Jeremy Pruitt has filed a $100 million lawsuit in DeKalb County against the NCAA.
The former Tennessee head football coach and former Alabama assistant is suing for lost wages, according to documents obtained Yahoo Sports.
In the complaint, Pruitt, per reporter Ross Dellenger, claims that the NCAA “conspired with Tennessee” to make him a “sacrificial lamb” for rules violations.
Pruitt, who was fired from Tennessee in 2021, received a six-year, show-cause order for what the NCAA Committee on Infractions termed “aggravated” violations during his tenure as Tennessee coach.
As reported by AL.com, Pruitt and several members of his Volunteers staff were charged with 18 NCAA violations that encompassed more than 200 individual infractions involving 29 recruits and their families and 10 active players that occurred from 2018-20. Among the charges were impermissible cash and benefits totaling more than $60,000, as well as recruiting during the NCAA-mandated COVID-19 dead period.
Pruitt claims, however, Tennessee was illegally paying players before he arrived. He also claims to have reported multiple violations in 2017 to then-Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer.
Per Yahoo, Fulmer told Pruitt that “he would handle it,” according to the complaint.
Pruitt said the NCAA applied rules against him in 2023 that “had been essentially abolished in 2021 by the United States Supreme Court ruling.”
Tennessee as an institution was placed on five years probation, fined $8 million, saw its scholarships reduced by 28 over a five-year period, must vacate all victories in which ineligible student-athletes participated and was hit with various recruiting restrictions, but did not receive a postseason ban. The school, which had already self-imposed numerous penalties, was charged with “Failure to Monitor” its football program.
According to the Committee on Infractions, Pruitt and his Tennessee staff engaged in “paid unofficial visit scheme” that was against NCAA rules and involved 12 members of the football staff, 29 recruits, 39 members of their families, 10 active players, three family members of players, nine of those recruits’ coaches and three boosters. Included in the scheme were “110 impermissible hotel room nights, 180 impermissible meals, 72 instances of providing impermissible entertainment or other benefits, 41 impermissible recruiting contacts, 37 instances of providing impermissible game day parking, and 14 times in which gear was impermissibly provided to prospects.”
Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.
Nguyen was killed March 3, 2024. West Precinct officers were dispatched at 2:35 a.m. to a report of a person shot in the 900 block of Dugan Avenue.
Phong “Timmy” Nguyen(Contributed)
Officer Truman Fitzgerald said police entered the house and found Nguyen unresponsive inside. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced him dead on the scene.
The house where the shooting happened was a short-term rental Airbnb. There was a party or gathering being held there when someone fired shots.
A motive has not been disclosed.
Officer Truman Fitzgerald said the warrants against Scales and Dortch were issued Tuesday.
Scales is already being held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail because of his previous murder charges.
Daveon Dortch(Jefferson County Jail)
The U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force and Birmingham officers arrested Dortch in Atlanta. He is awaiting extradition.
“This shows that you will be sought no matter where you are,” Interim Police Chief Michael Pickett said.
The brand new crime docuseries Accused: Did I Do It? premieres on A&E Thursday, March 27 at 10/9c.
The A&E original series follows the high-stakes stories of individuals who stood trial and are facing charges for serious offenses such as first-degree murder, manslaughter, domestic terrorism and aggravated assault. Every piece of evidence may lead to an answer, but the truth is never quite clear until the final moment of reveal.
Intimately filmed in prisons and homes across the U.S., the location of the accused is kept a mystery as the story unfolds. Key turning points, evidence and decisions that led to charges and eventual verdicts are pieced together with nail-biting testimony, explosive trial footage and interviews with their defense attorneys and family members.
The series premiere episode titled “Pocketknife Killer of Vulnerable Vacationer?” shows when a day out on the river with friends ends in a deadly encounter when a man stabs five people with a pocketknife following a terrifying confrontation. Later, the defense argues the man believed his life was in danger and acted in self-defense.
Where can I watch Accused: Did I Do It? season 1?
Those interested in catching this chilling true-crime series can stream the show for free through Philo or DirecTV Stream—both of which have free trials set up for new subscribers. Out of the two, Philo is the cheaper option at just $28 a month after its free trial concludes.
