David Hart Smith: "They Never Gave Me A Fair Chance".

[Jack-Hammer]

I was just surfing the net a little bit ago and came across this interview given by Harry Smith, better known as former WWE wrestler D.H. Smith. The interview discusses a number of topics, here's the full link: http://fightnetwork.com/news/wrestling/harry-smith-interview-oct-2011/

However, I thought I'd highlight what he said about working for WWE as I found it somewhat interesting in the sense that it highlights a huge problem some werestlers have in my view.

"The big complaint that I had with WWE was just that they never gave me a fair chance, ever. We had a good deal with the tag team title run and everything, but guys like Drew McIntyre and Sheamus, they’re obviously very good talents and big guys and everything, but if they had given me the rocket like they had given those two guys, I’m sure that with my family’s lineage and going over to Canada and the UK, they could have done some really good business. For whatever reason, they didn’t. I’m not gonna point any fingers at anybody, but I think that there’s people up there that probably didn’t like my family, or maybe my Dad ribbed too many of the guys that are up top now. That’s basically the way that it happened, and I’m glad to be gone really. I don’t want to be wasting my time at a place that doesn’t appreciate me, or doesn’t want to do anything with me. There were other interests that I had, and so when John (Laurinaitis) called and gave me the release, I was relieved. We had a good talk, and he said that the doors are open to come back."

Basically, Smith just seems to fall back on many of the same excuses we've read about former WWE guys that ultimately didn't make it. In the second sentence, he mentions Drew McIntyre & Sheamus and feels that he could have been a big star if given the kind of push they were given. McIntyre was pushed too soon, I agree, but I believe he's still overall superior to Smith and Sheamus most definitely is. In terms of charisma, Smith was like watching paint on a car dry. He basically froze up everytime someone put a microphone in his hand or he said anything on commentary. He could barely string a coherant sentence together, but believes he could've been a big deal in WWE mostly because of the fact that he happens to be part of the Hart Wrestling Family. Smith also goes onto claim that some people had it in for him due to his father or his family connections.

In my opinion, Smith's problems stem mostly from the fact that, like so many other wrestlers that cry and complain on the internet about how they were misused or should've been bigger than what they were, he isn't nearly as good in reality as he is within the confines of his own mind. He was pretty decent inside the ring but, then again, the same can be said about soooooo many others on the WWE roster. Aside from the fact that his father happened to be Davey Boy Smith, his grandfather was Stu Hart and two of his uncles are Bret & Owen Hart; there's nothing special about the guy. He's a tall, well built, nice looking guy with a tan. So is about 95% of both the TNA and WWE rosters. What else you got?

 

[JWGunslinger]

In my opinion, Smith's problems stem mostly from the fact that, like so many other wrestlers that cry and complain on the internet about how they were misused or should've been bigger than what they were, he isn't nearly as good in reality as he is within the confines of his own mind. He was pretty decent inside the ring but, then again, the same can be said about soooooo many others on the WWE roster. Aside from the fact that his father happened to be Davey Boy Smith, his grandfather was Stu Hart and two of his uncles are Bret & Owen Hart; there's nothing special about the guy. He's a tall, well built, nice looking guy with a tan. So is about 95% of both the TNA and WWE rosters. What else you got?

Exactly, I have nothing against DH Smith(aside from this whining) but he was nothing special, he is talented but not any more than every superstar on the roster. He is a big guy who can move but there are plenty of guys who fit that bill with more charisma and more appeal. He and Tyson Kidd were a good team and I dug the Hart Dynasty but that was all they were destined to be. This is just a guy who is blaming his failure on the company because he cant admit to himself that the only reason he didn't succeed was because he wasn't good enough. Honestly he should be happy with what he did achieve, he did some good things with Kidd but that is all he was ever meant to do.

