3.3.11 Vignette; Is Sting Is Coming Back to TNA?

[Kidd]

Dude your making me cry I'm laughing so hard at you and TNA. By putting up this 3-3-11 video TNA is looking like does people in the AT&T commercials when they received their text messages late. TNA was late with the punch line. TNA has good wrestlers but they just don't know how to be creative. And why would a promotion rubbed it in to wrestling fans just to poke fun of WWE. sorry but that is being clueless as a promotion. TNA needs to remember that WWE is not going to keep them in business but does fans they try to make fun of tonight may be the reason they go out of business.

What punchline?

The one about WWE letting fans believe that Sting was coming to WWE? The second vignette should have clued people in that Sting wasn't coming.

TNA sat back and waited for the fans creaming their shorts about the possibility of Sting coming to WWE to be disappointed and let them know that TNA was bringing Sting back.

 

[Lucha-Libre is wrestling]

So you're saying the WWE got Rumors running rampant about the possibility of Sting coming to WWE only to give us HHH vs Undertaker?

That makes no sense.

Stick with the topic this thread is not about HHH vs Taker its about TNA and 3-3-11. Sorry I'm not trying to put you down or make fun of you, but what I just did to you now is what TNA should had done to WWE. Hope you get the logic I just used to show you that.

 

[Kidd]

Stick with the topic this thread is not about HHH vs Taker its about TNA and 3-3-11. Sorry I'm not trying to put you down or make fun of you, but what I just did to you now is what TNA should had done to WWE. Hope you get the logic I just used to show you that.

Sorry, I don't get the logic (or lack thereof).

Why would TNA jump in and say, "Hey guys! Sting's not going to WWE! See!?! He's here in TNA!"

When they easily said, "Sorry you were let down by WWE. If you still want him, we got Sting!"

It's effective in the fact that they took a jab at WWE for inadvertently leading the fans on in thinking about the possibility of Sting coming to WWE.

See what I'm trying to say?

 

[Kidd]

3/3/11 wheather people liked it or not they're still gonna toon in to see what is gonna happen with Sting.

Exactly.

All those Sting fans who are disappointed that Sting didn't go to WWE should tune in as well.

 

[The Curtis]

I wouldn't say i was pissed off by the rip-off of the Undertaker promo, but i can definitely say i was rolling my eyes at them. that actually seemed like a very TNA thing to do. it really doesn't surprise me that they'd do something that silly.

 

[Lucha-Libre is wrestling]

Sorry, I don't get the logic (or lack thereof).

Why would TNA jump in and say, "Hey guys! Sting's not going to WWE! See!?! He's here in TNA!"

When they easily said, "Sorry you were let down by WWE. If you still want him, we got Sting!"

It's effective in the fact that they took a jab at WWE for inadvertently leading the fans on in thinking about the possibility of Sting coming to WWE.

See what I'm trying to say?

No because the spoilers that are already out for 3-3-11 and 3-10-11 confirm out of the horses mouth that he did in fact had a offer from the WWE. I really think Sting got a take it or leave it offer from Vince and he humbly turned it down. Your making it sound like Sting is Carmelo Anthony and WWE was going to give TNA John Cena, CM punk, MIZ and EDGE with $10,000,000 cash. AS much as we WWE fans wanted 2-21-11 to be Sting, so we can see Sting vs Taker at Mania, it wasn't a major let down. NOW the next 2 weeks for TNA fans will be major let downs. Wait till you see what 3-3-11 leads to major set back for TNA. I don't want to spoil the showtime for you.

 

[FoleyIsGod]

The fact that the 3/3/11 show is already recorded(and Ive seen the spoilers and know the return!), proves that TNA is bush league. It should have happened on a live show, just to get the few extra viewers. Instead they rehash the Taker video, bang it out one week before 3/3/11 is showed(therefore rushing it), then record the show, giving chance for the IWC to have a good gander at the spoilers.

That was the great thing about the Rock returning. It was live and I had no idea it was coming. The scent was off about the Rock and when he did return, I marked out like it was 1999 all over again.

 

[GameOver]

So you're saying the WWE got Rumors running rampant about the possibility of Sting coming to WWE only to give us HHH vs Undertaker?

That makes no sense.