The A&E original docuseries is also available for streaming through Sling. Although there is no free trial through Sling, new subscribers receive half off their first month when they commit to a paid plan.
What is Philo?
Philo is one of the cheapest basic cable alternatives out there. Users can access over 70 live TV channels for just $28 a month after its 7-day free trial.
Some of the most popular channels available through Philo include MTV, AMC, HGTV, Discovery Channel, CMT, TLC, BET and more. Users can stream these channels and various movies/TV shows on-demand.
Philo subscribers can take advantage of useful features such as the unlimited DVR option which makes recording favorite content simple.
What is DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream offers subscribers with a plethora of live TV channels and helpful features, too. The Entertainment package, also known as DirecTV Stream’s base package, starts at just $86.99 a month after its 5-day free trial and includes popular TV channels such as HGTV, ESPN, Bravo, CMT, CNBC, BET, CNN and more.
Two other DirecTV Stream packages are the Choice package (original price $114.99) and the Ultimate package (original price $129.99), both of which are part of an ongoing promotion that offers new subscribers $25 off the original price for the first three months of their subscription.
Those interested in comparing all DirecTV Stream’s channel packages can check them out here.
What is Sling?
Sling is another streaming service to consider if you want to stream live TV channels like A&E. Though no free trial is available to new subscribers, those interested in committing to a paid plan get half off the first month.
Both the Sling Orange plan and the Sling Blue plan are normally $45.99 a month, but with the current promotion, Sling users will pay just $23 a month for the first month.
For those who wish to access channels from both the Sling Blue and Sling Orange plans can do so by signing up for the Orange + Blue plan, which combines the best of both plans for just $60.99 a month ($30.50 for the first month).
Perhaps Pete Hegseth has a future as a comedian specializing in impressions of his current boss if the whole defense secretary thing doesn’t work out.
While touring Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, Hegseth put on his best Donald Trump impersonation while relaying the advice the president gave him upon leading the Pentagon.
“When the president told me to do this job, he told me two things upfront – amongst many. He said, ‘Pete, you’re gonna have to be tough as shit,‘” Hegseth said to laughter.
Returning to his normal speaking voice, the defense secretary said Trump told him “‘you’re gonna have to be tough.’ And that has proven to be true.
“But, No. 2, he said, ‘I need you, I want you to restore the warrior ethos to our military,” Hegseth continued. “Get it back to basics: warfighting, lethality, accountability, readiness, standards. Across our formations …”
Hegseth was in Guam as part of a tour of Indo-Pacicific Command, which also includes military bases in Alaska, Hawaii and Japan.
Frito-Lay has issued a recall on a “limited number” of 13 oz. bags of Tostitos Cantina Traditional Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips in 13 states including Alabama.
Less than 1,300 of these bags could include nacho cheese tortilla chips and therefore may contain undeclared milk, according to the company’s release.
“Those with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the recalled product,” it reads.
Customers would have been able to buy the chips as early as Mar. 7, according to the release.
Affected bags bear the UPC code 2840052848 as well as a “guaranteed fresh” date of May 20, 2025.
The specific manufacturing codes on the recalled bags can be found on Frito-Lay’s website.
These chips were distributed to grocery, convenience and drug stores, as well as e-commerce distributors, in the following 13 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, the release says.
It adds that no allergic reactions related to the recall have been reported so far and that this recall doesn’t affect any other Tostitos products, flavors, sizes or variety packs.
Those impacted by the recall may reach out to Frito Lay for compensation, according to company representatives.
The company’s customer service department can be contacted at (888) 319-0631.
The Colorado Avalanche play against the Los Angeles Kings in an NHL game tonight. The matchup will begin at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
The Avalanche enter this matchup with a 44-25-3 record, and they have won three consecutive games. In their most recent game, the Avalanche defeated Detroit 5-2.
During the victory, Devon Toews led the Colorado offense. He ended the game with one goal and two assists, so he will try to perform similarly this evening.
The Kings enter this matchup with a 40-21-9 record, and they have won four consecutive games. In their last game, the Kings defeated the New York Rangers 3-1.
During the victory, Kevin Fiala led the Los Angeles offense. He ended the game with two goals, so he will be a key player to watch tonight.
