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The Socially Distant Sports Bar
259: Part Pity, Part Disdain (Pt 2)
Ep. 524
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🎙️ Welcome to The Socially Distant Sports Bar – Episode 259
Elis James (Elis & John, Oh What A Time), Mike Bubbins (Mammoth), and Steff Garrero return for another round of sporting chaos, wild tangents, and barely-researched brilliance.
This week? Public toilet jeopardy, rugby referee rage, George Foreman defying time, a YA novel about running, and one of the most terrifying away ends in football. Just another week in the Bar.
“Like a sports podcast, if the sport was optional.”
✨ What’s on This Week’s Episode?
📌 PART 1 (OUT WEDNESDAY):
Elis:
🚽 The Dangers of Going for a Piss – When nature calls mid-game, chaos can follow.
🧟 Mordor Away – A genuinely terrifying away end. Orcs probably booed.
Mike:
🗣️ Angus Gardner: RefChaos – Mike breaks down one of the greatest ref moments in rugby.
📌 PART 2 (OUT FRIDAY):
🏋️♂️ Documentary: Dorian Yates – The Original Mass Monster
Old-school bodybuilding, big weights, bigger intensity.
📚 Book: Ghost by Jason Reynolds
A fast, sharp young adult novel about running, fear, and finding your pace in life.
📌 PART 3 (PATREON EXCLUSIVE):
Steff:
🥊 Foreman – 21 Years Apart – George Foreman becomes world champ in '73… and again in '94. Unbelievable.
🧠 Quade Cooper on Communication – Chill, thoughtful, and unexpectedly deep.
⚽ Panama Beat USA – Underdogs, upsets, and pure CONCACAF energy.
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- 🎧 Bonus Episodes – 30 minutes of extra clips and chaos every week.
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🎉 Another week of nostalgia, nonsense, and niche sporting brilliance – only at The Socially Distant Sports Bar.
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777. Give Him A Passport
25:05||Ep. 777This week's second helping from the Socially Distant Sports Bar with Mike Bubbins, Elis James and Steff Garrero is another fascinating documentary choice. It's Steff's pick and tells the interesting and sometimes moving story of Bilal Fawaz, current British and Commonwealth Super Welterweight Champion. "Fight For Freedom" documents his inability to fight outide of Britain because he has never been able to hold a passport. Elis has picked the "Book of the Week" which is another one to add to your collection. It's "Domestique" by Charlie Wegelius. The book explores the life of a "domestique", a rider who sacrifices his own personal glory and ambitions to support the team leader and secure team victories.Steff Doc: Fighting For Freedom: Bilal Fawaz https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002zv7x/fighting-for-freedom-bilal-fawaz Elis Book: Domestique - Charlie Wegalias https://link.amazon/B0fRZs7TB776. Delivering To Belfast
01:04:28||Ep. 776Come and join Mike Bubbins, Elis James and Steff Garrero in the Socially Distant Sports Bar for their usual weekly catch-up and the first round of clips.We get an update on Mike's new initiative of trying to make friends with everyone he meets, there's hot debate on whether you talk to your builders and sexy professions.There's some accidental sport as well including the wonderful Laura McAllister talking about how football executives like her should be "custodians of the game" along with Wham! playing football in China.ENJOY!!Elis: Laura McAllisterhttps://x.com/SkyNews/status/2083210598154690774?s=46Steff: Wham https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaQSTu0IWXf/ Mike: Alice on golfhttps://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Cw4awQc4u/?mibextid=wwXIfr775. 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/1782817