Makes perfect sense, despite the fact i wasn't referring to that.
I was just referring to the fact that they knew if they did a vignette like that people would start talking about who is it.

And since Sting seemed to be a hot topic since he departed from TNA and alot people assumed he would naturally turn up in WWE for WrestleMania it makes perfect sense that WWE cashes in on people who tuned into see if it was.

 

[SharpShooter083]

On a side note Sting/TNA/Dixie Carter should be bowing down and singing the praises of Vince McMahon & WWE. WWE, a company that Sting has never ever worked for and TNA's "competiton", did more of an amazing job hyping up one of TNA's guys more then TNA has EVER been able to do. If it wasn't for all the promo videos WWE did then Sting's name wouldn't be out there as much as it was. That right there shows you the power of WWE and the epic failures of TNA. TNA needed WWE to hype their main guy cause they couldn't do it right themselves. The only question Dixie needs to ask herself now is if it's possible to future endeavor yourself..

 

[mr_dna]

Really? Really ? Looks like sting is comeing to TNA but im sure thats no surprise after sevral people say WWE & Sting never even spoke.

I ask you this Stings Return Surprise of the year ? if it is , I was more surprise when i found a 10 Pound note in my jeans i just washed . TNA probaly thinking that with the Hype for sting to WWE they will get a major rateing boost. Simplely put know who gives a shit??

The Hype was due to sting going to a company he said he would never work for and the possability of sting v Taker,HHH,Cena,Orton and etc sting back to TNA is nothing exciting

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

LMAOOOOOO!

I'd just like to say this to every single WWE fan that thought Sting was going to WWE: eat shit.

That being said, this promo was SUCH a slap in the face of the WWE fans more than anything. And as you'd expect, I loved every second of it.

I bet it's Sting. Who else could it be.

OMG IT'Z UNDERTAKER HE'S COMING TO TNA! <--- Ridiculious? That's how WWE fans sounded when they said Sting is coming to WWE. Enjoy your night.

Yeah, because the whole jump from 1.1 to 1.19 will be one massive slap in the face to the WWE, right? They just drew a 3.9 on 2/21/11. What do you think TNA is going to draw on 3/3/11?

I thought it was pointless because it will not make a difference. Sting going to WWE is a novetly-type deal. It's big because it hasn't happened before.

Sting returning to TNA doesn't mean much seeing he was just there a few months back. He's been apart of TNA for years now, so this isn't shocking. Sting joining WWE would have been shocking. I don't see how this helps TNA, but it won't hurt them either.

 

[sTyLnK]

No one is going to tune in to see Sting. They didn't before and ripping off the WWE because TNA thought it would be "clever" isn't going to make most people change their minds this time around. The only reason this thread is so long is because people are bashing TNA for how unoriginal they are.

 

[ShiningMizard]

Two words "No Originality".

 

[Richard]

If Sting returning to the Impact Zone is Dixie Carter's shocking suprise of the year, the since we're only 2/3 months into the year, 3 when the date is up, then if it is Sting, we're in for truely a massive let down year for TNA in terms of coming suprises later in the year if the best suprise they can do for the whole year is a returning Sting lol

Although this promo makes sense I guess to cash in on all the curiosity regarding WWE's Undertaker returning promo with people thinking it was Sting, they will tune into TNA to see if he's gonna be on TNA.

I also hardly see how this is shocking, Sting was with TNA not long ago, it's like if Vince McMahon came out and said, watch this Monday Night RAW for the biggest suprise of the year and it was Chris Jericho coming out. Talk about anti climax.

If it's Sting, I will be disappointed.

 

[KingofPortonia]

Well put Mr DNA

Should this turn out to be Sting it will do nothing but set TNA back at least 6 months. The failed return of the MEM was one of the best things that could have happened to TNA. It afforded them the opportunity to turn Fortune and in contrast push their 'Home Grown' stars. Instead if Sting comes back, you can bet Fortune will end up playing second fiddle to him and Fortunes turn will have been for nothing.

Sting in WWE is a mark out moment. It creates a buzz gets us interested in dream matches we never thought we'd see. Sting in TNA is nothing spectacular and won't encourage many non regular TNA viewers to tune in.

