Share
The Socially Distant Sports Bar
261: Medium Performance (Pt 2)
🎙️ The Socially Distant Sports Bar – Episode 261: Medium Performance
Elis James (Elis & John, Oh What A Time), Mike Bubbins (Mammoth), and Steff Garrero return for another week of niche sporting brilliance, poorly researched tangents, and top-tier nonsense.
This week we’ve got: good old-fashioned Welsh rugby nostalgia, Shaun Edwards’ eternal intensity, Millie Bright doing business, and the surprisingly emotional journey of a curling stone. Oh, and a Super Bowl, 1980s-style.
"Like a sports podcast, if the sport was optional."
🎟️ We’re Going on Tour in 2026!
That’s right – The Socially Distant Sports Bar is hitting the road in 2026!
Tickets go on general sale Friday 25 April via distantpod.com/live
🎫 Want early access? Join the Patreon on a paid tier and get in ahead of the crowd.
📍 Tour Dates:
- Fri 20 March 2026 – Cardiff, New Theatre
- Sat 21 March 2026 – Cardiff, New Theatre
- Tue 7 April 2026 – London, Hackney Empire
- Wed 8 April 2026 – London, Hackney Empire
- Fri 24 April 2026 – Carmarthen, Lyric Theatre
✨ What’s On This Week’s Episode?
📌 PART 1 (OUT WEDNESDAY)
Mike:
🗣️ Shaun on Danny – If you need motivation, Shaun Edwards has you covered. Again.
Elis:
🐏 Phil Pugh – Proper Old School – A classic clip from the golden era of Welsh hardmen.
Steff:
🏃♀️ Millie Bright Invests in Sports Bras – An important conversation about support, equality, and innovation in women’s sport.
📌 PART 2 (OUT FRIDAY)
Steff’s Documentary Pick:
🎓 The Gareth Southgate Lecture – Leadership, resilience, and an England manager being genuinely inspiring.
Elis’ Book Choice:
📖 Alternative Wales – Issue 17 – Welsh football culture, fan stories, and proper indie spirit.
📌 PART 3 (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
👉 Join us on Patreon for bonus episodes, spin-off shows, and pre-sale access to live shows.
Elis:
⚽ Angel Rangel – What a Guy – Swansea City’s Spanish cult hero.
Steff:
🏈 Watching the 1981 Super Bowl in the UK – It’s grainy, it’s weird, and it’s glorious.
Mike:
🧊 How Curling Stones Are Made – It’s oddly satisfying and a bit emotional.
💡 Get More of the Pod Every Week
🎧 Join Patreon for the full experience:
- Bonus Episodes – 30+ mins of extra content weekly.
- Hoffi Pod & Michael Owen’s Movie Club – Our beloved spin-offs.
- Gift Memberships – Give a mate the gift of nonsense.
- Early access & support – Keep the show going and help Mike expand his vintage leisurewear wardrobe.
🚀 Prefer Wondery+?
- Early access every Tuesday
- Ad-free episodes for pure, uninterrupted nonsense
🎉 Another week of niche sport, cult heroes, and completely unnecessary tangents – only on The Socially Distant Sports Bar!
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
If you fancy supporting the pod that way, head here 👇
More episodes
View all episodes
775. Where's Danny Gabbidon? Pint Size
12:58||Ep. 775Welcome to Pint-Sized Distant Pod.We've been back through our archive of episodes and we've selected our favourite stories, anecdotes and funny bits.If you're new to the pod, then feel free to use these as a jump off point to find your way around our earlier episodes.This clip is taken from "Episode 246: The Race Is Back On"773. Training In A Shed
37:18||Ep. 773More from Mike Bubbins, Elis James and Steff Garrero on this week's Socially Distant Sports Bar. It's Documentary time and it's Elis' choice this week. From the BBC archive it's an edition of "Man Alive" in 1969 contrasting the lives of two football managers. Bertie Mee of Arsneal and Laurie Brown at Bradford Park Avenue. It also includes former Wales manager Bobby Gould getting a bit upset at a referee.It's Steff's choice for the "Book of the Week", James Briggs' "From Ibiza To The Norfolk Broads" takes James and his bicycle on a David Bowie-inspired journey around Europe. Elis Documentary: 1969: The Life of a Football Manager | Man Alivehttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qX6YS6CxzE0&ra=mSteff Book: From Ibiza To The Norfolk Broads by JAmes Briggs https://link.amazon/B0dXKMUxe772. What's "Pointless" In Welsh?