Notably, Fiala is the second-leading scorer for Los Angeles this season.
Fans can watch this NHL game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
No program dominates girls big-school basketball like Hoover.
With 11 championships in the state’s biggest classification and another six appearances in the final game, Hoover’s 11 titles ties Pisgah for second-best all-time in AHSAA history, trailing only Lauderdale County with 14.
The Bucs were the only Birmingham area girls team to win a basketball championship this season, earning its fifth straight Class 7A title by beating Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, while five other area teams played at least to the final eight in their class.
Class 6A Chelsea and Class 5A Ramsay fell in championship games while Class 6A Mountain Brook won to the state semifinals and Class 5A Wenonah and Class 3A Midfield fell in regional finals.
Players on The Birmingham News All-Region girls basketball team were selected to first, second, third team and honorable mention along with a Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Coach of the Year.
The team is compiled through information from area coaches, staff insights and opinions of experts in the area. It includes players from Jefferson and Shelby counties.
Below are the 2025 selections.
THIRD TEAM
Ramsay’s Camilyah Rowe drives the ball against Scottsboro’s Morgan Perkins during the AHSAA 5A girls basketball final at BJCC Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Will McLelland | [email protected])Will McLelland
Camilyah Rowe
School: Ramsay
Height: 5-foot-10
Class: Sophomore
Position: Forward
The skinny: Averaged 11.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2 assists with 58 steals. She was ASWA Class 5A first-team all-state.
Emma Kerley
School: Briarwood
Height: 6-foot
Class: Junior
Position: Forward
The skinny: Averaged 14.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists with 45 steals and 64 blocks and 44 made 3-pointers. She was ASWA Class 5A third-team all-state.
Zoey Little
School: Shades Valley
Height: 5-foot-11
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 18 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. She was ASWA Class 6A honorable mention all-state.
Taniya Smith
School: McAdory
Height: 5-foot-6
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 16.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists with 49 made 3-pointers. She was ASWA Class 6A third-team all-state.
Maddie Walter
School: Mountain Brook
Height: 6-foot-1
Class: Sophomore
Position: Forward
The skinny: Averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2 assists. She was ASWA Class 6A second-team all-state.
SECOND TEAM
Alabama’s Ashlyn Howard of Hewitt-Trussville pulls down a rebound against Mississippi in the first half of the girls Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Ala. Howard was named the Alabama MVP. (Mike Kittrell | [email protected])
The skinny: Averaged 12.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists. She was ASWA Class 7A honorable mention all-state and earned MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic game. Layla Berry
School: Gardendale
Height: 5-foot-9
Class: Freshman
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 20.1 points (1,343 career), 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists with 57 steals and 89 made 3-pointers (160 career). She was ASWA Class 6A second-team all-state.
Kaitlyn Gipson
School: Hoover
Height: 5-foot-5
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 13.5 points (1,906 career), 2.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists with 108 steals. She was ASWA Class 7A second-team all-state and participated in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic game.
Teralyn Hill
School: Parker
Height: 6-foot-1
Class: Senior
Position: Guard/forward
The skinny: Averaged 16 points, 10.1rebounds, 7.4 blocks and 3.3 steals a game. SI.com listed her as the No. 11 most underrated girls player in the nation.
Ellis McCool
School: Homewood
Height: 6-foot-2
Class: Junior
Position: Forward
The skinny: Averaged 15.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists with 27 steals and 43 blocks and 25 made 3-pointers. She was ASWA Class 6A second-team all-state.
FIRST TEAM
Hoover’s Aaliyah Blanchard shoots a free throw against Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa during the AHSAA 7A girls basketball final at BJCC Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Will McLelland | [email protected])Will McLelland
Aaliyah Blanchard
School: Hoover
Height: 5-foot-11
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 13.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists with 99 steals and made 33 3-pointers. She was ASWA Class 7A first-team all-state.
Vestavia Hills’ Sarah Gordon shoots a free throw during the Albertville vs. Vestavia Hills AHSAA girls 7A regional semifinal playoff game in Jacksonville, Ala., Monday, Feb. 17, 2025.
