Wrestling Rumblings #40
November 6, 2009
By: Jose Marrero of WrestleView.com
Well by now everyone knows that Hulk Hogan has agreed to be a part of TNA. You have seen the reports and you have seen everyone’s opinions on it, both positive and negative. 15 years ago Hulk Hogan went to WCW and his signing was the first bullet fired in what would become the Monday Night Wars. 8 years ago WCW was sold to Vince McMahon and many people would say Hulk Hogan had a handful in the demise of the company leading to that sale. As I said there are many opinions out there about Hogan but Hulk Hogan is not my concern this week, my concern is a man who saw both the high points of Hulk Hogan in WCW as well as the low points, that man is Sting and I am talking to him cause now is the time to leave TNA…you?re reading “Wrestling Rumblings.”
Isn?t it funny sometimes the difference that a few short weeks can make? It wasn?t all that long ago where you were the talk of TNA. Were you staying on? Were you in fact going to hang it up and retire? We all saw you?pass the torch? to A.J Styles but since then we have had nothing and now we are embarking on a new era in TNA, the era of Hulkamania. You?ve been through this before Sting; you were the main guy in WCW before Hulk Hogan came along in 1994. You?re matches with Vader in 1992 were the talk of the wrestling world and before Hogan came into the picture it would seem that the stars were going to align for the latest entertaining chapter of Sting vs. Ric Flair. However Hogan came into the picture and you found yourself immediately thrust into the U.S title picture instead as you went from being the top guy in the company to Hulk Hogan’s little buddy and you couldn?t even be his chief friend at that as that distinction would go to ?Macho Man? Randy Savage another import who arrived in WCW due to Hogan’s presence. It all seemingly vanished once Hulk Hogan arrived.
Sure you had a run in late 97 to 98 but let’s be honest the specter of Hulk Hogan always kept that run from being what it should have been. Starrcade 1997 should have been as big of a moment for you as The Great American Bash 1992 was in which you dethroned Ric Flair. It should have further cemented you as the man in WCW but it never happened. Why? Because of the ego and manipulations of one man who didn?t want to see someone else grab that spot besides himself, because of Hulk Hogan.
WCW may not have been as bare bones in its infancy as TNA was but just like with TNA you saw WCW through its early hard times as it struggled for respectability amongst mainstream fans that were in awe of the slick WWF product. You were the main stay who wouldn?t leave for greener pastures, a man who some would say in his own way was a locker room leader because while other stalwarts of the NWA/WCW such as Arn Anderson, Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair would explore the greener pastures of the then WWF the Stinger would always be true to WCW. Those were difficult times back then Stinger, dealing with the regime changes but you believed in the organization you were with and you stuck with the dog that bought you into the fight and everyone respected you for it. There was no infighting in WCW then or at least not the level of infighting that we would experience when Hulk Hogan came into the picture. The playing field may not have been level before he got there but it sure got more lopsided in a hurry after he arrived. It’s going to happen again, some would say it was happening already before the talk of him ever going to TNA started but it’s about to hit the fan now.
Why stick around? What is there to prove in TNA? Sure the Jarrett’s were good to you early in your career and it was a good payday but at this point is the money all that important to you? Do you really need it that badly? Hell the Jarrett’s aren?t even really part of the regime anymore if you think about it, with Jeff fading out of the picture and Jerry long gone from the company. Isn?t it starting to look familiar to you again? Russo, Bischoff, Hogan and others; if they couldn?t make it work the first time out what hope is there for the second? You have done all you could do for TNA and no one would look bad upon you if you walked away now.
Let’s face it, while you may not be a main event star anymore (yes I know you have been booked that way for the past few years but sorry to be the one to tell you, you are not a main event star anymore) but you can still make money as a special attraction in the one place where legends go on to be praised and admired by millions of fans worldwide and that’s the WWE. Think about it Sting, you mixed it up with him in his younger days and no one really cared at the time but imagine the money that could be made from a Sting vs. Undertaker Wrestlemania match up? Or a program with Shawn Micheals, Randy Orton or that other famous Rick Bassman trainee John Cena? You can play a crowd of 20,000 again something you have not seen since WCW closed down its doors. You?re being in TNA this long is the equivalent of a Academy Award winning actor suddenly reduced to being in a off Broadway show. Sure the performances may be appreciated by those in attendance but largely unnoticed by the masses. Let’s do a real Sting DVD, have some good merchandise, and a much deserved spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. Why be a footnote in TNA when you can have a chapter dedicated to you in WWE?
You have bought that company as far as you can; done everything you can and mark my words Hulk Hogan is not coming to help TNA, he is coming to help himself, Hulk Hogan is for Hulk Hogan. Believe it or not that’s not even a bad thing, after all you better than anyone know that a wrestler’s lifespan is limited and being an independent contractor you have to be selfish so I am not even faulting him for it. After all whether they realize it or not Hulk Hogan can only take TNA for a ride if they let him. So with me saying that I think it’s time for Sting to be for Sting. Give Vince McMahon a call, he is waiting and everyone will be so happy to see you. You?ll wonder why you didn?t do it sooner.
On that note it’s time to wrap it up for this week. Any questions or comments can be sent to wrestlingrumblings@hotmail.com and well that’s it for this week, next week I will try to do better and until then I am out.
Follow WrestleView.com on Twitter: twitter.com/wrestleview
Send us news/results: click here