It's been 25 years since Kermit Washington's devastating blow crushed the face of Rudy Tomjanovich. Washington's life has never been the same. Maybe Shaquille O'Neal should take a note before he winds up delivering ... A life-altering punch

By Jim Van Vliet -- Bee Staff Writer

Published 5:30 am PST Sunday, January 27, 2002

Kermit Washington sat in his Portland, Ore., home earlier this month, watching the late edition of ESPN's "SportsCenter." He felt that familiar knot in his stomach as they re-ran pictures of an irate Shaquille O'Neal throwing a wild, menacing punch at Chicago Bulls center Brad Miller.