Joseph Schiefelbein for Nov. 19, 2008

• By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 19, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LSU will honor the 50th anniversary of its 1958 national championship team Saturday. And this year’s 20 senior players will be hailed as well.

Kirston Pittman won’t take part in both ceremonies, no matter how much his teammates ride the sixth-year senior defensive end.

“We call him ‘Old Man,’” says tackle Marlon Favorite, himself a fifth-year senior.

Pittman says he’s heard “every line you can imagine about being old, dialysis machines. But I enjoy it.”

Because he missed the 2006 season with an Achilles’ tendon tear and the ’05 season with a foot injury, he has been in the front row for LSU’s latest two national titles.

“It’s a blessing,” Pittman says. “I’m truly grateful. This has definitely been the best time of my life, thus far. … The thought crossed my mind whether it was for me to play football (after the injuries) but I never, ever doubted whether I would quit.”

This will also be his second senior day. A year ago, before the Arkansas game, he wasn’t sure if he’d be back. This time, he knows finality looms for his career.

“It’s been a long ride, a pretty tough road,” Pittman says. “It means much more to me this year, knowing this is my final game in Tiger Stadium. It’s probably going to hit me a little harder.”

His mom and dad, Emma and Thomas Pittman, have his rings now. But Pittman eventually plans on putting them — national title rings from the school and the BCS and Southeastern Conference title rings and other bowl rings — in a “big old showcase” eventually.

Pittman claims he’s a “pretty tough guy,” not prone to giving in to his emotions.

Those around him know better.

“You can see the emotion, just savoring every moment, because this is it after this. I can see it in his eyes,” Favorite says.

Pittman is sentimental. He kept a rose from last year’s senior day for months to remind him of the ups and downs of his career.