Remember last week when it was sunny and crystal clear outside? The skies were blue, and we could make out mountain trails on the Cascades. In the evening when the sun set behind the Olympics and Mt. Rainer was glowing in the pink light, we wondered if there was a more beautiful place to live.

Well, that image has been replaced by gray skies and insurance claim agents racing around the region. We are getting dumped on, and just in time for a national television audience.

The Seahawks are on Monday Night Football and now the whole country's notion of Seattle as a damp, moss-covered rain puddle will be reinforced.

Leading the charge will be MNF commentator Tony Kornheiser, who took up the issue of Seattle's weather last winter.

We like Kornheiser; he is the last in his breed of the old-school funny/curmudgeonly sportscaster who pepper their analysis with jokes that make us cringe. For example, when discussing tonight's quarterback match-up between both team's back-ups, he mentioned that Tom Brady emerged from his back-up role to become a star; however, he added it was more likely that tonight's quarterbacks would play like Jan Brady.

As you can see, Seattle's rainy weather is right in his wheel house.

You can get angry at him and write a hate filled letter to ESPN, but before you do keep in mind, he's right. So sit back and enjoy his jokes about the weather, coffee, and references to Sleepless in Seattle, although we suspect that film was a little before his time.

If Kornheiser doesn't give you enough enjoyment, well, there are always the camera shots of Raiders coach Art Shell, who as it was pointed out in this letter to Bill Simmons, reminds some of the president:

"Q: Is it possible that George Bush is the white Art Shell? Mismanages a defense, has no idea what the hell is going on half the time, and is in wayyy over his head. Think about it, on 9/11, when he sat there at the school for like 5 minutes after finding out what happened, staring out into space thinking about which Happy Meal he was going to get later, that's Art Shell every week on the sidelines! Whether you're for or against Bush, this is funny. --Lanire S., Philadelphia"

The game is at 5:30pm on ESPN. Wear dry socks.