01:01:01||Ep. 772More from the Socially Distant Sports Bar as Mike Bubbins, Elis James and Steff Garrero tackle the important issues of the week including news of Elis wowing a packed tent at the Eisteddfod, much discussion of Mike's sunglasses collection and why he can't wear his Meta specs anymore.The boys get all misty-eyed about former Wales scrum-half Robert Jones and go back to a Wales v England schoolboys international from 1984. There's also a really interesting chat about Lance Armstrong after he gives his thoughts on Tadej Pogacar winning his 5th Tour.Elis: Wales v England schools 1988https://x.com/apsmrugby/status/2077708047133131049?s=46&t=neS5hOG2rnBndx5FBpAv6gMike: Jim Abbott. Incredible. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWzlQTIEi5O/?igsh=MTg4cmU0d3pxbzI5NA==Steff: Lance https://www.instagram.com/reel/Das-prmRPhl/771. The Camping Stove: Pint Size
10:50||Ep. 771Welcome to Pint-Sized Distant Pod.We've been back through our archive of episodes and we've selected our favourite stories, anecdotes and funny bits.If you're new to the pod, then feel free to use these as a jump off point to find your way around our earlier episodes.This clip is taken from "Episode 39: I Couldn't Bare To Think Of You Eating Cold Beans"769. Sacked From The Voiceover
28:37||Ep. 769Welcome to this week’s Socially Distant Sports Bar with Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero.This week’s documentary and book both take us into much more personal sporting territory.Mike brings in a documentary about Howard Winstone, the great Welsh boxer from Merthyr Tydfil who became world featherweight champion and one of the defining figures in Welsh boxing history.Elis has chosen Without Robbie by Luke James, a deeply personal story about football, family and grief.As ever, the documentary and book are merely the starting points, as the conversation heads off into sporting memories, families, Wales and whatever else occurs to Mike, Elis and Steff along the way.DocumentaryMike: Howard Winstonehttps://youtu.be/RrmkMI6WBNkBookElis: Without Robbie by Luke Jameshttps://www.withoutrobbie.co.uk/That’s it for the regular feed this week.If you want Part 3, along with the whole podcast early and advert-free every Tuesday, subscribe to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts.Thanks for listening.768. Squash Court
01:11:05||Ep. 768xWelcome to this week’s Socially Distant Sports Bar with Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero.This week Mike revisits one of the most famous deliveries in Ashes history, Elis brings us the story of why Bobby and Jack Charlton’s dad missed England’s 1966 World Cup semi-final, and Steff has a clip from a brilliant advert campaign.Three clips, several sporting eras, family stories, changing attitudes and, inevitably, a fair amount of stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with any of them.ClipsMike: Gatting Ballhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DZozFRRy3GO/?igsh=OXJidXBpYjY3MXBhElis: Bobby and Jack Charlton’s dad missing the 1966 semi-finalhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/Da0PuX3IySh/?igsh=aml5bHBvdW8wcHR3Steff: Like A Girlhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ2y8eEoFMX/The boys spoke about Prostate Cancer during this episode. If you want more information then click here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/ Alos if you wish to donate to Prostate Cymru then click here https://www.prostatecymru.com/ Coming in the next Distant PodMike brings in a documentary about Howard Winstone, the brilliant Welsh boxer and world featherweight champion from Merthyr Tydfil.Elis has chosen Without Robbie by Luke James, a moving book about football, family, grief and the bond between two brothers.Sacked From The Voiceover will be out on Friday.And if you want the whole episode early and advert-free every Tuesday — including the subscriber-only Part 3 — subscribe to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts.767. The Apologising Dog: Pint Size
09:25||Ep. 767Welcome to Pint-Sized Distant Pod. We’ve been back through our archive of episodes and picked out some of our favourite stories, anecdotes, and funny bits.If you’re new to the pod, these are a perfect way to dip your toe in and then dive back into the full episodes from our early days.This is from Patreon Tapes 2: The Shower Seat - we did 5 episodes that you will only ever be able to hear on our Patreon site - you can hear them here https://www.patreon.com/collection/1782817765. Kriss Akabusi Loves Nietzsche
39:36||Ep. 765Back after the interval for the second half of the Socially Distant Sports Bar live at the New Theatre, Cardiff. Mike Bubbins, Elis James and Steff Garrero dive into Warren Gatland's take on rugby team stereotypes alongside stories of getting shot in the backside in the Korean War and Chris Akabusi's secret love for Nietzsche.......and why you should always wear a cricket helmet to a panto.Elis: Cricket Fielding https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cp5CH78uMF5/?igsh=MTl3dDg3N3hwdHBoaA%3D%3D Mike: Gatland https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVdccehDKN7/?igsh=MTFnendwNjM0bWZicA== Steff: Sunderland crowd https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EaQ5usl-36Q764. Two Tangerines In A Sack
45:38||Ep. 764The first half of the 2nd night for the Socially Distant Sports Bar live at the New Theatre, Cardiff. Join Mike Bubbins, Elis James and Steff Garrero to find out what you missed if you weren't quick enough to get a ticket. Unsurprisingly Mike reveals a few "interesting" facts about himself, which one of the trio would never run for political office and find out what "two decent sized tangerines in a sack" actually means Steff: Don’t fuck with Huw Ware https://www.instagram.com/reel/DV4Vmh4Cpqf/?igsh=MTRzdmZxeWo4bDlmOA== Mike: Enter Rubberman https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVhcwPwjO1K/?igsh=ZnlhdmdmZzhya2Zm Elis: Irish Commentary https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvIUnE3NatA/?igsh=MTJxaWpiNnBybjB0bg%3D%3D