Category: General

General

23-year-old man fatally shot Friday in Montgomery, police say

A homicide investigation is underway after a man was found shot to death Friday afternoon in Montgomery, police said.

Montgomery police and fire medics responded to the 1900 block of Gibbs Drive around 4:25 p.m. Friday on a report of a person shot, said Lt. David Wise.

At the scene, authorities found 23-year-old Montgomery resident Zachary McMeans with a fatal gunshot wound, Wise said.

McMeans was pronounced dead at the scene.

Further information on the homicide was not released.

Police asked anyone with information related to the investigation to call CrimeStopppers at 334-215-STOP, Secret Witness at 334-625-4000 or Montgomery police at 334-625-2831.

General

Charles Henderson fined, forfeits 5 wins because of transfer rule violation

The Alabama High School Athletic Association announced on Friday night that Charles Henderson High School’s varsity football program has been fined and placed on probation for one year for playing an ineligible player in violation of the AHSAA Transfer Rule.

The Troy school also forfeits all games won that the ineligible student participated in, including five region wins – over Andalusia, Eufaula, Greenville, Headland and Carroll-Ozark. The Trojans are now 0-8 overall and 0-6 in Class 5A, Region 2. Charles Henderson had been the second seed behind Montgomery Catholic in region play.

The Region 2 qualifiers now are, in seeding order, Montgomery Catholic, Andalusia, Eufaula and Greenville.

Charles Henderson is the fourth school forced to forfeit games this season, along with Pike Liberal Arts (also in Pike County), Coosa Christian (for the second consecutive season) and Fultondale.

The ineligible player was assessed eight games of restitution plus a preseason contest for the games he participated in while ineligible.

The Trojans were closing out their regular season at Pike Road on Friday.

General

Linebacker Rashaan Evans joins Atlanta Falcons’ active roster

Linebacker Rashaan Evans will be eligible to make his 2024 debut with the Atlanta Falcons after the NFL team signed the former Alabama All-American to its 53-man active roster on Friday.

Evans joined the Falcons’ active roster from Atlanta’s practice squad.

At noon CST Sunday, the Falcons play the Dallas Cowboys at noon CST Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Evans played in nine games for the Cowboys last season.

This year, Evans remained a free agent until the Falcons signed him for their practice squad on Oct. 1. Atlanta released Evans on Oct. 12, then signed him again for the practice squad on Oct. 21.

Evans finished seventh in the NFL with 159 tackles in 2022 with the Falcons, but Atlanta did not re-sign him after the season.

The Falcons signed Evans for their active roster after placing defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro on the disabled list on Friday.

Evans comes up with two linebackers on this week’s injury report. Fifth-round rookie reserve JD Bertrand will miss Sunday’s game because of a concussion. Troy Andersen has missed the past four games because of a knee injury, and his status for Sunday’s game is listed as questionable.

A 2018 first-round draft pick off Alabama’s 2017 CFP national-championship team, Evans played four seasons with the Tennessee Titans before signing a one-year contract with the Falcons in 2022.

In 85 NFL regular-season games, including 68 starts, Evans has 485 tackles, five sacks, 21 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. He returned a fumble 53 yards for a touchdown during the Titans’ 35-32 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 10, 2019. Evans also has started four postseason games.

Evans was the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 6A Lineman of the Year at Auburn High School in 2013 and a first-team All-American selection by the American Football Coaches Association at Alabama in 2017.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

General

SEC top 10 for Week 10: Tennessee ball-carrier takes aim at 95-year-old record

With four ranked teams – Alabama, LSU, Missouri and Texas – on open dates in Week 10, the SEC schedule doesn’t have a ranked-versus-ranked matchup among its five conference contests on Saturday. The league also has two non-conference contests in Week 10 against visitors from New England. Here are 10 stats from SEC Football by the Numbers, along with the schedule, TV and betting lines, to get ready for Week 10:

5 Completions of 40 or more yards by Florida QB DJ Lagway in both of his starts this season – a 45-7 victory over Samford on Sept. 7 and a 48-20 victory over Kentucky on Oct. 19. Lagway has 10 completions of at least 40 yards among his 54 completions in 2024. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart with 12 and Auburn QB Payton Thorne with 11 are the only SEC players with more 40-yard completions than Lagway. Dart has 173 completions and Thorne 114 this season. With Graham Mertz out for the season, the freshman is now the Gators’ full-time quarterback. Florida plays Georgia on Saturday. The Georgia defense has allowed four completions of 40 or more yards this season.

