Bowls, made the playoffs eight times and, in the latter part of his career, helped lead one of the most potent passing games in the league. The Vikings never reached the Super Bowl with him but were NFC runners up twice in that span. Carter hatched an off-season conditioning plan with his personal trainer to fuel all those accomplishments, using Rice, the San Francisco star, as his motivation and a time-zone advantage as his reward. The addictive behaviour that fueled his chemical dependency worked in his favour on the field. "By the time Jerry Rice woke up I was done with my work," Carter said, adding: "I knew that if Jerry Rice was ahead of me, that day I had caught up to him a little bit." That drive to be the best also produced a brash personality and the potential for conflict with opponents. There are many memorable video clips, too, of Carter shouting at a teammate or a coach. Moss thrived under Carters mentorship as a rookie but later grew tired of him and blasted him on Twitter last year after critical comments Carter made as an ESPN analyst of Mosss work ethic. Carter later wrote in his autobiography "Going Deep," that the two are back on good terms. "If you didnt do what you were supposed to do on the field he really held you accountable," former Vikings wide receiver Jake Reed said in a phone interview. "Some guys couldnt deal with it because he was so strong of a personality. Some guys responded to it well. It was fine with me, because we wound up being best friends." Reed recalled a game at Atlanta in 1991 when Carter caught a touchdown pass with one hand over two defenders. From then on, he was never surprised by any of the grabs his buddy made. "Hed stand sideways, turn the Jugs machine to 55 miles per hour and catch the ball with one hand, standing 10 yards away," Reed said. "I wouldnt try that because Id break my fingers." Carter was rarely hurt. He played in every game in all but one of his 12 seasons with the Vikings. "Every minute that I stepped on that field from the time that I warmed up, I was trying to put on a show for those people," Carter said. "So they would be proud. I come from some humble beginnings, and I just believed that when people pay their money, hard-earned money, that they deserve a certain level of performance." cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '