Basketball - Where's Tough Guy?

Okay so I show up at basketball though my knees are for some reason absolutely killing me. I don't understand, the knees have felt great all year through twice a week full court basketball but once I started baseball a few weeks ago the knees (primarily the left with a newfound interest in the right)are uber painful. I started back up on the MoveFree gluco/chondro pills a week ago but it's too early to see any help. Hell, they even hurt at night, WTF? There's a major story I need to relate about joint pain and gluten and me that will get a full airing out soon.

Anyway so I'm here because I don't miss a basketball night unless someone in my family is dying. And we better be in the last 24 hours or see ya tomorrow. We're shooting around and I remember that I need to confront smartass guy from last week who left me feeling like I want to take his head off. A wave of kindness spreads over me and I decide I'll make a light hearted wise crack about our intimacy under the boards and move on. Actually it is how you have to play it in pick up basketball because last weeks villain could be this weeks team mate. Truth is it has prevented a lot of hard feelings. As I may have said before this group of guys, trite as it sounds, has become kind of an extra family over the decades of play. We watch out for each other. With this group, and a Sunday morning group, and the baseball team I've got a bunch of these other sports families. Truth is, I'm making this effort to try to pad the stats at my wake, otherwise it could get lonely in that funeral home.

So anyway, smartass old wiseguy doesn't show up and while I was going to be nice I did want him to be on the other team for a little extra motivation. Numbers were very small AGAIN and it was half court. I was sluggish, the half court game being so lateral the knees took an extra beating, and I was unremarkable if not actually sucky. Went home did a little icing of the knees and was generally unhappy with the evening. Maybe I should drop basketball and give it over to baseball since the knees are barking so loud - but far as I know everyone's healthy in my family so...