Latest news with #GreenHornet
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Ben Bartch's improbable path to becoming 49ers starter built on bulk via vile smoothies
Have you heard about the third-string Division III tight end who became a fourth-round NFL draft pick in two years? That's not a setup for a punch line. It's the story of Ben Bartch, the San Francisco 49ers ' new starting left guard who changed his football fortunes by changing positions and transforming his body. Need tips on gaining 93 pounds in a presidential term? Bartch is your man. Bartch, 27, a sixth-year NFL veteran, is among the league's unlikeliest players. There are zero-star high school recruits and then there's Bartch, who pitched himself to coaches at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minn., where the Johnnies compete in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference against the likes of Hamline University and the College of St. Scholastica. Bartch arrived on campus as a 6-foot-6, 215-pound tight end from Blanchet Catholic High School in Salem, Ore. His mom, Jennifer, recalls he was a 'stringbean.' His teammate and roommate, Richard Carriveau, termed him a 'skinny twig.' Four years later — after he had four catches in his first two seasons — Bartch was a behemoth off to the big leagues: a 308-pound All-America left tackle, he became the first Division III player drafted in five years when the Jaguars took him 116th in the 2020 draft. 49ers' Shanahan wants to play starters Saturday. With 27 injuries, should he? Ostler: Colton McKivitz, 49ers fans' pet scapegoat, uses criticism to fuel his climb Bartch called his parents after his sophomore season to tell them about his position switch. Asked whether she thought the change would pave a path to the NFL for her son, Jennifer began laughing before answering. 'No,' she said. 'Not at all. Like, not at all. … But then it was like, 'So now I guess we have to sign up for NFL+.'' Carriveau, a linebacker, explained that he and Bartch both spent their first two seasons stuck behind All-Americans. Their dream? Start for their last two years, get their degrees and get on with their post-football lives. Instead, Bartch became the fourth Division III player drafted in the first four rounds in 30 years. 'It's an insane story,' Carriveau said. 'I don't think Ben realizes it.' Bartch is a free spirit who has a kindred spirit in larger-than-life tight end George Kittle. They recently discussed a quote that captures their shared outlook: You don't have to be fearless to be brave. Bartch's improbable path to the NFL hasn't been his only adventure. He studied abroad in South Africa in college and served as a computer lab tutor for local children. He slept in the back of the 'Green Hornet,' his 1995 Chevy Silverado, when he road-tripped from Jacksonville, Fla., to his hometown of McMinnville, Ore., after his rookie season. His mom noted he never has been burdened by 'limiting beliefs' about the places he can go or what he can accomplish. He joined the track team as a senior at Blanchet and won a state title in the discus. His outlook is part of why offensive line coach Chris Foerster identified Bartch to replace starting left guard Aaron Banks, who signed a big-money contract with the Packers in March. Bartch isn't a slam-dunk solution after making just 22 starts in his first five seasons of a career that was derailed by a severe knee injury in 2022. But Bartch has appeared impervious to his stressful situation this offseason. Foerster began by saying, 'I love Ben Bartch' when asked about his new starter with a perma-smile. 'The guy's got a good attitude,' said Foerster, a 32-year NFL veteran. 'About football. About life. He's got a good perspective on things, and I like that with a guy. Because you want them to take it seriously. But life and death every day? It's seven months. It's seven days a week. And life and death every day is a tough way to live. So guys who do that usually don't make it. He cares. But bad things are going to happen. And it's how are you going to recover from them?' A Catholic, Bartch credits his faith for a perspective that lessens anxiety and helps him handle adversity. He has made just five starts since he suffered a dislocated knee that included ligament damage three years ago. Last year, after an impressive fill-in start in a loss to Buffalo in December, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury the next week. He missed the start of training camp with a quadriceps injury. And he left practice Tuesday with an elbow injury that could sideline him for about a week. 