Hello Rocky,

Is John McCain really a maverick?  How does he compare to other mavericks?

Louis Terracciano
Coney Island, NY


Rocky Responds:

If you mean is McCain, as defined by Webster, "an unorthodox or independent-minded person," then sure, he's a maverick."  I mean, most men would stay with a wife who was on the mend from a devastating car crash.  McCain looked around and found a frat house dream girl: tall, blond and a beer heiress.  Dude!

Most men who finish college 894th in a class of 899 would stay away from your skilled occupations, like jet pilot.  Not McCain the maverick.

Most Senators caught red-handed in the Keating Five scandal would resign in disgrace.   In fact, 4 out of 5 did.  They were not mavericks.

Most men running for President on a platform of reform wouldn't put lobbyists who made millions at Fannie and Freddie in charge of their campaign.  A maverick would. 

So yes, McCain is a maverick, but in a cheesy way.  We would rate the maverick pantheon as follows:


1.  Bret Maverick - Professional poker player.  The coolest man in the saloon.


2.  Bart Maverick - Bret's brother.  Almost as cool - the Eli Manning of the Old West.


3.  Dallas Maverick Dirk Nowitzki - 2006-07 NBA MVP.  The hippest German since Henry the Lion.

4.  Ford Maverick (top of page) - Big drop off from Nowitzki.  This quirky fastback manufactured in America from 1969-77. 


5.  Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell - Shitty US Navy pilot who buzzed flight towers, boozed it up, killed his flight engineer, Goose, in a routine training exercise, and temporarily froze up in a battle with Russian Migs over the Indian Ocean.  Worse, he throws like a girl.


6.  John McCain - Another shitty US Navy pilot.  Too stupid to use sunscreen.  Crashed two jets before being sent to Vietnam, where he was promptly shot down by a rice farmer.  Worse, throws craps like a girl.