One of the few remaining wishful notions is that Trump will be pierced by losing Iowa and fade when supporters realize he’s not the winner he claims to be.

Could it happen? Sure. It’s within the realm of possibility that, after telling pollsters The Donald is the one, voters will pick other candidates when they go to the real polls. The anti-Trump vote could consolidate early enough to deny him plurality victories in winner-take-all primary states.

But both those scenarios get less and less likely with each passing week as Trump and his supporters see that the brass ring is really in reach.

The funniest, saddest theory out there is that Trump — who has been at this more than six months, shows no sign of tiring and clearly craves the limelight, and power — could get so bored of campaigning one day that he exits the race as abruptly as he took command of it. Yeah, and he could replace Tom Brady at quarterback in the Patriots’ first playoff game.