EDMONTON -- Chris Jones is from the small town of South Pittsburgh, Tenn., where, he says, theres a lot of blue collar people who "work extremely hard for their money." And that hard work, he said, is what he will bring to the Edmonton Eskimos as the 20th head coach in their history. He also brings a wealth of CFL experience. Hes been a defensive coach since 2002, including stints as an assistant head coach two years in Calgary and most recently as assistant head coach, assistant general manager and defensive co-ordinator for the Toronto Argonauts. Jones has been in the post-season each of his 12 years in the league, won seven division titles and three Grey Cups. The length of terms of his contract were not revealed. "Today is about 2014 and beyond," Eskimo general manager Ed Hervey said in introducing Jones to the media and fans on Wednesday. "I know I have selected the right person to coach this team. We know there is work to do but we are committed to making this thing right and I believe our team is in the right hands of Chris Jones." Saying he was "tremendously excited" to have his first head coaching job, Jones told the gathering of about 50 people in the Eskimos dressing room that he remembers growing up in South Pittsburgh "where they make cast iron and all I wanted to do is be a head football coach. "Now I have a chance to do it with what I feel like is the best organization in this league and I fully expect to put together a great staff, I fully expect to win a ton of games and bring a Grey Cup back here. "My teams have won a lot of games, Grey Cup championships. Its been a tremendous, tremendous ride and its going to continue in Edmonton." One of his first priorities is to secure a coaching staff. He wouldnt mention any names, he said, because many of the people hes looking at are employed by other teams and hes waiting for permission to speak to the individuals. But, he said, when it comes to finding his staff and upgrading the player roster, "were going to hit the ground running. This is not going to be one of those slow procedures. . . its going to come rather quickly." Jones, who was a guest coach with Edmonton in 1999 when Hervey was a rookie receiver on the team, brings an aggressive style and attitude and said the Eskimos will play that way under his regime. He takes over a team that went 4-14 in 2013, a record that resulted in the firing of head coach Kavis Reed and at times had Hervey publicly criticizing the players. "Some of the parts are here," Jones said of the Eskimos. "Its just a matter of finding some help in other spots. To win you need great players, great coaches and in the next few months we will work on that." Hervey, who publicly apologized to members of the media for his attitude towards and treatment of last season, said he wanted a head coach similar to him and he likes the fit between himself and Jones. "His resume speaks for itself. He has the type of attitude that we need here. The expectation levels are high and when you talk about what is expected I felt there was only one person who could meet those expectations and hes standing in front of you. "I made the right football decision, for many reasons. I firmly believe we have the right guy for the job. I believe in Chris Jones. When I look at our club I honestly believe he gives us the best chance of winning." Nike Shoes Black Friday China .ca! There is plenty of blame to be shared as a result of the most recent NHL player (Pittsburghs Brooks Orpik) to be evacuated from the ice on a stretcher following an ugly incident Saturday night in Boston. Cheap Nike Shoes Black Friday . Freddie Roach said if the Rios fight "does not go well, we will seriously talk about his retirement," but that Pacquiao was training as well as ever for the Nov. http://www.nikeshoesblackfriday.com/. Viewers in the Jets region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 6:30pm ct/7:30pm et. The game is also avialable on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg at 7pm ct. Wholesale Nike Shoes Black Friday . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. Nike Shoes Black Friday Online . -- Damian Lillard couldnt believe when he got a clear look at the rim.DUNEDIN, Florida – In one of his post-game scrums last summer, R.A. Dickey referred to his knuckleball as a "capricious animal," a phrase meant to describe the unpredictability, the figurative moodiness, of his strange pitch. Erik Kratz was behind the plate to start Thursdays 7-5 win over the Phillies. He was catching Dickey for the first time in game action and afterward, could attest to his pitchers apt terminology. Asked how he thought he did on Day One, Kratz turned the tables. "How did you think I did?" He was told he did fine. "Okay, well then I did fine," said Kratz. "It wasnt