5 Punts have been returned for minus-15 yards against Auburn this season, the fewest punt-return yards in the nation. The Tigers play Vanderbilt on Saturday. Vanderbilt CB Martel Hight has averaged 17.3 yards per punt return this season, the best in the nation for any player with at least 13 punt returns.

6 Victories for NCAA FCS teams in 305 games against SEC opponents since Division I split into Division I-A and I-AA in 1978. The FCS winners have been The Citadel, which beat Arkansas in 1992 and South Carolina in 2015; Maine, which beat Mississippi State in 2004; Jacksonville State, which beat Ole Miss in 2010; Georgia Southern, which beat Florida in 2013; and East Tennessee State, which beat Vanderbilt in 2021. Maine’s 9-7 victory over Mississippi State on Sept. 18, 2004, came in the Black Bears’ only game against an SEC opponent. On Saturday, Maine will take on its second SEC foe when it visits Oklahoma.

7 Consecutive games for Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson with at least one TD run. Sampson has run for 838 yards and 17 TDs on 144 carries this season. He’s one short of the Tennessee single-season record for rushing touchdowns set by Gene McEver in 1929. The Volunteers play Kentucky on Saturday.

15 Victories and three losses for Georgia when a ranked team of Bulldogs plays an unranked Florida opponent, which will be the case for their meeting on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida. This will be the fourth consecutive season that the Gators will be unranked in The Associated Press Poll when facing Georgia. That hadn’t happened since the 1970 through 1973 seasons. The Bulldogs were No. 1 when they played Florida in each of the previous three seasons and are No. 2 for Saturday’s game. A victory by Georgia would give the Bulldogs their first four-game winning streak against Florida since a six-game streak from 1978 through 1983. The unranked Gators’ victories over ranked Georgia came in 1986, 2002 and 2014.

RELATED: SEC TOP 10 FROM WEEK 9

19 Points are the most that have been scored against Tennessee in the Volunteers’ past eight games. It’s the longest stretch of games without any of Tennessee’s opponents reaching 20 points since doing so in the final nine games of the 1985 season. The Vols have allowed 81 points in their seven games this season, the fewest in the nation and the fewest for Tennessee through seven games since 1972, when it yielded 64. The most recent previous season in which the Vols held each of their first seven opponents in a season to fewer than 20 points came in 1969. The most recent season in which Tennessee has held each of its first eight opponents to fewer than 20 points came in 1966, when none of the Vols’ 11 opponents got there. Tennessee’s Saturday opponent, Kentucky has averaged scoring 19.1 points per game this season, the lowest output in the SEC.

26 Seasons since Texas A&M had a 6-0 conference record, which the Aggies would own again with a victory over South Carolina on Saturday. Off to its first 5-0 league start since joining the SEC in 2012, Texas A&M most recently had a 6-0 record in conference play in 1998, when it won the first seven games on its Big 12 schedule. The Aggies won the conference championship that season.

74 More points have been scored by Vanderbilt than by its opponents this season, the largest margin for the Commodores entering November since 1955. Vanderbilt has outscored its opponents 256-182 in 2024. In 1955, Vanderbilt had a 126-40 scoring advantage entering November – an 86-point margin. The 1955 team ended its season in the first bowl in the Commodores’ history – a 25-13 victory over Auburn in the Gator Bowl. Vanderbilt plays Auburn on Saturday.

236 Yards are needed by Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart to break the school’s career total-offense record. Dart enters Saturday’s game against Arkansas leading the SEC with an average of 362.8 yards of total offense per game in 2024. QB Bo Wallace (2012-14) set the Ole Miss record with 10,478 yards of total offense – 9,534 passing yards and 944 rushing yards. Dart has 9,033 passing yards and 1,210 rushing yards for 10,243 yards of total offense. QB Eli Manning (2000-03) holds the Ole Miss record for career passing yards with 10,119. But because his career rushing total was minus-135 yards, Manning’s total-offense yardage came to 9,984.

333 Rushing attempts apiece during the 2024 season for Arkansas and Ole Miss. Entering their meeting on Saturday, Ole Miss has thrown 269 passes – one more than Arkansas. The Razorbacks have outgained the Rebels on the ground with 1,594 rushing yards to 1,473 rushing yards. Ole Miss has the advantage in passing yardage with 2,832 on 183 completions while Arkansas has 2,266 on 165 completions.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE SEC, GO TO OUR SEC PAGE

This week’s SEC schedule includes (all times are CDT with point spreads from BetMGM):

Saturday

· No. 19 Ole Miss (6-2, 2-2) at Arkansas (5-3, 3-2), 11 a.m. at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas (ESPN). Line: Ole Miss by 7.5

