Eagles tailgating is a time of hope

still remember the feeling of invincibility as I strolled through the Vet parking lot on a blisteringly cold January early afternoon, the smell of deep-fried turkey and Italian sausage in the air as we imagined what it was going to feel like when the Eagles, a few short hours from then, would be on their way to Super Bowl XXXVII. I dreamed of how we would celebrate in those same parking lots, warmed by the elation of victory, spirits, and the fellowship of Birds fans gathered, en masse, basking in the glow of reaching a place only one other Eagles team ever had.

Then Ronde Barber happened.

The silence leaving the stadium that night was frightening. Usually after brutal Eagles losses like…