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835 WORDS

4/8/06

TIME 100 piece

For the month of June, no German figure will be able to rival the attention focused on Franz Beckenbauer in Germany. Widely considered the best soccer player ever produced by Germany, he will now preside over a tournament of thirty-two teams, the survivors of an elimination process involving ____ teams, that has gone on for over two years.

The impact on the World Cup is difficult for Americans to grasp, since soccer has not yet evoked the passions here it does almost everywhere else. Around the world, it is as if the Super Bowl and the seventh game of the World Series were played every day from [the] June 9 opening game to the final in July. Billions will watch the sixty-three games on television and, in the most directly affected countries,

Apr 08 06 10:38a

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other activities will stop when the national team plays - which is one

reason why (all games ~~will be~~ in the evening (European time), ~~leaving~~
~~with the~~

Asia sleepless and Latin America with lowered economic activity when
~~the national teams play. Elections have been affected by the mood~~

that victory or defeat generates.

The position of the chairman of the Organizing Committee is

*an unglorified* (STO) particularity delicate. He must satisfy thirty national passions, all but one of which will be disappointed to a greater or lesser degree.

Fortunately for Germany, Beckenbauer is of a stature beyond the
reach of these passions. The soccer public - including Germany - is
passionate and fickle. But a soccer figure has never reached the iconic
status of Beckenbauer who, in his lifetime, has become the towering

~~the figure of German soccer and who has planned the approaching World Cup with a combination of meticulous professionalism and personal~~

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p. 4

4

of skill; it reflects intangible qualities all the more inspiring when they are not formally asserted.

Franz Beckenbauer played the position of sweeper – or libero – the extra man in a defensive formation assigned to filling whatever holes the attacking team has managed to pry open. Beckenbauer gave this position a new dimension by transforming it into a dual-purpose role: of organizing the defense and acting as a quarterback does in American football, by moving forward on the attack which he distrubuted the ball k the most valuable designed so skillfully that he emerged as a significant goal scorer as

12/3

punts of the defender. Thus in its fruit life, Beckenbauer most memorized an offense and well.

in the second to play a pass, was a stiffing defense.

Almost all great soccer players achieve eminence because of their skill in moving with the football or their ability to score goals.

His equal in distributing an attack. Pekka is superior as a soccer. Pela was more characteristic, whereas more

Though Beckenbauer did possess the latter skill, his most unusual

But he also possessed such a broad mix of skills or maturation as the Beckenbauer, so numerous and versatile ability was distributing the football in a way that frustrated the opposing offense and paralyzed the adversary's defense. Time and

player

veteran.

Apr 08 06 10:38a

P.5

again, he would dislodge the ball with a barely noticeable flick of his foot into an empty space closer to his team's player than to any adversary and to a spot from which his team could magnify its opportunities.

Skill was allied to inspirational determination. Thus in the semifinal of the 1970 in Mexico World Cup, Beckenbauer played, despite a dislocated shoulder, with his arm in a sling. In a sport in which twenty players are moving all the time, with no time-outs and only two substitutions, such dominance reflected a rare combination of athleticism and intellect.

These qualities produced four German championships for the teams he captained, four Cup wins, two World Cup victories, three European championships in a row, participation in 103 national games. Above all, these playing qualities foreshadowed Beckenbauer's later career. Few professional athletes – even star athletes – enjoy comparable success in later life; the concentration and single-

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6

mindedness required for eminence have proved difficult to apply to
other fields.
aided by a personality
which influences him with
healing.

Beckenbauer has gone from success to success. He became
when I was declining
coach of the national team and instilled the relentless perfectionism
that marked his playing career. He reached the World Cup finals with
the two national teams he coached, winning in 1990. Afterwards he
became chairman of Bayern Munich, the most successful club in
Germany.

Beckenbauer has culminated this career by becoming chairman
of the Organizing Committee for the World Cup to be held in Germany
this year. He was instrumental in securing it and meticulous in
execution. The World Cup will only solidify Beckenbauer's mythic
status in the soccer world and续 his sole
ever as the dominant figure in his era.
Not for nothing is Beckenbauer
nicknamed in Germany - the King,
which means Empire in English.