· Vanderbilt (5-3, 2-2) at Auburn (3-5, 1-4), 11:45 a.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn (SEC Network). Line: Auburn by 7.5

· Maine (4-4) at Oklahoma (4-4), 1:30 p.m. at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma (ESPN+). Line: None

· Florida (4-3, 2-2) vs. No. 2 Georgia (6-1, 4-1), 2:30 p.m. at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida (ABC). Line: Georgia by 14.5

· Massachusetts (2-6) at Mississippi State (1-7), 3:15 p.m. at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi (SEC Network). Line: Mississippi State by 18.5

· No. 10 Texas A&M (7-1, 5-0) at South Carolina (4-3, 2-3), 6:30 p.m. at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina (ABC). Line: Texas A&M by 3.5

· Kentucky (3-5, 1-5) at No. 7 Tennessee (6-1, 3-1), 6:45 p.m. at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee (SEC Network). Line: Tennessee by 17.5

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

General

Football High Live: Updates, highlights from Friday’s regular-season finales

Tonight, the door closes on the 2024 high school football regular season. Fear not, the playoffs are just around the corner.

The remaining playoff spots and order will be decided tonight. One of the key statewide games takes place in Mobile where Spanish Fort travels to St. Paul’s with the winner earning the No. 2 seed from Region 1 in the Class 6A playoffs.

RELATED: Week 11 predictions

RELATED: This week in HS Sports

Tonight’s schedule also include some big-time rivalries. Key games around the state include New Hope at Randolph, Scottsboro at Mars Hill, Oxford at Florence, Clay-Chalkville at Vestavia Hills, Spain Park at Gardendale and W.S. Neal at T.R. Miller.

Check back frequently for updates on those games and many more around the state. Also look for the final scores and next week’s official playoff pairings.

8:10 PM, Halfway home: Homewood leads James Clemens 17-3 at the half.

Hartselle 14, Mortimer Jordan 0 (half)

Foley 28, LeFlore 0 (half)

Pike Road 29, Charles Henderson 14 (Rough night for the Trojans with the AHSAA breaking news)

Decatur Heritage 35, Ragland 18 (1:12 2nd)

Dothan 14, Godby, Fla., 7 (half)

Enterprise 7, Choctawhatchee, Fla. 3 (half)

Randolph 27, New Hope 7 (Half)

8 PM, Bouncing Back: After their upset loss at home to McGill-Toolen last week, Spanish Fort is showing no ill affects. The Toros lead St. Paul‘s on Aaden Shamburger’s 2nd TD of the night. It’s 13-0 with 6:28 left in the half in Mobile. Winner gets the No. 2 seed.

Spain Park 14, Gardendale 3 (Half)

Tuscaloosa Academy 7, Bayside Academy 0 (half)

Westminster Christian 14, Madison Academy 14 (half)

Mars Hill 7, Scottsboro 0 (half)

McGill-Toolen 41, Baldwin County 7 (half, Jackets 365 yards of offense)

Oxford 14, Florence 3 (half)

7:55 PM, BREAKING NEWS: The AHSAA has announced that Charles Henderson has been fined and placed on probation for playing an ineligible player in violation of the transfer rule. The Trojans will forfeit five region wins and miss the playoffs. They are playing at Pike Road tonight. More to come on AL.com. Earlier this week the AHSAA announced that Coosa Christian and Fultondale would also forfeit games and miss the playoffs.

7:53 PM, Brock party: Brock Bradley with a 1-yard QB sneak to give Spain Park a 7-3 lead over Gardendale with 2:26 left in the first half. AL.com legend Josh Bean among the VIPs at the game.

Enterprise 7, Choctawhatchee, Fla. 3 (Auburn commit Eric Winters with a 9-yard TD run). Thanks to Jimmie Cummings for Enterprise updates all year.

Chelsea 7, Oak Mountain 0 (4:42 left in the half, Thanks to Laurence “Don’t call me Freddie” Weygand for the updates tonight)

7:49 PM, Patriots pad the lead: Homewood now up 17-3 on James Clemens.

Randolph 20, New Hope 0 (6:04 2nd)

Westminster Christian 14, Madison Academy 7 (2:47 2nd)

Decatur Heritage 21, Ragland 12 (7:29 2nd)

Pell City 21, Southside-Gadsden 7 (5:45 2nd)

B.C. Rain 20, Davidson 14 (3:00 2nd)

Hartselle 7, Mortimer Jordan 0 (4:08 2nd)

Vestavia Hills 14, Clay-Chalkville 7 (Aaron Ousley gets the Cougars on the board with a 3-yard TD run with 1:02 left in the half)

7:44 PM, That‘s 2 for EJ: EJ Harrison’s 2nd TD of the night gives Davidson a 14-12 lead over B.C. Rain with 7:37 left in the half.