 

[Notorious718]

DH Smith was one of those guys with size and athleticism as well as unfortunately a dialtone personality. I did see some potential in him to at least thrive in the midcard as a contender for the IC/US belt even after his split from Tyson Kidd which is a split I don't think should've happened because after they split, both of them struggled to find success on their own. However, because of Smith's size alone I thought he'd be able to find moderate success. That said, I wouldn't have a problem with him coming back. And by that, I mean I'd only want him back if he and Kidd team up again to reform the Hart Dynasty because I thought they were pretty solid as a tag team and if WWE's tag team revival is really gonna happen, this would be a pretty good step toward that direction.

But since I don't see that happening, I have no problem with Smith not coming back.

 

[LegendKiller716]

I think he should have been kept as a tag team wrestler. He is very good in the ring, but bland on the mic. Him and Tyson could have reformed the Dynasty and had a successful run as heels with Kidd doing the mic work. I also think him and Daniel Bryan could have made a great team.

IMO he would have been a very good IC/US title guy and a great tag team guy if he would have stayed.

 

[amazing_blue]

The WWE could have a decent tag team division going if they wouldn't have broken up the Hart Dynasty. The division should be revolving around them, and face teams like Air Boom and The Usos should be chasing after them.

Harry's whining sounds typical. Everyone in wrestling thinks highly of themselves and you can't blame him for being the same way.

 

[bxbigshow]

First off from reading this I don't see it as either "whining & complaining" or him having too high an opinion of himself.

First off who would spend a good part of their life trying to be a WWE Superstar and have the opinion of "...well I wasn't good enough to even be there! Thank God my daddy worked there so I got a look."

Odds are if you are trying to make it to WWE you feel you belong. And so why not believe that you could've done more? Since he doesn't sound bitter or anything I think he's just making an honest assesment. It's an interview, the question of his release was gonna come up anyway. No bridge burning happened...no foul.

Also...

Maybe he could've been something viable in the mid-card. Who knows? They obviously broke up The Hart Dynasty too early, both him and Kidd really never had a chance to shine afterwards. But that's more to do with lazy Creative than the two individuals. Just because Kidd is still employed by WWE doesn't mean he's all around better off than DH.

WWE has this NEED to break up tag teams early. Cryme Tyme really should not have split. Now Shad is out of WWE, while JTG is stuck on Superstars/NXT. Yet WWE wants to bring the tag division back to a higher level. Re-hire Shad, reform Cryme Tyme! Don't break up the Harts? BAM! 2 teams that could've helped the division.

 

[VinnieSunshine]

In my opinion I think the Hart Dynasty could've been the start of the Tag Team restructuring. When they split them up, they had a great opportunity for a good mid-card feud.

WWE really dropped the ball with them. HOWEVER, Davey thinks that just because of his family that he should've been pushed to the moon! Everyone pays their dues. Did WWE misuse him? Hmmmm...to an extent, but he was never THAT good. He has technical ability but lack the charisma to go forward.

From what I have seen, very few of the 2nd and 3rd generation stars are really that good. Orton and Cody being an exception, but they worked on their character. Smith was the same person from start to finish...very 1-dimensional.

Let him cry and whine...it only hurts him more. What organization is going to take a whiner like that?

 

[kokoBawesome]

So this guy really thinks that if he had been given the right push, "they could have really done some good business?" Does he think that he could have boosted ticket sales in Canada and the UK just for showing up? I know the Hart family is a big draw in Canada, or atleast Bret is, but unless the Hart family has a few hundred family members that wanna see their cousin wrestle, it ain't gonna happen. I'm from Jersey but I don't follow every Balls Mahoney or Robbie E match when they're back in town.

And he's claiming that he should have gotten the "rocket push" that Sheamus got. Good stuff. Glad to know he didn't wanna put in the time and work to reach the top, he just wanted a hard push right away. Fuck this guy. If you want it bad enough you work for it. Don't show up in the biggest promotion in the world and think that you deserve a push because of your family. Bret wrestled for ten years and put his time in before becoming a champion, Davy worked just as long and it never happened for him. He thinks because Uncle Owen farted in somebody's gym bag they had something against him? That's adorable. Have fun with your other interests loser, hope CZW has room for a guy that wants a huge push right away.