perfect. I had the anticipated anxiety that I thought I would." Just how anxious was he? "I caught myself not breathing a couple of times and everything like that." Armed with a first basemans glove rather than the oversized catchers mitt preferred by most knuckleball catchers, Kratz understands hell have to be a quick study in learning both the physical and mental requirements of the job. "Just the idea of trying to relax, being out there, getting a different visual but I felt like it went very well," he said. "I felt like there is plenty of room for improvement but I think a lot of things Ive seen in his bullpen sessions, it was good to see in the game. Good to see him be able to change speeds and everything like that." Dickey laboured through the first inning, giving up a lead-off dunk single to Ben Revere. One out later, Brett Lawrie airmailed a throw to second on a Bobby Abreu chopper, putting Phillies on the corners. After Darin Ruf walked to load the bases, a Dickey knuckleball to Maikel Franco eluded Kratz for a passed ball which scored Revere from third. Its not how you would think Kratz would prefer to have drawn it up. Its his first game catching Dickey, in the first inning and the first time with a runner on third and a knuckler gets by him. But he was more than happy to make a mistake in a spring game. Passed balls are going to happen. The key is to not get psyched out; dont make the same mistake twice. "You can say, okay, well, it was a passed ball, wild pitch, it was a tough one to get but you have to be ready for the next one," said Kratz. "I was proud of myself. I was happy about the way I was able to relax." Dickey limits the in-game responsibility of his catcher to receiving his pitch. He calls his own game, communicating velocity to his catcher in ways he wont describe publicly. Hes not going to tip his hand. Dickey doesnt even want Kratz to form a hard target with his glove. "Its probably better for the catcher and for me, for that matter, if hes just nice and relaxed," said Dickey. "Im far enough along in my process where I can pick out a shin guard and hit a fastball.dddddddddddd I dont need him to give me a target. "Plus, if hes only giving a target on fastballs then everybody in the stadium is going to know that hey, if he gives you a target its going to be a fastball and if he doesnt give you a target its going to be a knuckleball so I just like him to be nice and relaxed back there, whatever gives him the best chance to consistently catch the ball." Given the uncertainty over Dioner Navarros ability to catch more than 100 games - since Navarro hasnt done so since 2009 - the Jays are looking for more offence from their second catcher. Kratz, with 18 home runs in a back-up role over the last two seasons with the Phillies, fits the bill. Josh Thole, who caught Dickey and served as the back-up catcher after Henry Blanco was released last June, appears to be the odd man out. "Hes going to play a lot," said Gibbons. "We want to make sure he gets some playing time and then well see how it develops. Kratz is going to catch (Dickey) early on, see how that develops, and then go from there." Dickeys knuckleball topped out at 73 miles per hour on Thursday. He struck out two Phillies over two innings, one on a 61-mile-per-hour knuckler and another at 63 miles per hour. He wants his hard knuckleball at 77 by opening day, his floater at 65. Dickey says hes on target to achieve those radar gun readings, adding hes feeling much stronger than he did at the end of last February, when his knuckleball was topping out in the low-70s in early Grapefruit League action. ENCARNACION HAPPY AT FIRST BASE Edwin Encarnacion chuckled at the suggestion he wants to be, or has asked to be, a full-time designated hitter. "No, whatever the manager wants to do Im ready for it," said Encarnacion. "If I have to play every day at first, Ill play. If I have to play both, Im ready for it." Encarnacion played 79 games at first base last season. He served as the designated hitter on 55 occasions. "I like to play DH sometimes because I have more time to go to the computer, watch the pitcher, watch the video," said Encarnacion. "When you play defence you dont have time to do that but for me, if I have to play first base, I dont have a problem with that." Funny, Encarnacions numbers last season were almost indistinguishable. As a first baseman, he compiled a .272/.367/.527 slash line with 19 home runs in 294 at-bats. As a DH: .270/.374/.530 and 13 home runs in 200 at-bats. ROGERS A FATHER Congratulations to Esmil Rogers, the proud father of a baby daughter. Mom and little Elaina are in Denver and doing well. Rogers was there for the birth, returned to Dunedin on Wednesday and pitched in Thursdays game, giving up two runs in one inning of work. ' ' '