USC Can Still Do It. Lattimore Would...

Gamecocks Can Rally Around Loss of Superstar
Around 2:30ish, while I was holding an Open House @ my listing on Kilbourne Rd., a visitor shared the news about Marcus Lattimore being lost for the remainder of USC's football season. My first reaction was, "Holy crap. Wow, the air just let out of this city." Second reaction: "I wonder how he's taking it." While I didn't mean anything terrible by the order of my thoughts, I felt a little guilty about it.

That said, given the statement from Lattimore's family, I think the young man's going to be OK. I also think the Gamecocks still have a chance to grab the precious SEC East title. Now that the Gamecocks have gotten this far, and lost to Auburn anyway, USC still continues to hold its own future, with only UGA nipping at our heels. Given that UT and UF are having down years, and the Gators forced to play under the Sandstorm @ Williams-Brice, USC can pick up the needed "W's." We'll see.

I have no idea where the pic above derived. My best guess is it's from the running back's days in high school. I chose it because it's a good illustration of what's to come for USC's young hero. Further, it's a pretty good illustration that major college sports isn't just showing up, putting on a slick Under Armour uniform, and running really fast while 84,000 fans chant your name. It's hard work, and crazy preparation. Marcus Lattimore is about to go through major preparation, and I just felt like the pic shows he's up for it.

I don't mean to post this for negative purposes. Quite the contrary, in fact. Carolina football has major athletic talent, and can slick & power through this setback, if they decide to.

Either way, we'll be @ Williams-Brice...or a parking lot near by.

Downtown Columbia's MLS Closings

Cola's Downtown Transactions: Sept. 1 - Oct. 10, 2011
This report of the closed transactions has a little bit of everything. A few Shandon properties, a few in Forest Acres, two in King's Grant, and even a few condos at Williams-Brice popped in the last month or so. There are about 75 houses on the list.

Interestingly, a home behind the VA Hospital closed for a head turning $830,000 (Chimney Hill - Hampton Crest Estates).

Have fun browsing!

Stephen Garcia's Carnival Is Over @ USC

If you live in Columbia, SC, you're well aware that the South Carolina State Fair is rolling into town. What you didn't know was coming, however, was a more bizarre and wacky sideshow from the guys that perform across the street @ Williams-Brice.

Today, GamecockNation was all abuzz about the video of Coach Spurrier calling out (w/o actually calling out) Ron Morris of The State Newspaper for fabricating the news and being an overall poop on Spurrier's program. In all of this, Spurrier walked out on his own presser... twice.

Eclipsing the Spurrier vs. Morris affair, however, was the dismissal of 5th year senior Gamecock quarterback, Stephen Garcia. The quarterback was stripped of his duties as a football player for failing an alcohol and/or drug test. Unfortunately for Garcia, the alcohol/drug test came not long after the fella lost his grandfather, threw a crazy number of interceptions on national TV, was blamed for the loss to Auburn (1st loss of this season), and lost the starting job he won (back) in USC's first game.

The moment the news regarding Garcia was announced, the Twittersphere and Facebook went nut balls. In the name of space and time, I cherry picked a couple of Tweets. While I don't think either of them are perfect statements, I have to admit to having shared these fleeting thoughts:

@5daybender @USCMark2001 bottom line is big time programs don't have these shenanigans in the middle of the season #embarrassed
@ToddKincannon @fitsnews And you know, some guys need liquor and whores to succeed. Tiger. Joe Namath. Maybe Garcia's in that category.

When it comes to flat out quarterbacking, Garcia leaves USC as #3 all time for yards and completions. He'll leave #2 in the "WIN" category, with 20 (I think these stats are correct).

Years ago, I blogged that Garcia was the man for the job. At the time, Beecher and Smelley just didn't have the spark or spunk that Garcia seemed to have. Turns out, that was right. Also turns out that there's just a little too much off-field spunk to mess with.

Godspeed, Stephen Garcia. Nice wins, 5+ suspensions, terrible bowl performances, and an unreal 2010 season dot your legacy at Carolina. As you connect the dots moving forward, we all hope you'll represent your Alma mater well in future endeavors.

Now that USC's #1 sideshow has exited the tent, the State Fair can get back to providing Columbia with the bizarre and weird stuff. The Gamecocks in the meantime, hopefully, can get back to X's, O's, and W's.

All This in Shandon Proper @ $199,900

215 Sloan St, 29205, is a Shandon Opportunity
Monday morning, this classic Shandon home will hit the MLS Hotsheet with a new "move it" asking price. At $199,900, this updated, three bedroom house is certain to fetch some serious online eyeballs.

With a peek at the pics above, and attached, I'd challenge anyone to find a more slammin' kitchen and living area at this price level, or even the next, in Shandon, SC.

In the last few months, Amanda and I have experienced nice success in Shandon. I'll save the examples for another blog post, but I have to admit, our Shandon action is turning some heads. For instance, as of tomorrow we may have three homes Under Contract on Wilmot Ave. alone. I'm typing this to report that Shandon inventory is moving, and at this price level, Sloan St. should be considered by anyone looking downtown in the $200K range.

