It’s Fishy, but That’s His Take on Retiring

Legendary bass fishing pro Roland Martin announced his retirement last week, prompting a Times assistant editor to wonder: “Guy retires from fishing ... how do you do that?”

Although Martin has hung up his rod and reel when it comes to work, that’s not the case when it comes to fun.

As Martin explained in the Inside BASS newsletter: “I had a glorious fall season without worrying about tournaments. I killed a couple of moose in Alaska and a big elk in Utah. And I did all kinds of neat fishing. I went tuna fishing in Mexico. And I’m really enjoying myself. So I felt like it was time.”

Hey Bud, let’s party: Chad Brauer once made a bizarre catch that undoubtedly pleased one of his sponsors.

“I caught five cans of Budweiser out of a six-pack,” said the Missouri pro, who is paid by Anheuser-Busch. “It was along the side of a dock. There was one can missing and I hooked the open ring with a jig, and dragged the rest of them in.”

Trivia question: Kelly Slater this week clinched a record seventh world surfing title. Which pro surfer is closest to Slater and with how many titles?

Not so desperate: “Desperate Housewives” actress Eva Longoria reportedly soon will be off shooting wild pigs. Seems the elegant beauty is quite a sportswoman and will be seeking fresh meat for holiday tamales.

She has hunted with her dad since she was 6 and was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle as saying, “I could skin a deer. I could skin a pig. I can pluck a quail -- you name it, I’ve done it.”

Bathroom check: No telling whether the Bears are looking past the 49ers to their Nov. 20 game against the Panthers, but their fans might be. Mike Downey of the Chicago Tribune asks, “Are Carolina’s cheerleaders coming?”

“If so,” the columnist continues, “I am sure all of you Papa Bears and Mama Bears in the stadium that day will want to duck into Soldier Field’s restrooms to make sure the coast is clear before letting your little Johnny or Joanie go into a john.”

He was referring, of course, to two Carolina cheerleaders being arrested in a bar dispute early Sunday after patrons complained the women were having sex in a bathroom stall.

Home alone? Terrell Owens’ 18,000-square-foot Atlanta-area home is for sale. Asking price: $4.5 million.

It has six bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, a gymnasium and a master bedroom with a master closet that is 550 square feet.

“It’s not unusual to have a master closet where you could fit a pingpong table,” Realtor Bill Ransom told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “In this closet you can put two.”

The only thing lacking, presumably, are friends with whom to play.

Trivia answer: Layne Beachley with six. Mark Richards, now retired, won four on the men’s tour.

And finally: On Owens’ criticizing the Eagles for failing to recognize his 100th touchdown, Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post remarked, “In a related story, I wrote my 5,000th column for the Post the other day, prompting a phone call from my boss. Seems I had a typo in the eighth paragraph.”