Pell City 14, Southside-Gadsden 7 (9:00 2nd)

Cottage Hill 7, St. Luke’s 0

Choctawhatchee, Fla., 3 Enterprise 0 (5:28 2nd)

7:40 PM, Tight one in Mobile: Spanish Fort still leads St. Paul’s 6-0 after one quarter with a home playoff game at stake for the winner. Saints had minus-2 yards in the first quarter.

Oxford 14, Florence 0 (Caleb Wynn TD for the Jackets, 10:21 2nd)

Gardendale 3, Spain Park 0 (Jags miss a short FG to tie the game)

McGill-Toolen 28, Baldwin County 0 (Wow. Jackets turning the lights out early in this one. Andrew Murchison with his second TD of the night)

Chelsea 0, Oak Mountain 0 (2nd)

Decatur Heritage 14, Ragland 12 (10:15, 2nd)

7:35 PM, Rebels on a roll: Max Littleton’s 25-yard TD run gives Vestavia Hills a 14-0 lead over Clay-Chalkville with 10:50 left in the first half.

Randolph 13, New Hope 0 (11:34 2nd)

Decatur Heritage 14, Ragland 6 (11:49 2nd)

Oxford 7, Florence 0 (End 1)

McGill-Toolen 21, Baldwin County 0 (Ladarien Miller 2 1-yard runs, 10:50 2nd)

Gardendale 3, Spain Park 0 (End 1)

North Jackson 14, DAR 0

Section 14, Woodville 0

Susan Moore 13, North Sand Mountain 0

Foley 14, LeFlore 0 (2 TD runs for Jaylon Domingue)

Pike Road 14, Charles Henderson 7 (End 1)

7:30 PM, More than a game: Players from W.S. Neal and T.R. Miller came together to pray for injured T.R. player Ken Lett, who broke his neck in a game at UMS-Wright earlier this year and is now rehabbing at Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Myles Johnson with 2 TDs already for the Tigers, who lead it 14-0.

Westminster Christian 7, Madison Academy 7 (9:01 2nd)

Enterprise 0, Choctawhatchee, Fla. 0 (End 1)

7:25 PM, Toros on top: Spanish Fort takes an early 6-0 lead at St. Paul‘s on Anthony Shamburger’s 16-yard keeper. PAT was no good. Winner earns the second seed from 6A, Region 1.

McGill-Toolen 7, Baldwin County 0 (3:35 1st)

Mars Hill 7, Scottsboro 0 (2:53 1st)

Vestavia Hills 7, Clay-Chalkville 0 (End 1)

James Clemens 3, Homewood 3 (End 1)

Decatur Heritage 7, Ragland 6 (1:20 1st)

Randolph 6, New Hope 0 (End 1)

7:20 PM, Checking the scores:

Decatur Heritage 7, Ragland 0 (2:41 1st)

Reeltown 8, Lee-Scott 0 (4:31 1st)

Deshler 7, West Morgan 0 (3:18 1st)

Tuscaloosa Academy 0, Bayside Academy 0 (End 1)

Westbrook 6, Walter Wellborn 6

Guntersville 7, Albertville 0

Saks 12, Locust Fork 6

Susan Moore 7, North Sand Mountain 0

7:15 PM, Mims the word: Mason Mims with a early TD pass for Class 6A No. 3 Oxford. Yellow Jackets lead Florence 7-0 with 7:20 left in the first.

Foley 7, LeFlore 0 (Jaylon Domingue 1-yard run)

Pell City 7, Southside-Gadsden 7 (3:46)

B.C. Rain 6, Davidson 0

Vestavia Hills 7, Clay-Chalkville 0 (Charlie Taeffe 2-yard keeper)

7:10 PM, Not taking any chances: With a playoff bid on the line, McGill-Toolen strikes quickly. Andrew Murchison’s 72-yard TD pass to Christopher Suggs gives the Jackets a 7-0 lead at Baldwin County on the third play of the game. Baldwin County starting QB Hayden Coley is not dressed out for the game.

7:09 PM, Quick scores: Gardendale opens with a 40-yard field goal and leads 6A No. 4-ranked Spain Park 3-0 early in the first quarter.

