3. Failure As A Heel
Sting is mostly associated with being a babyface, perhaps because Steve Borden is such a likeable guy in real life. Whether it was as the face of WCW or the respected veteran of TNA, fans have always been far more invested in Sting as a face than Sting as a heel. As such, ill advised attempts at promoting Sting as a bad guy have usually been met with disdain. Perhaps it's a reflection of Sting's limitations as a worker that he struggles to get over as a heel. More likely is the notion that he suffers the 'Steve Austin effect' of historic popularity making any heel run an impossibility. When WCW tried to get some heel value out of Borden towards the end of WCW's life it was just another failure in a catalogue of problems for the company. The promotion and Sting himself might have been frustrated, if they still cared that is. The TNA heel attempts have been equally dull. Needless to say, WWE will be bringing the Icon in as a good guy.