It's a geaux for the Tigers in Omaha

The LSU Tigers are in Omaha this week for their 17th trip to the College World Series of baseball. And like everything else hailing from French Louisiana, the signs following the team are taking advantage of the –eaux pronunciation.

It’s something South Louisianans love to play with.

In French, eaux is pronounced as an o in English, such as beaux, chateaux. At any LSU game, you’ll see “Geaux Tigers” signs, for instance, a spelling that’s become so familiar that it’s now in the Urban Dictionary. The web site defines the word geaux as “A French word-play on the verb go.  Derives from areas highly populated with Cajun Americans, Louisiana State University Tigers fans, or more commonly both.”

In the summertime down South, people sell “Sneauxballs.” There's a restaurant called “Gumbeaux’s” in Douglasville, Georgia. Many Louisiana residents have names ending in –eaux, like Boudreaux, Thibodeaux and Comeaux.

So naturally LSU fans are using the o in Omaha this week to their advantage.

As for the baseball team, they lost to Texas Christian on Sunday and play against Cal State Fullerton at 2 p.m. today (Tuesday, June 17). The game will be televised by ESPN2 and streamed live at WatchESPN.com and at the WatchESPN app.

Because LSU lost to TCU on Sunday, they must win today’s game against Cal State Fullerton to remain in the World Series.

On another note, with or without the –eaux, Omaha loves LSU fans.

"… LSU people make it more fun,” said Karen Barrett in today’s Lafayette Advertiser. Barrett is owner of Barrett's Barleycorn Pub and Grill on Leavenworth Street in Omaha. “They like to drink. They like to eat. They like to have a good time. They talk to everyone, and it seems like they know everyone. It's just sad when they're not here."
         For the whole story of why Nebraska loves to see LSU fans heading north, click here.

Cheré Coen is the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “ExploringCajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.”  And yes, she attended LSU. Geaux Tigers! Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.