If you, or anyone you know, wants to be in this popular downtown Columbia neighborhood, please call or email fjones@cbunited.com or amandaqpayne@live.com.

I'm not sellin', I'm simply tellin'... this is a an opportunity to live in one of Columbia's most popular neighborhoods at an affordable price level. Be sure to check out all the features that 215 Sloan offers. Thank you!

This home is move-in ready and waiting for its new owner. I'm looking forward to a great new neighbor!

A Fella Named Steve Changed Our Times

As much of the world publicly acknowledges the life/death of Steve Jobs, most of them immediately associate him with the impressive and superior products of iPad and iPhone. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's incorrect to think this. iPads and iPhones are the devices in millions of hands right now. If you take a few steps back, however, it is even more impressive to think of all this man did and how he changed the world.

For instance, take a good look at the picture above. Think back to the first time you held a floppy disk in your hand. Remember DOS? Remember when we had to punch the arrow buttons on the keyboard to get anywhere on the computer screen? Now, take a look at pic again and notice the "mice," and reflect on how much we are on the computer each day.

Jobs didn't just change the computer industry. His iTunes/iPod blew up the music industry and and all the components that go with it, like Henry Ford vaporized the stagecoach of the transportation industry.

Fast forward to the iPhone and iPad. Really and truly, I challenge anyone to find a more superior product in any product category. Cars, shoes, watches, finger nail clippers, sandwich meat, or whatever you can think of, there are few products/brands that are so far ahead of others (in their prime) in their respective categories. Jordan, Tiger, Federer, and Starbucks come to mind. Premium & superlative; Apple.

As I posted before, I fought and fought the idea of joining the iWorld, when in the end, I purchased an iPhone. For some reason, I acted as though Apple was equal to Darth Vader. Stupe on my part.

I like to describe the iPhone as a tight, smooth, brilliant machine with a screen that looks like a rainbow of chrome, with a little melted butter on top to fluidly swipe and pinch. It's just that fine of a product.

To get back to the point, the man in the pic above changed the world more than once. I mean, how impressive is that? Who knows how the world would operate today without this man's vision and work.

We can't help but ask ourselves, "What could be next after things that are as cool as an iPad??" Who knows. Time travel? Traveling hologrammed clones? Maybe Finley and her friends will do a little morphing? We'll see!

In the meantime, however, we're able to perform and experience the coolest and most mind-blowing things because of a fella named Steve, and his Apple.

Downtown Columbia's MLS Hotsheet!

Columbia, SC's Newest Listings: September 2011
This edition of the downtown Columbia, SC HotSheet offers some good product. While not many homes in the top tier price level hit the market this month, there are a lot of solid properties that are new to the market in the more affordable level.

Of course....call/email/text if you'd like to be on the HotSheet, or if you see something you may want to peek.

Thank you!

Florida GOP Is Diluting Itself.....IMO

In an effort to feel more important, Florida Republicans are desperately trying to move ahead of South Carolina, as the 'First in the South' primary date. If you're even a little "political," you know that the great state of Florida is attempting to 'move up' its Republican event to a January date.

On the surface, this seems like a perfect marketing/PR move. Breaking the thin layer of the shiny grapefruit, however, exposes the bitter taste of what's really there.

1) In politics, a week is a lifetime. Think of it. One segment on Meet The Press, Newt Gingrich is "done." Michelle Bachmann won the front-runner position after the Iowa Straw Poll, and presently doesn't matter (and neither does the Iowa Straw Poll). Today, front-runner Rick Perry has been exposed for having a hunt club/camp (or whatever it is) named something pretty terrible. To be sure, a shift is on the way.

The stock market, Congressional climate, entire American economy, oil/gold prices, and everything else in the world can change, change back, and change back again in a few months time. In short, the candidates and the world around them, and how they react to the world, are continually evolving. That said, while the world rotates, Florida's votes will have been cast, with old news being the factor.

2) Florida holds a beastly amount of votes. While Florida jostles to be first, it does so at the peril of half their power. The RNC has threatened to strip Florida of half their votes if they decide to go against Party rules. Apparently, Florida R's don't care.

3) This seems to be an example of, "It's more about us, not country." Am I too naive or sanctimonious to think everyone else doesn't do it? No. I'm simply saying this is another example of it. Doesn't feel very Tea Party'ish.

Sure, the candidates, their staff, and the press will flock to the Florida sunshine and spend money on hamburgers, vodka, and hotel rooms. That said, these folks will come and go in swift fashion and then forget about Boca, Orlando, and Tallahassee. Will it be worth it? For an economy as big as Florida's, I don't think so. In my bias, Florida would be better served swinging its elbows in the heat of the campaign, not on the front end only to be forgotten about.

Being a South Carolinian, I may be typing with a little bias. With this in mind, I have to remind folks that South Carolina is a better microcosm of the true South, with far less electoral power. The difference between Florida being first, and South Carolina being first, is an entirely different thing. Florida being first is a waste of Florida's population power, especially with the penalty coming from the RNC (50%). Conversely, it's a big deal for the Palmetto State.

So brothers and sisters of Florida, you want to break rank and be first? Go ahead. Have fun for a couple of weeks. Have fun, too, being irrelevant for the rest of the primary season.