As if there could be any other number one For all the things that WCW did wrong during their existence, none are more mind-numbingly stupid than the booking for the main event of Starrcade 1997. The Grandaddy of Them All was WCWs flagship pay-per-view event, taking place at the end of the year and serving as the culmination of the promotions top angles. The 1997 edition featured the apex of what was unquestionably the most well-built feud in WCWs storied run, as well as one of the most well-handled feuds ever, a classic example of the correct way to build anticipating for a wrestling match. Sting, WCWs final hope for a savior in their war with the New World Order, would finally get his hands on Hulk Hogan in a World Championship match after chasing him for well over a year. During this time Sting was hanging out in the rafters, repelling down to ringside and beating people with baseball bats and had crowds eating out of the palm of his hand. Fans wanted nothing more than to see the conquering hero vanquish the evil Hogan once and for all and restore the balance to WCW. The booking for this match wrote itself: Sting goes over strong winning the title clean in the middle. Instead what we got was some convoluted nonsense that was supposed to feature a fast count from a crooked referee in Hogans pocket leading to Bret Hart inserting himself in the shenanigans to ensure that what happened to him at Montreal would not befall The Stinger. The problem is the count was spot-on perfect and all the attempts to contradict it by Hart and the announcers just made WCW look like whiners whose boy had just eaten a clean pin against his archrival. It was AWFUL booking, one of the worst decisions ever and ruined what should have been the easiest home run WCW would ever get to swing at.
Brad Hamilton is a writer, musician and marketer/social media manager from Atlanta, Georgia. He's an undefeated freestyle rap battle champion, spends too little time being productive and defines himself as the literary version of Brock Lesnar.
