The new "Ask the Specialists" Roundtable is the latest spin-off from the "Ask the Torch" feature. CSI led to CSI: New York and CSI: Miami, which is where you'll find the Specialists tackling a daily topic submitted by PWTorch readers to askpwtorch@gmail.com.

Ask the Specialists Roundtable #14

- Question from PWTorch reader Stanton Booth: Random, near-conspiracy-based question here, but after Ric Flair endorsed The Shield on Raw, any way this leads to a Flair swerve and heel turn re-aligning with Evolution? And if so, any chance Sting is introduced as a sort of evening force, somewhat aligned with The Shield? Perhaps even War Games? It makes sense playing off the 25 year history between Flair and Sting!

- "Hits & Misses" Jon Mezzera responds: I wrote in my Hits & Misses that I thought Flair turning on The Shield was a possibility, but I hadn't given any thought to Sting or anyone else coming in on The Shield's side to even the odds. I guess it is a possibility. I don't really like the possibility. The Shield should be able to stand on their own, even if Flair is part of Evolution again. I don't want to see either Flair or Sting ever wrestle again, even as a relatively small part of a four-on-four match of any type. I don't have the same nostalgia for War Games as a lot of others do, so I don't have a strong feeling on that aspect of it one way or the other. I just don't want to see those two wrestling and I don't think The Shield needs Sting's endorsement. I guess it would be better if Sting and Flair were mentors and didn't get in the ring, but even then I don't like the idea much at all.

As for the 25 years of Sting vs. Flair, this October marks the 25th anniversary of Will Clark hitting a huge grand slam off of Greg Maddox in the NLCS to help lead the San Francisco Giants into the World Series over the Chicago Cubs. As a huge fan of Will Clark and someone who respects the hell out of Greg Maddox, I don't want to see them come out of retirement and rejoin the Giants and the Cubs to celebrate their 25 years of history together by taking part in a three-game series this year. They can't compete with the stars of today. Flair would take one super-man punch from Roman Reigns and die. Let's just let the past be the past and focus on the future.

- "Common Fan" Jimmy Eaton (@TheCommonFan) responds: Great question, Stanton. I actually thought of the exact same thing, but it just was a bit of fantasy booking at the time. Could it work? Sure. Would it be awesome? I'd pop for it. But, I'd personally rather see Sting be treated as something big on his own instead of needing to be involved with that much talent and especially Ric Flair. Of course, they would need to do a face-to-face for the sake of my childhood, but you get the idea. Fun idea and fun to talk about, but not entirely practical with what I think they can do to introduce Sting.

- "Mr. PPV" Nathan Kyght responds: There certainly would be a lot of history to play off with the Flair-Sting dynamic, but I don't think that it will happen. Realistically, a massive portion of the WWE's fanbase is not going to remember (or have been born yet) when Sting vs. Flair really meant something. With a wealth of hot new acts on the roster, I think that it would be counter-productive giving TV time to a Sting-Flair build-up, and let's face it, the odds of it ending with Flair wrestling Sting I highly unlikely. Aside from a fun promo, it's just not creatively the best of the many options right now.

Which brings us to age-old question of whether to bring back War Games. I was always a huge fan of the gimmick (awesome visual, and the early run of matches were classics), but War Games, while being a Dusty Rhodes invention, was never a WWE invention. Vince McMahon is a believer in sticking with the things he had a hand in (which is partially why 'Razor Ramon' is in the Hall of Fame, and not 'Scott Hall'). Would seeing War Games back be fun? Sure, but I think they would have more likely brought it back around the time the DVD collection was released to cross-promote. At this point, I think it's a gimmick that is staying in the past.

- "Showstopper" Shawn Valentino responds: Thanks for your question, Stanton. Your scenario is interesting, but I do not think WWE has long-term plans for Evolution, and if they do, it is hopefully to help a younger fourth member. Ric Flair does not bring a great deal of value anymore, and I he definitely should never wrestle again with WWE. Sting may have some drawing power because he is the one major wrestler that has not been with the company so they should bring him in the right way. I cannot imagine a War Games because WWE already has Elimination Chamber and Hell in a Cell to fulfill the brutal steel cage gimmick matches, and they probably think that an old WCW concept will not connect with their current fanbase.

I think that a surprise appearance by Sting siding with The Shield could be interesting because at least he would be aligning himself with a cool, relevant act. Not really sure how much a Flair heel turn will do, but if they are going to use him, that is likely how he would want to be utilized. Sting will obviously be a special attraction star, and now that The Undertaker streak is over, I think he can be paired in a tag team or fight a young star like Bray Wyatt. Let us just hope there are no plans for Flair vs. Sting!

- "Mr. TV" Justin James (@Justin_M_James) responds: Good questions. There’s a lot of speculation floating around a Flair swerve, and I it is understandable why people see it as a possibility as well. I see it as a possibility, too, but I do not see Flair’s involvement, one way or the other, as being positive for this angle. “Less is more” here from where I sit, and I don’t see what Flair in particular can add to this. Now, adding Sting to the mix? That’s got potential in terms of history and storyline. But, I’m not sure what the pay-off is. I don’t see WWE putting Flair in a match, especially not with Sting who is already fairly old himself.

- "Mr. Europe" Brian Leahy (@CobyHectic responds: You're not crazy; the thought crossed my mind around Mania that they could introduce Sting in a year-long program as a supporting/directing role in a faction like Shield leading to a match with The Undertaker. The avenging soul/hounds of justice link is pretty workable, and at least Sting wouldn't have to do any heavy lifting. Let's be clear on this, though: it would very much be The Shield giving Sting the rub in 2014 WWE.

I'm fairly confident that any leanings that Flair shows towards The Shield is purely for the purpose of a future swerve. Whether or not that could ever lead to an in-ring return for Flair I find doubtful. If it were to happen, and we saw Flair vs. Sting in one form or another in a WWE ring, I think it would definitely be a supporting role in a greater feud. It's been 13 years since both men closed out the last Nitro, and how the significance of their relationship resonates with the current average Raw fan remains to be seen. As for War Games; most modern day wrestling fans would probably see it as a copy of TNAs Lethal Lockdown (which IS War Games), so the Elimination Chamber will likely remain the nearest match you'll see to War Games on WWE programming.

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[ FYI: The specialists consist of a mix of current PWTorch contributors providing their opinion on today's wrestling scene and modern wrestling history questions, including Shawn Valentino, Michael Moore, Ben Tucker, Jon Mezzera, Justin James, Brian Leahy, Jimmy Eaton, Nathan Kyght, Tony Donofrio, and Mike Roe. ]

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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