A case of broken spirits

That's how long it took for two lives to change forever.

From that moment, Edward Goodrich's face will never be the same; Tennessee defensive tackle Tony McDaniel's once clean record will be forever checkered.

On Jan. 12, the 6-foot-7, 295-pound McDaniel punched the 6-4, 200-pound Goodrich during a pickup basketball game at the UT recreation center.

Doctors inserted a metal plate to repair Goodrich's cheekbone, one of four bones fractured on the right side of his face. Two eye socket bones and a sinus cavity were also broken.

Goodrich said doctors told him that if the punch had landed four inches higher, closer to his temple, he could have suffered brain damage, been blinded, or even killed.

McDaniel was charged with aggravated assault but made a deal with prosecutors to have the original felony charge reduced to misdemeanor assault. He was sentenced Thursday in Knox County to 11 months and 29 days in jail, but placed on immediate probation and is not expected to serve any jail time.

McDaniel could have faced up to six years if he had been convicted under the felony charge.

Goodrich, 26, said he expected McDaniel's felony charge to be reduced because of his otherwise incident-free record.

However, he's disappointed with the University of Tennessee and its decision to suspend McDaniel retroactively and not for the upcoming fall semester, which would have prevented him from playing football this fall. Instead, UT suspended McDaniel for the summer session, meaning any credits he accumulated will be voided.

UT coach Phillip Fulmer suspended McDaniel for the first two games and said he ordered him to complete community service, attend anger-management counseling and abide by a curfew for the fall semester.

UT coaches have said McDaniel, 20, is one of the most talented defensive linemen on the team, although he has never quite reached his potential on the field. The rising junior has played in 24 games at UT, starting one. McDaniel registered 13 tackles, including two for a loss and a sack, last season.

"If it was any other student, he would be suspended from school or even kicked out of school," Goodrich said Friday in his first public comments since the case ended. "I figured they would at least suspend him for the upcoming fall semester.

"To me, it sends a message that athletes are above the law. I would like to see if a regular student was in the same situation, how it would be handled. I would think a regular student would be suspended."

McDaniel's attorney, Don Bosch, disagrees with Goodrich's assertion that his client got off lightly because he is a UT football player.

"With the semester suspension, the loss of the summer class work, the two-game football suspension that Phillip put on him and the misdemeanor conviction, that's a pretty serious set of consequences for a 10-second lapse of judgment," Bosch said.

Bosch said his client's social status was actually a hindrance to his defense because of the media coverage. McDaniel has been advised not to speak to the media.

Goodrich said he never wanted to see McDaniel dismissed from school, saying that would have been "too harsh." Goodrich said that a four- or five-game suspension for McDaniel would have been more appropriate.

"I didn't feel like the punishment fit the crime," said Goodrich, who added he plans to pursue a civil suit. "I didn't do anything to provoke it. I hadn't had any words with him."

The two had played basketball before, but McDaniel and Goodrich had never been more than casual acquaintances.

"I don't even believe I made that much contact," Goodrich said of the moment that led to the punch, all caught on a UT surveillance tape that has not yet been made public. "He fell to the ground. I don't believe I fouled him that hard because I was going for the ball.

"Even on the tape, you can't distinguish who fouled him because there are three or four people who jumped. As far as taunting him, I had no words or no interaction with him during the game."

Goodrich said the game got heated when several football players began "trash-talking". Goodrich said a frustrated McDaniel threatened the group.

"He got fouled by another football player," Goodrich said. "They wouldn't honor his call. He got mad and said, 'Since you all don't want to honor my call, the next person that fouls me, I'm going to lay them out.' "

Goodrich was looking up at the goal when the punch landed.

"It was all in one motion, he jumped off the floor and just swung," Goodrich said.

Goodrich said several UT football players laughed at him before he was finally helped and taken to the hospital. Bosch denies that claim.

"There is no indication on the tape or in any testimony that that is the case," Bosch said of the allegation. "Tony is the most remorseful client that I've ever represented. Since this happened, Tony has been very upset about it.

"He's not only been worried about his own well being, but Mr. Goodrich's well being. I'm sorry that Mr. Goodrich is upset with this but we think this is a fair resolution."

Goodrich said he still feels numbness in his face. He said he can still see puffiness and doubts he'll ever look quite the same when he stares into a mirror.

Goodrich added that he suffered financially from the work he missed as a result of his injuries, but was able to finish classes and earn his degree this past spring.

The court ordered McDaniel to pay all of Goodrich's medical bills. Bosch said he expects the charges to be "in the thousands of dollars" because Goodrich didn't have insurance at the time of the incident.

"We're going to make this right with Mr. Goodrich," Bosch said.

As for McDaniel, Bosch said his soft-spoken client has apologized and that the player who has been described as a "gentle giant" is immensely remorseful.

Goodrich said he doesn't believe McDaniel is a threat to anyone else on campus. Despite the pain and suffering, Goodrich doesn't characterize McDaniel based on that moment, that 10 seconds, when two acquaintances became forever linked.

"He just lost his cool and didn't think before he reacted," Goodrich said. "But at the same time I don't think he should get off lightly."