Lion Burnett knows one Game inside and out

Meet Tony Burnett: Graduate of USC, linebacker enjoying a good start to his first year with the B.C. Lions, and avid Game of Thrones fan.

A three-year veteran in the CFL, Burnett may also have a future as a television critic, as he offers his review of the Season 7 premiere of Game of Thrones and divulges with which house his allegiances lie in this epic Q&A:

Q How did Tony Burnett become a Game of Thrones fan?

A You hear the buzz about it, right? I’m like a show freak. I watch a bunch of shows. I’m currently watching about five or six shows right now. I just kept hearing a lot of good things. I was scrolling through my cable one day and I saw that I had all the seasons on there. So I started watching and, you know, Season 1 is kind of drawn out because they have to introduce everybody. I was like, ‘Ah, I don’t know if I’m really into this show.’ Then Season 2, it picks up from there, gets a little gory. I like gory and those kinds of things. When I saw the gore, it stuck with me.

Q Put your critic hat on. What would your review of the Season 7 premiere be?

A The first half of the show was very interesting, exciting. Arya (Stark) got to get some revenge. The second half was kind of slow. I guess we’re seeing who goes where. You’ve got these people going to the north and Daenerys (Targaryen) goes back to her castle. But they did leave a nice little cliffhanger on there. I love the cliffhanger at the end. That’s going to be interesting to see what those dragons do.

Q What’s the perfect Game of Thrones snack?

A I feel like it would be Gushers. They just love the gore and they love to show you blood. I feel like you see one of those things and you just pop a Gusher in, bite it and you get that burst.

Q Which house does Tony Burnett’s allegiance lie with?

A My allegiance definitely lies with House Stark. I’m a House Stark guy all the way. I love Daenerys just because she’s so amazingly beautiful. But I’m a House Stark guy.

Q If you could be one Game of Thrones character, who would it be?

A I would say Khal Drogo. I mean, you die early but you die with Khaleesi as your wife, so it’s like a nice little consolation prize.