Share
The Socially Distant Sports Bar
263: Choking Out O’Toole (Pt 2)
Ep. 536
•
🎙️ The Socially Distant Sports Bar – Episode 263: Choking Out O’Toole
Elis James (Elis & John, Oh What A Time), Mike Bubbins (Mammoth), and Steff Garrero are back with another week of niche sporting brilliance, vintage clips, and beautifully off-topic chaos. Expect flying tackles, Scottish football nostalgia, racket sport wars, and a bit of Brian Blessed for good measure.
"Like a sports podcast, if the sport was optional."
🎟️ We’re Going on Tour in 2026!
We’re hitting the road with a brand-new live show in 2026!
Tickets are on sale now — head to distantpod.com/live for all the details.
📍 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:
💥 Maddison Levi tackle – A clever hit you’ll want to see.
Elis:
⚽ Craig Bellamy: Pure passion – Classic Bellamy in full flow.
Steff:
🎾 Padel and Pickleball: The new badminton and squash – The rise of racket sports madness.
📌 PART 2 (OUT FRIDAY)
Elis Documentary:
🏴 That Was The Team That Was: Scotland ’74 – A brilliant look back at a legendary squad.
Mike Book:
📚 Absolute Pandemonium by Brian Blessed – Loud, chaotic, and very Brian.
📌 PART 3 (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
👉 Join us on Patreon for bonus episodes, spin-offs, and early live show access.
Mike:
🤸♀️ Ashlyn Pinner & Brandon Gray (USF Cheer Team) – Pure athleticism.
Elis:
⚽ Ajax youth team brilliance – The future of football on show.
Steff:
🎾 Stefan Edberg magic – A slice of tennis nostalgia.
💡 Get More of the Pod Every Week
🎧 Patreon gets you:
- Bonus episodes & extra clips
- Michael Owen’s Movie Club & Hoffi Pod
- Early access & live tour presale
- Gift memberships
🚀 Prefer Wondery+?
- Early access every Tuesday
- Ad-free episodes
🎉 Another week of sport, nostalgia, and nonsense — only on The Socially Distant Sports Bar!
Click here for a NORD VPN deal
CLICK HERE TO SEE CRWST's SELECTION
https://crwst.cymru/collections/shop-all
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
If you fancy supporting the pod that way, head here 👇
Live shows are coming!
🎫 Tickets available now at distantpod.com/live
More episodes
View all episodes
675. Gareth Bale: Pint Size
06:50||Ep. 675Welcome 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.Check out our brand-new merch store here: 🛒 sdsb2025.myshopify.comGrab a mug, hoodie, t-shirt (or all three!) and help keep the pod going in style.673. Mr Sassoon (pt 2)
38:35||Ep. 673Episode 301: Mr SassoonOver 300 episodes deep and still gloriously sidetracked, Distant Pod is where Elis, Mike and Steff explore sport’s brilliance, absurdity and nostalgia through the clips, documentaries and books that caught their attention this week.🏃♂️ CHARITY RUNSteff completed the Tokyo Marathon for Orchid Cancer on sunday👉 Donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-podcast-5🎧 PART 2 – Episode 301Steff Documentary: The Little Prince and The Big Fighthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkEMVd5NjBgMike Book: The Captain Class by Sam Walkerhttps://amzn.to/3OiNPA2🔒 Upgrade to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple for early, ad-free Parts 1 & 2 — and get Part 3 as exclusive bonus content.672. Mr Sassoon (pt 1)
01:04:34||Ep. 672Episode 301: Mr SassoonOver 300 episodes in and still finding sporting gold in the strangest corners of the internet, Distant Pod is the weekly podcast where Elis James, Mike Bubbins, and Steff Garrero dive into the best (and worst) clips, documentaries, books, and sporting moments they’ve discovered that week. From iconic brilliance to complete nonsense, it’s a fast-moving, funny tour through sport and culture — with zero expertise required and strong opinions guaranteed.🏃♂️ CHARITY RUNSteff finished the Tokyo Marathon for Orchid Cancer on Sunday, raising vital funds for men’s cancer research and support.👉 Donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-podcast-5🎧 PART 1 – Episode 301 (Free)Mike: Jimmy on Bill Belichickhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DUElmtCD6C6/Mike: LT on Bill Belichickhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DUCN1c9DwfA/Elis: The only Wales try of the 1995 Five Nationshttps://www.facebook.com/share/v/181HjGn2SP/Steff: Nutterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkVZm5UuXIs🔒 Want more? Join Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Subscriptions for early, ad-free Parts 1 & 2 — plus Part 3 exclusively as bonus content.671. KenCafé: Pint Size