'I'm a man of faith, and I have that trust in a bigger plan,' Bartch said. 'And I'm filled with a lot of gratitude. I think you control certain things, and there's certain things in life you can't control. I don't look back because I'm not going there. I'm grateful for it all, good and bad. Because that's life. That's football.' Bartch is still playing football because he rarely stopped eating during his final two college seasons. The endless buffet began when he was a 245-pound tight end determined to start at left tackle. He gained 30 pounds in three months before his junior year by eating five meals and consuming 200 to 250 grams of protein a day. His food consumption has taken on a mythical quality. His strength and conditioning coach, Justin Rost, referenced the 'loaf-of-bread story' that involved a jar of peanut butter and a tub of jam. There's also the eating-two-pounds-of-spaghetti-in-one-sitting story (Said Rost: 'I thought that was disgusting.') And Carriveau wistfully recalls his blender that Bartch used to make his 'diabolical' smoothies, as if the appliance should be residing in the Smithsonian. Jacksonville's 4th-round pick: Ben Bartch's college transformation 😳 — PFF College (@PFF_College) April 25, 2020 Bartch's smoothies were nasty enough to gain national attention before the 2020 draft, with Bartch making the concoction live on ESPN during the NFL scouting combine. As prospects worked to wow scouts, Bartch nauseated the audience. The ingredients: seven scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, grits, peanut butter, a banana and red Gatorade. 'Ben would throw up because he'd eat so much food,' Rost said. 'So then we decided he had to drink it. It was like, 'You've got to figure out how to drink some protein.' So he made this crazy smoothie. And then the smoothie made him puke because it was so disgusting. People are always like, 'You must be the guy behind the smoothie.' I disagree. It was mostly Ben's idea of what to put in it.' 'So my big contribution to the whole shake,' he explained, 'was just flavoring.' The hard-to-keep-down smoothie was a reason Bartch began routinely knocking down linemen and linebackers late in his first season as a starter. He'd been a violent blocking tight end — Rost recalls him knocking off an opponent's helmet with a crushing blow as a sophomore — but he packed an even bigger punch after packing on the pounds. 'You watch your buddies play, but he's on offense and I'm on defense,' Carriveau said. 'So I didn't really pay attention until I started watching film and I'm like, 'Wow, I didn't know Bartch could block this well.' And then we'd go up against each other in practice and he'd lay me on my butt. And it was like, 'Where did this come from?'' Bartch became an NFL prospect because he retained the movement skills of a tight end despite adding the equivalent of about 12 gallons of water to his frame during college. Foerster noted his flexibility and athleticism make Bartch a 'good fit' for the 49ers' offense, which requires offensive linemen to sprint to make second-level blocks. 'I wasn't a fat kid my whole life, and that's no disrespect to my brothers that are bigger dudes,' Bartch said. 'But I think that's been an advantage as far as being able to move and bend in different ways.' Bartch has to work to remain a bigger dude, consuming about 5,200 calories daily to maintain his 315-pound frame. He said he has given thought to his post-football future when he can shed weight, but he's in no rush to get started. He's still busy enjoying a life no one imagined for him when he was a third-string Division III tight end. Not even Bartch, a free spirit never burdened by limiting beliefs, fully envisioned the heights he'd reach and just how big he'd become.
