# Michael Basinger

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**Michael Joe Basinger** (born December 11, 1951) is an American former professional [football](/source/American_football) player. He played [college football](/source/College_football) as a [defensive lineman](/source/Defensive_lineman) for the [Gavilan Rams](/source/Gavilan_Rams_football) and [UC Riverside Highlanders](/source/UC_Riverside_Highlanders_football). After college, he was a member of the [Green Bay Packers](/source/Green_Bay_Packers) and the [New England Patriots](/source/New_England_Patriots) of the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) (NFL). He only appeared in one NFL game, with the Packers.

## Early life

Basinger was born on December 11, 1951, in [Merced, California](/source/Merced,_California).[1] He attended [Los Banos High School](/source/Los_Banos_High_School) where he played [football](/source/American_football) and [baseball](/source/Baseball).[2][3] He played as a [defensive lineman](/source/Defensive_lineman) in football and helped Los Banos to a co-share of the [Mountain Valley Conference](/source/Mountain_Valley_Conference_(California)) title as a [senior](/source/Senior_(education)) in 1969, being selected first-team all-league.[2] In baseball, he had a [batting average](/source/Batting_average) of .425 in his career and scored 16 [home runs](/source/Home_run) and 67 [runs batted in](/source/Runs_batted_in).[4] Basinger initially accepted a football [scholarship](/source/Athletic_scholarship) to play for [Abilene Christian College](/source/Abilene_Christian_College), but ended up not attending there and instead enrolled at [Gavilan College](/source/Gavilan_College) in 1970.[4][5]

## College career

At Gavilan, Basinger played both football and baseball.[6][7] He was used as a defensive lineman and [placekicker](/source/Placekicker) in football, while he played as an [infielder](/source/Infielder) in baseball.[6][7] He was selected All-[Coast Conference](/source/Coast_Conference) as a [freshman](/source/Freshman) with the baseball team.[7] In his [sophomore](/source/Sophomore) season on the football team, he was named Gavilan's most valuable defensive lineman and was selected All-Coast Conference.[8][9] He was also a [junior college](/source/Junior_college) [All-American](/source/College_Football_All-America_Team).[10]

After two years at Gavilan, Basinger transferred to the [University of Texas at El Paso](/source/University_of_Texas_at_El_Paso) (UTEP) in 1972. Shortly after deciding on UTEP, he decided that he did not like the school and transferred to the [University of California, Riverside](/source/University_of_California,_Riverside), where he joined [Wayne Howard](/source/Wayne_Howard_(American_football)), his football coach from Gavilan.[11] He was used at each defensive line position and played two years under Howard at UC Riverside as a starter, being named the team's most valuable lineman each year, despite being limited by a shoulder injury suffered in a car crash in 1972.[11][12][13] He said that prior to his [senior](/source/Senior_(education)) season, after performing poorly in front of scouts and due to financial issues, he considered quitting football.[13] However, after talking with the team's defensive line coach, Sam Moore, he decided to stay playing football, and he was named All-[California Collegiate Athletic Association](/source/California_Collegiate_Athletic_Association) (CCAA) for the 1973 season.[12][13] He helped UC Riverside compile a record of 8–2 in the 1973 season and was invited to the [East–West Shrine Game](/source/East%E2%80%93West_Shrine_Bowl) after the season.[13] Coming from a small school, Basinger said that "I went bananas" upon learning that he was selected for the game.[11] He was the first Shrine Game participant in UC Riverside history, as well as only the second from the CCAA all-time.[11]

## Professional career and later life

After going unselected in the [1974 NFL draft](/source/1974_NFL_draft), Basinger signed with the [Green Bay Packers](/source/Green_Bay_Packers) as an [undrafted free agent](/source/Free_agent#Undrafted_free_agent).[14] He impressed coach [Dan Devine](/source/Dan_Devine) and initially made the final roster for the 1974 season.[14][15] He made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the [Minnesota Vikings](/source/Minnesota_Vikings), but was released three days later, stating that he was "puzzled" at the team's decision.[10][14][16] After being released by the Packers, he signed with the Manitowoc County Chiefs of the Central States Football League, helping them reach the league championship.[10][17]

In the off-season, Basinger worked as a grocery store manager in [Stockton, California](/source/Stockton,_California).[18] He signed with the [New England Patriots](/source/New_England_Patriots) of the NFL in early 1975.[18] However, on July 20, 1975, he announced his retirement from professional football.[19] He finished his NFL career having appeared in one game.[1]

