Bashir Levingston
Encyclopedia
Bashir A. Levingston [ba-SHAR] (born October 2, 1976 in Seaside, California
) is a professional Canadian football
cornerback
and kick returner
in the Canadian Football League
who is currently a free agent.
at Eastern Washington University
, where, as a senior, he earned seven All-America
n honors as a return specialist. He was also named first-team All-Big Sky Conference
as a kick returner. He scored 12 touchdowns and totaled 1,597 all-purpose yards during his senior year at Eastern Washington.
Livingston also is the leader for Division I-AA and is fifth on the all-time NCAA list in punt returns
averaging 20.8 yards. He broke or tied seven I-AA records including kickoff returns for a touchdown in a game (three) and season (three), kickoff return yards in a game (326), average kickoff returns in a game (65.2), yards in kickoffs and punt returns in game (349) and touchdowns on kickoffs and punt returns in a single game (three) and season (six).
in 1999
and spent two years on the team. Eventually, he was released from the team and allocated to NFL Europa with the Amsterdam Admirals
in 2000, where he earmed All-NFL Europa honors for his contributions on special teams.
during their 2001
training camp, Levingston caught on with the Toronto Argonauts
. Since being signed in 2002
, Levingston has developed into one of the CFL's best kick returners, earning CFL Special Teams Player of the Week honors ten times in his career to go along with earning East Division
All-Star honors in 2003 and 2004. Levingston was named the CFL's Outstanding Special Teams Player
and the East Division Special Teams Player of the Year in 2003
as well. In 2004
, Levingston also won a Grey Cup championship
with the Toronto Argonauts.
On June 28, 2007 in a game against the BC Lions
, Levingston broke a CFL record when he returned a missed field goal
by Paul McCallum
for a 129 yard touchdown.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qouhh-gA08Y That record has since been tied by his then teammate Dominique Dorsey
on August 2, 2007.
On August 30, 2007, Levingston was released by the Argonauts.
On November 4, 2007, Levingston was signed by the Montreal Alouettes
.
Seaside, California
Seaside is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, with a population of 33,025 as of the 2010 census. Seaside is located east-northeast of Monterey, at an elevation of 33 feet...
) is a professional Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
and kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
who is currently a free agent.
College football career
Levingston played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Eastern Washington University
Eastern Washington University
Eastern Washington University is an American public, coeducational university located in Cheney, Washington.Founded in 1882, the university is academically divided into four colleges: Arts and Letters; Business and Public Administration; Science, Health and Engineering; and Social & Behavioral...
, where, as a senior, he earned seven All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n honors as a return specialist. He was also named first-team All-Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
as a kick returner. He scored 12 touchdowns and totaled 1,597 all-purpose yards during his senior year at Eastern Washington.
Livingston also is the leader for Division I-AA and is fifth on the all-time NCAA list in punt returns
Punt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...
averaging 20.8 yards. He broke or tied seven I-AA records including kickoff returns for a touchdown in a game (three) and season (three), kickoff return yards in a game (326), average kickoff returns in a game (65.2), yards in kickoffs and punt returns in game (349) and touchdowns on kickoffs and punt returns in a single game (three) and season (six).
NFL and NFL Europa career
Levingston was originally signed by the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1999
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
and spent two years on the team. Eventually, he was released from the team and allocated to NFL Europa with the Amsterdam Admirals
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
in 2000, where he earmed All-NFL Europa honors for his contributions on special teams.
CFL career
After being cut by the Edmonton EskimosEdmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
during their 2001
2001 CFL season
The 2001 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 48th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 44th Canadian Football League season.-CFL news in 2001:...
training camp, Levingston caught on with the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
. Since being signed in 2002
2002 CFL season
The 2002 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 49th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 45th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2002:...
, Levingston has developed into one of the CFL's best kick returners, earning CFL Special Teams Player of the Week honors ten times in his career to go along with earning East Division
Canadian Football League East Division
The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.- Pre-1907 :...
All-Star honors in 2003 and 2004. Levingston was named the CFL's Outstanding Special Teams Player
John Agro Special Teams Award
The John Agro Special Teams Award is awarded to the CFL's Most Outstanding Special Teams player that is voted by his peers .-John Agro Special Teams Award winners:*2011 - Paul McCallum , BC Lions...
and the East Division Special Teams Player of the Year in 2003
2003 CFL season
The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2003:...
as well. In 2004
2004 CFL season
The 2004 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2004:...
, Levingston also won a Grey Cup championship
92nd Grey Cup
The 92nd Grey Cup game took place on November 21, 2004, at Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. The game decided the championship of the 2004 Canadian Football League season...
with the Toronto Argonauts.
On June 28, 2007 in a game against the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
, Levingston broke a CFL record when he returned a missed field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
by Paul McCallum
Paul McCallum
Paul McCallum is a professional Canadian football player currently playing as a placekicker and punter for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League...
for a 129 yard touchdown.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qouhh-gA08Y That record has since been tied by his then teammate Dominique Dorsey
Dominique Dorsey
Dominique Ramone Dorsey is a professional American and Canadian football running back and kick returner who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was originally signed by the Roughriders as an undrafted free agent in...
on August 2, 2007.
On August 30, 2007, Levingston was released by the Argonauts.
On November 4, 2007, Levingston was signed by the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
.