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Listen closely late at night. You can still hear a peel of laughter drift across the bayou, or a rattle of beads carry over the Piney Woods, or the trill of a trumpet lift into the cool winter air.
Ash Wednesday will have a devil of a time slowing down the spirits of Mardi Gras this season, as the Who Dat Nation continues to celebrate its Super Bowl title.
Locally, Who Dat has got its own sound. Every time the Westlake girls basketball team takes the court, a little bit of Louisiana floats into the conversation, courtesy of Coach Keith Smith, a proud son of the parishes born and raised in Monroe.
These Smithisms track the rhythm of a game better than a scoreboard, and they offer a lot more color.
“Merry Christmas to us. ….”
Usually mumbled and often followed by a sigh of relief, this Smithism covers everything from a lucky bounce for his team to an errant turnover by a foe. It signifies good fortune for the Chaps, with a dash of relief tossed in.
At times, Smith will raise the volume and deliver the salute to a player, such as when guard Rose Minutaglio banked in a three-pointer against Anderson a couple of weeks ago. As Minutaglio turned toward the Chap bench with a sheepish grin and shrug of the shoulders, Smith hopped up and shouted “Merry Christmas, Rose, Merry Christmas.” He then sat back down and muttered, “we’ll take it every time. …”
The Chaps may need a few of these holiday salutes to get by San Antonio Churchill in Tuesday’s playoff opener.
“Oh, sweet Moses. …”
A sign of true consternation, this Smithism can serve as a foreboding or reflect frustration. If an Akins player gets an open shot against the Chaps, it’s “oh, sweet Moses” accompanied by a shielding of the eyes.
If a no-look pass by a Chap flies into the stands rather than a teammate’s hands, it’s “oh, sweet Moses” accompanied by a glare at the offending party.
“I’m sweatin’ like a gravedigger. …”
The nattily dressed Smith won’t sacrifice fashion for comfort, even in some of the hothouse gyms that dot District 25-5A. And at times, his array of sweaters can lead to some uncomfortable moments that produce a most colorful complaint.
Of course, this Smithism never arrives during a 40-point win over Bowie. Smith’s temperature seems to match the occasion, such as memorably close wins over Pflugerville and Connally this season.
And with Westlake in the playoffs for the 22nd consecutive year, expect this simile to make more than one appearance this week.
“Gee moany mahoney. …”
Only a phonetic spelling can capture this type of unique Smithism, which arrives spontaneously during the most trying times.
In this instance, the expression resulted from an unlikely halftime tie with struggling Anderson. The Chaps had endured sloppy play and forced shots in the first half, and Smith had worn out his “oh, sweet Moseses” while not having enough “Merry Christmases.” Early in the third period, a questionable call by the referee came immediately after a Westlake turnover, prompting Smith to slap the scorer’s table and produce his unprompted rhyme.
He then sat down in an empty chair and asked a nearby sports writer about switching vocations. “Wanna trade?” Smith inquired.
No thanks, Coach, especially with state-ranked San Antonio Jay likely looming in Friday’s second round.
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