Shelby Moats has joined the list of former Vanderbilt basketball players who still play the game professionally. In a way.
Moats do not play in the NBA, G League or even abroad. However, he gets paid for his basketball ability.
Moats, who played for the Commodores from 2011-15, landed a role in the HBO drama series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” which debuted March 6 and is based on the book “Showtime” by former Tennessean sports author Jeff Pearlman.
He plays Marty Byrneswho spent 10 seasons in the NBA, including the Lakers’ 1979-80 championship season.
Moats, who is 6-foot-8 and now a private investment manager in New York, started as an extra, spent some time as a stunt double and was upgraded at the end of the series to a character who received on-screen credit.
“My friend (show consultant and basketball coach) Idan Ravin pushed pretty hard at me and then I came in and I looked like (Byrnes) to the extent you put a mustache on me and that goes a long way, “Moats said.
The bushy horseshoe mustache became a bit of an obstacle for Moats as he went back to his regular job every week.
“It’s so good that I have a boss who’s pretty pragmatic and said, ‘This is a good option; go ahead and do it,'” Moats said. “I’m pretty internal to work, so I did not ruin any relationships by having that ugly looking mustache. But we wanted video calls and I would never turn on my camera. They said, ‘Hey Shelby, we can not see each other,’ and I would say, “That’s probably a good thing.”
Moats was a reserve throughout his Vanderbilt career, which helped familiarize him with his role as Byrnes, the Lakers’ 12th man. It did not surprise Moats that he never played basketball on screen.
“If you make a story about Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who cares about Marty Byrnes playing? “said Moats.” It kind of reflected my Vanderbilt basketball career. I knew exactly what I was doing. I felt good on the bench. “
Moats said he established close friendships with several of the higher-profile actors on the set, including Adrien Brody, who plays Pat Rileyformer Cal basketball player Solomon Hughesplaying Abdul-Jabbar, Wood Harris who plays Spencer Haywood and Austin Aaronwho plays Mark Landsberger.
“I got really close to the guys on the team,” Moats said. “Austin Aaron is the sweetest and most genuine person I have ever met. After four months of being on set with him, I was actually invited to his wedding.”
HBO recently announced that they have renewed the series for another season.
The USFL starts with lots of local ties
Several players and coaches with local ties will be part of the USFL when it returns this weekend.
Some of the players include Micah AbernathyTennessee, cornerback (Houston Gamblers); Brandon HaskinTennessee State, offensive lineman (New Jersey Generals); Robert MyersTSU, offensive lineman (New Jersey); Tyshun Render, MTSU, Defensive End (New Jersey); Paul AdamsChrist Presbyterian Academy, offensive lineman (New Orleans Breakers); Taiwan Taylor, Tennessee Titans, wide receiver (New Orleans); Chris RowlandTSU and Ravenwood, wide receiver (Philadelphia Stars); LaDarius WileyVanderbilt, Safety (Philadelphia); Chidi OkekeTSU, offensive lineman (Pittsburgh Maulers); Madre LondonTennessee, running back (Pittsburgh); Arnold Tarpley IIIVanderbilt, Safety (Pittsburgh); Terrell BondsTSU, cornerback (Pittsburgh); Bruno ReaganVanderbilt, offensive lineman (Tampa Bay) and Mekhi BrownTSU, Defensive End (Tampa Bay).
Coaches include former Titans coach Jeff Fisher (Michigan Panthers) and former MTSU offensive coordinator Larry Fedora (New Orleans).
Ex-Vols running back Bryce Brown joins the Tennessee Tech staff
Former Tennessee runs back Bryce Brown has joined the coaching staff at Tennessee Tech along with Devin Watson.
Brown, who will coach running backs and serve as junior college liaison manager, was a very popular high school prospect who rushed 460 yards and three touchdowns in Tennessee in 2009. He switched to Kansas State and later spent four seasons in the NFL.
He was the wide receiver coach at Butler Community College in Kansas the last two seasons.
Watson will coach cornerbacks and serve as assistant recruiting coordinator.
He was an All-America cornerback at Wofford, who had 142 tackles and seven interceptions in his career.
Former Trousdale County star Wesley Satterfield was hired as Tech’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in January.
