Man with an attitude

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – All the things cornerback Ken Lucas wanted for his career – respect, recognition, the chance to play on a championship defense – couldn’t be found with the Seattle Seahawks.

So he took the first flight out when his contract expired, eagerly accepting a six-year, $36.5 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. Now “Super Luc” gets the chance to show the Seahawks what they let slip away this Sunday when the Panthers play Seattle for the NFC championship.

“It’s not Ken Lucas vs. the Seattle Seahawks, it’s the Panthers vs. the Seahawks,” Lucas insisted Wednesday. “I don’t want the emphasis to be placed on me. It’s about this team, because I can’t go out there and win this game by myself.”

Oh, but Lucas will most definitely try to make his mark in a game he claims is the biggest moment of his life since he correctly spelled “scissors” to win the fifth-grade spelling bee.

He’s always been a little bitter about the way his four years with the Seahawks concluded just a few short months after he was the NFC’s co-leader with six interceptions.

When the Seahawks turned their attention to re-signing players, they never really got around to Lucas. By the time they made their offer – two days before the free-agency period began – Lucas felt disrespected and had already made up his mind to leave.

“That just let me know that I wasn’t really a priority for them,” Lucas said. “I just wanted to go somewhere where I felt like I was truly wanted and I think I made it to that place.”

Seattle coach Mike Holmgren insisted he didn’t want to lose Lucas.

“I wanted him to stay, but he was given a fabulous contract by Carolina,” Holmgren said. “I thought Kenny was our best defensive back last year. If you remember at the end of last season, we had 16 free agents and the front office was in a little bit of turmoil here.

“In the time that we got things kind of fixed a little bit, Kenny got out of here.”

There was more to it than that.

Lucas is the kind of player who wants – maybe even needs – attention. He wants to go to Pro Bowls and to be recognized as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He believed that wasn’t going to happen for him in Seattle.

“Because of the market being way out there, people never noticed me,” said Lucas, who has the Superman logo tattooed on his arm and personalized “Super Luc” plates on his Bentley.

“I like to think I can do some extraordinary things on the field, and I want people to recognize the things that I do. I didn’t want to play in this league and be just another guy who had an opportunity to play. I want to be one of the Hall of Famers when my career is over. I want to be great.”

The Panthers believed he had that potential, uncharacteristically splurging on a $13 million signing bonus to lock him up almost as soon as free agency opened. Carolina has traditionally been conservative when it comes to spending under coach John Fox, pursuing only players he believes will make an immediate and powerful impact.

Lucas has more than delivered.

“He came in and gave us stability on one side of the field, where we can say we’ve got a shutdown corner,” defensive tackle Brentson Buckner said. “We’ve got a physical guy that can play the pass and play the run.”

Lucas had six interceptions during the regular season, then added another two in playoff wins over the New York Giants and Chicago. But his best work is done defending the opponents’ top receiver, a situation he showed he thrives in during an early season win over Arizona.

After Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald torched the Panthers on six catches for 106 yards and a touchdown in the first half of their Oct. 9 game, Lucas asked Carolina’s coaching staff to switch assignments so he could cover Fitzgerald.

It was a pivotal midgame adjustment as Lucas held Fitzgerald to three catches for 30 yards in the second half, created a pair of interceptions and recovered a fumble to set up a score.

“Ken Lucas definitely brought an attitude to our football team,” safety Mike Minter said.

The Seahawks missed him this year on the field – they ranked 25th in the NFL in yards passing allowed – as well as off the field. Star running back Shaun Alexander said the two were close in Seattle and he’s enjoyed watching Lucas’ success this season from afar.

“I think he is showing the world how good he is,” Alexander said. “It’s kind of like watching your little brother grow into a superstar. It’s an awesome feeling.”