10:50||Ep. 671Welcome 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 one is from Episode 188: A Mug Of KenCaféCheck out our brand-new merch store here: 🛒 sdsb2025.myshopify.comGrab a mug, hoodie, t-shirt (or all three!) and help keep the pod going in style.669. Maybe Start With Public Speaking (pt 2)
32:41||Ep. 669Episode 300: Maybe Start With Public SpeakingDistant Pod is a weekly podcast where Elis James, Mike Bubbins, and Steff Garrero dive into the best (and worst) clips, documentaries, books, and sporting moments they’ve discovered that week.🏃♂️ CHARITY RUNSteff is running the Tokyo Marathon for Orchid Cancer.👉 Donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-podcast-5🎧 PART 2 – Episode 300Elis Documentary: Flo Jo: A Daughter’s Lovehttps://watch.amazon.co.uk/detail?gti=amzn1.dv.gti.6fda2c47-6ef2-415d-ab31-d889eacc240bSteff Book/Find: Lee Child using footballers’ names in Jack Reacher bookshttps://www.reddit.com/r/footballcliches/comments/1gnw5d7/footballers_names_in_jack_reacher_things_again/🔒 Upgrade to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple for early, ad-free Parts 1 & 2 — and get Part 3 as exclusive bonus content.668. Maybe Start With Public Speaking (pt 1)
58:57||Ep. 668Distant Pod is a weekly podcast where Elis James, Mike Bubbins, and Steff Garrero dive into the best (and worst) clips, documentaries, books, and sporting moments they’ve discovered that week. From iconic brilliance to complete nonsense, each episode is a fast-moving, funny tour through sport, culture, and the strange corners of the internet — with zero expertise required and strong opinions guaranteed.🏃♂️ CHARITY RUNSteff is running the Tokyo Marathon for Orchid Cancer, raising vital funds for men’s cancer research and support.👉 Donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-podcast-5🎧 PART 1 – Episode 300 (Free)Elis: Sign languagehttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DTmdmaxCsBP/Steff: No tracksuitshttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DSphmvCCsWD/Mike: Kirk Cousinshttps://www.instagram.com/reels/DSYbctrjBG4/🔒 Want more? Join Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Subscriptions for early, ad-free Parts 1 & 2 — plus Part 3 exclusively as bonus content.667. Paul McCartney: Pint Size
07:35||Ep. 667Welcome 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 one is from Episode 171: Gordon Smart, Live in Islington (a)Check out our brand-new merch store here: 🛒 sdsb2025.myshopify.comGrab a mug, hoodie, t-shirt (or all three!) and help keep the pod going in style.665. Mario (pt 2)
26:11||Ep. 665Distant Pod is a weekly podcast where Elis James, Mike Bubbins, and Steff Garrero dive into the best (and worst) clips, documentaries, books, and sporting moments they’ve discovered that week.🏃♂️ CHARITY RUNSteff is running the Tokyo Marathon for Orchid Cancer.👉 Donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-podcast-5🎧 PART 2 – Episode 299 Mike’s documentary pick: Terry Yorathhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b08ps93gElis’s book pick: Test Cricket: A History — Tim Wigmorehttps://amzn.to/4rzgpvu🔒 Upgrade to Apple Subscriptions (Distant Pod Bonus Club) for early, ad-free Parts 1 & 2 — and get Part 3 as exclusive bonus content.664. Mario (pt 1)
01:02:46||Ep. 664Distant Pod is a weekly podcast where Elis James, Mike Bubbins, and Steff Garrero dive into the best (and worst) clips, documentaries, books, and sporting moments they’ve discovered that week. From iconic brilliance to complete nonsense, each episode is a fast-moving, funny tour through sport, culture, and the strange corners of the internet — with zero expertise required and strong opinions guaranteed.🏃♂️ CHARITY RUNSteff is running the Tokyo Marathon for Orchid Cancer, raising vital funds for men’s cancer research and support.👉 Donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-podcast-5🎧 PART 1 – Episode 299 Mike’s clip: Osi and Jasonhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DTtOnBODPNI/Elis’s clip: Cantrell Farm, mid-90shttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DTfD_ECiY_H/Steff’s clips: Making Golf Balls (1966 & 2010s)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-0U_R8zwkkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUjV0ipBvJY🔒 Want more? Join Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Subscriptions to get Parts 1 & 2 early and ad-free — plus Part 3 exclusively as bonus content.