Ex-Lady Vol Kyra Elzy receives extension in Kentucky
Former Tennessee Lady Vols basketball star Kyra Elzynow coaching in Kentucky, signed a contract extension through the 2027 season.
Elzy guided Kentucky to the SEC Tournament Championship last season.
She became the fifth coach in SEC history to win the tournament in the first two seasons on the job Jim Foster (Vanderbilt), Melanie Balcomb (Vanderbilt), Holly Warlick (Tennessee) and Joe Ciampi (Auburn).
Elzy’s record in Kentucky is 37-21 overall and 17-14 in the SEC.
Music City Grand Prix adds Indy Lights
The Indy Lights series has been added to the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. Indy Lights is the development series in the NTT IndyCar series.
The Nashville race takes place on August 7, starting at It will be 35 laps (70 miles).
Music City Grand Prix starts at 16.25
Tickets for the Music City Grand Prix went on sale Wednesday at musiccitygp.com.
The Atlanta Braves Championship Trophy Tour is coming to Nashville
The Atlanta Braves World Champions Trophy Tour is on its way to Nashville.
The trophy will be in the Country Music Hall of Fame (April 26, 12: 00-15: 00), Bridgestone Arena for the Nashville Predators-Calgary Flames game (April 26, 16-20), Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field for the Commodores game against Texas A&M (April 29, 3: 30-7: 30 p.m.) and Academy Sports + Outdoors in Franklin (April 30, 12: 00-15: 00).
The tour makes 151 stops to celebrate 151 years with Braves baseball.
The Sports Writers Hall of Fame banquet is set for July 14th
The 2022 Tennessee Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame dinner is set for July 14 at Cumberland University.
Prisoners include former Nashville Banner Sports Writer and Lipscomb Athletics Sports Information Director Mark McGee; Chris Dortch, former Chattanooga sports writer who is now the editor and publisher of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook; and former Knoxville News Sentinel sports writer Dan Fleser.
Rick Byrd receives the Wooden Award
Retired Belmont basketball coach Rick Byrd received 2022 John R. Wood Award Legends of Coaching honors last week.
The award was first presented in 1999 and is considered the highest honor in the field of collegiate coaching.
Some of the previous recipients include Mike Krzyzewski, Pat Summitt, Geno Auriemma and Dean Smith.
“There is no coach in the history of the basketball game who embodied expertise, integrity and humility like John Wooden,” Byrd said. “As a young man, I was certainly influenced by his remarkable coaching success, but even more so by his personal character and Christian commitment.”
Tennessee Tech adds beach volleyball
Tennessee Tech will add beach volleyball as a college sport. The team will begin the competition in the spring of 2023.
It will be the Golden Eagles’ 15th intercollegiate sports team.
“We are proud to participate in this relatively new venture in the Ohio Valley Conference and are excited to begin competing for league championships in the spring of 2023,” Tech Athletics Director Mark Wilson said.
Current Tech volleyball associate head coach Zach Weinberg will serve as the head coach of the beach volleyball team, which will incorporate the players on the current indoor volleyball list as team members as they retain eligibility from the fall into the spring semester.
Tech will represent one of five programs in OVC to sponsor the sport, joining Eastern Illinois, Morehead State, UT Martin and new league member Lindenwood. Chattanooga also competes in OVC as an affiliate member of beach volleyball.
Vol State softball teams are nationally ranked
The Vol State softball team beat the NJCAA Top 25 national vote this week as No. 18.
The Pioneers (32-7) have won 10 of their last 11 matches and surpassed their last four opponents 49-4.
The only other team from Tennessee in the Top 25 is Chattanooga State in 10th place.
Wallace State (Alabama) is No. 1.
Cam Olson joins Belmont’s football staff
Former Bucknell Assistant Cam Olson has joined Belmont’s men’s football staff.
Prior to his one season at Bucknell, Olson spent six seasons on Xavier’s staff.
He is from Boston, who played at the University of Lancaster in England, where he was team captain in his last two seasons.
Dragon boat racing is back
The Cumberland River Compact Dragon Boat Races returns after a two-year hiatus on September 17th.
The festival has not taken place in the last two years due to COVID-19. It will be the 14th year.
The races are a fundraiser for the Cumberland River Compact.
For more information or to sign up, visit dragonboatnashville.com.
If you have an item for Midstate Chatter, contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.