Bobby Hebert

Disgruntled quarterback Bobby Hebert on Tuesday ended a 1 1/2-year holdout and signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints. Hebert, who sat out the 1990 season after demanding to be traded in January, said he signed a two-year contract with no option. "I'm just glad this is behind me," Hebert said. "All I want to do is play football. Come Sept. 1, my goal is to be the starting quarterback."

Hey, somebody had to win. In a matchup between two of the NFL's worst teams, Atlanta managed to avoid its weekly loss Sunday, mainly because the New Orleans Saints were in town. But the Falcons' 17-15 victory was hardly a masterpiece. New Orleans, losing its fourth in a row, managed one touchdown against a team that gave up 59 points to the St. Louis Rams last week.

Bobby Hebert, 32, the quarterback who has once more led the New Orleans Saints into the playoffs, lives in two worlds separated by what he says is the longest bridge ever built: --On this side of Lake Pontchartrain, Hebert and his wife, who have been bringing up two daughters and two sons in the unpretentious suburban home they bought seven years ago, spend much of their leisure time restoring their new house, a big old Southern mansion nearby on the Tchefuncte River.

Week eight and the questions: 1. What about June Jones' move to fire Atlanta quarterback Jeff George now, and play Bobby Hebert? 2. What's the significance of today's meeting between Baltimore and Denver quarterback John Elway? 3. What is the biggest misconception in the NFL these days? 4. Who is Mr. Touchdown this year? 5. What's this week's upset possibility? And the answers: 1. Stupid. Big-time stupid, and the guy is paid to do only one thing: Make proper decisions.

The Rams probably don't want to hear this, but they were beaten Sunday by a quarterback who limped like Chester and was so weakened by the flu that he nearly lost his morning meal on the Anaheim Stadium sidelines. That would be Bobby Hebert, who began the day with a fever, a tender left knee and two simple requests: --Please let his New Orleans Saints find a way to beat the Rams. --Please let him make it through the game without vomiting.

Jay Schroeder clings to his job as Raider quarterback like a man gripping a palm tree in a hurricane. He's not letting go. Hear that, Bobby Hebert? Bash him, trash him, mash him, but just try prying his fingers loose. Need him to change? Meet Mr. Chameleon. Schroeder can just as easily erase from memory that 4,000-yard passing season in Washington and plow down the field three yards at a time.

Former New Orleans Saint quarterback Bobby Hebert will visit the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, the team said. The move comes a week after the Saints dumped Hebert and signed Falcon reserve Wade Wilson to make a three-way race for their starting spot next year. "We've had conversations and there's a mutual interest," Falcon Vice President Jim Hay said.

The State Supreme Court set aside, at least temporarily, an appellate ruling rejecting claims by New Orleans Saint quarterback Bobby Hebert that the NFL's policy limiting his ability to bargain as a free agent violates state law. A state Court of Appeal had held that California antitrust laws were preempted by the clause of the U.S. Constitution giving Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce.

Surrounded by security guards and hounded by fans, Jerry Glanville returned to the Astrodome on Sunday. He left with another loss. Glanville, in his first visit to Houston since being forced out as the Oilers' coach in 1989, saw Bobby Hebert throw six interceptions during the Atlanta Falcons' 33-17 loss to the Houston Oilers.

Bobby Hebert, the quarterback the Saints did not want, became the quarterback they could not stop as the Atlanta Falcons defeated New Orleans, 26-15, Sunday. Hebert, who signed with the Falcons last summer after the Saints declined to re-sign him, completed 13 of 16 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Despite having an injured right elbow, he came in after starter Billy Joe Tolliver suffered a sprained shoulder 4:50 into the game.

Former New Orleans Saint quarterback Bobby Hebert will visit the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, the team said. The move comes a week after the Saints dumped Hebert and signed Falcon reserve Wade Wilson to make a three-way race for their starting spot next year. "We've had conversations and there's a mutual interest," Falcon Vice President Jim Hay said.

Quarterback Jeff Hostetler is saying privately that he has reached agreement in principle with the Raiders. The proposed deal would pay the free-agent quarterback from the New York Giants $7.5 million over three years. The Raiders say there is no deal yet, that they are still evaluating their options. Those options also include free agents Bobby Hebert of the New Orleans Saints and Jim Harbaugh of the Chicago Bears.

Bobby Hebert, 32, the quarterback who has once more led the New Orleans Saints into the playoffs, lives in two worlds separated by what he says is the longest bridge ever built: --On this side of Lake Pontchartrain, Hebert and his wife, who have been bringing up two daughters and two sons in the unpretentious suburban home they bought seven years ago, spend much of their leisure time restoring their new house, a big old Southern mansion nearby on the Tchefuncte River.

With only five victories in hand and their slate of games dwindled to a less-than-precious few, the Rams on Monday warmed up their valedictories for 1992. It has been a win one, lose two, sort of season--an up-down, stumble-around journey that Coach Chuck Knox says, bottom line, has already shown that the Rams are an improved team from last season's 3-13 disaster.

Bobby Hebert threw four touchdown passes, and the Oakland defense came up with three interceptions to lead the Western Conference-leading Invaders to a 31-16 victory over the Denver Gold before 12,372 in a United States Football League game Thursday night. The Gold spotted the Invaders a 14-0 first-quarter lead and couldn't recover, falling 1 1/2 games behind Oakland, which raised its record to 10-3-1. Denver fell to 9-5.

The New Orleans Saints' defense, Jim Everett was saying the other day, is the stuff of Super Bowls. But then we didn't need a guy who watches hours of film every day to tell us that. Nobody in the NFL has allowed fewer points, and that's as bottom-line as it gets. Sackmaster linebackers Pat Swilling and Rickey Jackson, heck, even tackle Wayne Martin, are more revered in Louisiana than red beans and rice. And that's to say these guys are approaching sainthood.