Pete Arbogast did news radio for the last two years in Los Angeles, but he always saw it as a temporary assignment.
The first decent play-by-play job that came along, Arbogast was going to jump on it.
It happened Tuesday when WKYN-AM (1160) and WUBE-FM
(105.1) named him the lead announcer on their Bengals broadcasts.
''Like any job, it all kind of happened by accident,'' Arbogast said. ''I was working news. My boss, Jim Roop, is from Cincinnati. He went to Elder High School and has a lot of family here. His brother told him about the job.''
Arbogast sent a tape to Bengals marketing director Mike Hoffbauer.
Station manager John Rohm was impressed with the tape.
''We're looking for the best broadcast team in football,'' Rohm said. ''We did a nation-
wide search, and it brought us to him. He brings a lot of energy to the broadcast.''
Arbogast, 42, spent two years at a station in Twin Falls, Idaho, right out of college. Other than that, he has worked and lived in Southern California his whole life.
Arbogast signed a three-year contract; the station has an option for a fourth year.
He likes the idea of raising his three children here.
''I wanted to go some place safe for kids,'' he said.
Arbogast is familiar with his new partner, Dave Lapham, the team's analyst since 1986. Arbogast smiled as he described Lapham's style as ''enthusiastic.''
''We'll be fine,'' Arbogast said. ''I don't want to rein him in, and he won't step on me.''
Arbogast was the voice of the Los Angeles Clippers from 1984 to '89. He moved to University of Southern California football and basketball from '89 until '95.
He kept his hand in play-by-play during his two years in news by doing national games for CBS Radio.
He plans to pull for the Bengals. ''I always want the team I'm doing to win,'' he said. ''It makes better radio.''
But he won't go so far as to say he's a homer. ''I give a fair account,'' he said.
He'll do a drive-time show on The Score, but he's here to do play-by-play. ''It's all I ever wanted to do,'' he said, ''I've really worked at the craft of play-by-play.''