To be honest, I greeted the news that the Cincinnati Bengals hired Dan Hoard over Brad Johansen for their radio broadcast unfavorably. It had nothing to do with Hoard, who seems like a fine play-by-play guy. No. It had everything to do with Johansen, who I've enjoyed listening to for the past decade. Along with emotionally charged reactions to a quarterback sack, an interception or a beautifully thrown deep touchdown pass by Carson Palmer (think five years ago), Johansen would provide gaffs when the team was being mopped up by their opponents. As with everything in life, some didn't like it. My typical response was that if anyone else said it, you'd nod your head in total agreement. He felt like a fan. No, he was a fan. Still is a fan.
His knowledge of the personnel was top-notch, telling us the receiver formations and where each receiver lined up within a single breath. The visual was clear. The snap was made. And if I didn't hear Dave Lapham shouting with pounding fists on the counter like a Metallica double-bass drum, the play would be described soon enough with reactions you'd hear from the guy sitting next to you. And that was provided that you weren't shouting louder than him -- or her if you scored a Ben-GAL.
So I liked Johansen. During the games, my television was on mute with Brad and Lap. Sometimes the radio would spoil the play on a television that seemed seconds in delay, but that was alright. Because if I heard Brad and Lap shouting and screaming, I was already geared up for the Johnathan Joseph interception I was about to see.
As for the reason why, John Kiesewetter, the Cincinnati Enquirer's Media Writer explains:
Because of the "two really good options," the former Fox 19 sports director working as a free-lancer offered "a lot more flexibility for our website and social media" than the Johansen, who has a full-time job as Channel 12 sports director, explains Vince Cicero, Bengals corporate sales, marketing and broadcasting director.