835 WORDS

4/8/06

TIME 100 piece

["three games on television and, in the most directly affected countries, June 9 opening game to the final in July. Billions will watch the sixty-seventh game of the World Series were played every day from [the] everywhere else. Around the world, it is as if the Super Bowl and the since soccer has not yet evoked the passions here it does almost The impact on the World Cup is difficult for Americans to grasp, over two years.", "an elimination process involving ______ teams, that has gone on for now twice over a tournament of thirty-two teams, the survivors of ______ who were left to battle over a tournament of thirty-two teams,

2

[v]

other activities will stop when the national team plays - which is one
reason why all games will be in the evening (European time), leaving
Asia sleepless and Latin America with lowered economic activity when
the national teams play. Elections have been affected by the mood
that victory or defeat generates.

The position of the chairman of the Organizing Committee is
particularly delicate. He must satisfy thirty national passions, all but
one of which will be disappointed to a greater or lesser degree.

Fortunately for Germany, Beckenbauer is of a stature beyond the
reach of these passions. The soccer public - including Germany - is
passionate and fickle. But a soccer figure has never reached the iconic
status of Beckenbauer who, in his lifetime, has become the towering
figure of German soccer and who has planned the approaching World
Cup with a combination of meticulous professionalism and personal

Cup with a combination of medicinal professionalism and personal
figure of German soccer and who has planned the approaching World
status of Beckenbauer who, in his lifetime, has become the towering
passionate and tickler. But a soccer figure has never reached the iconic
reach of these passions. The soccer public - including Germany - is
Fortunately for Germany Beckenbauer is of a statute beyond the
one of which will be disappointed to a greater or lesser degree.
particularly deliberate. He must satisfy thirty national passions, all but
The position of the chairman of the Organizing Committee is
that victory or defeat generates
the national team play. Elections have been affected by the mood
Asia sleepless and Latin America with lowered economic activity when
reason why all games will be in the evening (European time), leaving
other activities will stop when the national team plays - which is one

3

attention, which will further solidify his nickname as "The Kaiser" - the
Emperor.

I saw Franz Beckenbauer play [for] the first time when he captained the German national team in the 1974 World Cup final in Munich. A German team with strong fighting qualities defeated an elegant team from the Netherlands, which paradoxically handicapped itself when it scored a goal in the first minute, thereby being tempted to abandon its intricate attacking style in favor of holding its lead.

This enabled the German team to launch a furious assault in front of an enthusiastic audience, achieving the final score just before halftime.

Afterwards the Dutch team attacked throughout the second half with mounting desperation, without being able to score again.

Franz Beckenbauer was the dominant player on the field - even though the Dutch team was led by Johan Cruyff, considered by many experts the best all-time player. But dominance is not only a question

expects the best all-time player. But dominance is not only a question

through the Dutch team was led by Johan Cruyff, considered by many

elegant team from the Netherlands, which paradoxically handled

Emperor.

attention, which will further solidify his nickname as "The Kaiser," - the

4

Franz Beckenbauer played the position of sweeper – or libero – the extra man in a defensive formation assigned to filling whatever holes the attacking team has managed to pry open. Beckenbauer gave this position a new dimension by transforming it into a dual-purpose role: of organizing the defense and acting as a quarterback does in American football, by moving forward on the attack which he designed so skillfully that he emerged as a significant goal scorer as well.

Almost all great soccer players achieve eminence because of their skill in moving with the football or their ability to score goals. Though Beckenbauer did possess the latter skill, his most unusual ability was distributing the football in a way that frustrated the opposing offense and paralyzed the adversary's defense. Time and

opposing offense and paralyzed the adversary's defense. Time and
ability was distributing the football in a way that frustrated the
opponent.

Though Beckenbauer did possess the latter skill, his most unusual
their skill in moving with the football or their ability to score goals.

