2/26/1999

Where forth art thou, Sting? Probably at home, in Southern California, if you really want to know. The mega-popular superstar has been a man of mystery in recent months -- much more by his absence, believe it or not, than during his doom and gloom days in black & white face-paint. So many questions, so few answers.

Where are you, Sting? When are you coming back? Are you coming back with the Red & Black nWo or WCW? Since last fall, Sting has, quite simply, been gone from the wrestling scene. He's appeared at only a few house-shows, such as Los Angeles in late-January and San Francisco in mid-February. No Nitros. No Thunders. No pay-per-views.

He's signed autographs in select markets to help promote ticket sales. And not much more WCW-related. No interviews. No TV Time. No nothing. Why? Family matters, literally.

"All the years pounding the pavement took its toll on me mentally, physically, spiritually ... in every way possible. It took its toll on my family," Sting said earlier this month in a rare, sit-down interview. "I had a real big eye-opener last year; that's when it was time for me to stop and smell the roses. I think a lot of people in my position go through those hard times, where you've got to stop and smell the roses. And I did." Sting's life "changed dramatically" last September: he gave his life to Jesus Christ. Sting became a born-again Christian. "I'm walking a different walk now and now I'm trying to figure out how to integrate that walk into wrestling without being Father Sting because that's the last thing I want to do. But at the same time, I want to give a good message to the fans, especially the kids," he said.

"I now want to think about each and every move I make, knowing that I'm not just a husband and a father, but I'm also a personality on TV. The fans watch me; they identify with me; they take examples from me, as they do from all the wrestlers. That's why I now want to really think clearly on everything I do, especially on TV. I want to make sure I say and do the right things, so parents are able to say, 'Yeah, I don't mind if my kids watch Sting on TV.' "Some of the raunch that airs on our competitor, I wouldn't let my kids watch it and I can't imagine any parent letting their kids watch it. That's crap; that's exactly what it is." Sting today is "clear-headed." He's focused mentally and in better physical condition than at any point in his pro career. And he plans to stay that way.

"How will (my new personal thinking) effect my wrestling? I don't know. I still want to be able to deliver for the fans; that's my thing. But I'm trying to figure out how. I know I'll figure out a way, eventually. There's always been something that the fans have been able to connect with, them with me and me with them. "My life is more reserved now, but wrestling is always, has always been and always will be high-octane." Sting must find the medium ground, where personal and professional can mesh into one happy family, literally. Sting moved from Atlanta to Southern California. He lives about an hour north of Los Angeles International Airport.

"I'm a different guy, a different person," Sting began. "I hid (my family and non-wrestling life) for so many years for a lot of different reasons. Probably most of them, not good reasons, (though). But the fans now want to see more straight-up wrestlers; they want to hear something that's more straight-up. They don't want to be insulted, so I don't want to insult anyone anymore. Why lie about it? People don't understand, unless they are in the position that we are in (as public figures) that there are people out there who, well, are weirdos. I've got kids and I want to protect them." So what's ahead for Sting? "Somehow I want to find a way to rise above it all and keep my ahead above water and keep the fans' interest, and maintain a level that I always have," he said. "I don't know if I can survive in this business unless I'm at a certain level or status. After all the years of hard-work, I can't imagine not being (a main-event wrestler.)"

When asked, Sting said he was not sure of his return-date for full-time wrestling. Perhaps as early as next month. "I miss the fans; I really do," Sting said. "I know the fans have been asking about me, where I've been, what I've been doing, when I'm coming back, etc. I'm looking forward to coming back. I took a little break because I needed one. Now I'm ready to turn on that light-switch once more ... but it never again will be at the same pace that it once was at. It can't be. "I'm a bit unclear about what is gonna come my way in wrestling in the future ... I just know it's gonna be an interesting year in 1999."

Any fears? "No matter what any wrestler might say, it's always a wrestler's fear that the fans are going to lose interest. Whether they love you or hate you, it's emotion that you want, one extreme or the other. Nothing in between. Luckily for me, there's been nothing in between ... and trust me, I don't want to move into that in-between territory," he said.

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