NEW ORLEANS — Get ready for a lot of Ray Lewis.
Super Bowl XLVII is between the Ravens and 49ers, but there is no question who the star getting the most attention this week will be. Lewis, the retiring Ravens linebacker who is as polarizing off the field as he is productive on it, is going to be the center of attention.
It began in earnest yesterday with Lewis stopping just short of guaranteeing a Lombardi Trophy for the Ravens.
"We did this, we did this in 2000, and we are not going to New Orleans for nothing else but to bring back another ring back to Baltimore, where it belongs," Lewis said at a rally in Baltimore, referring to the team's first Super Bowl championship. "We love you, we love you, we love you, Baltimore. We are going to bring everything we got."
AP
KNOCK EM DEAD: Ray Lewis fires up Ravens fans at a rally in Baltimore before the team leaves for New Orleans.
This is Lewis' farewell tour — in case you've been living under a rock for the past four weeks. Sunday's game will be his career finale, and Lewis has been soaking up every ounce of attention along the way. After the Ravens arrived last night at their Hilton hotel in New Orleans, he held court with reporters. He quoted scripture, laughed about a "Saturday Night Live" skit depicting him and talked about leading his team to a Super Bowl title.
"What are we really here for?" Lewis said. "The bottom line is we're here to win a game. There's only two teams left right now. For us to be where we are right now, we have to finish what we started.
"We're here for a business trip."
No one disputes Lewis' ability, but the linebacker has been a source of controversy since he was investigated in a double murder in Atlanta in 2000. Lewis and the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV over the Giants a year later, and he took home the Super Bowl MVP.
Twelve years later, Lewis is back on the national stage. The murders are not as fresh in everyone's memory, but it's still part of Lewis' story. He said he thinks people now embrace him because of what he's been through.
"I don't know nobody that's ever lived a perfect life," Lewis said. "I have seen people who have went through things before, and realistically most of the time what happens when you find somebody who's gone through adversity, you really find out what their true character is.
"I think for me people really take time to find out who I really am. They're really learning what my character is, and my character is simply to make this world a better place, to encourage people that no matter what you're going through, it ain't really what you're going through, it's your mindset while you're going through it. When you see all the support I'm getting right now, I'm in total awe of the respect that people have for someone who has been through adversity but found his way out."
The 37-year-old announced at the beginning of the Ravens' playoff run he would retire at the end of the season. Their will be a ton of "lasts" this week for Lewis, but he said he's not focused on that.
"Honestly, I've already put it aside," Lewis said. "I promise you that's the last thing on my mind — is this the last, is this the last, is this the last? I think the most important thing for me is to be the leader I am for my team and try to go out and win this football game. That's the only thing on my mind."
As the Ravens felt the embrace from the Baltimore fans yesterday, Lewis told his teammates to enjoy it, but realize the next celebration would be better.
"This feeling is great, but there's nothing better than coming home as world champions," Lewis said he told them. "That's what we're here for, to bring a championship home to Baltimore."
brian.costello@nypost.com
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