In an era of the vilified establishment, Goodell wins and therefore the Patriots don’t

Let’s face it: The vilified establishment is winning.

Hence, the Atlanta Falcons are going to win Super Bowl LI.

Let’s break it down based on recent events and the unpopular establishment faces that are associated with them.

First, Bud Selig – who has been cast a villain for years via his role in allowing performance-enhancing drugs to cast a black eye on baseball during his time as Major League Baseball commissioner – received what should be considered a moral victory when Jeff Bagwell and Ivan Rodriguez – both who have been suspected of PED use during their careers – were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Jan. 19. That perhaps signaled an acceptance of the Steroid Era players, thus a win for Selig, himself a hall of famer.

Second, businessman Donald Trump – loved by many but seemingly disliked by just as many or more these days – took the oath of office on Jan. 20, becoming the president of the United States despite losing in the popular vote (or so we were told, right Mr. President?). The man – increasingly portrayed as a villain, whether self-inflicted via Twitter rants, actions or by the views of others (and no, this is not a political stance one way or the other) – has already seen his approval ratings drop in just over a week in office. Nonetheless, he’s the boss now, and thus, winning.

Third, I predict that Roger Goodell – who has the infamous track record of being late to deal with domestic violence and concussions – will complete the “Big 3” of vilified establishment heads on Feb. 5, when the Atlanta Falcons will upset the almighty New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. It would be a big win for the embattled NFL commissioner, who would avoid having to hand over the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the likes of Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and of course, New England quarterback Tom Brady.

In case you missed it, Goodell and Brady and Co. aren’t exactly the best of friends these days.

The most recent wedge was the saga referred to as Deflategate, which Brady’s father recently called a “witch hunt.” It all dates back to the 2015 playoffs, when it was alleged that someone with the Patriots had tampered with the air level in footballs during the AFC Championship game in which they routed the Indianapolis Colts, allegations Brady and the Patriots have denied.

After a long, drawn-out legal battle, Goodell and the NFL suspended Brady for the first four games this season. Well, the beast was awoken, as Brady and Co. cruised through the regular season while claiming the No. 1 seed in the AFC, topped the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round of the playoffs in a lackluster effort (which was plenty enough) and then pummeled the Pittsburgh Steelers in the conference championship game.

All that is left in the script is a scene many would like to see: Goodell bowing down to kiss the ring.

However, now just doesn’t seem to be the time for a storybook ending (imagine that, somehow in this scenario the Patriots can be seen as the good guys).

I’m not saying these figures are villains per se; instead I acknowledge that they are being vilified by many (whether deservedly or not). With that being said, it’s a good time to have haters.

This is the era of the vilified establishment’s successful reign, and to the Falcons go the spoils.

Atlanta wins Super Bowl LI, 38-31.

On tap

The Coastal Carolina men’s basketball team has a pair of games this week as it hosts UT Arlington at 7 p.m. Monday and plays at Little Rock on Saturday (time TBA). … The CCU women’s basketball team hits the road for a pair of contests this week, playing at Arkansas State on Thursday (7 p.m.) and Little Rock on Saturday (4 p.m.). … CCU’s indoor track and field team compete at the Camel City Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C. … The Coastal Carolina men’s tennis team hosts Richmond at 1 p.m. Saturday. … The CCU women’s tennis team hosts Campbell on Saturday (time TBA) and UNC Wilmington on Sunday (2 p.m.). … The Clemson men’s basketball team hosts Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. Wednesday and plays at Florida State at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. … The South Carolina men’s basketball team plays at LSU at 9 p.m. Wednesday and hosts Georgia at 2 p.m. Saturday. … The PGA Tour heads to Scottsdale, Ariz., for the Waste Management Phoenix Open from Thursday through Sunday. … Fresh off the all-star break, the NHL season resumes with a full slate of games Tuesday.

This story was originally published January 30, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "In an era of the vilified establishment, Goodell wins and therefore the Patriots don’t."