Mount Hushmore: LaTroy Hawkins (2) vs. Cade McNown (3)

Who were Chicago's most embarrassing athletes?  The guys you hated so much, you considered booing them even though they were on your team.

We'll take a look at two as we open the Mount Hushmore challenge as LaTroy Hawkins takes on Cade McNown.

LaTroy Hawkins

LaTroy Hawkins is the kind of player whose stats don't tell you the entire story of his baseball career.  Unfortunately for Hawk, the rest of the story sucks.

Hawkins signed with the Cubs before the 2004 season as he came off a monstrous year with the Minnesota Twins where he posted a 1.86 earned run average and a 1.08 WHIP in a little more than 77 innings as the ace set-up man for closer Eddie Guardado.  In 2004, Hawkins posted a 2.63 ERA.  So, why the hate?

Simply put, LaTroy Hawkins was the gas can that ignited the rallies of other teams.

In 2004, he blew X saves replacing Joe Borowski.  Now, replacing a fat, sweaty closer whose fastball topped out in the low-80s should have been a cinch.  Not for Hawkins, who single-handedly kept the 2004 Cubs out of the playoffs.  There was this game, where he gave up a pair of dingers in a loss to the eventual division champion Cardinals, this game he blew against the eventual NL Wild Card winning Astros, this game against the Mets where he gave up a game-tying home run to Victor Diaz and this game against the Reds where I went to class with the Cubs winning 2-1 and left class with the team having lose 3-2.

You would think a new year and a second chance would be good for Hawkins, who would turn that moment of good will into an Wrigley Field opening loss I traveled six hours, skipped two classes and countless other Friday night college shenanigans to watch him blow.  Things got worse in 2005, where from May 5 to May 13, he blew two saves and lost (count 'em) one, two and three games.

The highlight of Hawkins' stay in Chicago was the last day when he was shipped off for Jerome Williams and David Aardsma.

Cade McNown

You think Jay Cutler sucks?  Weren't fond of Rex Grossman?  Well, here's a piece of crap that makes Grossman look like Peyton Manning and Cutler look like Tom Brady.

Cade McClown was a clusterfuck of bad news.  Mike Ditka and other football analysts anointed him as the most pro-ready quarterback coming out of UCLA.  And UCLA has produced a pretty good pro QB once in a while.  Unfortunately for Bears fans, it wasn't McNown.

The No. 12 overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft posted a 3-12 record as Bears starter.  He was given the quarterback reigns, but because was a total dick and held out for so long, Dick Jauron found it suitable to have Shane Matthews start under center for Chicago.

Oh, that was a great move.

He eventually got the starting gig when Matthews proved to suck be injured, but would eventually pull himself out of a loss against the Rams because of his own sucktitude.

Before being traded to the Dolphins, McNown's star had fallen so far, he was battling Danny Wuerffel for third-string duties.  At least Wuerffel had a Heisman Trophy he could brag about.  McNown's only award could come here if he somehow knocks off LaTroy Hawkins.

Now, it's time for you to vote.

Who should move on to the next round?

• LaTroy Hawkins
• Cade McNown

Created on Dec 3, 2009

View Results

poll by twiigs.com

STFU LaTroy Hawkins

Dear LaTroy: A message from TBDS.

In my 23 years of life, there are only a handful (if that) of Chicago Cubs players that I did not like. Some I did not like because of their attitudes. Others I disliked because of their performance on the field. But when it comes to LaTroy Hawkins, it was a little bit of everything.

When Hawkins was a Cub, his numbers weren't terrible -- on paper. 2.76 earned run average, 29 saves and a 1.099 WHIP in 98 career games looks good to the naked eye, but his attitude and his inability to close games down the stretch in 2004 are the reasons he will go down in Cubs lore as one of the all-time free agent busts.

That, and his crummy attitude.

He did nothing but blame others for his shortcomings. Teammates, fans, media members -- none of whom were safe from LaTroy's wrath. And while his mechanics are different since finding a new home in Houston, his attitude apparently hasn't.

Paul Sullivan from the Trib drops this nugget on us via the Internet:

Houston reliever LaTroy Hawkins may be looking at a hefty fine from Major League Baseball after claiming plate umpire Mike Everitt "wanted" the the Cubs to win Monday night's game.

Hawkins was ejected by Everitt in the eighth inning after disputing a called ball to Aramis Ramirez and continuing to complain after Everitt ordered him to "knock it off." ... Hawkins sounded off on the ejection to the Houston Chronicle.

"Maybe he was having a bad day," Hawkins said. "I thought he had determined who he wanted to win the game anyway."

Some things never change, do they, LaTroy? It was only in 2004 when he gave up a big blast to Albert Pujols at Wrigley Field in which Hawkins blamed the fans for his struggles. A head scratching moment that caused me to think:

1. I wasn't on the mound grooving a low-90s fastball to Phat Albert with the sacks packed.
2. I don't know one Cubs fan that would suggest throwing said low-90s fastball to Phat Albert.

Alas, the Hawk Squaks again, blaming someone else per usual. Dusty Baker will probably have his back, but none of his teammates should. Nor should the fans. They're probably next on the firing line.