[Deb Palmieri on Russia Table of Contents]

The following article was published in the Russian Commerce News, January-February 1998. The Russian Commerce News is the official publication of The Russian-American Chamber of Commerce®.

What Russia and the Denver Broncos Share in Common

It's pretty incredible when you think about it. Against all odds, with a long and painful history of defeats, setbacks, near-wins and dashed hopes, the underdog Denver Broncos pulled off a stunning win over the Green Bay Packers and triumphantly captured the Lombardy trophy as world Super Bowl champions.

There's no question, the Denver Broncos were the underdogs. No one believed they could defeat their strong and worthy opponents. It was a laugh to even contemplate it. The experts, the pundits, the know-alls of the sports world, the behind-the-scenes football insiders - they all said the same thing. It's a given, a certainty, a fait accompli that the Broncos would lose the game by at least 14 points. They just wouldn't measure up. They faced an impossible task. End of story.

That is, until the moment of that fateful day, the upset, the stunning blow, the impossible dream come true - it happened - the Broncos in an almost unparalleled game in football history, achieved the most deserved victory of their decades-long existence. They won their first Super Bowl victory ever.

As I watched the whole amazing thing unfold, including the drama of the game, the aftermath celebration here in Denver, including the rally and parade that drew nearly 700,000 well wishers and loyal fans to pay tribute to their heroes, I just couldn't help but think about Russia. It's the whole underdog issue. It's the whole thing about defying conventional wisdom, tossing aside the opinions of the hallowed experts, replacing pessimism with optimism, determination, willpower and skill. And just going in, doing it and achieving the unthinkable - the thing that everybody said could never be done.

The Russians now are in the underdog position vis-à-vis the West. Life is tough. The chips are down. The omniscient and omnipotent American media and a significant slice of experts from academia and the policy community are sure of it. Russia's economy is a mess and it will stay that way for a long time. The mafia rules the country. There are criminals everywhere. The military's on the verge of collapse. The health care crisis is so severe it's remarkable people can get up in the morning. Authoritarianism and nationalism can rear their heads any minute now. It's black, it's bleak and future prospects are grim. The experts, the pundits, those informed people who should know - they are all sure of it. Russia and pessimism are synonymous terms. End of story.

That is, unless you have the foresight, guts and wisdom to see otherwise, beyond today's muddle into a better future and the rays of hope that shine already everyday in Russia. Russia and the Broncos share the common feature of the underdog syndrome. Before the Broncos won, only a few loyalists believed in their ability to pull off a grand victory. But with time, patience, skill, hard work and determination, they brought the trophy home.

Right now, few believe in Russia's ability to pull off an economic miracle and sustained recovery. (Although, even the Wall Street Journal recently acknowledged in its front page article: "Surprise: The Economy in Russia is Climbing Out of Deep Recession.") Russia hasn't yet pulled off a glorious achievement like the Broncos.

But will she? You can bet on it. It took the Broncos almost four decades to reach the pinnacle of success. It wasn't easy. There were a lot of setbacks and disappointments along the way. But they believed in themselves and they worked hard with good coaching and financial backing and they made it. No magic solutions. No easy shortcuts. It's the same trajectory to success that Russia's on now. The same philosophy applies to companies plugging along in Russia today. The environment is tough. One problem follows another. Sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it. But just give it time, be patient and your ROIs based on sound business plans will pan out.

The moral of the story? Underdogs can beat the odds, come out ahead, and bring home the trophy. Russia and the Broncos will also share that outcome in common. Meanwhile, believe in the Russian underdog and its eventual success.
Deborah Anne Palmieri
Russian Commerce News, January-February 1998

Copyright 1999 The Russian-American Chamber of Commerce®