The Struggle of a Washington Redskins Fan

I hate my favorite football team. No, I'm serious. For nearly half of my life, the Washington Redskins have occupied my heart as the team I root for. My mother hails from Washington, DC, and I have fond memories of visiting my uncles, aunts, and cousins who bleed the burgundy and gold. When my Uncle Charlie passed, they created a display of Skins memorabilia to stand next to his casket (*Lil Wayne voice* It's real). Despite the love and support that myself and fans show the franchise, we have not seen any parts of consistency since the early 90s. I'm 25 years old, the last Super Bowl win was in 1991; I was 5...5, dog.

Lately, it's been the same old same old. We win some games early, people get excited, Wale comes on TV to discuss are the Skins "for real", and then the Hogs let us down. Come on, man! We're tired! We're weary! Every time we lose, the same Trey Songs melody rings in my head; "The things you do...make me wanna cheat on you!" My family lives in a market dominated by Eagles, Giants, and (gags) Cowboys fans. It pains me to watch these teams compete every year for a division crown, and media coverage not even consider us a threat. That's like going out to dinner with your woman, and a buster flirting with your girl WHILE YOU'RE AT THE TABLE! Where's the scruples? It's not on him, though; you're not handling your business. Skins, when are you going to handle your business?

The effects go much deeper than just watching on Sundays. Redskins, your "terrible-ness" results in me taking crap from co-workers, friends, and people I don't even know! People think I'm kidding when I say I'm a Washington fan, taking pride in trashing the name. They don't remember the last time the Skins were a powerhouse. My friends don't know Joe Theismann or John Riggins; Art Monk hasn't suited up in years! More importantly, do you know hard it is to bring up football with the ladies? I met an attractive lady who likes the Packers; imagine that conversation. "Aaron Rogers is cool, but no one throws an interception like Rex Grossman! Pick 6 Time!"

Yesterday, the team had a chance to do right by their fans. The season immediately becomes a success if they beat the (excuse my french) punk-*ss Cowboys. They stood on the cusp! It came down to one field goal, and I watched on my sickbed as Graham Gano missed the game winner. Gano, I'm sure you have a family to feed, but if you can't kick field goals, kick rocks.

Washington Redskins, we refuse to let you take us through the mud any longer. Get your ish together. I'm a intelligent, handsome black man, and I treat you well. There are plenty of other teams who would LOVE for me to root for them. I will take the kids, and be out. Wait...I sound like I'm in an bad relationship. Now that I think about it, that sounds about right.

Cedric Perry is the producer of the sitcom "We're Just Talking" and author of two young adult novels, Homecoming and In Line for Love. For more on Perry, go to www.pick6time.com.

"What's Up, Youngblood?": A Deeper Look At The Old School Player

They are found pretty much everywhere: at the supermarket, on the second floor at your job, and especially at family reunions. Though conspicuous in nature, this species is easy to spot. No I'm not talking about roaches, you heathen; I'm talking about the "Old School Player", aka a "piiimmmmp". Now it is important to differentiate between an Old School Player and a man who is simply "old school". My father, known affectionately as Charles Perry (please say the full name), is old school; he has traditional values, rough hands, and watches westerns like "Gunsmoke". An Old School Player (O.S.P) is different; they are commonly outlandish, shifty, and laugh really weird. These well-tenured romeos carry great influence on the youth of America, specifically young males. Coming into contact with old school playas brings guys to a critical transition in life: the older men become an example for their younger counterparts. Gentlemen decide f...

The Nice Guy Rules

"Nice guys finish last." What a hogwash statement. Seriously; it's baloney, maybe even pastrami. Through entertainment, business, and romance, the belief is that a man with etiquette and morals is one with diseases, like the measles or swine flu. When you turn on your television or read your news...kindle, you witness arrogant, womanizing egomaniacs praised as charismatic men with undeniable "swagger". Men who are interested in helping others and making people enjoy themselves are undervalued. The result is young men trying too hard. These men, known as "Nice Guys", are seen as sweet people who are great to know and make you laugh, but are OFTEN over looked for men who...use less effort to receive approval. As a teen and in my early college years, I played into this. It's such a weird feeling; you become enamored with doing right by people, as if it determines whether people will like you. Half the time, if you are "too" nice, peo...

I'm a Hater (Acknowledging Your Faults and Using to Reach Prosperity)

I, Cedric Charles Perry, am a hater. Whew...though it's tough to say, admission is the first step to recovery. It's a gene that has traveled throughout my family tree; my great-grandmother has been recognized as one of the more influential haters during the civil rights movement. My sister Dee actually holds the Pennsylvania state record for most consecutive statements using the word "corny", with 46. It appears that there are numerous types of haters; my type is called "Conditional Hater", where in attempts to create humor, I will break out in uncontrollable hating. Recognizing that this trait runs in my family, I was bound to be a hater and it's better for me to acknowledge this now and help others who share this condition. To better address this addiction, which currently affect approximately 3.6 million people in America (I made that number up), let's identify what hating is. Rapper LL Cool J once stated that hating is "identifying a perso...

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