We go through this every year at this time. Are the Jaguars going to wear their white jerseys? Are they going to make the visitors wear their dark jerseys in the blazing Florida sun?

You know, this is getting really old. Football isn't a fashion show, it's a physical endeavor. Do me a favor, please. Put on a black shirt and go stand in the sun. Then go put on a white shirt and stand in the sun. Can you honestly tell me you can detect a difference in temperature?

OK, now what color raincoat are you going to wear this weekend? The mid-week forecast is for a tropical storm or some kind of significant rain event to sweep through Jacksonville this weekend, and that raises the most important question of all: If it rains, will Jacksonville come to the game?

Let's take a look at the history of rain games in Jacksonville:

• In 1996, the Jaguars hosted the Cincinnati Bengals a week after the Jags had scored an overtime win in Baltimore that would be the first of seven consecutive victories en route to the AFC title game. A crowd of 57,408 sat through a steady rain as the Jaguars sloshed to a 30-27 win.

• The 1999 season-opener against the San Francisco 49ers was dry at kickoff but heavy rain quickly descended on 68,678 fans, whose spirits were buoyed by a 41-3 Jaguars win.

• Two weeks later, the Jaguars suffered one of the most heartbreaking defeats in their history, 20-19, to the Titans. An unrelenting rain limited attendance to 61,502.

• In game six of the 1999 season, the 5-1 Jaguars hosted the expansion Browns and though it didn't rain during the game, overnight storms and the threat of rain held attendance to 62,047.

• The 2000 home-opener against Cincinnati was spoiled by rain. The 45,653 attendance is the second-smallest in Alltel Stadium history.

So what will Jaguars fans do this weekend if it does, indeed, rain? Hey, I'm not a weatherman, I'm just reacting to what the weatherman says might happen.

Maybe we all need to get into the proper frame of mind. This is the season-opener. This is the first game in a season of high expectations, and this team needs to feel the support of its fans this Sunday afternoon.

Get your head on straight, Jags fans. Stop worrying about the color of your shirt and start picking out a raincoat. Don't let this become another day after Christmas. Please, don't let that happen on the first day of the season.

Come on, it's just a little rain. They make raincoats for these things. Pick out one in your favorite color – personally, I like yellow – and be ready to go on Sunday morning.