Man, I could say a lot here. It seems like each sport has a 'culture' of violence. I get it. I think I was in Jr. High the first time it was suggested to me to 'repay' a player on the other team. By a coach. It was not the last.
My views have moderated some with age. The older I get, it seems the less I like 'gratuitous' violence. I love playoff hockey, and one of the things I really like is less fights, and less cheap shot hits. A team, and a player, can not afford a suspension in a short series so they don't do the crime. It's a lot better game to watch in my opinion.
Thanks Bronco, for a good look at the stinky side of sports.
The whole issue of “justice” and payback has led to some ugly events including the Todd Bertuzzi incident. The coach told the team that a player had to taken out because of something that happened before. Scary stuff.