WWF Superstars, July 26, 1997

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JIM ROSS INTERVIEWS....

JR: Alright, ladies and gentlemen ... please welcome to WWF Superstars ... STING!

'The Man Called Sting' starts pumping through the speakers, as Sting makes his way down the aisle. Sting wears sunglasses and his tights, and he slaps hands with the fans as he goes. Rick Rude follows him out, keeping his eyes everywhere.

Sting climbs up the ring steps and enters the ring, waving out to the crowd. Rude stands in the aisle, keeping watch.

JR: Ok, Stinger ... you asked for some time this week, and you requested ME to interview you. I think I may know what this is about, but go ahead.

Sting: Well, JR, first I'd like to make a little announcement.

JR: By all means ...

Sting: It seems lately that, uh ... well, as has been said to me a few times, the "OLD Sting" just isn't here anymore. And while I hate being called old, I do understand what's being said. The Sting that was here just a few months ago is completely gone, which is for the better. But unfortunately, it's been brought to my attention that I may be spreading myself way too thin.

JR nods along.

Sting: I'm helping to look for Sarah, I'm at the helm of the Horsemen until we get things going, I wanted to go back into tag teaming ... not to mention my so called "distractions" or "extra baggage". But in combination with that, JR, is a bit of a secret I've been keeping as of late.

JR: Which is?

Sting: Well ... I'd say that for the past 3 weeks or so, I've been suffering from a back injury. It wasn't that serious, and I chose to ignore it ... but it seems to be creeping up on me more every day. So I'd like to announce right here that, just for a bit, I am pulling my name off the WWF's active roster until all these things are taken care of.

The crowd murmurs, but Sting puts up his hand.

Sting: Now I know that every Tom, Dick, and Harry out here that's been throwing challenges my way is gonna come out and say that the Stinger is running from them, but that's not true. This is a SELF imposed break. I can STOP IT anytime I want! So nobody should get the idea in their head that the Stinger is off limits for a bit, cause it's just UNTRUE! If need be, I'll be in the ring again later on TODAY! I just think it would be wise to rest myself for a while and get everything straighted out.

JR: That certainly seems like an intelligent decision.

Sting: And don't think that you won't see me anymore, cause I'll be around every week! You know that I don't shut up too easy! I'll be there for the Warrior every time he's here, I'll be right there in Starr's corner, and anybody else that needs it. My participating INSIDE the ring will be limited, but not my participation anywhere else!

The crowd gives a cheer, respecting Sting's decision.

JR: Now ... Sting, you asked for this time, and I think I know just why you wanted ME to be the one out here. I'm sure you saw the -

Sting reaches out and pulls the microphone away!

Sting: You know, JR, you're RIGHT! I did ask that you be out here, and it was for a reason. Jim, since the day I first broke into this sport, you've known me. You've supported me when nobody else would, the most recent example being the King of the Ring. Well ... others DID support me, such as Jerry Lawler, but you were the only CREDIBLE person that did. So you've got to understand how it might be SLIGHTLY upsetting to me to hear what you had to say in your most recent Newsletter on the WWF page.

JR steps forward to talk, but Sting turns and walks around the ring, still talking, as if he didn't even see Ross. Jim Ross can only shake his head.

Sting: You gave your opinions on the Horsemen ... which is fine, everybody's entitled to their own opinions. In fact, proving you WRONG on your opinions is gonna be quite fun. But there were 2 things you said that really kind of erked me. Hold on ...

Sting pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolds it.

Sting: You said, and I QUOTE ... "they'll", meaning me and the Warrior ... "they'll be back-jumping and back-stabbing by the end of the year". You know ... I've tried for months now to get back some of the respect that I'd lost, as well as the fans ... the fans I think I've succeded in.

The fans cheer!

Sting: But if someone like yourself, JR, feels that as soon as the going gets a little tough I'll change my ways and resort to the days of old, I have obviously FAILED as far as getting my respect goes. I'm NOT Razor Ramon! I'm NOT The Blizzard! I don't change my life direction every other week! So for you to think that at the drop of a hat, I'd turn my back on my fans, on my friends, and so on ... it kinda upsets me.

Sting: And not JUST me ... how about the people that have helped along the way to get me back on the right side of things? Double J, Sarah D, most definately Starr ... and even though some of my actions a month or so ago may not have shown it, even Slick. Not only are you slapping ME in the face with that, and of course the Warrior, you're slapping THEM in the face for not acknowledging that their influence have all had parts in my direction.

Sting: And here's another ... and I quote ... "Sting's career, despite clutching on to a nice ranking, is plummeting in the eyes of fans and promoters." MAN, Jim! That's something I'd expect to hear from ... I'd say Lawler, but I don't think even HE would say that! Probably cause he couldn't find the words. But ... I can't comment on what the promoters think of me, cause I'm not them. Frankly, I don't CARE what they think of me. I do my job 110% every night and I leave ... if somebody has a problem with that, they can come right to me and we'll talk.

Sting: Now obviously, I've been on a downward slump as of late. Like I explained, I've been caught up in a lot ... the injury, several things contributing. BUT ... my career is plummeting in the eyes of the fans? Well, let's just ask THEM!

Sting turns to the crowd.

Sting: I'll just run down the list! Did my getting salt thrown in my eyes and getting hit with a loaded foot, among other things, before losing to the Giant at King of the Ring lower your respect for me?

The crowd gives a loud "NO!".

Sting: The next night, did my getting pinned after being hit with a chair by my own PARTNER cause my career to look bad in your eyes?

The crowd again gives a "NO!".

Sting: The night after THAT, losing to the Warrior ... did getting beaten by the Intercontinental Champion make you feel that my career is going down?

Again, the crowd cheers a loud NO.

Sting: Hmmm ... ah, the Machine! Did getting smacked in the head with a loaded foot, a laptop computer, and getting FIRE thrown into my face before I lost somehow make you lose respect for the Stinger?

Once again, the crowd voices a no.

Sting: Ummm ... In Your House! Did Susannah Helmsley's getting a lucky pin on Starr effect your feelings towards me whatsoever?

Not surprisingly, the fans shout "NO!".

Sting: I think we've gone far enough. JR, it seems to me that I haven't lost any of the FANS respect ... it seems to be YOUR respect that I'm losing. And I can't understand why. I remember Macho Man getting upset that you picked Flair to win at WrestleMania ... and that was only ONE match! You, more or less, have called me pathetic! Jim, I'll tell you that being the voice of the WWF, you reach alot of people with what you say, as you well know.

Sting: And part of the responsibility that comes with that job is to try and remain UNbiased. So if you have a problem with what I'm doing, be it the Horsemen, teaming with the Warrior, my relationship with Starr ... brother, lay it on the table! If you DON'T have a problem ... then it appears that, like I said, I've failed in trying to earn back the respect of EVERYBODY here. And if that's true, it's nobody's fault but mine.

Sting: JR, I don't expect you to answer this now ... if at ALL! I just wanted to let you know that the things you say DO effect the way people think, and in this instance I think you're sending them the wrong message. Thanks for the time.

Sting looks down for a moment, and then out to the crowd, who cheers. He hands Ross the microphone back and slaps him on the arm. 'The Man Called Sting' starts up once more, as Sting climbs out of the ring and heads up the aisle.

He meets up with Rude as he slaps the fans hands, and the 2 disappear backstage...