“Game of Thrones” will air its final episode Sunday on HBO. Since there’s a connection between it and Tennessee sports, I’ve combined the two by casting UT sports stars in the show.
“What connection?” you might ask.
Answer: The Pride of the Southland marching band plays the “Game of Thrones” theme song almost as often as it does “Rocky Top.”
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My casting is based on characteristics, not looks. Also, I discounted the “evil” factor. No one is as evil as many of these characters.
A special thanks to colleagues Brenna McDermott and Blake Toppmeyer for their input.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
The Night King: Butch Jones.
The leader of the White Walkers, the Night King was promoted as a seemingly invincible foe for most of the series. Then when it came to the big showdown, he got stabbed by Arya Stark, and his entire army crumbled in sync.
What a fraud.
Remind you of anyone?
When Jones was hired by UT in 2013, he said he had the best coaching staff in the country and an infallible system. After he improved the Vols from 5-7 in his first season to 9-4 in his third, Vols fans were thinking, “Look out, Nick Saban.”
But, like the Night King, his final season didn’t go well. Jones went 0-8 in the SEC and was fired.
Jon Snow: Rick Barnes.
Snow is the most popular character on the show. Barnes has become UT’s most popular coach after winning 57 games the past two seasons combined.
Snow was killed in the Season 5 finale but brought back to life in Season 6. Barnes is a born-again Christian.
Daenerys Targaryen: Monica Abbott.
Abbott had her fastball; Daenerys has her dragon.
Abbott, who struck out 2,440 opponents in her Tennessee career, was known as a “flame thrower.” As Daenerys demonstrated in the most recent episode, she also can bring the heat.
Robert Baratheon: Phillip Fulmer.
Baratheon led Robert’s Rebellion, which deposed a king. Fulmer ascended to the throne of UT football by playing a role in the revolt against Tennessee coach Johnny Majors.
Fulmer led Tennessee to the national championship in 1998 and was fired 10 years later. Baratheon won the rebellion, became Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and was killed by a wild boar years later.
Ned Stark: Johnny Majors.
The series began with Ned Stark in a starring role. Next thing you know, his head was chopped off.
The Vols were rolling under Majors with 29 victories from 1989 through 1991 when he had to undergo heart surgery before the 1992 season. He returned as coach, only to get fired before the season ended.
Robb Stark: Bill Battle.
Stark and the former Tennessee coach started fast but didn’t finish well.
Stark, dubbed the “Young Wolf,” quickly became King of the North and triumphed in the Battle of the Lannisters. His military skills didn’t save him at the infamous “Red Wedding,” where he was stabbed to death by Roose Bolton.
Battle went 11-1 in his first season (1970) as a young Tennessee football coach. He was fired after a 6-5 season in 1976.
Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish: Lane Kiffin.
Littlefinger could be convincing and charming, especially with the ladies. But he was loyal only to himself.
Kiffin won over UT fans in his one season as head football coach in 2009 but betrayed the Vols by leaving for Southern California in 2010.
Tyrion Lannister: Derek Dooley.
Tennessee’s former coach and TV’s most famous dwarf since Tattoo can be philosophical and witty. But as sharp as their one-liners can be, neither is as clever as he thinks.
In 2011, Dooley became the first UT coach to lose to Kentucky in 27 years. In Season 7, Tyrion got outsmarted by his sister, Cersei, at Casterly Rock.
Jorah Mormont: Holly Warlick
Mormont never wavered in his desire to protect Daenerys. It cost him his life in the third episode of this season.
Warlick spent her career serving the Lady Vols. She was a star point guard, a longtime assistant under coach Pat Summitt and a head coach for seven seasons.
She was fired after the 2018-19 season.
Jaime Lannister: Peyton Manning.
A great warrior, Jaime lost his right hand defending the honor of Brienne of Tarth. Instead of taking a desk job, he learned to fight with his left hand.
Tennessee’s former quarterback could have spent the rest of his life doing commercials after suffering a neck injury. But he worked through the injury to win a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos.
Cersei Lannister: Chamique Holdsclaw.
Cersei repeatedly bested her opponents. Holdsclaw led the Lady Vols to three national championships.
But both lost their last game when they didn’t get enough help.
Arya Stark: Kellie Harper.
Arya has come a long way since she was a little girl practicing with a wooden sword.
Studying under Syrio Forel and the Faceless Men expedited her development, which climaxed when she made a death-to-the-Night-King move that drew comparisons to Michael Jordan.
Harper was surrounded by more talented players when Tennessee won three consecutive national championships in the 1990s. But playing for Summitt prepared her for a bigger role.
Now she’s calling the shots as the new head coach of the Lady Vols. Is she destined to put a dagger in UConn’s dynasty?
Gendry Rivers: Jeremy Pruitt.
Pruitt never had been a head coach until Fulmer saw his potential and hired him after the 2017 football season. Before that, he was regarded only as a great defensive coordinator.
Until this season, Gendry was best known for his skills as a blacksmith. But Daenerys legitimized him as Baratheon’s son and the Lord of Storm’s End.
Both Gendry and Pruitt could be headed for bigger things.
Rhaegel: Al Wilson.
Two fierce figures in the heat of battle: Rhaegel is a fire-breathing dragon, and Wilson lit a fire under the Tennessee defense during the 1998 national championship season.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at twitter.com/johnadamskns.