I was going to stop here but I got one more. Dolph fucking Ziggler put in a few years as a god damn cheerleader and spent the last few flirting with Vickie Guerrero and he's just now getting the push. Mark Henry literally ate human shit and had to make out with an eighty year old woman.... and than waited ten more years for a push. This guy is going to get what he deserves in his career.

 

[marklouis]

The Hart Dynasty never should have broken up. Really, they should have been given a good manager to speak for them & they should have remained as a heel team. They could be having good matches with Air Boom right now (when Bourne's suspension is over anyway). There was absolutely no sense in breaking up the Harts as quickly as WWE did. Now, would DH Smith have become a singles star? I'm not sure. He was solid in the ring, but he had no real personality. Of course, maybe he did, & he just wasn't allowed to show it. But is McIntyre really that much better than Smith? I don't think so. Either way, WWE definitely dropped the ball by not keeping together a quality tag team.

 

[Krossbreed]

He is nothing special. All he has is the size and his name sake. The only thing i remember about him is when he re-debut as tyson's tag partner...but he is nowhere near the british bulldog in charisma. DH Smith or harry smith to me doesn't and never did have the "it" factor. Im talking from a fan perspective he is wayyyyy too ordinary and i think his physique looked a little weird or his head was too small one or the other.

Not a drew fan but comparing harry smith to drew...really makes drew look a whole lot better. Drew has the "it" factor...he is just way too similiar to wade barrett. Personally i think wade took drew's spot.

As for sheamus...he is money in the bank...never thought he would be such a good face...but then again i never thought finlay would be a good face either.

 

[matthewchamilliard]

in your post you said he froze up and was as boring as paint drying on a car well i have 2 things to say to that (1) do you not remember when cody and drew won the titles and held them upside down and he was on commentary and made fun of them for it even michael cole thought it was funny (2) is there a difference from paint drying on a car than paint drying on another surface

 

[Million Dollar Dream]

Really?! Really?!!

Just another wrestler that gets released and makes an excuse up. David Hart Smith was given a chance, He was a tag-team champion and he was bland with no charisma. He was suspended for their drug policy after his first debut... How many chances is he supposed to have? He didn't take the chance to capitalize the fans when The Hart Dynasty broke up and that is why he was future endeavored.... I would have had a lot more respect for him if he came out and said, I had my chances and I didn't seize the opportunities that were given to me my plan is to work hard and once again prove I belong in WWE.

 

[123NewChamp]

I wouldn't say WWE didn't give him a chance, because if they didn't he wouldn't of gotten hired in the first place. It takes more than just your name and your relatives to get ahead in the company. DH Smith, was pretty green in the ring and didn't appeal. Although he teamed with a great wrestler in Tyson Kidd, he wasn't a very well rounded wrestler as Kidd. DH had size and strength but there were better wrestlers that could fit the picture. And when he became a singles star, his chance was really against Tyson Kidd, so the breakup and the Tag Team Feud didn't go off very well. So it wasn't that WWE didn't want to invest time in him, he really didn't have much worth investing and wasn't up to much value to the company. Hey it's a part of business. It happens.

 

[GameOver]

Totally disagree, he was charismaticless. he had the size and ability but he was boring
disagree with them splitting Hart Synasty up so quick like others said, it certainly hasn't helped Tyson who is even less of a personality.

Shoulda had Bret mentor them to the titles and stay there to atleast make the division somewhat sensible. i mean common, they scrap the only real tag teams and give it to useless teams (for the most part) ie Santino and Vlad. almost as bad as claiming Diva's who are barely coordinated are worthy of wrestling titles actually it's worse

 

[[email protected]]

Smith inherited an opportunity. Life is not fair, and he probably wouldn't have had that chance if he had a different name and background. With that said, Tyson is still there and doing his job. He has improved in the ring and on the mic, and is slowly starting to make a name for himself. Smith, you are gone from the company, I will gladly give you cheese with that wine. Please move on, because as fans, we have a long time ago. Keep your head up, mature, and good luck in your future endeavors!