Chicago Tribune
25-05-2025
- Chicago Tribune
On a rainy May day 75 years ago, the ‘Green Hornet' streetcar disaster left more than 30 dead
On May 25, 1950, Walter Skonicki sat down on his couch to perform his evening ritual of listening to the radio or perusing the newspapers. 'What the heck!' he exclaimed upon hearing an explosion and feeling a blast of air coming through his living room window at 6242 S. State St. Looking out, he got a preview of the Tribune's front-page headline the next morning: 'TRUCK-TROLLEY FIRE! 33 DIE.' The accompanying story reported that the fuel in a gasoline tanker became a fireball after colliding with a rush-hour streetcar, a sleek new model dubbed the 'Green Hornet.' The death toll was later estimated at 34. The disaster resulted from a chain of events that started with a heavy rainfall on that May day, all of them laid out in detail in Craig Cleve's book 'The Green Hornet Streetcar Disaster,' from which much of this account is taken. At 2:30 p.m., Peter Duggan, a CTA supervisor, reported that a viaduct at State and 63rd was flooded. Southbound streetcars would have to stop at 62nd Place and be sent northbound. To provide for such contingences, the CTA built reversing loops at intervals along its streetcar lines. Duggan asked for a flagman to hold up one of the trains when he pushed a long iron lever into the turnout's switching mechanism. Charles Kleim, a bus driver who'd finished his shift, was sent to warn approaching streetcars, but without a flag. That was not unusual. At the 62nd Place turnout, Kleim, who had waved down 200 streetcars with his bare hand, saw one more. It was going too fast and ignoring his frantic signals. As Kleim desperately ran toward it, the streetcar lurched into the turnout. It was trailed by the sound of crunching metal and screaming passengers. With the 63rd Street underpass now open a southbound Mack Truck drove through it. Mel Wilson, the driver, was bringing 4,000 gallons of gasoline from an Indiana refinery. Shortly after emerging from the underpass, he crossed paths with the Green Hornet coming from the turnout adjacent to Skonicki's cottage. Wilson and the motorman Paul Manning were killed by the collision. 'Survivors, suffering from shock, told conflicting stories about difficulties in opening the doors. Several said they had to kick out the glass in order to open the doors, but Beverly Clark, 14, of 6143 Wentworth Ave., said the doors swung open when she pulled an emergency cord, breaking her finger,' the Tribune reported on May 26. 'She was the first to leave the car.' The explosion ignited a number of nearby buildings. 'Hours after the flames in the street car had been extinguished, firemen still were battling the flames in the buildings. Walls collapsed in several of them,' the Tribune reported. Amid the bodies and the streetcar's twisted remains a pocket watch would be found. Its hands had stopped 6:33.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. DeSantis, Florida lawmakers help spread 'chemtrails' conspiracy theory
It looks like Gov. Ron DeSantis has tossed his tin-foil hat into the ring on the not-so-great debate over unknown 'theys' trying to poison Floridians through 'chemtrails' in the sky. It used to be that you had to seek out Alex Jones and other lunatic-fringe professionals to indulge in this sort of contrived conspiracy theory banter. But now, you just have to tune into the Florida government to scratch your crazy itch. DeSantis, declaring that we here in Florida are 'proud of our sunshine' – bless his heart – has vowed to put an end to an imaginary, secret government practice of intentionally blocking the sun over Florida. 'People have a lot of kooky ideas that they can get in and put things in the atmosphere to block the sun and save us from climate change. We're not playing that game in Florida,' DeSantis said in a recorded message posted on social media. It's so adorable when DeSantis tries to burnish some tough-guy street cred by standing tall against nothing. It's default DeSantis. (In other news, we're not 'playing that game' with the giant, costumed Easter Bunnies at the malls, either. You're scaring our hard-working toddlers half to the death. Take your chocolate socialism and carrot-vegan agenda elsewhere.) Bolstered by the empowering of renowned kook, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the new head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there's a movement in Florida and other similarly feeble-minded states to write laws that mainstream paranoia about the government-backed aerial poisoning of the American people, which is sometimes called 'geoengineering.' 'We are going to stop these crimes,' Kennedy vowed last August. Florida's just being the Kato to his Green Hornet. Opinion: Florida politicians indulge conspiracy theorists with nonsense 'chemtrails' bill But don't expect results. Ever since the U.S. government began experimenting with cloud seeding decades ago to bring rain to drought-stricken agricultural land or to control wildfires, conspiracy theorists have let their imaginations run wild. This has led them to single out the often visible condensation from aircraft engines on jets flying at colder high altitudes. This condensation turns to ice crystals called 'contrails' that often span the sky. Conspiracy theorists have convinced millions of people that many of these white streaks of water vapor across the sky are really a mix of deadly heavy metals dropped day and night for the secret