Ardmore 7, Elkmont 0 (10:40 1st)

Section 6, Woodville 0

Boaz 7, Oneonta 9

Collinsville 7, Valley Head 0

Southside-Gadsden 7, Pell City 0

Walter Wellborn 6, Westbrook Christian 0

Locust Fork 6, Saks 0

7:04 PM, Perfect finish? Class 3A No. 2 Mars Hill trying to finish the season 10-0 against 7-2 Scottsboro.

6:58 PM, High stakes: Gardendale trying to play its way into the playoffs tonight. Spain Park trying to finish its first perfect regular season.

6:55 PM, Gearing up: Reigning 6A champion Clay-Chalkville and 7A playoff bound Vestavia Hills in a final regular-season tuneup for the playoffs tonight in Vestavia.

6:50 PM, The A-Team: Scott Todd, who holds 5 college degrees, and Randy Kennedy, who has a degree from Chelsea, on the coverage of tonight’s biggest game on the Gulf Coast — Spanish Fort at Saraland.

6:40 PM, Cool look: James Clemens sporting new white helmets for tonight’s game at Homewood.

6:35 PM, Rivalry week: The 82nd Battle of Murder Creek happens tonight in Brewton as Class 3A No. 1 T.R. Miller hosts rival W.S. Neal.

6:30 PM, Playoff Bound? Fresh off their upset at Spanish Fort last week, the McGill-Toolen Yellow Jackets can clinch a playoff berth with a win at Baldwin County tonight.

THURSDAY’S SCOREBOARD

Alexandria 28, Munford 21

Autauga Academy 20, Beulah 14

Baker 10, Vigor 9

Bessemer City 10, Wenonah 7

Buckhorn 28, Grissom 6

Dallas County 67, R.C. Hatch 42

Flomaton 6, Northview (Fla.) 0

Geneva County 62, Slocomb 38

Huntsville 31, Lee-Huntsville 6

Muscle Shoals 29, Austin 22

Rogers 42, Lexington 22

St. Michael 35, UMS-Wright 28

Thomasville 56, Clarke County 7

Valley 23, Dadeville 3

Washington County 47, Fruitdale 13

Woodlawn 32, Center Point 20

General

Mark Cuban, Democrats think a strong woman is ‘a transgendered man,’ Gary Palmer says

U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Hoover, on Friday said Donald Trump critic and Kamala Harris campaign surrogate Mark Cuban’s committed a major error when he claimed the former president is never seen with “strong, intelligent women” because he’s intimidated by them.

“I think the Harris campaign and her acolytes keep screwing up,” the Alabama congressman said during an appearance Friday on the Jeff Poor Show on FM Talk 1065 in Mobile.

Palmer then took a swipe at Cuban and Democrats, referencing a hot culture war topic.

“I mean, Biden calling Trump supporters ‘garbage’ and then Mark Cuban going on television and saying that Trump doesn’t have strong woman around him, and maybe the definition of a ‘strong woman’ in Mark Cuban’s mind, the Democrats’ mind, is a transgendered man.”

Cuban’s comments on “The View” were seized on by conservatives who say the remark will backfire with women voters.

“Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women. Ever. It’s just that simple. They’re intimidating to him,” said the billionaire entrepreneur who is among the heads of Business Leaders for Harris. “He doesn’t like to be challenged by them and, you know, Nikki Haley will call him on his nonsense with reproductive rights and how he sees and treats and talks about women. I mean, he just can’t have her around. It wouldn’t work.”

U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., said she was offended by Cuban’s remarks but that women will not be undeterred in voting for Trump.

“These disparaging comments do not hurt our cause they embolden people to speak up and to speak loudly and to say, ‘we know what’s at stake for our nation and we’re willing to fight for it,’” she said during an appearance on Fox News on Friday. “I think that’s what you’re going to see on Election Day coming soon.

“Despite Mark Cuban’s offensive bullying,” she said, “I know that women understand what’s at stake.”

General

Malik Willis on standby again for the Green Bay Packers

Malik Willis won’t find out until Sunday afternoon if he’ll make his third start of the season for Green Bay, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said on Friday afternoon.

Quarterback Jordan Love has a groin injury. He practiced on a limited basis on Thursday and Friday and has a questionable designation for his participation status in Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions.

“I think we’re going to do it how we always do it,” LaFleur said. “We’ll give him up to game time to see how he’s feeling.”

Obtained in a trade with the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 26, Willis had to jump into the Green Bay starting lineup for the second and third games of the season, and the Packers defeated the Indianapolis Colts 16-10 on Sept. 15 and Titans 30-14 on Sept. 22.