The many cooks in the TNA kitchen have served up a Stinger Special to stick it to WWE after the Booker/Nash fiasco. But they were all too busy working on the meat of the dish that no one grasped the idea that it is the sides that went with this particular meal that would have made it so satisfying.

If TNA had brought Sting back before 2-21-11 then it would have killed all speculation around sting and WWE and put a dent in their ratings, all be it a small one. Instead they just have most of us rolling our eyes at them

 

[waylon p]

(i got tired of reading so many people saying the same stuff, so I stopped at page nine. If someone already said this, I apologize.)


A lot of you folks are idiots. "this video shows that TNA has no originality".


Really? I do not remember anyone talking about WWE having no originality when they played an undertaker promo that was so much a rip-off of sting that you all thought sting was coming to wrestlemania.

You myopic fools. Vince has brainwashed you. No, it is more pathetic than that.

You poor lost sheep have brainwashed yourselves. You see everything through a glaze of "Vince is the best, WWE will always be the best" so that you cannot see your own foolishness when it is pointed out to you.

Now, as for the Idea that it can only be sting. While I would lay odds that it is sting, I do not delude myself that this is the only option. They could put anyone in a trench coat.
(is goldust still with the 'e right now? It could be black reign. How about Kevin Sullivan? He used to sport one. Hell, I even seem to recall Paul heyman wearing one for a while.)

If this promo is a rip-off of the WWE promo, it is only tit for tat.
Just because it is probably sting does not mean it will be.

So saith the prophet!

 

[californiachef84]

Actually I think that the WWE just completely lacks creativity because their 2-21-11 video hyping the return of Taker was a COMPLETE rip off of Sting's 1997 video promo for Starrcade.

Do you WWE marks see how stupid you sound? Yeah, I didn't think so. You are all blinded.

Anyways, the little guys (TNA) landed a "haymaker" with this one. Totally awesome of them to stick a thumb in the eye of the WWE. How many times has TNA been able to give the WWE a GREAT BIG FUCK YOU? This is awesome!

Hopefully this means that the Stinger will be at Lockdown for all of the VIP stuff. I want to meet him...

 

[just_a_wrestling_fan]

*Sighs* I have never posted on this forum before. Personally I just like to read all your thoughts on what's going on in the world of wrestling. However I just can't sit back and not comment on this.

Some of you will be pissed off with what i am about to say. Some of you may even agree with me. Truth be told I don't give a fuck how you all feel about what i am about to say. So here goes.

TNA like WWE is a for all intents and purposes a business the goal at the end of the day is to make money and draw ratings. Thats the problem with TNA right now, but i'll get to that in a moment.

First: The Sting situation I for one never once thought Sting was going to WWE, the moment i saw the 2-21-11 vid I knew right then that it was The Undertaker. I only heard the 'rumor' that Sting was going to WWE when i came here after watching Raw. Now 1 of 2 things could have happened if it was Sting on 2-21.

1. Sting comes out to a HUGE ovation, sells lots of t-shirts, lots of Wrestlemania hype and the ratings go through the roof.

2. Or.... Stings comes out on 2-21 to the clapping of 10 people who actually know who he is, while the majority of the crowd is going "who the fuck is this guy?" cause lets be honest how many WWE fans that tune in each week even know who the hell Sting is especially now a days. In fact i don't recall seeing ANY sting signs in the audience during all the 'hype'. So obviously the WWE fan base didn't really care to much.

Now i like Sting don't get me wrong, but let me ask u 'TNA marks' this. What is Sting actually going to do for the ratings because when all is said and done thats all that matters.

Now onto TNA as a whole.

TNA's problem right now is that they are not focusing on the big picture here. I've watched a few episodes of Impact recently it seems they are focusing on the talking portion of the show when the wrestling should come first and the talking second. Not that WWE hasn't been guilty of the same thing at times, but really how often do you really wanna tune in an see Hogan, Bischoff and Flair running there mouths. I would much rather enjoy an AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe match then watch Dixie Carter and Hulk Hogan argue about who's in control of the company week after week.

(Off topic note: What the hell happened to Ric Flair did he suddenly decide to steal Terry Funks crazy old man gimmic? Cause that thats what its seems like when ever I see him on camera now.)


