think our team needs a little spark and hopefully I can

Although Houston Texans players and coach Bill OBrien have said they are treating the Week 11 Monday night game against the Oakland Raiders in Mexico City as a normal road game, the team did distribute a memo with what it called simple suggestions for players on the trip.In a memo sent out by the team, players are asked to stay in their hotel rooms, eat all meals in the team meal room, and not to order room service. It also says players should only drink and brush their teeth with bottled water and should not consume ice. The players were also instructed to leave expensive jewelry at home, to bring all prescription medicine in a labeled bottle and to not use any ATMs in Mexico.Mark Waller, the NFLs executive vice president of international, said the league was not aware of the Texans memo but also said individual teams are responsible for their own day-to-day activities.Waller stressed the NFL shares concerns regarding the players health and safety wherever they play. Waller said the game in Mexico was no different than any other international game. The NFL already has played three games this season in London.With the world we live in today, there are a lot of concerns everywhere, Waller said. Its a complicated world.The Raiders, a team spokesperson said, will eat at the team hotel with food provided by the establishment and the league will provide bottled water and Gatorade. The team has experience with international games, having played in London during the 2014 season.We understand some of the issues that are there, potentially, Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said. Thats been addressed. Well put our plan together and go down and compete. I know its going to be a great atmosphere. It sold out quickly. People are going to be excited to put on a good show down there. It should be a heck of a game.The teams will fly charter planes into a private airport in Mexico City on Sunday and plan to fly out after the game Monday night. Waller said because it is a Monday night game, it makes for a shorter week. Thus, the league focused on getting the teams out as quickly as possible by using a private airport.OBrien said the memo was not unusual for organizations to distribute to its members who are traveling to other countries.Were taking our team to a unique, unfamiliar environment to play an NFL game where basically peak performance is a necessity, so its responsible for our organization to offer simple suggestions, OBrien said.The Texans also provided players with ways to improve hydration and ways to address the high altitude in Mexico City. Azteca Stadium is at 7,382 feet above sea level, 2,100 feet higher than Denver. When at home, Oakland plays at three feet above sea level; Houston at 65 feet.Raiders left tackle Donald Penn said some of his teammates have been using elevation training masks on the treadmill and in the weight room.The Texans memo included information on avoiding the negative effects of altitude and how to prevent altitude sickness -- stressing hydration.Texans left tackle Duane Brown said he wasnt concerned because he knows the Raiders will also be dealing with the same issues.Were on an equal playing field, Brown said. No ones more used to the altitude than the other team, so were all going out there with the same struggle, if there will be a struggle.Added Joseph: It really doesnt make a big difference. In Denver, it was the same thing. People talked about it, but I didnt feel anything. Miguel Layun Mexico Jersey . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Jose de Jesus Corona Jersey . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. http://www.nationalsoccermexico.com/customized/ . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. Carlos Vela Mexico Jersey .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. Giovani dos Santos Mexico Jersey . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. TORONTO -- With the United States facing elimination against Canada at the World Cup of Hockey, coach John Tortorella chose to scratch two players hes very familiar with for the sake of what he hopes is the best lineup.Center Brandon Dubinsky and defenseman Jack Johnson will be scratched for the Americans must-win game against Canada on Tuesday night. Tortorella coaches those players in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets and knows Dubinsky well from their time together with the New York Rangers.Winger Kyle Palmieri and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien replace Dubinsky and Johnson in the lineup after being out for the tournament-opening 3-0 loss to Team Europe. Jonathan Quick is expected to start in goal, with Ben Bishop backing up and Cory Schneider scratched.It kills me to take (Dubinsky) out because of how he competes, Tortorella said Tuesday morning. Its tough to scratch Jack Johnson, too. Its tough to scratch Cory Schneider. This is a really big game for USA Hockey, and to tell a couple guys, three guys, theyre not playing, that was hard.The United States must defeat Canada to remain alive in the tournament.Tortorella said the coaching staff agonized over the lineup decisions and combinations. Ultimately the group decided it wanted Palmieri, a 30-goal scorer, and Byfuglien, a big, physical force with a heavy shot, on the ice and on the power play.We hope (Byfuglien) scores a power-play goal, Tortorella said. He obviously was disappointed he didnt play the first game. I think hes really going to try to make a difference tonight. He needs to stay disciplined but also not test the waters and make a difference here.Dubinskys absence is a curious one given his experience shadowing Canadian captain Sidney Crosby throughout their careeers.dddddddddddd That job could now fall to David Backes or Ryan Kesler, who wants this to be as edgy a game as possible.Hopefully (the referees) let us play tonight, Kesler said.The U.S. needs to balance playing physical and finishing chances to score. Palmieri, an injury replacement for another Tortorella favorite, Ryan Callahan, is better at putting the puck in the net than putting an opponent into the glass.Palmieri doesnt mind being asked to do both.I think our team needs a little spark and hopefully I can go in there tonight and provide that, whether that be a goal and maybe a big hit, just a big play to get our team going tonight and get ourselves into it and just go from there, Palmieri said.Asked Sunday would it would mean to be in the lineup against Canada, Byfuglien said, Its everything.Getting Palmieri and Byfuglien in seemed like a no-brainer after the U.S. lacked quality scoring chances against Europe on Saturday. Choosing to sit two Blue Jackets players who have long histories with USA Hockey stood out, but Tortorella said that wasnt part of the consideration.No, I cant bring that into the process here, Tortorella said. Thats unfair. We have our 23 guys no matter whos coaching them. Its just for this team, this game, and we made the decision to go this way.Carey Price starts in goal for Canada, with Corey Crawford backing up and Braden Holtby scratched. Canada is expected to stick with the same lineup it used in a 6-0 rout of the Czech Republic on Saturday, which means forward Claude Giroux and defenseman Jake Muzzin out.---Follow Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno . ' ' '