On Sunday, Willis took the reins of the Green Bay offense when Love left with 11:41 remaining in the third quarter. The Packers scored two touchdowns and kicked a field goal on the game’s final play during Willis’ time on the field during a 30-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“You just got to be able to be ready when the time comes and work hard each day to get better,” Willis said. “I feel like that’s more important than being confident by a couple wins. I mean, these are different teams. Each team is different, and each game is its own game.”

Willis said he’s not thinking about how his success standing in for Love could change his career trajectory.

“I think it’s cool,” Willis said on Wednesday. “It’s fun. I like football. … I mean, we still got a lot of games left in this season. We got a game next week against a really good opponent. I feel like that’s what we got to focus on right now, and anything more than that is pride.”

The former Auburn quarterback was a third-round selection from Liberty in the 2022 NFL Draft. In two seasons with Tennessee, he played in 11 games (with three starts), completed 35-of-66 passes for 350 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions and ran for 114 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries. Since joining Green Bay, Willis has completed 29-of-39 passes for 380 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions and run for 137 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries.

“You got to know what you’re doing,” Willis said about the difference in his stats. “You only can do that by getting reps. …

“I got reps when I got here, and I got a chance to go out and show it. And over the last few years, I’ve been getting reps, whether they be on scout team or whatever. You’re going against one of the top — they were the top defense last year, Tennessee. So, I mean, more than anything, just taking those each and every day.”

Willis also thinks persevering in Tennessee has helped him be more productive in Green Bay.

“I feel like those past times were more important than any times I’m going to have in the future, more than anything,” Willis said. “Those times build your faith, literally. I mean, when it’s easy and all going good, you’re not as locked into those things. You’re not even thinking about it. But when those times are hard and you don’t have anybody picking you up, it’s like: What can you lean on? And I found what I can lean on, and I can trust in that regardless — good, better, indifferent — so I don’t look at it, like, as a results basis.

“Sometimes the media may take this, like, you lose, you’re the worst in the world; you win, you’re the best in the world. I kind of just erase both of those and just go out there and have fun and enjoy this opportunity and this platform that God’s given me and try to give him all the glory.”

With the Lions at 6-1 and the Packers at 6-2, the teams will battle for the lead in the NFC North at 3:25 p.m. CST Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

“They’re just doing a good job getting the ball out,” Willis said of Detroit’s defense. “I mean, they’re a good defense as far as you can see. More than anything, they’re winning games, and I feel like that comes from them taking the ball away. And we have to protect the ball as always. I feel like they have a good rush up front. I know they are down a few guys, and we hate to see that. But they’re definitely still good.”

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

General

Suspect jailed on murder charge in fatal Talladega County shooting

A suspect is being held in the Talladega County jail on $250,000 bond after authorities say he shot and killed a man over the weekend.

Thomas Austin Griffith, 25, of Heflin, allegedly shot and killed Jackie Arnold Kays on Sunday, Talladega County court records showed.

Griffith was arrested Thursday and taken to the county jail on a charge of murder, jail records showed.

The 25-year-old suspect had not posted bond as of early Friday evening.

The complaint against Griffith filed in Talladega County did not go into detail about the incident, but Chief Deputy Josh Tubbs told WBRC that Griffith confronted Kays at his home in Munford.

An argument ensued, leading to the fatal shots, Tubbs said.

Efforts to reach Tubbs were not immediately successful.

General

Harris slams Trump for suggesting Liz Cheney be shot

Kamala Harris said Friday it was “disqualifying” for Donald Trump to say former Rep. Liz Cheney, one of the former president’s most prominent Republican critics, should have rifles “shooting at her” to see how she feels about sending troops to fight.

The Democratic vice president has campaigned extensively with Cheney, especially in the “blue wall” battleground states that make up her strongest path to victory on Tuesday, while Trump has been going after the former Wyoming congresswoman and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, over the Iraq war and foreign military interventions.

Speaking to reporters after arriving in Madison, Wisconsin, Harris asked voters to consider who they’d prefer sitting in the Oval Office, driving the message she’s been emphasizing in the campaign’s closing week. Harris called Cheney “a true patriot” and said Trump “has increased his violent rhetoric.”

“His enemies list has grown longer. His rhetoric has grown more extreme,” Harris said. “And he is even less focused than before on the needs and the concerns and the challenges facing the American people.”

Trump and his allies say his comments are being misconstrued. They say he was arguing that Cheney is a “war hawk” but would be less supportive of using the military of she had to fight in wars herself.

He doubled down Friday, calling Cheney a “disaster” during a stop at a restaurant in Dearborn, Michigan. “She wouldn’t fight, she is a coward,” he said, adding that if she was ever put on a battlefield, “she’d be the first one to chicken out.”

