I have always empathized with Kermit Washington. It was a defensive reaction to what he saw coming at him. Most of the TV footage was slowed down and I think that was ‘cheap shot’ editing to make it look premeditated.
It actually resulted in the rule that gets a player coming off the bench during a brawl, tossed with everyone else.
Rudy T didn’t come off the bench but KW’s explanation of circumstances weighed heavily in the development of that rule.