RIP Charles Drake
Via @vicsoto
Per Phil Brabbs's twitter, Charles Drake, starting strong safety for Michigan from 2001-'02, has passed away. Drake was a moderately shirtless '99 running back recruit who traded in a career of kick returning to play safety because Michigan had no safeties after June and Curry. Drake did it mostly with athleticism and a taste for (juuuuuust close enough to the whistle to not get flagged) hitting. Personally I remember him going ham against Michigan State a few times, and causing two turnovers in the closer-than-it-seemed 2002 Michigan-Illinois game. In the first he forced Beutjer to throw to Marlin Jackson (at 2:02), the other…
…was his only career interception and sneaky runback that caused know-it-alls on couches across the state of Michigan to exclaim, "remember, he was a kick returner!"
His senior year Drake shared the Ufer Bequest award (for enthusiasm and love for Michigan) with Bennie Joppru. From the little I knew of Drake off the field—all from a guy who worked with the team—"enthusiasm and love for Michigan" was most apropos. Let it stand as a fitting epitaph to a Wolverine who'll be missed.
RIP Charles Drake.
him go. This kid could really hit hard. He was a difference maker for sure.
RIP Michigan Man.
You'll always be part of the Michigan family, Charles. Sincere condolences to his family.
Horrible news. RIP, Charles.
Do we know the cause of death?
has yet to be made public. I'm in touch with several people and may update if we learn more.
RIP Charles. Hopefully you are in a better place.
He was so young, do we know a cause of death?
Hopefully he's playing football on a different field in a better place.He was so young.RIP
That would be a hell of a greeting.
one can receive a hell of a greeting at the Pearly Gates?
Victor!
Sad news. Considering the seriousness of the post, it might be worth changing the word epithet to epitaph. There is a big difference in meaning.
Logged in to co-sign. I'm not ordinarily that guy with the main bloggers (although I have been known to poke fun at some posters' questionable grammar and vocabulary), but in this case I think it would be worth the edit.
RIP indeed, Sir Drake.
Thank you. mea culpa.
No offense, and this is indeed extremely sad news, but how is it that Charles Drake's passing is worth a front page mention but Chappuis was basically ignored....? For a blog so obsessed with the tradition of Michigan and how it's constantly being erroded that choice is hard to make any reasonable sense of.
When somebody just died, this seems like an odd place to criticize Brian's editorial decisions.
Unless you're part of the family, the self importance of thinking that saying something other than rest in peace is disrespectufl anonymously on an internet blog causes me to question your connection with reality. I'm sure the Drake's are worrying about more important things right now than if everyone on this website is focusing strictly on the death of their family member. I said it was extremely sad news, and then I questioned why this was newsworthy but Chappuis wasn't...if that has your panties in a bunch then I might recommend new panties.
Note that it was I, not Brian, who wrote it. I did so because Drake's career at Michigan spanned 4/5 of my seasons as a student (graduated dec '02) so I had a personal connection to that career which moved me to write a short RIP. Chappuis was indeed a greater player however I have zero personal recollections of his playing years, so if I made an announcement for him it would have been kind of disingenuous. I left it up to Brian or one of the history guys to do that. If someone would like to pen a diary on the career of Chappuis and it's good I'll probably bump it
I'd be surprised if somewhere there weren't front page links to the many articles from Bacon to the NY Times on Chappuis. People who are historians and have memories of what he did; far more than MGoBlog would. But while extremely sad, he was very old, and it's not shocking. Charles Drake has the same sadness, but is also newsworthy in that it's taking place tragically young, and unexpected. Bob had many decades Charles will not get to enjoy. Always hurts to lose one of the family.
but both the column and and board posts moved pretty quickly from the front page. I posted a link to the Times article, but it's a good read, so here it is again:
A friend's father played with Chappius (one of those guys who played both before and after WWII), so we went back and forth sending info, and he very much enjoyed the MGoBlogger contributions (with magazine and comic book pix!):
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/rip-bob-chappuis
I did note that. I wasn't expecting a personal memoir of Bob Chappuis or anything like that, but I do think at a website devoted to Michigan athletics, especially one that takes its tradition and history so seriously, it would be appropriate to acknowledge when one of the greatest passes on in something a little more than a link or a board post. I think it would've been a great opportunity to find out more about Chappuis and educate some of the younger Wolverines about a guy that helped build the traditions we hold so sacred.