But the Republican presidential candidate has been using increasingly threatening rhetoric against his adversaries and talked of “enemies from within” undermining the country. Some of his former senior aides and Harris have labeled him a fascist in response.

Cheney, who broke with Trump after a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, on Friday called the former president a “cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”

Trump has ramped up his critiques of the Cheneys in swing state Michigan, where he is competing with Harris for the votes of Arab Americans opposed to U.S. backing of Israel’s offensive in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and its subsequent invasion of Lebanon.

At an event late Thursday in Arizona with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Trump was asked whether it was strange to see Cheney campaign against him. The former congresswoman has vocally opposed Trump since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and endorsed Harris, joining the vice president at recent stops as they try to win over Republicans disaffected with Trump.

Trump called Cheney “a deranged person” and added: “But the reason she couldn’t stand me is that she always wanted to go to war with people. If it were up to her we’d be in 50 different countries.”

The former president continued: “She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.

“You know they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, oh gee, well, let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy,” Trump said.

Cheney responded Friday in a post on X: “This is how dictators destroy free nations. They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”

One prominent Trump critic, former Republican congressman Joe Walsh, argued the former president’s comment had been taken out of context and that Trump was “NOT calling for Liz Cheney to be executed in front of a firing line.”

“In Trump’s typically stupid, ugly fashion, he’s trying to make a point about Cheney’s stance on war,” Walsh said on X.

Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, suggested that Trump was “talking about sending a prominent Republican to the firing squad, and you have Vice President Harris talking about sending one to her Cabinet. This is the difference in this race.”

Trump said he was making a point about Cheney’s foreign policy record.

“She is a war hawk,” he said in Michigan. “If she had to do it herself and she had to face the consequences of battle, she wouldn’t be doing it. So it is easy for her to talk, but she wouldn’t be doing it.”

His spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, said his comments were being taken out of context, calling the controversy “the latest fake media outrage.”

Throughout his campaign, Trump has been fixated on the Americans he believes have wronged or betrayed him. He has portrayed them as worse than the United States’ foreign adversaries, referring to them as “enemies from within.”

He’s threatened to use the federal government, including the military, to go after them. And he has repeatedly threatened “long term prison sentences” for those “involved in unscrupulous behavior” this election, including political operatives, donors and elected officials.

He said people he labeled as “the enemy from within” should be “very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military.”

Some of Trump’s supporters have said his talk of vengeance is either justified or hyperbole.

General

Best no deposit bonuses: Exclusive offers from BetMGM and top social casinos (Nov. 2024)

No deposit bonus codes offer a fantastic way for players to boost their bankroll without spending a single dime. Generally, these are a little more difficult to come across than other types of online casino bonuses.

Our team of experts has spent time narrowing down the best no deposit casino bonuses for November 2024. Continue reading to learn about these unique offers.

BetMGM No Deposit Bonus for Real Money

BetMGM Casino has long been considered one of the best overall online casinos operating today. It is currently operating in NJ, MI, PA, and WV, and may expand to additional states in the coming years.

As of November 2024, BetMGM is one of the few real money online casinos offering a no deposit bonus to its players.

This is a $25 no deposit bonus available to all new users. It’s actually part of a broader welcome bonus that also provides new users with a 100% first deposit match of up to $1,000.

Don’t feel like making any deposit? No problem. The steps below explain how to claim the BetMGM Casino no deposit bonus for real money today.

Click our BetMGM Casino promo code link or banner.
Select your state.
Register a new account with BetMGM Casino by providing the requested personal information (home address, phone number, etc…).
Confirm your identity with BetMGM by providing a valid form of ID.
Immediately receive $25 into your account.

This is a fantastic way for online casino fans to earn playing credits without spending a single dime. The entire process to earn this bonus should take no more than 10 minutes.

Check out BetMGM Casino today to learn why it’s considered one of the best online casinos operating today.

Best No Deposit Bonus for Sweepstakes Casino Players

Finding no deposit bonuses offered by online casinos can be a difficult task. These platforms prefer to offer first deposit bonuses to their members.

Sweepstakes casinos, however, are well-known for offering no deposit bonuses to their new players.

For those unaware, these are platforms that offer traditional casino games, yet are completely free to play. Users can, however, earn money playing through these platforms in several different ways.

Most of the best online sweeps casinos offer no deposit bonus codes. Below are seven of the best ones being offered today.

Jackpota Casino no deposit bonus: 7,500 Gold Coins

Jackpota Casino is a great social casino operating throughout nearly the entire country. New members of this platform can get a Jackpota Casino no deposit welcome bonus that features 7,500 free Gold Coins with no deposit required.

