The Greatest Fucking Moment in Sports by Kevin L. Donihe

The Greatest Fucking Moment in Sports Reviews

• 
  Danger

  I read this book perhaps two years ago and to this day, every time I think about it, I smile inside. Then I wonder why there is a mouth inside of me. Stop smiling, stomach mouth! Oh no, stomach mouth is eating my belt. My trousers have fallen down. My naked penis is exposed to everyone at the library right now. I'm going to end this review to address more pressing matters...
• 
  Eric Hendrixson

  This is the first Bizarro book I read, and it is why I became a fan and later a writer of Bizarro. The protagonist, with the most ridiculous of good intentions, facing overwhelming obstacles, intends to spread his message of agape love and not harming bugs by winning a cycling race. His fans are behind him. America is behind him, but his opponents are in front of him, including some opponents who do not play fair. When skulduggery fails to knock the hero out of the race, it escalates to sabotage. As things escalate, even murder fails to keep the hero from winning the race.
  
  To avoid spoilers, I must speak in abstractions. What enticed me about this book was the ridiculous positivity of the hero in the face of absurd obstacles. What hooked me was his ability to overcome them. What reeled me in was the disproportionate consequences, both the grotesque capability for positivity and the horrific consequences of all this joy and love. What cleaned, gutted, fried, and served me was the negative capability of this seemingly cartoonish story.
  
  I don't mean the capability for negativity. I mean negative capability in the way Keats meant it. Donihe's books always leave me with a sense of uncertainty. Fables and fairy tales end with easy answers. Some books end with questions. Those books stick in the mind.
• 
  TatieTami

  I wish this was an accurate depiction of sports.
• 
  Marzi Margo

  First came Gregor Samsa, then came William Lee, and now comes Oscar Legbo. It is not very often that a protagonist is thrust into an all-encompassing, obsessive world of bugs. Whether the bugs are becoming the protagonist himself or conversing with the protagonist through their rectums or being mercilessly crushed by the protagonist, you more than likely have a thrilling piece of literature in your hands. Such is definitely the case with "The Greatest Fucking Moment in Sports," at least. Oscar Legbo doesn't simply represent the athlete: He represents the American athlete, so for him to possess such an irrational sympathy complex for the tiny insects which he once annihilated without remorse is indeed a tragic flaw.
  
  Throughout the novella, however, Donihe makes sure that you root for Oscar from start to finish, just as the vast majority of the world population (including a relentless news team, a schizophrenic ninja, and the ghost of Oscar's trident-wielding coach, among others) does despite whatever heinous obstacles may stand in his way.
  
  Also of note is that this tale may or may not be a true instance of bizarro comedy. All bizarro fiction seems to contain that hint of satirical voice to accompany the ludicrous occurrences, but Donihe's storytelling tone is especially jesting, and pretty funny at that (even when the plot takes a grim yet still satirical turn). Overall, "The Greatest Fucking Moment in Sports" accomplishes bizarro fiction's primary goal to entertain; thus, it is an excellent counterpart to the genre's introductory bundle.
• 
  sappho_reader

  While reading this book I kept thinking of the wonderful animated film from 2003 The Triplets of Belleville as both dealt with eccentric cyclists in France.
  
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• 
  Josh Sonnier

  An excellent book. I read this bit of photorealistic sports reporting 2 days ago and my only complaint is that IT TURNS OUT TO BE COMPLETELY UNTRUE. Donihe convinced me to 1) care about Oscar Legbo, 2)fear for the fate of his head and 3) weep for the lost dreams of an ersatz ninja and for what? I find out it was all made up. Oh well, c'est le morse, I guess. Although I am a relatively new reader of what is officially "Bizarro" fiction, I think this book and its constituent weirdness are more closely related to Barthelme's straight-faced oddities than the "weird for weird's sake" stories that populate "coolest weird shit ever" anthologies.
• 
  Scott

  Kevin L. Donihe's novel, The Greatest Fucking Moment in Sports has to be the weirdest book I have ever read. If one can get past the somewhat disturbing crudeness of the short novel, the ride Donihe brings the reader on is highly entertaining and definitely memorable...maybe not for the right reason, but never the less, memorable!
• 
  Bradley

  Donihe's best.
• 
  Evan St. Jones

  the event described here is, without a doubt, the greatest fucking moment is sports. Legbo forever!
• 
  Jorge Villarruel

  ¡Jesucristo en una bicicleta! Esta novelita corta (seamos sinceros, los temas que manejan los escritores de bizarro fiction sencillamente no dan para más de unas pocas páginas) trata sobre el campeón de ciclismo y héroe de los pinches gringos, Oscar Legbo, un neurótico con una enfermiza obsesión por los insectos, quien al evitar aplastar a un bicho en uno de sus entrenamientos, provoca la muerte de su entrenador.
  
  Conforme se desarrolla la historia de Legbo, descubrimos que para algunos es un cartucho quemado y nuevos ciclistas desean arrebatarle la corona, incluso si deben hacer trampa. Pero no saben algo: Legbo es en realidad el mesías.
  
  Divertida, pero no tan divertida. No es lo que llamaría una obra imprescindible, ni siquiera para los aficionados al género. Aunque, eso sí, si te gustan las escenas de sexo gratuito y la blasfemia, entonces puede que te enganches.
• 
  Nihil

  this is where Kevin hooked me. great story.
• 
  Zoe Welch

  The tittle truly says it all
  
  Because
  
  IT IS THE GREATEST FUCKING MOMENTS IN SPORTS.
  
  Kevin L. Donihe is just a fantastic writer.
• 
  Auntie Raye-Raye

  All I have to say is that this book was ball-staggeringly good!
• 
  Morbus Iff

  Got a little hippie/lame near the ending, but enjoyed the buildup.
• 
  Jorge Palacios Kindelan

  One of the funniest things I've ever read in my life