 

[Jack-Hammer]

in your post you said he froze up and was as boring as paint drying on a car well i have 2 things to say to that (1) do you not remember when cody and drew won the titles and held them upside down and he was on commentary and made fun of them for it even michael cole thought it was funny (2) is there a difference from paint drying on a car than paint drying on another surface

First, you need to learn to use basic sentence structure. You'd be surprised how important capitalization of certain words, and at certain points within a sentence, & punctuation can be.

Second of all, I do remember that time on commentary when they were trying to make fun of Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre. Tyson Kidd did most of the talking and it wasn't exactly something to brag about, whereas Smith sounded like a complete fool the little bit he opened his mouth on commentary. The guy can't talk on the mic. So that particular example of the Hart Dynasty speaking isn't exactly something worth bragging about, nor does it disprove the view of D.H. Smith as boring and unable to handle himself on the microphone.

 

[DethMetal]

From what I can gather, DH feels he wasn't given a chance. He feels that because he's in the Hart family, his name alone should've gotten him somewhere. Here's the thing, Smith:

It's like HHH said to Punk: "You gotta get over with them(the fans)." If you can do that, you're good. He never did that. Yeah, his he's in the Hart family and he's a big dude, but what's left?? He wasn't exactly memorable in the ring and he couldn't talk worth a damn. So, if he couldn't even get over with us, how the hell did he really expect a future on his own, if any future at all?

 

[Mustang Sally]

From what I can gather, DH feels he wasn't given a chance. He feels that because he's in the Hart family, his name alone should've gotten him somewhere.

Well, I'll admit I thought Harry's family status would keep him employed longer than it did......and certainly longer than Tyson Kidd. This is one case in which I think WWE made the right decision; keeping the smooth, technically superior ring technician like Tyson instead of the guy with the family name. No, I don't see them ever giving Tyson Kidd the heavyweight championship, but as a performer who always looks good in the ring while making his opponent shine, there's no one better than him.

Harry?.....too dull. Although he has the size Vince McMahon loves, he's not built impressively (especially for a guy who supposedly took performance enhancing drugs). He was soft around the middle.....and while technically proficient, he just didn't have anything exciting about his repertoire. When he got mad during a match, he just didn't look scary enough to inspire fear in his opponents.....or with the audience.

Who really knows what the company looks for in evaluating talent currently on the roster? How do they decide who gets the next big push? Lots of guys are competent working a match, so they must be regarding ring presence as a vital factor, no? If they are, Harry Smith is never going to be a keeper.

Several folks in this topic mentioned Drew McIntyre. Look at the difference between the two: Drew is lean and hard while Harry is kind of doughy and soft. When Drew gets mad, he looks like a raging madman, while Harry's routine seems too slow and controlled to allow for temper tantrums.

Which guy would you rather have working for you?

 

[akathelaw]

Reason's why DH Smith never would have worked in WWE if he wasn't Bulldog's son:

1. Totally non-threatening: For such a large man DH does not look imposing or scary. He comes off like a teddy bear. Any attempts to look fierce fall flat, the guy is not imposing.

2. uncreative wrestling style: When I see a big man enter the ring, I hope to see some power moves. Sheamus usually delivers, Barrett does as well. Smith had ONE good move, and it was his tag team finisher.

3. sat unused on the roster for a year: WWE wanted to release DH in 2009, but instead they shelved him until they were ready to try the Hart Dynasty out. Had he not had another golden son to team with, he would have been gone much sooner.

