The Good
The career of Danny Spivey seems to be a succession of bad luck that prevented him from ever reaching a pinnacle he could have. He had been a curtain-jerker in JCP even though Dusty liked him, so he couldn't move up the ladder there. He was too much like Hulk Hogan, so he could not get far in the WWF. He did well in Japan, but kept chasing opportunities in the States that never panned out and prevented him from becoming a top gaijin in All Japan. He had the size, look and ability to be a top heel in WCW, but they kept squandering him as he was still committed to Japan. He had a fantastic character in Waylon Mercy, but the WWF just did not get how to push him to the next level and gave up on him. In spite of all of this perceived failure, Danny Spivey had a respectable career and had some great experiences to share. While he was not bitter, he did seem frustrated that people like Ric Flair, Bret Hart and the Road Warriors used their stroke to hold him back. Sometimes, you hear a guy who had a career like Spivey's and it really seems like he was lacking something, but Spivey seemed to really have that untapped potential. His honesty about his stiff style, his drug use and his burn-out from being on the road, makes you think that he is a pretty straight-shooter. Enjoyable and informative as a good shoot should be.
The Bad
Danny Spivey's career included a fair amount of bouncing around and never quite living up to his potential. To listen to him, you'd think it was mostly poor booking, poor timing and bad luck that cost him superstardom. While there is truth to that, there is also the fact that he continually went back to WCW, despite the fact they misused him several times. If he had stayed in Japan, it might have shaved a few years off his career, but he would have had the chance to reach the echelon that Stan Hansen, Steve Williams and Terry Gordy reached. Danny Spivey might come across as bitter to some, but when comparing him to many of his colleagues, he seems pretty down-to-earth and content with his career.
The Rating: ****
