Bob Mims CPA

The most challenging courses for the brave golfer

Ask any golfer out there and they’ll tell you that each golf course is unique. Some courses pose more of a challenge than others. Here are some of the most difficult golf courses to negotiate in the country.

Colonial Country Club

The Colonial Country Club is infamous for its difficulty. For starters, in the Dean & Deluca Invitational, the average score of some of the best golfers in the world was just a smidgen about 71. Only five eagles were recorded, and only the winner, Kevin Kisner, finished in double digits.

Erin Hills

Erin Hills was the site of the U.S. Open, and boy, did it prove quite a challenge for many pro golfers. Only 25 eagles were recorded, with 1,493 bogeys for good measure. Erin Hills will test the patience of almost every golfer who attempts to pass through it.

Oak Hill Country Club

Of all the holes in the Oak Hill Country Club, the most memorable one is the third. In two PGA Tours, the third hole only allowed 42 birdies. The trees coupled with the heavy bunker around the green make this hole extremely frustrating for golfers.

There are more courses out there presenting challenges for even the most seasoned of golfers. Feel free to share them in the comments section below.

Film and fitness buff Bob Mims, CPA promotes the importance of staying active through several physical exercises, such as yoga, P90X, and swimming. He is also a Star Wars fan. For similar reads, visit this blog.

The Galactic Appeal Of ‘Star Wars’

When “Star Wars: A New Hope” was first released at the tail end of the ‘70s, only George Lucas and a handful of people who worked on the production thought it was going to attain some measure of success.

Today, 40 years later, Star Wars has become one of the most profitable franchises in film history. From its feature films to TV shows to merchandise, it seems that almost everything “Star Wars” sells. It has an appeal that most franchises do not.

Below is a closer look at why people simply love “Star Wars.”

It’s more than just good versus evil.

While there are heroes and villains in “Star Wars,” they are more than one-dimensional. Anakin Skywalker is the best example of this. He turns to the Dark Side, but still retains some good in him, which Luke later brought out. There are also Sith Lords who have varying degrees of evil. Then there are supporting characters such as Lando Calrissian and Boba Fett, who have “adjustable” loyalties.

The action sequences are gripping as they are spectacular.

Whether it’s a huge dogfight along the orbit of a moon or a duel between two great Force masters, or if it’s an infiltration team trying to rescue characters or blow up a facility, the action sequences of “Star Wars” are a sight to behold. Add to that the fantastic musical score, and we have the most thrilling action scenes in sci-fi history.

Bob Mims, CPA, has previous experience as a basketball coach. He is also a huge ‘Star Wars’ fan. Learn more about him and the stuff he loves by checking out this blog.

Is Former Raptors Coach Dwane Casey Deserving Of Nba Coach Of The Year Honors?

The Coach of the Year award just given to Dwane Casey has upset many NBA fans. This is within reason, as the Toronto Raptors whom he coached this past season not just failed to advance in the playoffs but got swept by the Cavaliers to boot. It’s quite an embarrassment for a team that topped the Eastern Conference and seemed destined this year to get over the hump that is LeBron James.

However, we’ve to keep in mind that the COTY honor is a regular season award. No matter how poorly a team—or its coach—performed in the playoffs, the award does not concern itself with these. This is why many players who’ve received, say, the MVP award, don’t go on to win a title. Just consider recent winners Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant (then also with the Thunder), and James Harden. In the last few years, only Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors has gotten the award while leading his team to a championship.

Dwane Casey, in a huge sense, just became the easy scapegoat. Management felt it had to save face after another humiliating defeat in the hands of the Cavs. And even though many Raptors stars had expressed their full support of Casey, the coach was fired. This is typical of the NBA, anyway; just last November, coach David Fizdale of the Grizzlies was likewise let go after a series of losses. The same is true for Stan Van Gundy of the Pistons.

Casey is highly respected throughout the NBA, which is why Detroit just signed him to a five-year deal as new Pistons helmsman. We can say the same thing for Van Gundy, of course. But in a huge pro league where teams are bound to players with huge contracts until free agency, the coach becomes the most expendable, no matter how foolish the reasoning may be.

Former basketball coach Bob Mims CPA is a lifelong sports lover. He is a firm believer in the importance of physical activity in long-term fitness. More info on Bob’s interests here.

Going Pro: Ole Miss Baseball Players Picked In The 2018 Mlb Draft

For all Major League Baseball teams, the rookie draft presents an opportunity to look for players who can provide in their championship or playoff aspirations. This year, several Ole Miss alumni entered the draft and look to make an impact in the pro league.