Additionally, new players are eligible to receive a 150% bonus on their first purchase of Gold Coins.

Jackpota Casino provides more than 700 slot games. It acts as a slot-only platform and does not currently offer table games or live dealer games. Check it out today.

McLuck Casino no deposit bonus: 7,500 Gold Coins + 2.5 Sweeps Coins

McLuck Casino is another one of the most popular online sweeps casinos in the country. All new users of this platform are eligible to receive 7,500 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweeps Coins, with no deposit required.

With the McLuck Casino no deposit bonus, new users are eligible to receive an astounding 57,500 Gold Coins and 27.5 Sweeps Coins.

There are many reasons why this platform has grown so popular. It offers a massive number of slots, as well as some excellent live dealer games. This platform truly feels like a real online casino and provides one of the best no deposit bonus codes in November 2024.

CrownCoins no deposit bonus: 100,000 Crown Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins

CrownCoins launched in 2023 and has already established itself as one of the best social casinos in the US. It is currently offering its new players a fantastic no deposit bonus of 100,000 Crown Coins, plus 2 free Sweeps Coins.

That’s not the only bonus available here. New players who use the CrownCoins no deposit bonus offer will become eligible for an additional 800,000 Crown Coins, plus 40 Sweeps Coins, for just a single purchase of $15.99.

There is no requirement to make a purchase through this platform. Members have access to more than 170 game titles, including some of the most popular online slot games from top developers like NetEnt and Pragmatic Play.

Real Prize no deposit bonus: 100,000 Gold Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins

Real Prize is an exciting social casino platform available in every state aside from WA, NV, ID, and MI. New users are able to claim a no deposit bonus of 100,000 Gold Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins.

Looking for something a little bigger? With the Real Prize no deposit bonus, users can earn up to 575,000 Golden Coins, plus 105 Sweeps Coins. Additionally, they will receive up to 1000 VIP points.

Real Prize offers more than 550 games, including a massive variety of slots.

High 5 Casino no deposit bonus: 250 Gold Coins + 5 Sweeps Coins + 600 Diamonds

All new members of High 5 Casino are eligible to receive 250 Gold Coins, 5 Sweeps Coins, and 600 Diamonds, with no deposit required. This is a great bonus that can be claimed immediately after signing up.

With the High 5 Casino no deposit bonus, users can also earn an additional 200 Gold Coins, 40 Sweeps Coins, plus 100 Diamonds.

High 5 Casino provides users with many great slot games. Unfortunately, no table games can be played through this platform.

WOW Vegas no deposit bonus: 150,000 Wow Coins + 3 Sweeps Coins

WOW Vegas is playable in all states except Washington, Michigan, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada. New users can quickly earn 150,000 Wow Coins, plus 3 Sweeps Coins, without making any deposit.

Those looking for something a little bit more lucrative can use the WOW Vegas no deposit bonus offer to earn 35 Sweeps Coins with a 1.5 million WOW Coins purchase.

WOW Vegas offers more than 1,000 games. That makes it one of the most comprehensive social casinos operating today.

Hello Millions no deposit bonus: 15,000 Gold Coins + 2.5 Sweeps Coins

Hello Millions is offering its first-time members a no deposit bonus of 15,000 Gold Coins, plus 2.5 Sweeps Coins. This will be credited immediately after creating a new account.

Using the Hello Millions no deposit bonus, players can also receive up to 230,000 Gold Coins, plus 115 Sweeps Coins with their first 3 purchases.

Hello Millions is another slot-only online casino. Check it out and see all of the available slot games being offered.

What Is a No Deposit Bonus?

No deposit bonuses are, as the name would suggest, bonuses that can be claimed without having to first make a deposit.

That differs from first-deposit match bonuses, in which players receive a bonus on top of what they first deposit into their account.

Generally, no deposit bonuses tend to be fairly small. They also almost always come with strict terms and conditions that ensure players do not simply walk away with free money.

These can come in many forms. BetMGM Casino’s no deposit bonus offers $25 in casino credits, simply for making a new account.

How To Claim a No Deposit Bonus

The steps to claim a no deposit bonus are almost always extremely simple. These are generally offered as a welcome bonus.

To earn them, players simply create a new account with an online casino (or sweeps casino) and are credited with a set amount of bonus funds, immediately.

No deposit bonuses can sometimes be offered to existing players, too. In this case, they can come in the form of daily or weekly rewards, where players receive bonus funds, simply for logging into their accounts.