10 Times Backstage Politics Ruined WCW
2. Sting…Isn’t Tanned Enough?
Starrcade 1997 was WCW's grandest pay-per-view, and the patience everyone showed during the lead up to pulling the trigger on Sting vs. Hollywood Hogan shouldn't be downplayed. Bischoff easily could've pushed that match into the ring earlier just to pop a big buyrate before booking a rematch for Starrcade, but he recognised the importance of booking it on the biggest possible stage.
Unfortunately, the actual match itself was mediocre. It's still cherished by WCW lovers, but the real ones admit its faults. Rather incredibly, Eric has pointed to the fact that Stinger wasn't as tanned as he maybe could've been when looking for excuses. Wait, what? Yep. Apparently, Hogan and Bischoff thought Sting looked a little too pale and out of shape for a match this huge.
That was absolute politicking from Hulk - it sounds exactly like the kind of thing he would've said to get out of doing a clean job. This apparent 'paleness' was cited as one of the reasons why they installed Nick Patrick's "fast count" (which wasn't actually a fast count at all) before the match was restarted and Sting scored the WCW World Title.
How lame is that? If Bischoff and Hogan actually wanted anyone to believe such nonsense, then they surely had a few magic beans for sale behind the curtain too. Hulk's concern about Sting's sun bed routines ruined WCW's single biggest match, and the headliner that over a year of television had been building towards.
Don't get us started on the one sided nature of the bout, or the formatting for SuperBrawl's repeat.