(Vasha Hunt | [email protected])Vasha Hunt
Sarah Gordon
School: Vestavia Hills
Height: 5-foot-11
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 19.8 points (2,168 career points), 7.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists, shooting 44 percent from 3-point range with region-best 102 made 3-pointers. She was ASWA Class 7A first-team all-state, class Player of the Year finalist and participated in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic game.
Pelham’s Tee King directs the offense during a 2024 game. (Dennis Victory | [email protected])Dennis Victory
Tee King
School: Pelham
Height: 5-foot-7
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 19.3 points (1,593 career points), 4.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists with 70 steals and 61 made 3-pointers. She was ASWA Class 6A first-team all-state.
Chelsea’s Haley Trotter shoots past Park Crossing’s Maliyah Meeks during the AHSAA Class 6A girls state championship game at BJCC Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, Mar. 1, 2025. (Vasha Hunt | [email protected])Vasha Hunt
Haley Trotter
School: Chelsea
Height: 6-foot
Class: Junior
Position: Forward
The skinny: Averaged 17.4 points, 9 rebounds (program all-time girls leader in points and rebounds) and 2.2 assists with 39 blocks and 78 steals. She was ASWA Class 6A first-team all-state, class Player of the Year finalist and participated in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic game.
Midfield’s Kamiya Webb shoots a free throw during the Saint James vs. Midfield AHSAA girls 3A regional final playoff game in Montgomery, Ala., Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025.
(Vasha Hunt | [email protected])Vasha Hunt
Kamiya Webb
School: Midfield
Height: 6-foot-2
Class: Sophomore
Position: Center
The skinny: Averaged 17.8 points (1,000-plus career), region-best 14.1 rebounds (500-plus career) with 62 steals and region-best 139 blocks. She was ASWA Class 3A first-team all-state.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Wenonah’s Samarian Franklin drives the ball against Jacksonville during the Wenonah vs. Jacksonville AHSAA girls 5A regional semifinal playoff game in Jacksonville, Ala., Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Will McLelland | preps.al.com)
Samarian Franklin, Wenonah
The 5-foot-2 senior guard finished as Wenonah’s all-time leading scorer (girls or boys) with 2,807 points, averaging 24.3 points, 8.2 assists and with 221 steals — third-best AHSAA girls all-time single-season — all region bests this season and 85 made 3-pointers. She was ASWA Class 5A first-team all-state and class Player of the Year finalist.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Shelby County’s Kenna’D Buie readies for action. (Submitted)Submitted
Kenna’D Buie, Shelby County
A 5-foot-7 freshman guard/forward, Buie averaged 15.9 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Wildcats. She was ASWA Class 5A second-team all-state.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Hoover coach Krystle Johnson signals in during the AHSAA Class 7A girls state championship game at BJCC Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, Mar. 1, 2025. (Vasha Hunt | [email protected])Vasha Hunt
Krystle Johnson, Hoover
HONORABLE MENTION
Hoover’s Kristen Winston shoots a free throw against Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa during the AHSAA 7A girls basketball final at BJCC Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Will McLelland | [email protected])Will McLelland
Dyson is offering all new online deals this week just in time for spring cleaning season.
A notable deal worth mentioning includes a new discount on the multi-functional Dyson V15s Detect Submarine Absolute wet and dry vacuum. With this deal, Dyson customers can get this wet and dry vacuum for $799.99 instead of its regular price of $949.99, a $150 discount overall.
The Dyson V15s Detect Submarine Absolute weighs nine pounds and features various cleaner head types, including the Submarine™ wet roller head, Fluffy™ Optic cleaner head and the Digital Motorbar™ cleaner head.
A key feature of the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is its advanced dust detection technology. This vacuum counts particles up to 15,000 times per second, enabling it to automatically adjust the suction power based on the detected debris type. This ensures efficient cleaning performance and optimized battery usage.
Another unique aspect of the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is the Submarine™ wet roller head, which is specifically designed for washing hard floors. This cleaning attachment not only vacuums, but also removes spills and stains using clean water, leaving the floors clean and streak-free.
