Is Sting tarnishing his legacy by staying in TNA?

[Freddy4190]

Me and my friend were discussing Sting and TNA and everything else, and he said that Sting's whole credibility and everything died when he went to TNA. I wanted to see what everyone else thought. Sting, who many refer to as 'the best wrestler to never go to WWF/E has been in TNA for what? 6 years? The guy was called the 'Franchise' of WCW. He is a six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WCW International World Heavyweight Champion, two-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion and former WWA World Heavyweight Champion. But that's it right there, the TNA world titles. I just didn't agree with alot of the things they did with Sting in TNA. Whilst they have all these other wrestlers working their asses off and wrestling a million matches to get a title shot, they just hand Sting one. Even in a storyline it sounds bad. Sting dominated WCW, he was great in the NWA. He's been in the business for 24 years. He's always seemed a real nice guy to everyone, i've never really heard any backstage politics from him, and everything I ever heard or read about him was positive. TNA has always been known as a small company, at least when you compare it to WWE or WCW. Sting accomplished so much in WCW, and had such a legacy when it went down that it was almost untouchable. Then he went to TNA. While I do think that he's done a DAMN good job in TNA, he bumped the ratings up a smidge or two, he brought back some old wrestling fans who enjoyed the Stinger back in WCW, I feel that his legacy would be considered tarnished by some people, my friend being one of them. Myself, I think that his legacy just gets better because he's helping cement new stars, build up the young guns, and bringing popularity to a sort of known, but albeit still small company. What's your two cents on this?

 

[2TheMax]

I don't think Sting's career is tarnished because he's in a "smaller company". It could of been tarnished in any company, even in WWE. It's all a matter of booking.

Sting to me always carries his legacy with respect and honor and that's a way to not tarnish your legacy, no matter the setting. You don't have to be in WWE to be an icon. Yeah they may have the HOF and the production and all that, but that's irrelevant. Abdullah The Butcher's been in the business for many decades and he was never in the WWE but he's still an icon. Sting's career speaks volumes whether he's in a smaller company or not. Even though a lot of people think he needs to go to WWE to end his career the way he should, that doesn't matter.

 

[wrestling fan 666]

With all due respect for the achievements that Sting has done in this sport, I feel that his return to TNA was a mistake. The business has changed since the NWA/WCW days, yet he hasn't. There are new moves, new holds, new styles of wrestling that are keeping the business on going. Again, I respect Sting, but half the time in TNA, he's phoning it in; not putting any effort in it; doing the same old moves that are outdated; yet they treat him like a king. As much as I don't care for Kurt Angle, at least he's changing his holds, working every night, and putting the time in. I just feel Sting's heart isn't in it any more and it's obvious that his mindset is "they need me more than I need them and I could walk away any time". It's sad but he should have stayed retired.

 

[Genius_Deadman]

my view on Sting in TNA is this:

when Sting retires, Sting will be associated with WCW. that's where his legacy is. not many fans watch TNA, so I wouldn't be surprised people even forget he's been there the last few years. I've had people ask me "what ever happened to Sting?" Unless TNA makes it big to the point where WCW was, I don't see it harming Sting's legacy

 

[shafe_41]

Agreed with the above. Sting's legacy is, was, and always will be with WCW. When people think Sting in 10 years, very few people will think "Damn, Sting was the balls in TNA." Sting isn't tarnishing anything. He's a living legend. He's accomplished more in the business than 99% of the guys to lace up a pair of boots. If he "tarnished" anything, it would be if he left, and came back, and left, and came back...etc. Like Flair. It's really that simple. Sting has tarnished nothing. I don't think he climbed the ladder of legacy in TNA, but he certainly didn't fall either. He's just kinda "there."

I can't stress the simplicity enough. Sting has tarnished nothing.

 

[wrestling fan 666]

With all due respect to Sting and his achievements in NWA?WCW, he should have never come back to wrestling; let alone TNA. The business has changed with new holds, new wrestling styles, etc. and he won't change with the times. As much as I hate Kurt Angle, at least he updates his moves, wrestles every night, and puts in the effort to be in today's sport. It's obvious that Sting is phoning it in, doing the same old routines, and has the attitude of "they need me more than I need them". It's sad because I used to like Sting, but he should have stayed retired if his heart isn't in the business anymore.