purpose of creating a permanent haze that dims the sun. And these so-called 'chemtrails' are spreading everything from autism to Alzheimer's disease to the people living below them, they say. Apparently, this is being done with the backing and support of a shadowy bunch of 'theys' that often include billionaire Bill Gates, the United Nations and fill-in-the-blank Democrats in high levels of government. This kind of disinformation reached a fever pitch last October after Hurricanes Helene and Milton battered the Southeastern United States, particularly in parts of Florida and North Carolina. Tens of millions of social media posts pushed claims that the storms were preceded by an unusual number of 'chemtrails' in the sky and that the hurricanes were an attempt by the Biden Administration to wipe out Republican voters in key states a month before the election. 'Treason Alert: The Biden-Harris Admin Have Been in Control of Hurricanes Helene and Milton Using Pentagon Weather Weapons,' was a headline in the Alex Jones site, InfoWars. This was the backdrop for the proposed Florida weather-manipulation bill that is up for consideration now. And it doesn't seem to matter that for decades these claims have been categorically refuted by multiple government agencies. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Air Force have repeatedly and emphatically tried to dispel the baseless claims of a secret government campaign to poison the American people from the sky. The Florida Senate Bill (SB-56) establishes a hotline number for citizens to call about trails they are seeing in the sky. This will scramble the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to alert the Florida Department of Health to race to the scene and do air quality samples under the path of the contrail. Opinion: Florida must invest in risk reduction to better mitigate climate disaster costs And that puts the Florida Department of Emergency Services on notice to 'step in to mitigate', said the bill's sponsor, Ileana Garcia, a Republican who lists an educational background that culminates in senior year at Miami Senior High School. The bill calls for the mysterious violators to be fined $100,000 so 'they know we mean business,' Garcia said. The proposed legislation got rougher treatment in the Florida House last week, where committee members in the House Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee ended up passing a bill that allowed 'weather modification operations' in Florida, as long as these operations were licensed by the state. Unlicensed violators would be fined $10,000 under the bill. This set off DeSantis, who backs the sky-is-falling Senate bill and regards the House bill as an endorsement of weather modification in the state. That's why he's speaking out now about how proud he is of Florida's sunshine. And how we won't let 'them' take it from us, no matter who the 'them' are. Or aren't. Can we move on to those mall Easter Bunnies now? Frank Cerabino is a news columnist with The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network- Florida. He can be reached at FCerabino@ This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: FL lawmakers, DeSantis fight imaginary contrail problem | Opinion
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
One-of-a-Kind 1968 Shelby EXP500 CSS Heads to Premier Auto Auction
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious A truly unique piece of Shelby and Mustang history is set to cross the auction block—a 1968 Ford Mustang Shelby EXP500 CSS, the only authentic recreation of the legendary Green Hornet prototype, personally commissioned by Carroll Shelby. Powered by a Shelby 428 V-8 engine producing 400 horsepower, this one-of-one coupe features a heavy-duty modified C6 three-speed automatic transmission, ensuring both power and drivability. The car is finished in Highland Dark Green with a gold vinyl interior, complemented by a black vinyl top, mirroring the original prototype that was believed to be lost. Originally built by Ford and Shelby in Dearborn, the Green Hornet was a groundbreaking prototype featuring advanced technology for its time. When the original car was thought to be destroyed, Carroll Shelby personally oversaw this exclusive recreation to preserve its legacy. This one-of-a-kind vehicle remained in the Carroll Shelby Foundation's collection until 2019 and is listed in the official Shelby Registry. The EXP500 CSS is equipped with Shelby performance upgrades, including a high-performance intake, a Holley 700 CFM four-barrel carburetor, a high-volume fuel pump, and an aluminum radiator. Handling is enhanced by four-wheel disc brakes, a front independent suspension, a live rear axle, and rear Koni shocks. Period-correct details such as Lucas fog lights, a push-button AM radio, and 15-inch 10-spoke wheels complete the package. Adding to its pedigree, the Shelby Chassis #CSS011 comes with a Deluxe Marti Report confirming its one-of-one status, as well as a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Carroll Shelby himself. With its unmatched history and direct connection to Shelby's legacy, this Green Hornet recreation is expected to draw significant interest from collectors and Mustang enthusiasts when it hits the auction floor. This awesome car is selling at Premier Auction Group's Gulf Coast Classic in March 14th & 15th. To see more vehicles for sale, register to bid or consign your vehicle for sale at this auction please visit Premier Auction Groups website.