Six of Langley’s nominations came for “You Look Like You Love Me‚” a duet with Alabama’s Riley Green. The hit song, written by Langley with Green and Aaron Ratiere, is nominated for:
Single of the Year
Music Event of the Year
Song of the Year (Langley is nominated as both artist and songwriter in this category)
Visual Media of the Year (Langley is nominated as both artist and director)
Langley also received nods in the marquee categories of Female Artist of the Year and New Female Artist of the Year.
That’s an impressive feat for a singer-songwriter who released her debut album, “Hungover,” in 2024. Langley’s musical partnership with Green, an country star from Jacksonville, has given her career a boost, of course — and all of Green’s five ACM nominations this year are tied to “You Look Like You Love Me.”
He’s nominated with Langley for Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year, Visual Media of the Year and Song of the year (as both artist and songwriter). Langley is listed as the primary artist for the song, with Green as the featured performer.
Green and Langley already have one award win with “You Look Like You Love Me,” which nabbed the 2024 CMA trophy for Musical Event of the Year. The two performed the song at the televised ceremony on Nov. 20 in Nashville, causing quite a stir.
Rolling Stone, for example, praised the charismatic duet in a recap of the ceremony, calling it as one of the top moments of the broadcast. “They were on fire, making the greatest case yet that the CMAs need to devote more time to fresh faces, especially when they have a song as good as this one,” writer Joseph Hudak said. “Performance of the night? Darn close.”
“You Look Like You Love Me” can safely be called Langley’s breakthrough to the big leagues of country music. According to Billboard, the song reached No. 1 on its Country Airplay chart, No. 7 on Hot Country Songs and No. 30 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
Langley’s been busy on concert stages, too. Her solo tour has been selling out this year, including a Feb. 13 show in Huntsville at Mars Music Hall, according to her Instagram. She’ll return to her home state in May for an appearance at Wallen’s Sand in My Boots festival in Gulf Shores.
Langley’s a special guest on Green’s 2025 “Damn Country Music Tour,“ which includes an Aug. 9 stop at the new Coca-Cola Amphitheater in Birmingham. She’s also opening with Wallen on his “I’m the Problem Tour.” (See all of Langley’s tour dates here.)
Alabama’s Ella Langley is a rising star in the country music world. Here, she poses at “American Currents: State of the Music,” an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on March 4, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee.(Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)
So who is Ella Langley, aside from an ACM phenom? According to her website bio, she’s a country maverick with “a rafter-reaching voice” and “a straight-shootin’ songwriter who pulls no punches when it comes to life, love, and everything else under the sun.”
Langley grew up in a musical family in Hope Hull, about 10 miles south of Montgomery, and started her career with performances at bars and festivals in Alabama.
“I always want to be real,” Langley said in a 2017 interview with the Montgomery Advertiser. “It’s important to me to be authentic in my music and my performance. More than anything, I want people to connect to my music and believe what I’m singing. I also just love for people to have fun when I’m performing. Nothing makes me happier than to see people singing along or getting up to dance. It’s also important to me to keep pushing myself and to work hard every day.”
She lived in Auburn for a time, majoring in forestry at Auburn University, before moving to Nashville in 2019, according to an interview with People magazine.
“I luckily got in with a great group of people during that time that I’m still writing with to this day,” Langley told People. “All they do is write and they love it, and they appreciate it, and it’s part of their life. Being surrounded by that made me grow so much as a writer and an artist.”
Langley released her debut EP, “Excuse the Mess,” in 2023. The Tennessean called Langley “an Alabama artist whose wit is as biting as her pen is mighty” in its review, and said the EP “explores stellar songwriting at heartbreak’s edge.”
“Hungover” dropped on Aug. 2, 2024, primed by a promo single of “You Look Like You Love Me” that was released in June and teased on TikTok.
“Langley co-wrote all 14 tracks on the album, and they’re rife with the usual country metaphors, images, and motifs —smoking and drinking, falling in love in bars, regret, heartbreak, trucks and boats and acting tough,“ American Songwriter said. The review described “Hungover” as a reliable crowd-pleaser, saying “country girlies will love this album, as it gives them more of what they’re looking for.”
Langley’s most recent single, “Weren’t for the Wind,” was released in January. It’s included on a deluxe edition of “Hungover” (called “Still Hungover”) that came out in November. Langley currently has 1.5 million followers on TikTok and 1 million followers on Instagram.