 

[JJohns]

Really, is his legacy tarnished because of what he's done in TNA? Not in the least. In fact, if TNA does make it big, it will actually help his legacy, as he was the big name star that spurned a big money contract from WWE to go to TNA, put the company on his shoulders when it was still in it's infancy, and provided real star power that no one else provided it.

 

[DiscipleofWrestling]

I think if anything Sting's legacy has been enhanced by being involved in TNA. His very presence there helps give the company some notoriety, some attention that it needs right now if they are going to be considered any competition for WWE. When Sting came to TNA, it opened the door for other popular wrestlers to see TNA as an alternative to find work in America. Sting helped make TNA what it is today. Granted, TNA could be in a far better position right now, but that's not Sting's fault. Sting gets paid to do a job, and he does it.... regardless of whether he's wrestling Doug Williams or Kurt Angle that night.

Sting's always been an attraction. Some of my quasi-wrestling fan friends (those that watched, don't regularly watch anymore but might tune in for an occasional show or two) said they turn on TNA sometimes just to see what Sting is up to. The fact is the casual wrestling fan will always associate Sting with three letters: W....C....W. Sting could wrestle until he is 60, phone it in every night with the same ol' routine, and wear the same facepaint to the ring for another ten years. Sting's reputation and legacy are intact. All that this run with TNA has done is add more to Sting's overall contribution to professional wrestling.

 

[Pedro08]

With all due respect to Sting and his achievements in NWA?WCW, he should have never come back to wrestling; let alone TNA. The business has changed with new holds, new wrestling styles, etc. and he won't change with the times. As much as I hate Kurt Angle, at least he updates his moves, wrestles every night, and puts in the effort to be in today's sport. It's obvious that Sting is phoning it in, doing the same old routines, and has the attitude of "they need me more than I need them". It's sad because I used to like Sting, but he should have stayed retired if his heart isn't in the business anymore.

You could say the same thing about Flair, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, Kane or any other wrestler who's been around as long as Sting has. I don't think Sting's legacy is tarnished by being in TNA. As someone mentioned in an earlier post, it all comes down to booking. If he had gone to the WWE and they booked him differently, a la DDP as a stalker or motivational speaker, then his legacy might have been tarnished. As it is now, if Bound for Glory is his last match, I don't think his legacy has been tarnished at all by his TNA run.

 

[gregfj2]

I never knew the old blonde Sting, and as a 'newer' wrestling fan then I'm just glad he's on tv at all. He looks great with or without make-up, and I like his tv character. I've only known him a short time, but I sure like him better than decades of Foley or Nash.

As for the TNA smears, what's wrong with it? It sure looks better than the early PPV's I've seen. I watch almost every week and never consider who came from WWE or not. Rhino's Rhino, and Dudleys are Dudleys. I wouldn't care if I was watching ROH, OVW or wrestling from Japan. Maybe it's that early ECF'NW pride of enjoying a wrestler's performance whether they headline a PPV or retired 20 years ago.

Right now there's forum threads from people happy to see ANY Rock on Smackdown next week, taped or not. Why would people say they wish Sting bowed out after after WCW? They can't possibly mean it. Again, I think he looks great and I'm glad he tells Kurt Angle to shove it. You can learn all the new moves you want but a baseball bat to the head will still knock you out! Go Sting!

