The New ESPN SPI

ESPN has launched a new world soccer rating system, the Soccer Power Index (SPI for short). See this as an RPI of sorts for the world of international football. They take some interesting things into account, such as performance of an international player on the club level. If Clint Dempsey scores a game-winner against Man United for Fulham, that helps the USA's SPI. I like the concept. The SPI is currently the front-page story at ESPN.com. Head over there and check it out. Otherwise, click on this link to see the SPI, these one and two links to see explanations of them and this link to head to ESPN's World Cup page. Great stuff from ESPN.