The first Rebels selected are the following:

Ryan Rolison

The sophomore, left-handed pitcher is the sole Rebel drafted in the first round this year and the first to earn the distinction since 2010. He had a solid collegiate career, owning one of the most solid fastballs and sliders in the SEC. He admitted, though, that he needs to improve his changeup to make sure he gets to be part of the pitcher rotation of Colorado Rockies, which selected Rolison with the 22nd pick.

Nick Fortes

Three rounds later, one of Ole Miss’s best hitters, Nick Fortes, was selected by the Miami Marlins with the 117th overall pick. Fortes was also the Rebels’ starting catcher after being positioned as first baseman early in his career. Other than his sound batting stats, he was also able to show his defensive versatility, particularly in throwing out base stealers.

Brady Feigl

Ole Miss lost another rotation player when in the fifth round, Oakland Athletics drafted right-handed pitcher Brady Feigl. He used to play as a reliever before working his way up to becoming the Rebels’ weekend starter.

Bob Mims, CPA, is an avid supporter of the Ole Miss. Read more about the college’s sports teams by visiting this website.

Scoring Coaching Lessons From ‘Hoosiers’

Back in 2001, the US National Film Registry called for the preservation of the 1986 film “Hoosiers,” justifying it as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The sports movie, considered by many as the best basketball movie of all time, is loosely based on the unheralded 1954 Milan High School basketball team that won the state championship that year.

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The film tells the story of Normal Dale (played by Gene Hackman) who arrives in the fictional rural town of Hickory, Indiana to work as a high school teacher and basketball coach. His methodical, confrontational coaching style did not sit well at first with the team and the townspeople. Over time, however, he won the support of everyone, and Hickory won the state championship.

Sports coaches can gain a lot of lessons on how to handle their team by watching Hoosiers. Examples of these are the following:

Teach the fundamentals: In the movie, Coach Dale’s first course of action was to train the players in the fundamentals of the sport. This meant that the team had to undergo basic defensive and ball-handling drills. It may not have been fun at first but it was essential to the team’s title run.
Instill discipline in players: From the onset, the coach established strict behavioral standards and followed through on them – even if it meant benching his star player who intentionally ignored in-game instructions.

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Bob Mims, CPA has experience as a basketball coach and considers Hoosiers as one of his favorite movies ever. For more information about Mr. Mims, visit this page.

Experience The Difference With Saltwater Swimming

One would think that swimming is the same no matter where it’s done, and probably the only difference between swimming in a pool and in an ocean has to deal with tides and currents and waves. But it’s not as simple as that. Even without the tides and currents and waves, saltwater swimming is quite different from freshwater swimming.

To make the comparison more straightforward below is the difference between swimming in an ordinary pool and in a saltwater pool.

Image Source: swimming.org

For starters, the experience in a saltwater pool is somewhat smoother and more refreshing because of the mild salinity. People have compared this to showering with a softer kind of water. Saltwater is also better for the skin since it dries quickly and is soft on the skin.

Next, consider both pools have chlorine. While chlorine disinfects water by killing germs and other contaminants, salt does the same thing but is more effective due to electrolysis. Electrolysis facilitates the stream of chlorine in a pool, thus allowing perpetual disinfection.

Image Source: livestrong.com

Buoyancy is also an added effect of salinity, which allows for a more glide-free stroke in one were to be doing laps. This further eases an already-low impact exercise on the body.

For these and many other reasons, swimming in saltwater should be tried once in a while.

Bob Mims, CPA, is a former basketball coach and now a sports and fitness aficionado. He is an ardent follower of college football and is a fan of the University of Mississippi Rebels. He plays golf in his spare time. For more on Bob’s interests, check out this page.

Why Athletes Should Consider Doing Yoga

For athletes to reach their peak performance – and do so for a very long period– they need to supplement their training with physical and mental drills. One such activity that has become well-loved by many athletes is yoga, for a variety of reasons, including the following:

Strength: The common way to improve strength is weightlifting. But yoga can help in this aspect because the consistent practice of the poses, called asanas, requires holding up one’s own weight. These postures can greatly develop core body stability, utilize various muscle groups, and create a more balanced overall strength.

Flexibility: In many sports, flexibility plays a critical role so that there is an increased range of motion and series of movements becomes easier to perform. Injuries can also be minimized with better flexibility. Even in non-sports activities, litheness can be beneficial. By doing yoga, flexibility in joints and muscles are developed.

Balance: Lack of balance has contributed to plenty injuries across various sports and physical exercises. Because yoga helps improve control of the body and coordination of the different body parts, those who seek to develop better balance should consider practicing yoga.