 

[samboisdead]

Well in my opinion coming back to TNA has just cemented his legend more than ever. My thinking on this is Sting could have easily went to WWE and probably made 3 times what TNA makes. He could have probably asked for a schedule like the Undertaker has and still got that same money. Instead he stuck to his guns proved he was a man of his word and has kept his integrity.
I did hate when TNA tried to make him a heel/tweener though. After all isnt that how we got the crow version of the Stinger. Anyone rember the fake Sting angle and Sting being so heartbroke that his fans would actually belive he was helping the NWO that Crow/Sting was born? Anyway besides that I have enjoyed alot of what he has done in TNA.
For the people who say Sting is phoning it in and refuses to change with the times. I say you guys dont understand wrestling or entertainment. For one a big part of the Stinger fanbase tunes into him to see those old tired moves. Yeah Ric Flair did some ladder matches and stuff on his way out but all in all he never changed his style. Same can be said with Hogan. Honestly guys if Elvis was still alive do you think he would go around nowdays doing modern stuff, no he would do what made him famous. Kurt Angle is great, one day he could be as big as Sting, but in no way has he reached Stinger status yet. The diffrence in guys like Sting, Hogan, and Flair as compared to guys like Angle is that those 3 guys have actually put companys on their back and carried them before. Angle is trying to do that right now but so far hasnt proved that he can.
Also Sting is in his 50s and has children. Sting can do a Stinger splash and get the same pop from the crowd that say Jeff Hardy gets from falling off a 25 foot ladder. In other words if he can entertain people doing low risk iconic moves of his why in the Hell would he risk breaking his kneck just to impress you guys who say he isnt modern enough knowing damn good and well that no matter what he does people like you will still find a reason to criticise him. I hate to tell you guys but Sting could outwork any modern guy you put against him. If you have any doubt about this mans ability look up Clash of the Champions 1 with him vs Flair for 60 minutes. This is still today the greatest match i have ever seen.

 

[milenniumman8]

In my opinion if anything Sting's decision to join TNA has helped cement him even more as one of the greatest wrestlers ever. Yeah some people can say his moves haven't changed with the times and what not, but why change something that has worked for so long? If anything Sting's run in TNA is going to help truly emphasize what the Stinger has meant to the business as a whole. Sting has truly been not just one of the greats in the ring, but a great in every aspect of the business. Sting is going to be remembered as one of the good guys of the wrestling business, a guy that realizes the business is bigger than just Sting himself. When you look at Sting you see someone that truly is a man of integrity in a business that isn't known for competitors like that. Sting has stuck by his own faith and values by turning down the WWE because he didn't believe in who they did business and alot of things that company has done. You never hear anything about Sting and the political bullshit that's associated with most of the other top stars in the business. Not only has Sting helped TNA make a bigger name for itself. He's also put over so many of the younger wrestler's in TNA. How many other guys who have a legacy like Sting would've come into an up and coming company like this and helped build the stars of the future instead of just trying to help there own self? Even though there are some great matches that Sting could've had in the WWF/WWE(HBK,Taker,Rock,HHH,etc,etc) I respect Sting much more as a man for sticking to his own set of values and not joining the WWE. I think when all has been said and done and people look back on Sting's career, yes his name will be attached to WCW, but his time in TNA will not go unnoticed due to what his done for that company and its young stars. Sting is one of the top 5-10 superstars of all time and being in TNA has done nothing but help that.

 

[Christian Battlez]

No Sting could never tarnish his Legacy. He has never actually retired as far as I know. As far as working for TNA and TNA being a small promotion are you kidding me? TNA is known worldwide. Their fanbase grows more and more everyday. The reason the tv ratings haven't improved yet here in America is because TNA is on the Male Version of Lifetime Spike TV. Ray and D-Von tell me all the time WWE is a miserable place to work so why would Sting wanna be there. After seeing how happy they are in TNA everyday at school I know Sting made the right decision. I won't say his legacy is tarnished for doing what makes him happy.

 

[jscthegreat]

He's not tarnishing his legacy, but he's not adding to it either. Let's face it, TNA is still not relevant enough to make legends or add to careers. It's just a development zone to go to WWE. (Right Christian and Jeff Hardy and Monty Brown) TNA is pulling in ratings i could get by being on channel 11 jacking off. that said he's not tarnishing it or adding to it, he's living out the little tenure he has left in his body by rebelling against Vince Mcmahon in a company that's barely relevant. TNA marks you're welcome to argue this, cuz as much as you hate it, WWE will always be where legends are born now.

