Tag Archives: new orleans saints

Hébert, Bobby “The Cajun Cannon”

Cards: Fleer 1990, ProSet 1989, Stadium Club 1992, Action Packed 1992
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Home
Sent: 10/15   Received: 11/1  (17 days)

I don’t know what it is about small town Louisiana, but it seems to be the cornucopia of NFL quarterback talent and Bobby Hébert (pronounced A-bear,) is another great example of that- born in Cut Off, LA. Nicknamed the “Cajun Cannon”, he’d be recruited to go to Northwestern State- Louisiana in Natchitoches and would be taken in the 3rd round (34th pick) of the upstart USFL’s initial draft in 1983 by the Michigan Panthers. Things were be rough there as Bobby would initially compete with 13 quarterbacks during that initial training camp.  Once things settled down however, Hébert established himself as one of the elite players of the young league throwing to future Minnesota Viking Anthony Carter. That year Bobby won the USFL Championship and he would take home the MVP honors beating the Philadelphia Stars. Along with those honors Hébert won player of the year honors and was voted the most outstanding quarterback of the league (3568 yards  and 27 touchdowns). The team again made the playoffs in 1984 but with injuries plaguing the defensive line, they’d be knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. In 1985, with the league experiencing financial issues, the Panthers found themselves merged with the Oakland Invaders, however they returned to the championship game losing in the end to the Philadelphia Stars. Bobby finished as the league’s career leading passer with over 10,000 yards.

After the USFL folded, Bobby was a man without a team- but he wouldn’t have to look long as former Stars coach Jim Mora who was stockpiling former USFL players and brought him into camp with the Saints. Hébert and Mora went head to head over the next animated 7 seasons for the team, as Bobby was always struggling to garner the respect he deserved with Dave Wilson, John Fourcade, or Steve Walsh (after an acrimonious holdout in 1990,) always looking over Bobby’s shoulder during his tenure there with the Saints. Bobby in fact would guide the Saints to their first playoff appearance and their first divisional title under his clock management sporting a 49-26 career record as starting quarterback of the Saints. After a great 1992 season, free agency dawned and Hébert signed with the rival Atlanta Falcons in 1993, where he’d see his lone ProBowl appearance. He’d play there for the next 4 seasons, with 1994 and 1995 being primarily mopup duty. In 1996 he replaced Jeff George and started the majority of the season under coach June Jones, retiring after the season ended.

Bobby since then has done a lot of sports radio commentary, conducting fireworks shows, and was the Grand Marshall for the Mardi Gras parade in 2007- apparently being quite the man of the party. Bobby played for the rival Saints when I was a big fan of the Rams in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I always respected him and felt that Jim Mora restricted Bobby because of Mora’s offensive philosophy. He didn’t force the ball or make many turnovers and was a great clock manager. I even had his Starting Lineup figure. Strangely, the pronunciation of Bobby’s last name would even be a topic of conversation on an episode of Seinfeld.

Hébert for some reason in many of his photos is always pitching the ball out or rolling back from center on his cards. While they were dynamic looking poses, I had to struggle to locate a good selection of different looks. I like to ask questions of many of the players that I try to get autographs from, and I was really excited to get a response from Bobby. He wrote that his greatest memory was “Definitely winning the USFL championship and the MVP honors!” He gleefully signed all 4 of my cards and both sides of my Action Packed 1992 card in 17 days. Below are Bobby’s NFL statistics.

G/Gs 122/100       Att 3121      Comp 1839     Yds  21683     Pct 58.9    Td 135     Int 124     Rat 78.0

Waymer, Dave (1958-1993)

Card: Action Packed 1990
Acquired: In Person 1992, Dallas Cowboys training camp

Dave Waymer was a dynamic defensive back who was drafted originally by the New Orleans Saints in the 2nd round out of  the 1980 Draft from Notre Dame. A Saints fan through and true, he’d go on to start 10 games in his rookie season recovering 2 fumbles. As Waymer’s career continued he’d become well known as a solid ball hawk on a defense that was more recognized for its linebacking corps nicknamed “The Dome Patrol”. Occasionally injuries would creep up on Waymer, but this did not stop him from creating a turnover for 12 straight seasons.  Waymer started his career at left cornerback, and then made the conversion to free safety in his final season with New Orleans in 1989. In Dave’s career in New Orleans he was able to force 37 interceptions and had 15 fumble recoveries. He’d depart via plan B to San Fransisco where he played for two additional seasons, splitting time at both strong safety and free safety and in 1992 signed with the Raiders where I got his autograph at training camp that season when the Raiders stopped in.  Waymer finished his career with 48 interceptions, 18 fumble recoveries and one ProBowl under his belt in 1987.

Dave Waymer died of a cocaine overdose in 1993. I remember when I heard the news, I was genuinely shocked. He was the first autograph of a player I had who passed away. I even had his awkward looking Starting Lineup figurine that Kenner had released a few years earlier in his Saints uniform.  A truly nice guy, I think I was the only person who recognized him and wanted his autograph.

Gs/Gp  197/155       Tac  N/a     Sac   1      Fum 18
Int   48    Yds  536     Avg  11.1          Td    0       Lg   44

Ledbetter, Mark


Card: Proset WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v Birmingham Fire

At 6-3, 239, Mark Ledbetter was a rangy tweener from Washington State who saw playing time at a variety of positions along the line in college. A jarring hitter, he once broke an opponent’s jaw during a game.

Signed as a free agent by the New Orleans Saints in 1990, Mark was eventually drafted by the Riders in 1991. Ledbetter would end up playing both outside linebacker and defensive end for San Antonio, where he’d finish third on the team on tackles with 35 solo stops, and second on the team with 6 sacks.  San Antonio coaches loved to move Mark around the Riders’ defensive alignment to create mismatches and overloads. He was considered the team’s (91) best overall defender.

In 1992, Ledbetter was named second team All World League as he made 5 sacks. Ledbetter finished as the franchise’s all time leader in sacks with 11. After the WLAF reorganized in 1992, Mark joined the Sacramento Goldminers during the CFL’s ill fated attempt to expand into the United States, and then later played with the Birmingham Barracudas in 1995 as a down lineman.

After football it appears that Mark has pursued football coaching and at last glance in 2008 he was coaching high school football on Vashon-Maury Island.

WLAF
Games 20  Tac n/a  Sac 11   FF n/a   Int 0   Yds 0  Avg -.-  Td 0