Thoughts are with his family. RIP Charles - Michigan Wolverine
died so young. He was a true Michigan Man who put the team before himself. He will be greatly missed by the Michigan family. RIP Charles.
We expect 90yr old people to die, we don't expect 30yr old people to die. It's that simple. When someone is cut down in their prime, it is much more news worthy. Also agree with Magnus here. When you have to start your post with, "no offense, and this is indeed extremely sad news, but...", you probably should just not post it.
I'm sure if Lloyd Carr died there would be a post on it, would there not? All I'm saying is, if we take our tradition so seriously, perhaps the event of one of our greatest players on one of our greatest teams passing should be considered newsworthy. Deservingly, this blog has a sterling reputation for the very reasons that it should be newsworthy- because it's smart, comprehensive, and representative of the greatness of Michigan, but ignoring something like that is a pretty big oversight IMO.
or the time.
OK you're right everybody go into mourning. No more talking about anything other than this the rest of the day unless you dare disrespect the mourning period on this blog.
Certainly living up to your name today, aren't you?
Oh man I was hoping someone wouldn't point this out. You got me, I hope you're happy.
Oh goodie. Now we get to watch you be a dick about it.
Leave it alone now, Okay?
It was mentioned and linked to-
http://mgoblog.com/content/unverified-voracity-asks-if-youre-going-stab…
To MVictors and their more historical base, and their press release. There are other sites far more about the history of Michigan Football. Could there have been a front page post on it's own, without any sort of eulogy because no one saw him? Sure. It also happened in the middle of magazine final stuff, because Brian and Seth were hardly posting, and Ace might have been on vacation. And again, this wasn't breaking, shocking news. Seth threw in a couple of remembrances, because he can remember him. Likewise, this Blog was rolling during the Lloyd Carr year, so your example doesn't really hold any water. There are lots of people who would remember him, he'd still be rather young, and a bit of a surprise. Not to mention as a coach he's involved in Michigan at a far older age than a player. I don't really expect a list of memories fom the 30 year old beaming things into our brain off the wifi implant in 2062 about Charles Woodson.
Thoughts and prayers for his family. RIP Charles.
In 2002, I watched a Michigan game with his parents at a bar in LA. They were a pleasure to be around. I certainly wish his family the best, and may Charles rest in peace.
There's just a sense that he was part of the Michigan 'Family' which is so cool to me.
I love how he switched positions, earned respect, and from all accounts did everything the 'right way'. And that respect earned him some amazing compliments and cool little stories at a tragic time.
Sad to see a life pass at anytime, but especially one so young.
I hope God blesses him.
my prayers and condolenses to the family at this sad hour. God Bless
God speed Charles.Condolances to his family.
RIP Charles. Sad day for the Michigan family.
Very sad news indeed. Hope his family is receiving the comfort they need, losing someone at such a young age is truly devastating.
And I know this is not the time or the place for comic relief, but check out Ross Kesler working on his MJ moves in the background.
I hope there is a heaven and you are talking to Bo!
Sad day..My prayers are with his family .
So sad to hear. But, even though he's not with us here anymore, the fact that he's one of the select few who can be truly called a Michigan Man means he'll live on forever.
Go Blue always, Charles.
A sad Los for his family and Michigan.
Charles Drake
Love that message below... Michigan Men never truly die. They live forever.. Go Blue
... that he intercepted a death meant for someone not so young.
Rest in Peace Charles Drake, True Michigan Man.
Charles and I had several classes together, and we worked on a couple group projects together, too. He was a great guy. A great guy.
Given my major, I knew a lot of the athletes, but Charles was by far the nicest, most considerate football player I knew. He was nice for a regular person, much less a revenue athlete.
I'll always remember him for the time I missed a week of Anatomy class preparing for the LSAT, and he had noticed I wasn't in class and took an extra copy of all the handouts for me. Just a class individual.
Hehehe, I'll never remember the look on his face as he was joking around with the skeleton's arm in his hand and I informed him that it was a real human skeleton, not plastic. It was as if he had seen a ghost. After that, he always had to sit on the other side of the class from where the skeleton was.
If you do a Twitter search for Drake's name, you'll see a ton of people who are genuinely sad that he's gone. He was that good a guy.
I'm sure he's in a better place right now.
Its rare to get an account on someone from a source like you, someone who actually knew and talked with him regularly.
Welcome to the board, or at least your first posting. Wish it could have been under happier circumstances.
I appreciate that. The news is definitely upsetting.
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