 

[TellMeWhy]

No way in hell is Sting hurting his legacy! When TNA becomes relevant and gets on a bigger platform, all of Sting's accomplishments during his time in TNA will come to light and be put on an even bigger pedestal. Right now, Sting is associated with BFG, TNA's WM. That's similar to how WWE used Hogan to establish the WM name. If BFG becomes huge, it will add to his legacy, the same way WM is associated with Hogan's legacy. People say Sting's name will always be associated with WCW but that's not true. WCW has been 8 years removed and will forever remain removed. Think of all the little kids coming up that watch TNA wrestling and never watched or even heard of WCW. When those kids grow up, they're going to associate Sting with TNA the same way Rey Mysterio is associated with WWE over WCW. Do you think a kid will look at Rey and think WCW? No. It'll be the same thing with Stinger. So yes, for the young kids growing up that have no prior knowledge of WCW. Sting has just made his name and legacy in TNA relevant to them because that's how and where they know the man from.

 

[Pedro08]

He's not tarnishing his legacy, but he's not adding to it either. Let's face it, TNA is still not relevant enough to make legends or add to careers. It's just a development zone to go to WWE. (Right Christian and Jeff Hardy and Monty Brown) TNA is pulling in ratings i could get by being on channel 11 jacking off. that said he's not tarnishing it or adding to it, he's living out the little tenure he has left in his body by rebelling against Vince Mcmahon in a company that's barely relevant. TNA marks you're welcome to argue this, cuz as much as you hate it, WWE will always be where legends are born now.

It's alot easier to become a legend when you have a the backing of a billion dollar world-wide company's marketing machine behind you. I wouldn't say that TNA's not relevant enough, more like not big enough yet to make legends. And besides, it usually takes more than 7 years in the business for a wrestler to become a legitimate legend. If you think TNA is not relevant, why don't you go ask any indy or ROH wrestler if they would like the opportunity to wrestle for TNA and see how many of them would say no.

As for Sting rebelling against Vince, how is him choosing not going to WWE rebelling? He disagreed with the product they were producing and made the conscious decision not to wrestle for them. As far as I know, neither side really went public about the whole thing. I sure WWE would have loved to have him and he would have made alot of money, but Sting stood by his beliefs and simply said no.

 

[Super Crazy]

I don't think Sting is tarnishing his legacy one bit. I agree with LetEmKnow. When TNA becomes a bigger company Sting will be looked at as not only a legend in the business but a legend in TNA. Sting working for a smaller company in no way effects his legacy. As long as he does everything to best and has tried his hardest along the way his legacy is still in tact. He has still put on some excellent matches in TNA. He did the right thing going to TNA and it just added to his legacy in my opinion. The Icon finally looks to retire and he is doing something everybody should in passing the torch to the younger generation of stars.

 

[gregfj2]

He's not tarnishing his legacy, but he's not adding to it either. Let's face it, TNA is still not relevant enough to make legends or add to careers. It's just a development zone to go to WWE. (Right Christian and Jeff Hardy and Monty Brown) TNA is pulling in ratings i could get by being on channel 11 jacking off. that said he's not tarnishing it or adding to it, he's living out the little tenure he has left in his body by rebelling against Vince Mcmahon in a company that's barely relevant. TNA marks you're welcome to argue this, cuz as much as you hate it, WWE will always be where legends are born now.

2 things here I disagree with: First, I'm not watching ANY channel that features someone jacking off. Unless you mean stuff like CM Punk promos, and I don't watch those either. I go to the kitchen for a drink or check out my son on Playstation until after a commercial break.

Second about legends born in WWE. Nonsense. Following the magazines taught me about Styles & Daniels, and they were both HOT before I ever saw them in a match. Maybe I don't follow ratings or salary facts, but I'm still a true fan of tapes & magazines & toys and other merchandise. If TNA ran out of money and washed away next month, I believe they will always be a RELEVANT mention in wrestling history.

I already posted how I enjoy Sting in TNA, but your comments made my skull pop and I'm GLAD you had that opinion. If I can only be "barely relevant" at these forums then it's still a career to be proud of. Terstify!