Almost all great soccer players achieve eminence because of
well.

designed so skillfully that he emerged as a significant goal scorer as
does in American football, by moving forward on the attack which he
purposely chose of organizing the defense and acting as a quarterback

gave this position a new dimension by transforming it into a dual-
roles the attacking team has managed to play open. Beckenbauer
the extra man in a defensive formation assigned to filling whatever

Franz Beckenbauer played the position of sweeper - or libero -

are not formally asserted.

5

YI

again, he would propel the ball with a barely noticeable flick of his foot into an empty space closer to his team's player than to any adversary and to a spot from which his team could magnify its opportunities.

Skill was allied to inspirational determination. Thus in the semifinal of the World Cup, Beckenbauer played, despite a dislocated shoulder, with his arm in a sling. In a sport in which twenty players are moving all the time, with no time-outs and only two substitutions, such dominance reflected a rare combination of athleticism and intellect.

career. Few professional athletes — even star athletes — enjoy

Above all, these playing qualities fore shadowed Beckenbauer's later

Teams he captained: four Cup wins, two World Cup victories, three

intellect.

Such dominance reflected a rare combination of athleticism and

eliminated at the World Cup. Beckenbauer played, despite a dislocated

Skill was added to inspirational determination. Thus in the

and to a spot from which his team could magnify the opportunities.

Into an empty space closer to his team's player than to any adversary

6

Beckenbauer has gone from success to success. He became
coach of the national team and instilled the relentless perfectionism
that marked his playing career. He reached the World Cup finals with
the two national teams he coached, winning in 1990. Afterwards he
became chairman of Bayern Munich, the most successful club in
Germany.

Beckenbauer has culminated this career by becoming chairman
of the Organizing Committee for the World Cup to be held in Germany
this year. He was instrumental in securing it and meticulous in
execution. The World Cup will only solidify Beckenbauer's mythic
status in the soccer world.

>> ----------

>> From: Jessee LePorin

>> Sent: Wednesday, April 5, 2006 11:01 AM

>> To: Saporito, Bill - Time U.S.

<bill_saporito@timemagazine.com>

>> Subject: RE: Dr. Kissinger on der Kaiser

>>

>> Dr. Kissinger would be happy to write a piece about Franz

>> Beckenbauer

>> to run in the TIME 100 edition of the magazine. Could you kindly

>> advise us of the exact date on which you will need his contribution?

>> Also, should he refer to Beckenbauer as a nominee for the TIME 100
in

> the piece?

>>

>> Thank you,

>> Jessee

>>

>> Jessica P. LePorin

>> Office of Henry A. Kissinger

>> Kissinger Associates, Inc.

>> 350 Park Avenue, 26th Floor

>> New York, NY 10022

>> TF (212) 759-7919

>> Fax (212) 759-0042

>>

>>

>> -----Original Message-----

>> From: bill_saporito@timemagazine.com

>> [mailto:bill_saporito@timemagazine.com]

>> Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 4:17 PM

>> To: jleporin@kmaglobal.com

>> Subject: Dr. Kissinger on der Kaiser

>>

>>

>> Jesse:

>>

>> I am writing to see if I can enlist Dr. Kissinger as an author of a

>> short piece on Franz Beckenbauer, head of Germany's World Cup

>> organizing committee, to run in the TIME 100 edition. Beckenbauer,

>> AKA der Kaiser, was instrumental in bringing the World Cup to
Germany

>> (as was Dr. Kissinger in bringing the Cup to the U.S. in 1994.)

>> Beckenbauer is the most influential person in the game this year,
and

>> thus a nominee for the TIME 100. I think Dr. Kissinger would have
fun

>> with this one, and it's only 350 words, due in two weeks or so.

>> Regards.

>>

>>

2

>> ----------

>> From: Jessee LePorin

>>

>> Beckenbauer

> the piece?

>>

>> Thank you,

>> Jessee

>>

>> Jessica P. LePorin

>> Kissinger Associates, Inc.

>> New York, NY 10022

>> TF (212) 759-7919

>> Fax (212) 759-0042

>>

>>

>> -----Original Message-----

>> To: jleporin@kmaglobal.com

>>

>>

>> Jesse:

>>

>> Regards.

>>

>>

2