Julie Foudy and 10 Extremely Confusing Sportscaster Moments

Casual fans rely on sports announcers to make sporting events fun to watch from home. These analysts give intelligent, well-spoken commentary that only adds to the enjoyment of watching the games.

Sometimes, these announcers provide unintentional entertainment. Whether we laugh, shake our heads, or are utterly perplexed (such as Thursday night with Julie Foudy), entertainment easily becomes humor.

Ahead are Julie Foudy and the 10 most confusing announcers.

This list is in no particular order.

11. John Madden

Who better than John Madden to start off the list?

Don't get me wrong, I love Madden, but sometimes you don't even have to be watching the game to enjoy the magic he made with Pat Summerall.

Madden's famous "chalkboard" and outlandish personality made him stand out from other announcers during his time.

The former Oakland Raiders head coach knew the game better than anyone, but his excitement level and inability to get his words out as quick as his brain moved made him one of the more confusing announcers.

10. Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley is one of the greatest sports personalities ever to grace television.

His wittiness and insight is unparalleled, and he offers a refreshing outlook on sports that most announcers are afraid to present.

Sometimes, Barkley goes on tangents during broadcasts that cannot be described through words, but only through this gem.

9. Jeff Van Gundy

Jeff Van Gundy will always be remembered for his role in a fight while he was head coach of the New York Knicks.

Van Gundy has since become an NBA announcer for ESPN, who, paired with Mark Jackson, has become a member of one of the great teams of analysts.

Unfortunately, Van Gundy has also subjected us to points in time like this, where he seems to forget he's calling a basketball game, much less the NBA Finals, and focus on totally perplexing ideas.

8. Lou Holtz

Lou Holtz is one of the most decorated college football coaches in NCAA history.

He is a member on ESPN's grouping of college football shows, as well as being an occasional member in the broadcast booth.

Holtz is one of the older analysts still on television, at the age of 74, and sometimes doesn't even need words to back up his arguments.

7. Tony Kornheiser

Tony Kornheiser brought some character to the Monday Night Football booth during his short stint with Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski.

Kornheiser seemed intent on talking about his fantasy football team, what was happening off the field with individual players, and specific players' dating preferences.

6. Dennis Miller

Dennis Miller is the sharp-tongued stand-up comedian who was chosen as the loud-mouthed member of Monday Night Football in 2000.

Miller provided a short-term spark, but after two seasons was replaced by the great John Madden.

For a small sample size of what Miller provided in primetime, here is a link to some of his famous quotes.

5. Chip and Harry Caray

Chip Caray is carrying on the legacy of outrageous sports announcing.

The son of famous Chicago Cubs announcer Harry Caray, broadcasts with Fox SportSouth. Some of his calls have included comparing an Atlanta Braves vs. Pittsburgh Pirates 19-inning game to the Stanley Cup Finals or simply laughing at himself throughout a broadcast.

Harry Caray, known for his outlandish claims and vibrant personality, was reason enough to listen to Cubs broadcasts. Whether it be Harry Caray's analysis or an actor's pure depiction of Caray, he was difficult to articulate throughout his storied career.

4. Mike Patrick

Mike Patrick has worked a variety of different sporting events for ESPN and Comcast.

His catchphrase, "Are you serious?" is known throughout the nation, but Patrick can fade away at points during the broadcast, such as when he questioned what was happening with Britney Spears.

3. Tim McCarver

Tim McCarver, the long-time partner of Joe Buck during the most crucial series and games on FOX, makes an interesting pairing.

McCarver's outrageous comments have gone far enough to being referenced "McCarverisms," and to have a website dedicated to those wonderful gems on live television at ShutUpTimMcCarver.com.

If any of you know what McCarver is trying to get across here, please fill me in.

2. Bill Walton

Bill Walton had 10 successful years in the NBA before falling back behind the camera as an analyst/commentator.

Walton is known for his quote "Throw it down!" as well as incredibly unbearable tangents. If you can follow him on this one, you're talented.

1. Julie Foudy

The entire idea from this piece came from listening to Julie Foudy call the United States Women's National team game Thursday night.

Coming back from the half, Foudy let the words "jive turkey," emit from her mouth. During a soccer match, there is at no point in time where that should have any relevance to the game.

Later, Foudy somehow made the comparison of American forward Lauren Cheney to international standouts Leo Messi and Wayne Rooney.

Thanks to Foudy, I was able to compile a list of the most confusing, outrageous announcers.

Who is next, you might ask?

Future Announcers to Watch: Brett Favre and Shaquille Oneal

It came out late Friday afternoon that Brett Favre would serve as a color analyst for Southern Mississippi. It's hard to determine how Favre will fill up dead space, but this game is worth a look just to hear the sure-fire Hall of Famer call the game.

Another television star in-the-making is Shaquille O'Neal. If, and when, the new NBA season begins, Shaq will join Charles Barkley on TNT's NBA broadcasts. If there ever was television gold, this would be it.

Thanks for reading and follow me on Twitter @RajPrashad.