 

[X]

I don't think he's tarnishing his legacy. Countless legends in this business have spent their final days in smaller companies and promotions. It's not as though TNA is a joke of a promotion or something, they've got some big names and a television deal. Adding a few World Titles to Sting's resume hasn't hurt him either, and though he's well past his prime, he's had some good matches during his TNA run. I fail to see how this is going to tarnish his legacy, if anything it's added a new chapter to that legacy.

 

[JBK2008]

Sting couldn't tarnish his legacy even if he was trying too! His legacy was said and done long ago. It was nice to see him in TNA for all these years though. He's never really changed up his move set, but the guy didn't have to! He's a master in the ring and great on the stick. TNA is on the male version of Lifetime in Spike TV, so yes that doesn't help exposure wise, but by no means did going to TNA hurt the Stinger. Great man, great wrestler. A legend no doubt.

 

[jccool420]

Sting confirmed his legacy by not going to WWE... If you think TNA ruined Sting, just imagine what WWE would've done to his legacy!!!

Look at all the other WCW stars that went to WWE, all buried and shipped out the company... Vince would've had Sting jobbing to all his homegrown talent...

 

[jscthegreat]

Man seems like i got under the skin of some TNA marks. hahaha And a person earlier mentioned Styles and Daniels. My statement said WWE is where legends are born. Are Styles and Daniels legends?? No! Great workers don't get me wrong some of the best, but legends? No. Stop it. I also said that Sting was rebelling against Vince by not joining WWE. Use common sense people, i'm not sayin he stood in front of WWE arenas and told how vince is the devil, i'm just saying he didn't need vince's millions to continue his legacy. Take TNA's nutsacks out ur mouths and realize when i'm giving a guy a complement. Sting is the greatest wrestler to never fight in the WWE period. End of story. But can TNA add to his legacy? Has TNA added to Angles legacy? (Don't go quoting his "great matches" has it put anything on his resume worth mentioning in the hall of fame) Did TNA add to Jeff Hardys legacy? If you mentioned Abyss's name to 100 wrestling fans, how many would know (or care) about him?
Sting adding to his legacy in TNA (sorry TNA marks)= NO

 

[Nature Boy]

I've been a Sting fan for 20 years now!

I think Sting is adding to his legacy by being in TNA!

Yes he could have retired 5 or 6 years ago, and we would still be talking about him as one of the all time greats.

I think he has done wonderful things in TNA, and he seems genuinely willing to do what he can to help build the company and build the younger talent.

I don't think Stink has been going through the motions in the ring as others have suggested.

I think he is still great in the ring and as the years go on he only seems to get better on the Mic.

We won't have Sting for much longer, and I'm so glad his last few years have been in TNA!

 

[Lee]

If anything he's opening his legacy up to a new audience. How many people do you know who watched WWF and not WCW? I know in the UK this percentage was pretty high, then those kids grow up the invasion happens, no sting a lot of the casual fans didn't know about him. Then a few of said fans watch TNA and find out about this Sting guy, they do their research and find out he even teamed up with Robocop once. Amazing! So I think it's opening his legacy up to a new generation of people.

 

[Marty2Hotty]

This is a good question and I think about this all the time. Sting was synonymous with WCW and Bischoff did a tremendous job with pushing him by turning him into the "crow" during the peak of the nWo era..

He has been at TNA for almost four years now straight and I ask myself all the time: "is he used the best he can be used?". I think he has made a number of great stories with TNA, but what I liked about his role in WCW was the mystique.. there'd be fake stings and tons of stings and a sense of mystery.

I guess it's different for him to just come out to the ring often without his makeup for him to be Steve Borden. I'm not sure how he can be used better to make his role more important. But TNA is a growing small company and I'm used to seeing Sting in front of sellout arenas.

I wish TNA would grow faster and hopefully they can put out shows that really appeal to mainstream viewers soon. Sting being a part of TNA is fun to watch but I wish there were ways to make his role more important as well.