ALAMEDA — It may be the closest Antonio Smith has ever gotten to a “Why me?” moment.

Smith, 33, played last season for the Houston Texans, a preseason AFC title contender that lost its final 14 games after a 2-0 start. Now a starting defensive tackle with the Raiders, 0-9, Smith adds it all up and figures it has to be some kind of test from a higher realm.

“I was thinking, ‘What’s going on Lord?'” Smith said after practice Wednesday. “I have 23 of these things. It’s almost two seasons without feeling the pleasure of a win.”

For the record, Smith last left the field a winner on Sept. 15, 2013, when the Texans beat the Tennessee Titans 30-24 in overtime.

“I remember exactly how it felt because it was my first game back off suspension and it felt mighty good,” Smith said.

The suspension was for ripping the helmet off the head of Miami guard Richie Incognito and taking a swing at him with it during a preseason game.

As emotional as Smith can get on the field, he’s a central figure for the lighter side of things in the locker room. Smith is part court jester, part philosopher, much of it good-natured nonsense designed to elicit a smile.

Last week, Smith borrowed the microphone of a reporter and conducted an interview with himself, asking the questions, then moving a few feet to his left to answer them as teammates laughed and shook their heads.

At Halloween, Smith showed up in a Ninja master costume, with linebacker Sio Moore dressed up as his understudy.

He recently brought in karaoke machine, inviting all comers to test their vocal skills as well as prevent the locker room from becoming too somber. Cornerback DJ Hayden took the mike Wednesday for a rap session.

“The youngsters don’t know it yet, but it’s something that kind of keeps the mood light so you won’t come in here feeling like you’re swimming in a cloud of black tar,” Smith said. “I’ve seen that happen before, where even coming to the facility is depressing.

“I also wanted to show off my karaoke skills and let ’em know I’ll sing any of them under the table.”

Interim coach Tony Sparano said of Smith, “He’s been really good for the team, but he’s been really good for me as well . . . he brings a little levity to the table.”

Smith said his outlook comes naturally.

“I don’t know where it came from,” Smith said. “I didn’t develop it. I see no cause in burning up a ship, and any time you come at anything with a negative outlook, that’s exactly what you’re doing. You’re killing yourself from the inside out.”

Moore said Smith is good for more than just a few good laughs.

“He’s someone who I’ve talked to about everything. Life, spiritual things, football,” Moore said. “Not only is he going to put a smile on your face, but he’s going to lift your spirits.”

Rookie linebacker Khalil Mack said, “Antonio is one of the funniest dudes you could ever meet, but he has his moments where he can be real serious and you get real talk and he’ll let you know what you need to know.”

Smith said the atmosphere isn’t anything like it was when broke in to the NFL under Dennis Green with the Arizona Cardinals in 2004 and “Everybody’s face was down. Nobody had hope.”

In his 11th season, Smith has played more snaps (439) than any other Raiders defensive lineman and defensive coordinator Jason Tarver said “he is playing at a high level.” But besides the 23-game losing streak, Smith has a 15-game run without a sack that is weighing on his mind.

In Houston, Smith had a “Ninja Assassin” sack dance that has been put in mothballs.

“When you don’t sack the quarterback, you don’t feel like you’ve done nothing,” Smith said. “But when I watch film, I see solid play, but I have to get to the quarterback. I need to eat.”