 

[Remix]

Oh I mark for DH Smith, but he's completely and utterly wrong in this case. He was never going to be a big star. Could he have been bigger than he was? Sure he could, but then so could most people who got released without being given a massive push. He was a young, massively tallented guy, with a hell of a lot of drive and potential. If he'd been asked to be could have worked well as a midcarder with a suplex machine type gimmick. But he was not and never will be a star in WWE. Like Jack Hammer highlighted he had no mic skills at all and that's a real downside. The names he highlighted (especially Sheamus) have better looks and boatloads more charisma even if he could outwrestle them every day of the week and twise on Sundays. In the end, technical ability doesn't matter if you can't make people give a damn about the guy who's got that technical ability.

Having a famous dad is one thing, but it's not enough to get you over and shouldn't justify you getting a push over better guys who don't. And as much as I love DH in the ring he was given exactly what a guy who got his crowd reaction deserved.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

What's with the hate for Harry here?

I don't know how many here have read Bret Hart's book, but in it, he tells a story about when he first broke in with the WWF and wasn't being used much more than Smith was in the WWE. He was talking to Chief Jay Strongbow and used an example that if he was pushed like a Hogan, that he could get over too, and that it was all about who they wanted to push. Strongbow reacted much the same way that a lot of you are reacting, and had a lot of fun at Hart's expense over the comment. Flash forward a few years, and Hart was getting more fan mail than Hogan and started getting that push.

Hart was both right and wrong. Right in that it is all about who they want to push, and wrong in that he wasn't ready for that type of push when he made that comment to the Chief.

Smith is both right and wrong too for the same reason.

You say he can't talk? Right now he can't. For most people that takes A LOT of practice. His father was a horrible talker. His uncle was worse. The Bulldogs came in in a different era, but without Lou Albano at the start to do their talking for them, it's very possible that Davey Boy would have been cut like his kid was years later, while Dynamite would have been in Tyson Kidd's position today (still there, but not really). Sticking the Hart Dynasty with someone who could do their talking while Harry learned would have been very benefitial.

You say he didn't look like anything special in the ring? Well you're seeing more of him trying to adapt to the WWE style there. Outside the WWE, he does a lot more, but as with a lot of people who learn the Stampede style, it takes time to adapt to the showier WWE style. Given more time, he would have got better there. Keeping him in a tag with Kidd would have helped here.

Smith will be back one day. He's got talent, and you can't keep that down. He probably wasn't ready for the WWE yet, and they didn't seem to have the patience with him. Their decision obviously, but I don't think it was a good one.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

I like DH Smith, thought he was better than most give him credit for from an in-ring perspective because for a big guy he was one very talented technical wrestler and he'd good chemistry when placed with the right people, as seen from a few of his matches on Superstars with Zack Ryder - of all people. However he has the personality of a stone and is only recognized for his blood and not for his talents. Smith is a very good wrestler and he could still become something special due to his age, but the guy needs to learn how to speak.

I'm not going to stand completely against him though, I think he should have brought up how WWE took Tyson Kidd and attempted to push him, however they completely left Smith off to the side to do nothing. They didn't give Harry a chance while they gave one to Kidd, and the argument could be made that Kidd's microphone skills are of the same level which DH holds. Anyway, his run is done and he seems to be heading into a path with MMA, so good luck to him. He'll probably need it.

 

[Larry]

Here's where I'm at: This guy wants to complain and say they never gave him a chance, he thinks he could have been some big star. Well riddle me this D.H. Smith; What exactly is it you think you bring to the ring or the WWE in general what no one else does, and what is it you think you do better than anyone else? What makes you so special that you should have been pushed over guys like Sheamus and Drew McIntyre? From my vantage point I see nothing to indicate that he ever had even a shot in the dark of being anything major. Was it his charming personality? His unparalleled wrestling ability? His incomparable mic skills? His attention getting charisma? Was any of that present at any point in time with him? I'd say no.

It really is a shame to see guys like this delude themselves, thinking they somehow were overlooked or that the boat missed them rather than they missed the boat. I don't expect a guy to come into an interview and say "Well I had all the allure of ghonosyphiherpalitis, so I totally understand why no one was interested in doing anything to push me." But, there is also a point where you just have to be realistic and admit " I've got some work to do, while I feel I have great ability in the ring for my size, there are other intangibles that I've got to work on before I reach that point to be seriously pushed", and you know what? There's nothing wrong with that. If anything that's the best thing to do. Look at yourself honestly, see where you need to improve, and take the opportunities afforded to you to make those changes.