In all honesty TNA could have a done a better job of promoting the return of Sting cause this is most likely his grand finale. I am not to sure what they were hoping to accomplish with the vid, i don't think it will help the ratings any. They were not 'capitalizing' on the 2-21 hype because the same people that watched Impact this week watched it last week and those same people will watch it again next week with little to no increase in ratings what so ever. Maybe im wrong maybe TNA just wants to take the easy route and keep doing what they have been doing. Its drawing about the same ratings each week, they are making money and there talent has the chance to work long an hard into the future without burning the candle at both ends day in and day out like WWE guys. They obviously have a strong enough following if they haven't had to change there formula to much.

Well thats all I just needed to get that off my chest don't cry about what i just said cause im not going to respond to any stupid poster saying that im ripping on TNA when im just looking at this from a business stand point. TNA needs to shape up if they truly wanna compete with WWE because thats what Bischoff has always wanted to do that and put Vince out of business.

Oh one more thing please TNA get rid of Vince Russo he's just a cancerous lump, you hardcore TNA fans should want this to look what he did to WCW do you really want him to do the same thing with TNA. Next thing you guys know the lead star of jersey shore (didn't capitalize on purpose) will be your heavy weight champion do you really want that.

 

[onewayleeway69]

All you guys sayn its a rip off erm thats the whole point and from a buisness point of view its the best thing tna could have done. Listen wwe started airing a promo and the whole world thought it was stinf. Tna played along even going as far to work the net by taking sting off tnas website. They let www build it up over and over get all you guys excited for sting then boom wwe lets every1 down by ttbringing out taker. So tna say hey people want sting lets resign him and give them sting. By doing this tna has just got a lot of free promos from wwe for one of there superstars. And its very clever! Deal with it wwe just shot themselfs in the leg and vince is probs going ape shit job done!

 

[brain51983]

I watched the TNA promo and it seemed a lot more like Starcade 97 promo he did before fighting Hogan. I don't see how the 2-21-11 promo was anything like Sting besides the point that both him and Undertaker wear a trench coat. WWE and WCW always copied each other all the time. Like someone else said, Gillberg was a dig to Goldberg. WCW had the nWo and WWE had DX. I think TNA would fold under before Vince would actually want to buy out the company like he did with WCW. It's not like TNA is pulling in massive numbers over WWE.

 

[hatehabsforever]

All you guys sayn its a rip off erm thats the whole point and from a buisness point of view its the best thing tna could have done. Listen wwe started airing a promo and the whole world thought it was stinf. Tna played along even going as far to work the net by taking sting off tnas website. They let www build it up over and over get all you guys excited for sting then boom wwe lets every1 down by ttbringing out taker. So tna say hey people want sting lets resign him and give them sting. By doing this tna has just got a lot of free promos from wwe for one of there superstars. And its very clever! Deal with it wwe just shot themselfs in the leg and vince is probs going ape shit job done!

But there's one fundamental flaw in your logic. The hype over the 2/21/11 vignettes aired by WWE and the speculation over the possibility of it being Sting was significant not because of Sting alone, but rather, Sting in a WWE ring.

The 2/21/11 caused a stir because of what they had the potential to mean. Sting versus the Undertaker. Sting on the grandest stage of them all. Sting being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Depending upon how long he would have come for, what other feuds there could have been. Sting/Cena. Sting/Punk. Sting/Triple H. Sting/Randy Orton. Sting/Miz. Sting/Morrison. Sting/Sheamus. Sting/Alberto del Rio. Etc., etc., etc.,

Sting back in TNA,in contrast, is simply meh. Same old feuds. Same old location. Same lack of impact upon ratings. Same hiding in the shadows, ducking the grandest stage of them all, electing to remain in obscurity, in the minor leagues, riding a reputation of past greatness rather than establishing and furthering new greatness in front of a global audience.

Had Sting come to WWE, it would have been significant news. But returning to the iMPACT zone, not so much. Personally I can live without Sting versus the Immortals. Sting/Hardy. And all of the other recycled match-ups.

The one brightest point in all of this? No more talk of induction of Sting into the WWE Hall of Fame, as he doesn't belong there in the first place. And this choice of mocking the WWE with this vignette certainly does not help his cause.

 

[adamlufc]

Right, before I start this post, I would like to state that I currently watch both shows after being a life long WWE follower, and have watched TNA for about 2 years now and have enjoyed certain parts of it.