After football, Basinger became a [country music](/source/Country_music) singer and songwriter. He had been in a rock band in high school and [majored](/source/Academic_major) in music in college. He began singing country music in 1978 and began writing songs in 1983. By 1986, he had written 54 songs and helped write "The Lady of the World", which placed on the top 100 country songs chart. That year, he said he was writing and playing "[honky tonks](/source/Honky-tonk)" in [Nashville, Tennessee](/source/Nashville,_Tennessee), earning $30 per night, while also working in construction.[20]

## References

1. ["Michael Basinger Stats"](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BasiMi20.htm). *[Pro Football Reference](/source/Pro_Football_Reference)*. Retrieved April 27, 2025.

1. ["Prep Sports"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-modesto-bee/171246131/). *[The Modesto Bee](/source/The_Modesto_Bee)*. November 27, 1969. p. 29. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Eighth Inning Homer Beats Livingston High"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/turlock-journal/171246164/). *[Turlock Journal](/source/Turlock_Journal)*. April 12, 1969. p. 4. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Prep Notes"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-modesto-bee/171247524/). *[The Modesto Bee](/source/The_Modesto_Bee)*. March 19, 1970. p. 28. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Mike Basinger Stats"](https://profootballarchives.com/players/b/basi00400.html). *Pro Football Archives*. Retrieved April 27, 2025.

1. Albanese, Jim (October 19, 1970). ["Gavilan Clobbers Hartnell 35-0"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-californian/171247398/). *[The Salinas Californian](/source/The_Salinas_Californian)*. p. 18. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Two Rams picked for All-League"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/free-lance/171247343/). *[Free Lance](/source/Free_Lance_(California))*. May 25, 1971. p. 4. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Gavilan gridders honored at banquet"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/free-lance/171247735/). *[Free Lance](/source/Free_Lance_(California))*. December 8, 1971. p. 6. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. Lindsay, John (September 14, 1972). ["Coast Conference Picture Changes"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-cruz-sentinel/14398433/). *[Santa Cruz Sentinel](/source/Santa_Cruz_Sentinel)*. p. 39. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Chiefs Ink Former Packers Lineman"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-times-reporter/171248724/). *[Herald-Times-Reporter](/source/Herald-Times-Reporter)*. September 19, 1974. p. 26. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. Newhouse, Dave (December 24, 1973). ["Shrine's Little Big Man"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/171247886/). *[Oakland Tribune](/source/Oakland_Tribune)*. p. 6. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Ex-Ram Basinger on Shrine team"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/free-lance/171248096/). *[Free Lance](/source/Free_Lance_(California))*. December 10, 1973. p. 4. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Shrine Game Rarity"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times/171248189/). *[San Mateo Times](/source/San_Mateo_Times)*. [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press). December 26, 1973. p. 26. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Mike Basinger Transactions"](https://profootballarchives.com/transactions/b/basi00400.html). *Pro Football Archives*. Retrieved April 27, 2025.

1. ["Top Packer draft picks look sharp"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent/171248857/). *[The Post-Crescent](/source/The_Post-Crescent)*. [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press). April 7, 1974. p. 24. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Michael Basinger Career Game Log"](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BasiMi20/gamelog/). *[Pro Football Reference](/source/Pro_Football_Reference)*. Retrieved April 27, 2025.

1. Richmond, Dennis (October 23, 1974). ["Home Turf Very Friendly"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-times-reporter/171249064/). *[Herald-Times-Reporter](/source/Herald-Times-Reporter)*. p. 24. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Basinger Inks Pact"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/merced-sun-star/171249146/). *[Merced Sun-Star](/source/Merced_Sun-Star)*. February 1, 1975. p. 12. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["Pats cut Ephs' Jackson"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-berkshire-eagle/171249213/). *[The Berkshire Eagle](/source/The_Berkshire_Eagle)*. [United Press International](/source/United_Press_International). July 21, 1975. p. 28. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. McNally, Pat (July 25, 1986). ["Arena switch: from the stadium to the Nashville stage"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/merced-sun-star/171249354/). *[Merced Sun-Star](/source/Merced_Sun-Star)*. p. 48. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Michael Basinger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Basinger) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Basinger?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.