Michael Basinger
{{Short description|American football player (born 1951)}}
{{good article}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image =
| caption =
| position = Defensive lineman
| number = 71
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|12|11|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Merced, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lbs = 258
| high_school = Los Banos
(Los Banos, California)
| college = Gavilan JC (1970–1971)
UC Riverside (1972–1973)
| undraftedyear = 1974
| pastteams =
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1974}})
- Manitowoc County Chiefs (1974)
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|1975}})*
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 1
| pfr = BasiMi20
}}
Michael Joe Basinger (born December 11, 1951) is an American former professional football defensive lineman. He played college football for the Gavilan Rams and UC Riverside Highlanders. After college, he was a member of the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots of the 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BasiMi20.htm|title = Michael Basinger Stats|website = Pro Football Reference|access-date=April 27, 2025}} He attended Los Banos High School where he played football and baseball.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-modesto-bee/171246131/|newspaper=The Modesto Bee|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 27, 1969|page=29|title=Prep Sports}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/turlock-journal/171246164/|newspaper=Turlock Journal|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 12, 1969|page=4|title=Eighth Inning Homer Beats Livingston High}} {{Open access}} He played as a defensive lineman in football and helped Los Banos to a co-share of the Mountain Valley Conference title as a senior in 1969, being selected first-team all-league. In baseball, he had a batting average of .425 in his career and scored 16 home runs and 67 runs batted in.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-modesto-bee/171247524/|newspaper=The Modesto Bee|via=Newspapers.com|date=March 19, 1970|page=28|title=Prep Notes}} {{Open access}} Basinger initially accepted a football scholarship to play for Abilene Christian College, but ended up not attending there and instead enrolled at Gavilan College in 1970.{{Cite web|url=https://profootballarchives.com/players/b/basi00400.html|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=April 27, 2025|title=Mike Basinger Stats}}
College career
At Gavilan, Basinger played both football and baseball.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-californian/171247398/|newspaper=The Salinas Californian|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 19, 1970|page=18|title=Gavilan Clobbers Hartnell 35-0|author=Albanese, Jim}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/free-lance/171247343/|newspaper=Free Lance|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 25, 1971|page=4|title=Two Rams picked for All-League}} {{Open access}} He was used as a defensive lineman and placekicker in football, while he played as an infielder in baseball. He was selected All-Coast Conference as a freshman with the baseball team. In his sophomore season on the football team, he was named Gavilan's most valuable defensive lineman and was selected All-Coast Conference.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/free-lance/171247735/|newspaper=Free Lance|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 8, 1971|page=6|title=Gavilan gridders honored at banquet}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-cruz-sentinel/14398433/|newspaper=Santa Cruz Sentinel|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 14, 1972|page=39|title=Coast Conference Picture Changes|author=Lindsay, John}} {{Open access}} He was also a junior college All-American.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-times-reporter/171248724/|newspaper=Herald-Times-Reporter|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 19, 1974|page=26|title=Chiefs Ink Former Packers Lineman}} {{Open access}}
After two years at Gavilan, Basinger transferred to the 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, where he joined Wayne Howard, his football coach from Gavilan.{{Cite news |author=Newhouse, Dave |date=December 24, 1973 |title=Shrine's Little Big Man |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/171247886/ |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/free-lance/171248096/|newspaper=Free Lance|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 10, 1973|page=4|title=Ex-Ram Basinger on Shrine team}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times/171248189/|newspaper=San Mateo Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 26, 1973|page=26|title=Shrine Game Rarity|agency=Associated Press}} {{Open access}} He said that prior to his senior season, after performing poorly in front of scouts and due to financial issues, he considered quitting football. 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 (CCAA) for the 1973 season. He helped UC Riverside compile a record of 8–2 in the 1973 season and was invited to the East–West Shrine Game after the season. Coming from a small school, Basinger said that "I went bananas" upon learning that he was selected for the game. He was the first Shrine Game participant in UC Riverside history, as well as only the second from the CCAA all-time.
Professional career and later life
After going unselected in the 1974 NFL draft, Basinger signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent.{{Cite web|url=https://profootballarchives.com/transactions/b/basi00400.html|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=April 27, 2025|title=Mike Basinger Transactions}} He impressed coach Dan Devine and initially made the final roster for the 1974 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent/171248857/|newspaper=The Post-Crescent|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 7, 1974|page=24|title=Top Packer draft picks look sharp|agency=Associated Press}} {{Open access}} He made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, but was released three days later, stating that he was "puzzled" at the team's decision.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BasiMi20/gamelog/|website=Pro Football Reference|access-date=April 27, 2025|title=Michael Basinger Career Game Log}} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-times-reporter/171249064/|newspaper=Herald-Times-Reporter|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 23, 1974|page=24|title=Home Turf Very Friendly|author=Richmond, Dennis}} {{Open access}}
In the off-season, Basinger worked as a grocery store manager in Stockton, California. He signed with the New England Patriots of the NFL in early 1975.{{Cite news |date=February 1, 1975 |title=Basinger Inks Pact |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/merced-sun-star/171249146/ |newspaper=Merced Sun-Star |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} However, on July 20, 1975, he announced his retirement from professional football.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-berkshire-eagle/171249213/|newspaper=The Berkshire Eagle|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 21, 1975|page=28|title=Pats cut Ephs' Jackson|agency=United Press International}} {{Open access}} He finished his NFL career having appeared in one game.
After football, Basinger became a country music singer and songwriter. He had been in a rock band in high school and majored in music in college. He began signing 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" in Nashville, Tennessee, earning $30 per night, while also working in construction.{{Cite news |author=McNally, Pat |date=July 25, 1986 |title=Arena switch: from the stadium to the Nashville stage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/merced-sun-star/171249354/ |newspaper=Merced Sun-Star |page=48 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}