 

[LSN80]

This sounds like sour grapes to me, and little more.

Smith was fine for what he was used for, which was in a tag team with Tyson Kidd. But for him to assert that he was never given a fair chance is absurd, especially with the fact being that Smith and Kidd were given aa great rub just being a part of the Vince/Bret match at WM 26, and then had a run with the tag team titles. But none of their feuds clicked. They were immediately paired with Miz and Jericho in an attempt to get them over, and that didn't work. They were given what could have been a hot program with the debuting Usos, and that fell flat as well. As for his comparisons of himself to Sheamus and McIntyre, he was given chances. A title run, and being paired with stars. Sheamus made the best of it, has great charisma, and is constantly improving, especially in getting crowd reactions. McIntyre's push seems like a blip on the radar at this point, and Smith may want to watch Raw soon to see how that "rocket to the back" has worked out for him.

As for Smith himself, this just sounds like more musings from someone who's still upset aat his former company. This dates back to the memorabilia issue that Hart claims was never returned to his family in 2010 following Stu's induction into the Hall, and continues until this day.

Whether WWE was right or wrong in that case, Smith was given chances within the ring to shine, and he never stood out. He's technically sound and proficient, but his ability to play to the crowd and get people to emotionally invest in his matches was non-existant. Was a mistake made in breaking up the HArt Dynasty? Possibly. But the argument could also be made that the two floundered despite being handed a golden opportunity, and endorsed by Bret.

Smith is a good worker, and hopefully he'll land on his feet somewhere. But in wrestling, just as in life, one doesn't get very far by continually bashing their former employer. If Smith is as good as he thinks he is, he'll turn up elsewhere, have great success, and prove WWE wrong. But right now he just sounds like another malcontent who didnt get his own way, which is a shame.

 

[Remix]

Here's where I'm at: This guy wants to complain and say they never gave him a chance, he thinks he could have been some big star. Well riddle me this D.H. Smith; What exactly is it you think you bring to the ring or the WWE in general what no one else does, and what is it you think you do better than anyone else?

Be the size he is and wrestle like William Regal. Find me one other guy the size of Wade Barrett that can go hold for hold with William Regal and not look like he's out of his depth.

What makes you so special that you should have been pushed over guys like Sheamus and Drew McIntyre?

He shouldn't, but you're selling him very short.

From my vantage point I see nothing to indicate that he ever had even a shot in the dark of being anything major. Was it his charming personality? His unparalleled wrestling ability? His incomparable mic skills? His attention getting charisma? Was any of that present at any point in time with him? I'd say no.

Go look up some of his work in FCW against Drew McIntyre, Eric Escobar, Tyson Kidd and Kaval. Fucker's got a lot of technical skill even if he's got the charisma of a brick.

It really is a shame to see guys like this delude themselves, thinking they somehow were overlooked or that the boat missed them rather than they missed the boat. I don't expect a guy to come into an interview and say "Well I had all the allure of ghonosyphiherpalitis, so I totally understand why no one was interested in doing anything to push me." But, there is also a point where you just have to be realistic and admit " I've got some work to do, while I feel I have great ability in the ring for my size, there are other intangibles that I've got to work on before I reach that point to be seriously pushed", and you know what? There's nothing wrong with that.

He did while he was employed. He voluntaraly went back to developmental when he realised that he was going nowhere in his first run and it improved him quite a bit. But he's got other grevances with the company (see: his rant about WWE not returning all of his stuff and asking for the stuff back) and he probably could have done better if he'd been given a push that played to his strength.

If anything that's the best thing to do. Look at yourself honestly, see where you need to improve, and take the opportunities afforded to you to make those changes.

He did, in the end it delayed his release a few years.