Mental control: Yoga includes rigorous corpse poses, also known as savasana, which are as essential as asanas. These postures require meditation, which can help athletes gain better control of their mental faculties.

Bob Mims, CPA, promotes the importance of staying active through several physical exercises, such as yoga, P90X, and swimming. For similar reads, visit this blog.

Does P90X really work?

P90X is a product of Beachbody.com that allows people to work out at home with minimal equipment. Workouts for this lineup of routines last around 50 to 70 minutes with warmups and cooldowns. But does the entire program really work? Ideally, it does.

There is a key though to P90X – consistency.

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It’s very easy to start the routine and fall off the wagon after just a week or two. Most of the people who say the program doesn’t work either stopped before the half-way point or never followed the diet plan. Yes, there’s also a diet plan, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone since any workout plan should also come with a nutrition plan.

P90X also comes with a number of schedules depending on one’s health goals. Given the variety of routines in the program, it’s pretty easy to come up with a customized schedule. But this only works if it is balanced with cardio and weights and is followed for 90 days.

Just like any other fitness program, P90X takes discipline and a mindset that doesn’t waiver. Those who don’t succeed usually come up with excuses. They either say they’ve gotten bored with the program or they’ve got too much on their plate and they only have limited time to work out.

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For those who think they don’t have time, they should check out P90X3, which has intense programs that are half as long as P90X’s. If that still doesn’t work, then perhaps fitness isn’t for you.

Bob Mims is from Memphis, TN. He loves coaching kids in basketball, playing golf, and keeping fit and healthy. Learn more about Bob here.

More Stuff That Could Have Made The ‘Star Wars’ Prequels Better

Most of the “Star Wars” fandom is now divided thanks to Rian Johnson’s take on the saga, and some of those with a distaste for it have even stated that the prequels were better. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, the fact remains that the prequels were equally as divisive.

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Truth be told, it’s almost impossible to capture the magic the original trilogy had what with the trio of Luke, Leia, and Han going on the most unforgettable adventures to save the galaxy from the evil Empire. Be that as it may, the prequels could have made it so by adding characters that were wilder and relatable.

Sure, Jedi Knights and Masters and Sith Lords were excellent with their Force powers and lightsaber dueling skills, but an addition of a wildcard rebel would have made the entire story more interesting. And no, Jar Jar doesn’t count.

Geonosis — Image source: therealgentlemenofleisure.com

While the world-building of the prequels rival (and maybe even best) that of the original trilogy, fans got the feeling that it was too serious and political in tone. It may have been George Lucas’ intention all along. However, if he did cut down on details such as trade embargos, a lot more fans would have appreciated it.

Bob Mims CPA is a former basketball coach and an ardent follower of college football, particularly of Ole Miss. He’s also a fan of blockbuster films. For updates like this, follow this Twitter page.

Basketball Critics’ Choice For Top Nba Coaches

Aficionados of the sport of basketball understand that having a great roster of superstars is not enough. It’s the ability of the coach to inculcate teamwork and discipline in the team that leads to winning. Here are the best coaches currently leading teams and changing the coaching landscape of the NBA, according to the top basketball media outlets like ESPN, Grantland, and Sports Illustrated.

Steve Kerr

The youngish Golden State coach and former Bulls sweet-shooting guard has been hailed as the modern-day Phil Jackson, making small-ball the dominant playstyle of modern professional basketball. He has managed to take the Warriors to the championship in the past three years, working on a team-oriented play that focuses on crisp passing and torrid shooting. He has worked impressively within the strengths of the team’s stars, particularly Durant, Curry, and Thompson.

Gregg Popovich

The feisty San Antonio coach is called by many as the coach’s coach. He manages to instill discipline among his players and have them play in a methodical, scientific way. It’s not surprising that even with an aging roster that includes Ginobili and Parker, the Spurs is still considered the greater threat to the champion Warriors. This is a consensus among many basketball experts, despite the recent resurgence of other Western Conference teams.

Brad Stevens

The 41-year-old Celtics coach is an extraordinary tactician and basketball genius. He is a master of ball rotation and nifty playmaking, especially during crunch time. Stevens is admired in the league by many coaches for his willingness to take risks, bring hustle back into the game, and play to the strength of players. It’s no wonder that Boston is the East’s current top team, despite a drastic pre-season roster change and the injury to Gordon Hayward on opening night.

Former basketball coach Bob Mims, CPA, is today an avid golfer and fitness enthusiast. He is a firm believer in the importance of physical activity in long-term fitness. For similar reads, visit this blog.