Pat Woodcock will be happy to know that Terry Ray is calling it a career.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker and part-time safety is retiring from football after six CFL seasons and five NFL campaigns.

"I won't be playing football," the 35-year-old free agent said yesterday when asked what his plans were for next season. "That's it. It's a wrap. I'm done.

"I started thinking about it earlier in the year. I just don't feel like I really want to go through the whole process of trying to get in shape and get ready for the next season.

"It's time to move on. I've had great times, but it's time to move on and do something else."

Ray, who was a CFL all-star in 2000 and 2001 with the Edmonton Eskimos, joined the Bombers last June after the Green and Gold cut him during training camp.

His two seasons in Winnipeg were plagued with injury, a platoon role and a brief position switch to safety, but he said he'll have no regrets about his time on Maroons Road.

"I'm proud of what I did here and I wish I could have done more, but there wasn't always room for me to do more," said Ray, who was also a two-time CFLPA all-star and the West Division's Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2000.

"In the big scheme of things, that's just the way it played out.

"I never regretted being here and never regretted any of the time I spent here, never regretted any of the great guys that I got to play with. I felt like, in coming here after playing in Edmonton, I grew even more.

"You ask yourself, 'How much more can I learn? How much more can I grow in the game?' I was surprised at how much you can. It was a good thing. It was fun. The whole time I was here, it was fun."

One of Ray's highlights with the Bombers was his vomit-inducing hit on Woodcock, an Ottawa Renegades receiver, in July.

Fortunately for Woodcock and unfortunately for the Bombers, those days are over.

"I just gotta talk to my agent and see if he can figure out something that I can do, see if I'm useful in any way, shape or form," Ray said. "He'll probably tell me 'No,' and if he tells me that then I'll go to a trade school and try to become a master carpenter or something. I don't know."

Actually, Ray, who once was an intern for CNN in his hometown of Atlanta, wants to work in television.

IT'S not yet official, but Terry Ray is about to close the book on his solid Canadian Football League career.

The 35-year-old Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker admitted yesterday his days patrolling the middle of the defence are done after two years in River City, four seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos and five years in the National Football League.

"I'm going to go ahead and retire because I think I've squeezed about as much football as I can out of this ol' body," the two-time CFL all- star said.

"It's been coming over the course of the season. I've been having fun, but at times I found myself thinking that I wasn't hurting the team, but I wasn't helping it, either."

Ray has spoken with his agent about getting into player representation, but would also welcome a chance to get into broadcasting or upper management with a team.

In any case, he doesn't plan to wander too far from the gridiron.

"I was standing out there on the field (Friday) night and I thought, some people have an office view but for me there's no greater place than being around it on the sidelines," said Ray. "It's a great atmosphere to work in and it's been in my blood for so long. I just want to be around sports."

Following a little "R&R", Terry will be seeking opportunities in broadcasting, professional football management, and player representation.