But this promo to me was a bad idea

Yes, it was kinda funny, poking fun at the WWE fans thinking that Sting was going to turn up on Raw, and also a little bit of face rubbing, "we got Sting, and you didn't" and it also leaves no doubt as to who will be turning up, so they will be hoping for a ratings boost for viewers tuning in to see Sting

But I see this as a bad move, it seems as if TNA are always trying to copy WWE, the reason I got into TNA to begin with was that it was DIFFERENT to WWE, it was alot more wrestling based and it drew me in.
This promo shows that they are obsessed with what the WWE do, and until they actually start running the place as if it is a serious, top tier promotion, it will never get anywhere near the heights of the WWE.

Another negative of this promo is that TNA had the opportunity to do something innovative and different, they could have created a totally different promo, or had an in ring segment that would leave everyone hanging, wanting to see who turned up next episode.

Although the promo has got people talking about TNA so that can only be good for business I guess

 

[jimivy]

I am going to give it to all those who say TNA was original in this promo, but to the people who say they copied WWE, you are so wrong. If you have been following TNA (like myself in the good and bad times) this whole time you would have known that those were clips from old promos for Sting during his time in TNA. The warehouse scene was when he was in his fued with Abyss years ago. The rain scene was done a couple of years ago for Sting, but also some of the other talent. With that being said TNA should have re-Shot the promo or maybe just maybe some of you guys are right and this is a shot at WWE for making a promo for Undertaker that was similar to the one TNA made for Sting years ago. If it is the second, then we might be able to say "Who is copying who?"

And one other thing is true about Sting and I believe it is being passed down to guys like Styles, Storm, Roode, and some of the other original TNA guys is that Loyalty is better then all the money in the world.

 

[Rayne]

Thoughts:

1) If the "biggest surprise of the year" turns out to be a 51 year old man returning to a company he left four months ago, using a gimmick based off of an almost 20 year old movie, TNA has a very long ten months ahead of them.

1a) Before the predictable faces show up and say "but OMG, you wanted Sting in the WWE just a couple weeks ago", no, I didn't, so STFU. Maybe ten years ago, but in 2011 I could give a shit.

2) How is this vignette a slap in the face to the WWE? Slaps usually hurt a little bit. Maybe if they had ran this vignette while the WWE was being obtuse about the whole Sting issue, they might have scored a coup... but right now, it just looks to me like a cheesy ripoff aimed not at the IWC (which TNA courts for reasons I can't even begin to understand), but a certain small segment of the IWC which was dumb enough to believe that a video which showed the Undertaker walking around was an advertisement for Sting.

But hey, the loyal TNA guppies get to jump up and down. It's sort of like Palestinian warfare with them- if they're still alive after the tanks come in, destroy their homes and rape their womenfolk, it's a victory over the forces of evil.

 

[FightOwensFight]

It is just sad on mutiple levels. If this was a "thumb in the eye" (as one person said) to the WWE, what was the point? WWE never said Sting was coming. They never hinted at it. As far as WWE is concerned, a guy in a trenchcoat is the Undertaker. So saying a big "F-You" to the WWE is silly. That would be like them putting out a big "F-You" to WWE when they brought in EV2.0, as if they had got one over on Vince and Co. WWE never had Sting, never said they had Sting, and as far as I know, weren't snubbed by Sting in an attempt to get him (though I have no doubt we will hear the usual "I could have gone elsewhere for more money..." BS that they all spout). So, one point for TNA for making fun of a company for something they didn't do. Well played.

The other arguement is that it was a slap in the face to the WWE marks convinced it was Sting in the 2-21-11 vignettes. After the first 2-21-11 promo there was certainly a lot of internet chatter about it being Sting. After the 2nd one, I would say about 75% of the people had accepted it was Taker. After the 3rd one, only delusional people really thought it could be Sting (most of the chatter was that it would be HBK or HHH in addition to Taker...which was actually correct regarding HHH.) So, I guess another point to TNA, for rubbing Sting in the face of the 17 people that still honestly thought it would be Sting coming to WWE.

It just screams desparation. I am sure people like Zion, Shattered Dreams, and IDR can point to numerous instances of WWE reacting to something TNA has done, but I honestly can't. It does however seem that TNA is constantly reacting to what WWE does.